After the saddest time I've ever seen a little kid have, it seems that Tanje's coming out of her grief, and coming to life. Yesterday, she not only smiled, but laughed and laughed. We're starting to see her little personality emerge, and think she'll be a happy little character. She imitates us in playing peek-a-boo, and then laughs hilariously when we respond. She also says 'ba' ('comme un mouton! like a sheep, says Savannah astutely), and we managed, we think, to get her to say 'pa pa'. I swear she looked at Rick and said it! She also pretends to give kisses, and she even bit me once (she ain't gonna try THAT again!).
We went to Hanoi's old quarter today, and visited a number of teeny little shops. Like Vietnam itself, there is squalor interjected by the fanciest of places, all thrown together in a colourful stew (but much better than stew, which I totally despise - yuck!). Bought the girls a couple of t-shirts, and something else you'll see in the photos.
Pedestrians definitely do NOT have the right of way here. Motoscooters and small motorcycles do. Sidewalks are a chunky cobbled wilderness, dotted with parked scooters and sidewalk restaurants (the kind where people are fed out of a large tupperware-like container while sitting on teeny benches which would scarcely hold one of my butt cheeks). Crossing the street is a perilous trial, at least until one realizes that the incautious-looking drivers are actually quite skilled. Drivers here move not like those at home, but rather, navigate like pedestrians do, weaving in and out in whatever direction they want to go, avoiding obstacles, and beeping furiously (but good naturedly, picture that). They cut through the myriad diagonal intersections, crossing each other like checkers moving through a board. It's really amazing, and probably safer than it looks, as speeds never really get up there.
We've sent all Tanje's immigration paper to Singapore, so it's a waiting game now. Time will tell if it gets back early, and whether we can plan for an earlier departure. Stay tuned!
Thanks Christy for the travel note and treat! And hi OD/E/EE gang, and NBGH and NEMHC crew! And sorry I hadn't blogged for a couple of days. I'd missed the window of opportunity: if I don't get to it by 0900 I can't until the next morning - the system just won't allow me (which system, I'm not sure, but all the tricks in the book won't let me sign into the blog during daytime and evening hours here. Things that make you go hmmm).
This was taken a couple of days ago. Note Tanje's worried face.
Pensive under the shade of her new hat.
Papa and his girlz...
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