Out and About

In the past day, we’ve tried to get familiar with Saigon. After our much needed naps yesterday we ventured out to the market. This extremely large building has mazes of tiny stalls. The market is hard to describe as they sell everything there—from fresh meat to shoes. We were there looking for souvenirs; there are tons of stalls selling each particular item and it is hard to even know where to start. We did buy some Vietnamese clothes for the kids, and tried our hand at bargaining. One US dollar is worth 16,000 Vietnamese Dong so while you may think there is a big difference between 90,000 and 100,000 VND there really isn’t. Even Isaac found the trip to the market exhausting, as it was very hot and stuffy. Overall, it was an early night for everyone.

This morning we went to the Jade Emperor Pagoda. The building was beautiful with detailed carvings everywhere. I was impressed as well with how many people were there praying. The temples seem to get much more spiritual use than a church in the US. From the pagoda, we ventured across the wide and very busy Dien Ben Phu street. I’ve read that crossing the street in Vietnam is like a human version of Frogger; this experience verified what a true analogy that is.

We walked to the botanical gardens and zoo, visiting another temple. We didn’t really pay much attention to the animals, but it was a nice place to let Isaac walk without fear of scooters. Upon returning to the hotel, we went out for lunch with our agency representative and another family who was just united with their handsome 7 year old son. They have been together only since Tuesday, but I am amazed at how well he seems to be adjusting to them as well as the sights and sounds of a big city. Overall, the strength and resiliency of all these kids is just incredible.

We don’t have specific plans for the afternoon. I’d like to finish as much shopping here in HCMC, as I’ve been told it is cheaper. Also, I figure that everything is easier when the adults still outnumber the kids.

And now the moral of the converter story. I had read in travel books and internet forums that hair dryers don’t work in Vietnam. Being as hair care accessories are not high on my list of priorities, I paid little attention to that. Turns out that nebulizers fall into that same category. The new converter didn’t provide enough power for Isaac’s nebulizer, and the sparks we saw may indicate that it’s not going to work too well when we return home either. Normally we don’t do daily nebulizers and Isaac does just fine. We planned to do them regularly here, just as prevention. So far Isaac is doing well, but we are debating taking him to the doctor in order to get a new machine—just in case we need it.