On my last trip around the lake, a young girl with cerebral palsy came to sell me water. She was so surprised that I could speak some Vietnamese and was interested to know where I was from and how I knew Vietnamese. It reminded me of the openness of many Vietnamese people and how appreciative they can be of foreigners trying to speak their language. She told me that she goes to the lake every day to sell water. She wanted to take a photograph with me before I left. How I love Hoan Kiem Lake.
Since coming back from Bac Ninh province, I have tried meeting up with friends again before I leave Hanoi, while also finding time to relax (because I am lazy, but also because I am aware work will be starting soon).
On Thursday evening, Ngan invited me to a gathering. In 2006, we visited a zoo with her sister and neighbours. Ngan thought it would be nice to have a reunion. We went to Cau Giay Park and took some photos. Ngan said she will try to edit the photographs from both 2006 and 2014 so that we can easily compare the changes from past and present.
Those shy children from eight years ago are now young adults and were very successful in making me feel old (while repeatedly telling me how fat I have become). I will post the photo from 2006 and 2014 when I get a copy. Back then, I was a lanky nineteen year old and was still called fat by some Vietnamese. So I haven't got a chance of being thought of as thin now!
It was nice to meet Ngan and her group of friends. Her sister Thu had some great news that she passed her exams and will begin university after the summer.
On Friday, I ate mì xào (fried noodles) and drank a fruit tea before meeting with Khoa. He has some more guitar concerts in Hanoi and next week will go to Danang for the remainder of his summer holiday.
Afterwards, Minh and I ate crêpes. I chose to have a banana and custard cream filling. Later, we had a beer on a rooftop bar by West Lake.
Today I spent time with Minh and Nhung. I had my last Vietnamese coffee and a brownie with vanilla ice cream. Then we went souvenir shopping and took an obligatory selfie.
In the evening, Quy invited me to try the food at a vegetarian restaurant. I am by no means a veggie, but it was interesting how this restaurant recreates dishes without meat while still being very tasty and having a meat–like texture.
I once tried vegetarian bacon (fake-on) with dire consequences. It tasted like the world had ended in my mouth. In fairness I was hungover. Anyway this restaurant however, impressed me.
We had stir fried cauliflower in a sweet and sour sauce, vegetarian summer rolls and spring rolls and vegetarian kebabs. There was something suspiciously like sausage meat on that kebab, but I will trust that it was indeed meat free.
As we left the restaurant, we were caught in the mother of all electrical storms. It seems that Hanoi thought I deserved one last soaking before I left. Quy stopped the motorbike to get a plastic rain coat for me. Because I was already quite wet, the lady selling the coats had to help me into it. Quite a funny scene. A road sweeper was also sporting a similar coat and shouted in English "handsome boy!". What a fashion statement.
Quy and I went to eat che before driving through the rain back to my hotel.
It has been a fantastic summer of travelling and seeing friends. Thanks to all the people who made it special and hope to see them all again in the future.
Tôi thích đi du lịch suốt các kì nghỉ hè. Kỳ nghỉ hè của tôi thật tuyệt vời. Tôi đã đến Hàn Quốc, Thượng Hải, Tô Châu và Việt Nam. Chuyến đi vượt ra ngoài mong đợi của tôi.
Bây giờ tôi cảm thấy buồn vì kì nghỉ hè sắp kết thúc. Hẹn gặp lại Hà Nội! Một ngày nào đó tôi sẽ trở về và ngày đó sẽ không còn xa nữa~
