11:00 AM
Left the apartment to walk to the Sofital Hotel to meet some friends from university for brunch. On the way I thought I'd take photos of my current pet-hate, i.e. motorbikes parked on the footpath.
Yesterday I was crossing an intersection, with a green light (not that matters), but a motorbike rider decider to pull ove and talk to some shopkeepers. He pulled in front of parked bikes so I walked in front of him. While he was still talking he started to move his motorbike and - ran into me. He started telling me off, so I waved my map in his face and told him off in return.
About 5 minutes later at another set of green lights I was crossing the road. Sadly I don't have eyes in the back of my head, else I would have seen the taxi behind me coming around the corner at a speed that was higher than usual. Actually I did see him just before he was about to hit me and I did a curve type of action with my body so I wasn't a statistic.
11:30 AM
Realised I'd better stop taking photos of all the motorbikes on the footpaths (which forces pedestrians onto the roads) and hightail it to the Sofital for the 11:30 AM brunch.
11:40 AM
Arrive at the Sofital and indulge in a hedonistice few hours of eating.
11:45 AM - 3 PM
Started with Japanese foods, garnished with Mediteraneum cheeses and garlic breads. Second came the Lemon Grass Coconut, Vegetable and Seafood Soup with Camembert Toast, and Garlic Bread. Next I couldn't go past the artichoke salad, vegetable tart, shaved parmesan? cheese, vegetable curry, tiny rosemary flavoured potatoes with tiny tomatoes, more garlic and camembert, breads and toast.
Dessert was: creme caramel, strawberry mousse, chocolate mousse, mango mousse (less than a tablespoon in each serve - they are served in spirit glasses), and fresh mango fruit. The cost is more than I probably spend on a week of food in Hanoi - US$25.
3PM:
Walked with Robyn and her husband Fin, Robyn's brother, his wife and their daughter back into the Old Quarter to Dong Xuan Market. Looked at some lovely ice-blue coloured fabric but decided I needed to lose another 20 kgs before I could wear that light a colour.
5PM
We all settled for a cup of Darjeeling Tea at Tan My Clothes Shop and Coffee Bar on Hang Gai Street. It's a quiet and peacefull oasis in the middle of a bedlam of noise and polluting traffic fumes. Robyn commented that we had "colonized".
6:00 PM
Robyn's brother's family feeling a bit in need of a rest due to the humidity, head back to their hotel near the Cathedral. Robyn, Fin and I head up to Hai Ba Trung (pronounced Hai Ba Chung) to the PicoMart, an electronics store for TVs, PCs etc. I bought a pair of small earphones to block out the street's night-shift noises and police raids on illegal shop keepers; Robyn bought a Seagate 500 gig external drive like mine. Fin fantasized about buying a small laptop and a tiny mobile printer. Robyn warned me not to tell Fin where he could buy these items as they are moving back to Australia soon; he can buy them there.
Approx. 7:00 PM
Robyn and Fin head off up Hai Ba Trung to catch a taxi back out to Ba Dinh District where they live, and I walk back to my guest house. I saw the old woman who sells newspapers on the footpath so I bought a paper from her. I give her double the price because I feel sorry for her. I always buy a paper from her if she's awake. Sometimes she's asleep on the footpath.
Not sure what time:
I get home and downloaded the photos. Strange they look like videos. Yes I have been taking one second videos all day. If I can find a way to compile them I'll post them into a disjointed short movie, and post it on this sight.
haha! that's hilarious. taking short one second videos.
ReplyDelete