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Hanoi, Day 2

Day 2 in Hanoi kicked off with a congested Jojo coughing until he puked. He seemed to be raring to go, so we went on to have our complimentary breakfast at the hotel. The fam finished before me and left me to eat and eaves-drop on some backpackers giving each other hilarious travel advice.

We got ready and went to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, via taxi.

After buying tickets and browsing the gift shop, I had to use the facilities. I came back to discover the boys in an awesome interactive exhibit about the Mekong Delta.

I mean, I thought it was interactive, until some lady came out and said, “Excuse me! No!” And then I felt kind of dumb for overestimating the coolness of the museum.

Not to say that it wasn’t cool, but it just didn’t live up to the potential cool of a hands-on museum.

We did see lots of neat things about the costumes and customs of some of Vietnam’s 54 ethnic tribes.

In the court yard of the building we got some pastries from Baguette & Chocolat, a restaurant/cafe chain that trains handicapped and disadvantaged people so that they can have practical job skills.

After we powered up, our tour continued behind the museum building to a fantastic exhibit of several replicated ethnic houses.

 

We departed the museum, having purchased 2 rag dolls in ethnic costume, and got in a cab to make our way toward lunch. The cab driver said that in Vietnam, we are very lucky because we have both a son and a daughter. We were too tired to correct him more than once. I don’t know which child is my “daughter”.

The cab ride was a bit long due to traffic, and by the time we arrived, both boys had fallen asleep. I held Deeds in my arms (where he had fallen asleep) and the cab driver lifted Jojo out and stood him on the sidewalk. As he was driving off, Jojo vomited 3 times right there in the gutter.

We still had to get food and drink, so we proceeded to the Whole Earth restaurant, a place known for it’s mock meat dishes.

The restaurant was uncomfortable and easy to miss. The mock-meat dishes were so-so. Edible, but not amazing. When we lived in China I had some really fantastic mock meat at a Buddhist restaurant that seemed to treat mock-meat as an art form. The Whole Earth restaurant? Not so much. At least it is pretty cheap, at less than $2 an entre.

After these adventures we went to the hotel for a nap. Deeds didn’t sleep again, but Jojo had a good hour and woke up refreshed and ready for the Water Puppet Show!

We bought our tickets the day before and were lucky enough to get on the second row. Well, luck and the fact that we paid a higher price to have “VIP” seating.

I had read mixed reviews about the Water Puppet Theatre, mostly from jaded jerks, so I was a bit worried.

However, as soon as the music started, Jojo and Deeds were completely enraptured for the entire performance (about 45 minutes).

Jojo kept asking “What is going to happen now?” so that Nick would read him the titles of the acts in the little program.

I got some of his reaction on video, I need to edit it later and post it.

After Water Puppets, we rode a couple of cyclos to St. Joseph’s Cathedral.

The cyclos can be hired by the hour, but we had a specific destination in mind. I noticed that our guys pedaled much faster than the ones who had been hired by the hour. We won!

St. Joseph’s Cathedral was built in 1868. We weren’t able to go inside but I was excited to see the creche outside on the steps.

Since we couldn’t go inside, and Jojo was asking for water, we picked a nearby restaurant to have dinner and make the trip to St. Joseph’s worthwhile.

We chose Mediterraneo (23 Nha Tho Str), and I had some fabulous home made spinach ravioli, that completely made up for the sub-par Italian food the night before.

We ate on the balcony and enjoyed the views of traffic and the pleasant sounds of continuous honking.

More Vietnam tomorrow!

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