Hanoi 4 － 我打败仗了

Today I wake up with a sore throat and my sinuses feel funny. At 5 am this morning the Cathedral bells were ringing loudly as if there was no tomorrow. I know the thing I dread - a cold, is here. I decide with SM that they should go to Ha Long Bay without me so I can rest and try to recover as much as possible. I do not want to miss the following days' programs.

I want to lose one day of fun but save the rest of the week.

I go out of Splendid Star after B/F to a local pharmacy and buy some flu tablets and Vit C. One thing I find different with the Hanoians compared to the Saigonians is that the Saigon residents speak some sputtering English whilst 99% of Hanoians do not! When it comes to buying pharmacy products I am struggling with hand gestures and mimic signs.

After B/F I see them off with their tour guide of the day. They will only be back from Ha Long Bay after 8pm, it's going to be a long day for them; and for me.

I take 2 Ameflu and rest in my hotel bed, conscious that my body needs some re-charging. 

I awake  a couple of hours later feeling better and decide to go for a walk to the nearby St Joseph's Cathedral. I go inside and find a family having a baptism service for their young child. I remember thinking to myself as I sit in the church pew, " somewhere in this world some family is spending time together as a family unit doing something really important".

I get out of the church and head to the neighboring streets wanting to take some pictures of the nearby area and keep the scenes in my memory. After all I haven't got anything substantial to do for the day .....

I have a foot massage for an hour nearby the hotel; faintly hoping it will cure my cold! Sigh!

I have another nap and then eat a baguette at Little Hanoi again. I love baguettes. I walk some more and take some pictures.

I go back to the hotel and write my posts to pass time before welcoming SM and 弟弟 back later in the evening. Eventually I would doze off ......

Photos taken by 弟弟 。。。。。