Second day solo in Vung Tau got off to a slower start.  I had toast, fruit, coffee and milk here so that was a nice way to ease into the day.  Trinh was content to play on the mat in front of the open patio door.  Yesterday I felt she got a bit gipped on her naps, and she must have agreed as she had a good night sleep but still fell asleep for a nap at 8:30am.  So it was about 10 when we headed out.

Down at the front desk I was finally able to meet Gina, who both C and F had told me about.  I had thought I'd go to either the recommended mall for touristy souvenirs or the strip of baby shops.  Gina said they were around the corner from each other and drew me a map.  So off we went in a cab to Sieu Thi My Nghe (2 Trung Trac).  Good thing he dropped me in front because this place looks more like an office building then a tourist trap.  Some interesting things inside as I begin my education on what is available and reasonable prices.  The women who work the front shop are pros.  Asking where I was from, asking if I'd gotten my sandals in Vietnam, then where and how much...gathering info on how much they'd figure I'd fork over for their unpriced merchandise.  By the time I got to the middle the merchandise was priced visibly and the sales people less pushy.  At the back, she just says 'I have the best prices' and leaves it at that.  But perhaps her strategy would have been different if she hadn't watched me already go through all the other stores.

For the boys I picked out souvenir conch shells one carved with a Vietnam map and the other labelled Vung Tau with a beach scene, wood combs and round black stone bracelets.  Trinh got a seashell bracelet.  I'm thinking now maybe I should have gotten her a comb and conch shell too...so will keep a look out and maybe still pick up.

After hauling Trinh around in the sling through this very unconditioned tourist mart (luckily we were the only shoppers so not crowded) I launched off in the direction I thought the baby shops were.  Either I missed them, or I had it wrong, but no baby shops in sight.  Trinh was looking for her bottle and I needed refreshing too.  So we wandered by a cafe (Ricky's I think) that looked rather upscale (relative to Vung Tau) and when I reached the end of the block and still no cabs in sight I circled back and went to Ricky's.  Thankfully I was not hungry, because it may have looked upscale but the rats ran around inside like squirels in cottage country.  In the place's defense, it was an open air cafe...but eating there would have creeped me out.  The iced coffee, however, was fantastic, the atmosphere (aside from the wildlife) was exceptional...unbelievable off the busy crowded street...

...and they called me a cab... which we took to Lan Rung Resort where there is a pool you can pay an admission fee to use, and a beautiful restaurant, both on the sea.  Trinh was ready for a nap and is pretty accomodating to sleep just about anywhere she is put down so we stretched out on 2 lounge chairs in the shade, she napped and I ordered lunch by the pool.  Georgeous.

When Trinh woke up we had a swim, I felt a bit sorry not to have any photos of her first swim, she really liked it.  I didn't want to stay in the full sun too long so we got dressed and headed out, walking along Ha Long Street which has a generous and well paved sidewalk, past the Jesus Christ statue and along part of Back Beach.  This is clearly the beach the locals use.  Everyone was packing up or had already left but I could tell it must have been crowded earlier in the afternoon.  As I reached this stretch cabs where readily available and as it was now approaching 5pm and time for another bottle I hopped in one and took the realatively short ride back to the hotel.

I scored a map earlier in the week from the Imperial Plaza, which is helping me put things in perspective.

I ordered in a Chicken burger and fries from Tommy's which was better than expected (and a bit more expensive than expected).  To order in there are menus in the room and whoever is at the front desk will order for you.

Then, bath, bottle, bed for Trinh. 

And if you have read this far you get the 2 juicy tidbits for the day...

1- Trinh cut her first tooth (bottomleft)
2- G&R set for Friday!