The Playground

We have been in Hanoi two days now and have yet to leave the hotel (aparment) building. It is a high-rise of 23 floors of apartments. We have a spacious 3-bedroom with full kitchen and two bathrooms, much like we had in Saigon. The reason we really haven't gone exploring is it is quite chilly up here and we didn't come dressed for it. (highs around 68 and lows around 52). But it is quite foggy and breezy. The locals all wear these huge goose-down ski jackets...it's quite funny, actually. The people from Japan all enjoy laying arond the pool fully clothed because they think this is warm!

Our last two days have been filled with one thing and one thing only...THE PLAYGROUND! Brian is an addict. We get up, go to breakfast, then straight to the playground. It is located on the fourth floor terrace of our hotel. Brian has become friends with two little Irish boys and an Austrian girl. The four of them are pretty much by themselves until what we call "rush hour" when the Kindergarten in the building lets out for recess. Suddenly, a swarm of about 40 kids comes and ransacks the playground...they are WILD! There are two teachers but it makes no difference. Brian doesn't get intimidated, though and takes them on with his shovel! There is a garden on the deck with a lot of dirt and little tools and other toys. Brian has taken to the shovel and we joke that he is being groomed early to become part of the worker's party! He tells the others what their job needs to be!

Kevin is so mellow, he just wants to sit in our laps with a bottle and take it all in. Nothing seems to bother him. Even when Brian takes things away from him. And talk about a sleeper! He went to bed at 8:30 last night, woke up for a bottle at 4:30 for 10 minutes and is still asleep! He took a 3 hour afternoon nap yesterday!

Well, Brian has just announced that it is time to go to the playground (it's not even 8 am yet) so I had better get going. Hope to see some of the city today!