My great morning!

Ok, so it's my next day here and let me tell you...it's SO much better! I went to sleep around 4pm yesterday and woke up at 2:30am, so I got some much needed sleep. I just hung around my room writing in my journal, listened to music on my laptop, watched some tv, and I took another shower. I waited until 6am so I could get out of my room and start my day. I went online again and I had a chance to talk to my mother and brother on G chat, so that was nice. I don't know what I would do without the internet to keep me connected to the people at home.

I ventured out again onto the streets of Hanoi looking for breakfast. Most places don't open till 8 or 9, but I was able to find a bakery/cafe for a croissant and tea. I just sat there and watched people as they were on their way to school or work. Then I returned to my hotel to grab a map of the city, the hotel's copy of Lonely Planet Vietnam and began to find my way to Hoan Kiem Lake and the site where the infamous red bridge (see main blog image) resides. It was only a 10 minute walk from my hotel. I actually had to cross several streets dodging motor bikes, bicycles and autos...and let me tell you, it wasn't as bad as it seemed on the youtube video I presented a few blogs ago. When I arrived at the lake I spotted the red bridge and went to reach for my camera inside my bag when I realized that I forgot it! Damn it! I didn't get too upset about it because I knew that I would return to this spot many times during my stay here. The lake is where the city convenes. Men and women come here to exercise, read the paper, meet with friends and enjoy a cup of coffee. I spotted many old folks stretching in very interesting poses, and groups coming together to play a game of raquetball in the middle of the street. I bought some postcards from a stand and I was actually able to use my knowledge of numbers to figure out how much it cost! I bought "sow" (6) postcards and the price was "bon hai" (42).
There is path that works its way around the lake so I just followed that until I came to an outside cafe called Hapro where they serve coffee and small bites to eat. I ordered a traditional Vietnamese coffee served with condensed milk. Vietnamese coffee is very strong, so I absolutely loved it! I got into a conversation with my waiter about where I'm from and what I'm doing here. He wanted to practice his English on me which wasn't too bad, but I did have to ask him to repeat himself several times before I completely understood what he said. I asked him where the Ho Chi Minh Tomb was and he told me that he would show me if I came back at 2:30pm when he got out of work. I took down his mobile number and I told him I would return at 2:30, but I would call if I couldn't make it. I'm so excited! I made a friend! I left feeling so amazing! I have a guide!

I walked back to my hotel stopping at a fruit stand and bought another mini-pineapple. I asked the woman what it's called in "tien Viet", Vietnamese. She said it was "Qua-soo-uh". When I repeated what she said, she said it again and again and again. I thought I said it how she did, but apparently I couldn't quite put the stress where it was supposed to go. Sometimes I would get it, but then when I tried to repeat what I just said it apparently wasn't the same. I giggled the whole time, but she was very patient with me. She threw in a kumquat for free and I was on my way. When I returned to the hotel I called Language Link and asked for my contact. A woman told me his contract was up and that he left, but she could direct me somewhere else. I must have spoken to about 3 people before someone told me they would send a driver to come get me and bring me to the school. Ten minutes later my contact, Steve, called and I told him that someone had told me he left and he said "Well, maybe it was wishful thinking..." He's going to pick me up in an hour and a half and take me out to lunch! I am so relieved, excited, and hyped up on caffeine that I don't even know what to do with myself!