[Description: Travel - Group - Asia - Documentary]
18 - 07 - 07, 7.30pm [Current Vietnam Time]

6.00am start again. We went to the Banh Uoch place again; all agree it is perhaps one of the better meals of our trip so far. After breakfast, we went for tea in the park again. We discussed the script, and how we might shoot the film. Two pots of tea later, we were up and walking the length of the park. It was quite a nice walk; one could almost forget they were in the middle of a bustling city while in the park. We watched a group of people performing a fan dance for a short time, then made our way to the old capitol building, just north of the park.

The old capitol building was much like the White House (smaller in size, though more elegant in design). While there, we took a brief tour with a tour guide that spoke english (much too fast). We walked up to the fifth floor (roof/ballroom), then down to the basement, getting a good look at every room from the president's sleeping quarters to the war room, replete with maps and communication equipment.

After sweating out the hour long tour [it only cost $1], we made our way back to the hotel, stopping in a vegetarian restaurant on the way. This was one of those hole in the wall places, with red ants running down the wall and dogs chasing cats under the tables. In other words, a good time. It was also my first run-in with 'good' tofu - lemon grass tofu with sticky rice. Not my favorite meal, but something I would get again.

After eating, we went back to the hotel to gather our bags and notes, and then down to the coffee shop to write. Courtney and Hai seemed on a roll, and after a few ideas input, I slipped out to wander the street. I ended up finding myself back in the market, just wandering around and looking at the various wares. I found myself comparing prices and haggling a bit - you learn a good bit when not trying to buy anything (such as, you can always lower the price by 1/3, and many times by 1/2...sometimes more). After sating my cheapskate side (arguing for $2 is tiring work), I took a walk in the opposite direction, and somehow ended up back at the coffee shop.

At around 5.00, we explored a bit more, looking for places to shoot b-roll film and just taking in the sights. We wandered into a hindu temple (chalk one up for me; i forgot to remove my sandals...no wonder they were staring daggers at me), through a different street market (a night market), and ended up riverside. After spending some time watching the boats, we walked back (through the rich area) and back to the hotel.


And now, here I am, getting ready for sleep. Hai is currently in search of a nail clipper as we philosophize about life after death. I'm gonna go take a shower.