Jill's Birthday today. I knew there was a reason we bought those pearls in Halong Bay. Richard and Jenny showed up with some beautiful yellow roses, and the hotel also came up with some red roses. How sweet is that!
Off to organise plane flights south to Hue and a trip to the Perfume Pagoda. We're also looking for new accommodation. This hotel is lovely, but we thought we would look for something cheaper for a few days from tomorrow. Found one that Jennie had seen in the Lonely Planet. It was down a little lane, a nice, clean and tidy Lane, with people selling along the edges. Apparently, this Hotel has several sites, so we ended up being taken to another building, the office down yet another alleyway - the Wing Hotel. The desk girl, Tham, was busy making breakfast for a young couple who had just got in from Cambodia, at the same time as she was dealing with us. She made them eggs, tea, and bought them bread (those great French baguetts being sold on the street corners). She offered us some mango while we were waiting (sent out another girl to buy that). Eventually, we were booked in for tomorrow. Next stop off to an ATM to get millions of dong for plane tickets (A$75 each to Hua and we think that includes transfers.
Then, off to the Water Puppet theatre to meet 'Hello Hanoi' just before lunch. 'Hello Hanoi' are a group of students who offer their services as guides to Hanoi tourists. The only thing they want in return is the ability to practise their English. What a service! The Water Puppet theatre was chosen as an easy meeting point, and it was there we met Tung (who has just finished school in Singapore and wants to go to college in the US) and his friend Tam (a 16-year-old who goes to a local school for gifted students). They are going to show us the Museum of Ethnology this afternoon. Tam only goes to school in the mornings, and another group goes in the afternoon, which is why she is available to spend time with tourists at this time of day. She took us (by Cyclo, which was a lot of fun - A$2 a person) to a famous Char Ca restaurant - Cha Ca being a Hanoi specialty of fried fish cooked at the table over a brazier, with shallots, fennel, plus a few secret ingredients. You eat this over bun (round rice noodles with fish sauce, shrimp sauce, peanuts and coriander). Delicious.
Back to our hotel in time for Jill and Jennie to catch a taxi to a massage appointment (happy to now know how good the taxi service is, particularly when the Hotel orders it for you). They report that the Vietnamese girls are small but are capable of a good, strong massage. They even worked on Jill's sinuses.
Dinner tonight at the STOP Cafe, where we had steak. We've had the most amazing variety of Vietnamese food while we've been here, but found it rather nice to have a western-style meal for a change, although we did have nams (Vietnamese spring rolls) and green papaya salad for starters.
