We’ve moved.  We’re still in Hà Nội, along with 7 million other folks.  It’s been the capital of Vietnam since the 7th century.  From the outside, it looks like a jumble of chaos, noise and modern sophistication.  We know it’s much, much more than that.

Our home for the next 3 months is a studio apartment on a lake.  Hồ Trùc Bạch.  (Sounds like “chuck bok”).  We have the 2nd floor of the 5 floor building.  That is our balcony with the blue and white striped awning.  It’s an airy, spacious, high-ceilinged room.  Comfortable.

 

Looking across the street:

 

Looking south:

 

We’re getting settled in and acclimated.  Today we looked for and found some useful things.  A shower curtain.  A kitchen knife.  Real honey.  We even found baking soda and vinegar, my hair cleaning regime for the past 2 years, a’la the ShamPhree method.  It’s the little things, right?

During the day, we duck and dive our way through the twisting streets.  At night we play fiddle, then study the language.  People have been kind and helpful as we practice our new words.  We’ve found a cooking school and will soon suss out language courses. We’re part-time tourists, part-time job seekers, and full-time explorers here in the City of the Soaring Dragon.

Can’t forget dinner… cõm tấm sũờm (broken rice with pork chop), nộm xoài banh (green papaya salad) and bia hà nội.