The wonderful world of Layla: Day Seven

It’s 11:40PM and there is construction going on outside of my hotel and the two other hotels that are on this street. It’s great that the government doesn’t want to interrupt the flow of traffic during the day with construction, but close to midnight on a street where you have tons of people visiting your country or city? But at least this removal of blocks, rocks, and building, isn’t nearly as noisy as the jackhammer from a few days ago. That was quite loud.

Today, we went to the War Remembrance Museum. A lot of thoughts went through my mind (Joe, we can discuss when I get home.). But the lasting one was when we asked God for a king, did we ever stop to think he could be a nonbeliever or that he would be a man? A man, who just like us, struggles with the disease of self which runs through our blood like a cancer fatal to our soul? Obviously the answer is no.

After the Museum, we went back to the marketplace. The best way to describe the marketplace is to say it’s like a mall sized swap meet, except with very narrow walkway passages. Everything is grouped together by products sold: purses, luggage, knick knacks, pottery, clothes, electronics, cloth, vegetables, meat, coffee, etc… People are everywhere and in the midst of all this are eateries. It’s a madhouse.

Some places you can negotiate a deal. I was told to start at 50% what they are asking for. A travel buddy’s Vietnamese roommate told her to start at 30%. 30% seems a low to, so I haven’t tried that one.

Even on the streets, like stores are grouped together. I don’t think you would ever find a Sports Chalet, Big 5, and other sporting good stores right next door to each other in the US, but it seems to be all the rage here. 9 out of the 10 sporting good places had machines out to restring tennis rackets so essentially they are all selling the exact same stuff. I’m not sure how they stay in business.

On every corner there seems to be someone selling some sort of food or drink. People are everywhere you turn. Saigon reminds me of NYC or rather Uptown Butte, where all the buildings are seemingly built one on top of the other. You walk out of your hotel and go next door to get a manicure. Okay, it’s like Uptown Butte with a lot more people.

As I was packing our suitcases, we leave for the last leg of our journey, Hanoi, to be interviewed and get Layla’s visa, Layla was playing on the bed with her toys Auntie Heather and Uncle Brandon got her for Christmas, along with the TV and air conditioner remotes, and was perfectly content. I would call to her and she would look up and it was as if it were an everyday scene in our lives. It was as if we’ve always been together. She lays here sleep next to me, with her mouth slightly open, at almost 2AM, I should really go to bed, or I will be no good tomorrow, and I’m amazed this is actually happening. This precious, crawling, possibly teething, little baby is all mine.

Maybe I’ll really believe it when I get home and Rowan tries to teach Layla how to climb into the carriage she got for Christmas. Or maybe it’ll feel real when I find out what Jory will call her. For as long as I can remember Jory has referred to Rowan as baby so now that’s she’s not the baby anymore, will Layla now inherit that name?

Well look at that, construction work ends at 2AM. And while I’m up watching Kim Possible, which has a really catchy theme song, this thought crossed my mind, do MTV executives sit around and think of ways to make the M in MTV redundant?