It wasn’t any warmer in the daytime as we walked around the lake today. We totally didn’t bring any warm clothing so we look like loser fashionistas shivering around town.

We chit-chatted and i commented, “Hmm. Hanoi has damn alot of couples hanging out by the lake man!”
MilcahG: It’s Valentine’s Day la!
Me: Oh yeah, forgot!

It’s no surprise that i’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day.
I don’t mind the giving of little things to friends and wishing and all that, but highly detest the commercialism of it all. (You just have to read through my past years’ archives on Val’s Day and you get the gist.)

I bought a couple of things, and to escape the cold, we headed into Bobby Chinn’s place (though Milcah said Tommy’s gonna scold us for going there) for strained Vietnamese coffee and mojitos.

Was going through his infamous cook book when i looked up to see a wide-eyed gurgling infant being chucked unto MilcahG’s lap.

… I have no clue what impression she gives, that a mum who walked into the restaurant let her baby son be placed there.

At any rate, we began chatting to the mother – Shona, who works for the British Council here – and she gave us some tips on where to go. We’d already pottered about Old Quarters, so we headed down the street to the church where there were some boutiques and cafes.

I think i’ve been spoilt by the ones in Chiang Mai that i’m not impressed by the ones here at all… they all seem overpriced and not up-to-date, and the choices are limited.

And the traffic. Oh God the traffic here is scary. People drive and cross roads so aggresively and there doesn’t seem to be organized right of way at the central roundabout, everyone just GOES when they can!

Milcah’s friend told her that to cross the road, “You just have to cross and they will stop for you.” 

0_o

At one point, three bikes were already two metres from us and i was going, “Fu…” without even managing to finish my curse whilst the lightning thought of, Okay we’re going to get bloody knocked down by a bike now and i don’t think we’ll die cos they’re not going fast but getting knocked is still NOT cool on holiday! They deftly avoided us as i finished wheezing my, “…ckkk!”

Stress wei.

The next few times we crossed roads, Milcah just pulled me along as i walked with my eyes closed.

Anyway, we’ve heard Saigon is much more interesting so we can’t wait to get our asses there.
Our flight is in three hours.
Business class.
Because it’s holiday season, we couldn’t get normal flights and it takes 32 hours by train.

Can’t wait!

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