Friday, Sept 28

We had a busy morning. Sasha woke up at 6:30 am. My fault, I forgot to close the blackout curtains so it was very bright in the room. I decided to go down and have breakfast a little while later. I guess I didn't time it right because Sasha did not want to be put in the stroller at all while I ate. I managed to drink some tea and have a little fruit, but I didn't get to eat much else for breakfast. Which is too bad because the breakfast here is good. I wanted to get a few things done because I feel like I am running out of time. I got a taxi to the cathedral and then walked inside it for a few minutes. It is beautiful. I walked around and looked at streetside stores for a while and saw a lot of things. I had already written a list of what I wanted to buy and where to get it but looking around at other things was fun. I went into a really nice jewelry store to ask about a baby bracelet for Sasha. $278. I didn't buy it. No good deals to be had in that store. I bought a bunch of Christmas presents for a good price. Sasha and I took a taxi home. It was so great to walk into the hotel with the air conditioning! It was a hot day, not overwhelming, but having a fronpack with a baby as well as a backpack warms you up a little when you're walking around. We set our bags in the room and decided to go do one more thing. Walked around the corner to the old Hanoi Prison and looked in there and read about it for a little while. It is not very large, because only part of it is still there. The hotel I am in is built on part of the grounds of the prison. It was very interesting to read about the history and sad ot see how prisoners were treated (or mistreated actually). We went on another little walk and then went back to the hotel.
Sasha kept waking up during her nap and crying so I wasn't able to take a nap at the same time. I wound up holding her for most of her nap so she would keep sleeping. At 4:30 pm we decided to go on a walk. I don't really know where I was headed. I wasn't hungry for any food I could think of, but I just needed to get out for a while. We walked up toward the lake and then walked most of the way around it. It is a good time to be out people watching. Well, it's always a good time to people watch here since there are so many people outside, but I like being there in the evening. I was thinking about going to the Mediterraneo restaurant, but I wasn't really in the mood for Italian. I had gone in today and taken one of their cards in case I wanted to take a taxi there later. I sat down on a bench and gave Sasha a bottle and then decided to go to Bobby Chins on the way home. I had been there the first night we got into town, but wanted to try it again. It is such a pretty place with the rose petals, hanging silk, and hanging flowers. The lighting is really nice too. By then it was dark so it was pretty watching the bikes, cars and people go by as we sat there. Sasha was great! I ordered macaroni and cheese (I have heard 3 recommendations for it)and a local beer, Halida. I liked the bread a lot, I like the beer, but I didn't really like the macaroni and cheese. Too rich for me. I wasn't that hungry when I went in there though, so that might have made a difference. Sasha and I enjoyed being out somewhere new and were in no hurry to leave. I was planning on taking a taxi home, but decided to walk instead. It was pretty busy outside tonight since it is Friday. We got home at 7:oo pm. I was glad we had gotten out and happy I was able to check of several things on my HAVE TO DO list. I gave Sasha a bath and she is sleeping now. I am about to go to bed too.