hanoi. vietnam. round 2. march 17th – 19th. 2009

We have only 2 nights left here. We ‘splurge’ and get a room at another hotel (still on the 6^th floor…) tonight we try meeting with Jackie, after that, it is preparing to leave for Hong Kong. There is a lovely place across the street we revisit for dinner, then a taxi to Jackie’s home, which we never would have found on our own. We are dropped off in a dark lane that almost doesn’t seem residential, but Jackie’s husband answers the door, and we are welcomed to a beautiful environment that the exterior gave no hint of. We have a really lovely evening catching up, hearing of life in Hanoi and meeting two of their friends. The first a business partner/friend of her husbands, the 2^nd, and 18 year old woman, Mei, who is captivating as soon as she enters the room. It is a really wonderful evening full of stories, conversation, though.  We catch a taxi back to our hotel with Mei. and spend the next day preparing for Hong Kong. It is a good way to leave Vietnam, having enjoyed some peace, company and the spaces we last were in.

w r i t t e n  b y  l a u r e l