We arrived at our new hotel, The Hong Ngoc, it is on a busy side street in the old district of Hanoi. It is in the French quarter and is surrounded by small shops and is near a lake. We will be staying here at this hotel until we depart for Tulsa. Avi Joy has been in 4 hotels in the last 2 weeks… our quote for this trip via Michael is ‘flex or die’ and our children have been so flexible.

            We took a long nap this afternoon then met with our tour guide, Hieu. She gave us lots of information on things to do in Vietnam in the next week. We decided that we will take a day trip tomorrow to Hoa Lu. Hoa Lu is the former capitol city of Vietnam under the Dinh and Le’s dynasties in the 10^th century. It is 2 hours by car to get there and a 5 hour boat tour through limestone mountains. Remote doesn’t even describe the pictures they showed us. Adam is very adventuresome right now and is excited about his time trucking throughout Vietnam.

            We will have Thursday off and stay in Hanoi. We will then leave on Friday to go on a 8 hour overnight train-ride to Sapa. Saturday, we will backpack a few miles into a village of the H’mong people and the Dzay minority people group. We will spend the night there and on Sunday we will go to their open market to shop for the items they make in the village. Then back to the hotel until we leave.

            Does this sound like a movie or what? I want to be the kind of person who is adventuresome; I am trying! Cleo (my mother-in-law) said as I was getting on the plane to come here, you’re wild! She knows I pray to be wild, and these two trips are stretching me. I know if I just trust the Lord and stop trying to take care of myself I will have a great time and oh the memories we are making. It is amazing.

            Soooo the boys went out with our social worker Thomas last night. He could not stay with us as he lives in HCMC and knows we have to stay an extra week. He wanted to take them out Vietnamese style; out to a relaxing bar for a drink. They said they all had a great time and on the way home 4 lovely ladies mobbed them and really wanted to spend some “extra” time with them. They flirted with them saying things like, ‘you sexy’ ‘let me wear your hat’ ‘how long here’ ‘one hour or all night.’ They kept walking but they kept at them, even hitting one of there bottoms! As soon as they hit the hotel property they fled. Adam said it was a “interesting and eye-opening” experience.

            We had real ketchup tonight at dinner and oh did it taste good! First time since we have been here… I ate those fries dipped in that ketchup like it was “sweet nectar” as Adam said. Off to bed!