More about the trip, and a little about Hanoi

Here is a little more of Bryans adoption story first.

We got back to the hotel pretty late and, this was so sweet, but one of the dads from the other travel group staying in our hotel was waiting in the lobby with his camera to take pictures of all of us getting out of the van with the babies. We headed straight up to our rooms, where the hotel staff had a crib in each of our rooms waiting for us. Exhausted, I think everyone just fell into bed and tried to get some sleep. The first few days were a little tough though, what with us all getting into a routine of living in the hotel room with the baby, and the babies getting used to us and their new surroundings. The next day was Thanksgiving. The Vietnamese obviously dont celebrate, but were were going to try to get together to go and get some dinner that night. Pretty early in the day we all decided against it however. Everybody was still pretty beat, and just enjoying spending the day alone getting to know their baby. Who could ask for a better Thanksgiving?

The next morning we all went to apply for the babys passports, which was really easy and quick. After that, the next few days, or probably closer to a week, were spent just hanging out in the hotel, and touring around Hanoi. What an awesome city. Very crazy and hectic. Tons of people and noise, but still a really cool place to visit. Lots of neat little shops selling everything under the sun, beautiful temples, a church that I regret that I didnt get a picture of, restaurants that sell delicious french breads and pastries, and a three story shopping mall. Water puppet shows are very popular in Vietnam, and there was a theatre right down the street from us that again, Im sorry we didnt get to go to. I wanted to do several things that I didnt get to while I was there. I was learning that having a baby and doing things isnt very easy, or is just not possible sometimes!

A view of Ha'noi from our hotel rooftop

Typical streetscene

The traffic in Ha'noi is crazy to say the least. Crossing the street is always an adventure.

We ate some great foods there too, and were happy to find a few comfort foods along the way. Burgers, BLTs, and strangely enough, really good spaghetti and a pizza buffet. There was an elderly woman who would sit on a street corner just about every day with a burlap sack full of some of the best hard rolls we had ever eaten. One of the things we loved the best was ordering dinner in. The hotel staff would call and place our order for us (in Vietnamese to ensure that we were getting the right stuff), and our food would be delivered right to our room. "So what," you say? "Ordering take out to a hotel room is nothing new"? Well, let me ask you this. When your food got to your room, was it on a dinner plate, and did you get real silverware? And did your Coke come to you poured in a glass, rather than just getting a can or bottle? No joke. We were hysterical the first time we answered the knock at the door, and there was the guy from the restaurant holding a tray with steaming hot plates of food. And he also bought salt and pepper, ketchup, hot sauce and everything. Keep in mind that this isnt room service! He carried all of this stuff down the street to our hotel.......on a tray!!!! Way too funny. Needless to say we always gave him a nice tip.

Every Friday through Sunday night there was a big open air market a few blocks away. Basically, the store owners would set up tables outside their stores for several hours in the evening. This was a nice way to spend some time and walk off our dinner before turning in for the night. Also, it was a bit cooler in the evening! We did some shopping, bought a few things for Bryan, some souveniers for family, and a few items for ourselves. Silk shops are everywhere, and I snagged a few cute purses for myself. I went into one shop and a young saleswoman approached me and asked if I wanted to have an article of clothing made for myself. "We make big sizes", she said. WHAT?!?!? Could you imagine saying that to a customer here in the states? First they would cuss you out, then they would turn around and leave. But I just smiled and said "no, thank you". "NO, I dont want you to make something for my big American behind, you little size zero twig!". Its funny though because they honestly dont realize that what they say is insulting to you. So you cant get too upset. In all honesty though, Vietnam has some tiny people. And it isnt hard to feel huge when surrounded by them.

George goes home

Bryan took good care of mommy after daddy went home.

OK. So back to the story. After spending those first fun days together, we got a pretty good scare regarding George heading back home. I dont know if I mentioned that George was planning to leave for home early or not. Its so long in between my posts anymore that sometimes I dont even remember what I wrote. Anyway, before we had even left for Vietnam we asked our agency if George leaving early would be a problem. Reason being he really needed to get back to work, not to mention check on the house, pay the bills and get the mail, and pick up the dog where she was boarded the whole time we were gone. Three weeks is a long time to be away and just let things like that go. They assured us that no, it wasnt a problem for George to leave. So long as he had stayed in country for Bryans adoption ceremony (if both parents are present for this, then the child automatically becomes a citizen upon arrival in the US), after that he wasnt needed any longer to complete the final steps of getting the passport and travel visa.

Well, our in country facilitator was adamant that George needed to stay for the visa interviews. This threw us into a tailspin, and made us question who was making the error here. Could you imagine if he had gotten on a plane home, only to find out that he needed to return? We were really upset, as these are matters were there is no room for error, and everyone involved needs to know what the story is. Turned out that there was no need to worry though. A trip to the Embassy cleared the matter up. And yes, George was free to go. I was fine with him leaving until his ride to the airport arrived. I started to cry as the car pulled away. He was leaving. Leaving me on the other side of the world with a baby. Now I had to take care of the rest of the trip myself. Take care of myself and Bryan, navigate the visa process, and get the both of us home. Yikes! Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent the rest of that day in a funk. Just looking at the time and feeling a knot in my stomach when I realized that George was now on a plane headed for Hong Kong. He was gone. Thank goodness that I had the couple across the hall to keep me company. If it werent for them, I dont know what I would have done. I knew I was really getting desperate and lonely when I would go and sit in the hotel lobby. Mind you, the hotel staff were really sweet, but they spoke very little English. I just needed to get out of the room though. Even if it was to sit with them and watch the Vietnamese TV station they had on, and see the traffic going by outside.

Sure we would go out, but you know, after two weeks everything was starting to get old. It was so freakin' hot outside everyday, and on top of that, theres only so many times you can stand to go windowshopping, run to the supermarket and things like that. It sounds horrible to say, but after a while, going out started getting to be a hassle too. People would see tourists and follow you around trying to get you to buy things from them. I had one woman physically drag me into her shop to show me what she had for sale. Seriously. She pulled me in by the arm. Then another time, I was sitting on a bench by the lake with Bryan looking at some pictures I had just gotten developed when a man started trying to get me to buy something from him. I told him no a few times and still he persisted. Finally I was ready to buy something just to get him to go away, when a man in a uniform came up to us and told me not to buy anything from him. The weird thing was that he wouldnt make the vendor leave me alone. He just stood there watching the guy hound me, and me refusing to buy something. No way that if a man in a uniform tells me not to do something that Im going to do it. So I got up and just started to walk away. I hightailed it back to the hotel where I stayed for the rest of the day. All I wanted was to get some fresh air for myself and the baby, but that incident scared me a bit.

Its unfortunate because I know that these people are just trying to make a few dollars to get by like everyone else, and of course they try to make money off of tourists, but their persistence and aggression on the streets can be quite daunting. Thats not to say that this gave me a different opinion of the Vietnamese. From day one I said it, and I will continue to say, that in Vietnam I met some of the sweetest, warmest, most genuinely kind people I have ever come across. I would return to Vietnam again in a heartbeat. Its a beautiful country with even more beautiful people. One day we will definately go back.

These are a few last pictures from Ha'noi. I took these on one of the days Bryan and I went for a walk after George left. Our hotel was right across the street from Hoan Kiem lake (The Lake of the Restored Sword), and this temple, Ngoc Son temple, was on a little island right in the middle of it.