Started the day with Loan at 10:30am and went around town to snap a few photos and try to track down a few things I've been looking for. When we were here last time my parents got 2 lovely souvenir porcelin mugs at the airport. I have been looking but no luck...so today Loan helped me and we found some, not the same, but nice just the same (Shop 26 LL Thanh, 26 Le Loi St.) The asking price on these was ridiculous...between us we got it down to $25 for 4...still expensive enough for mugs!

We also went to the market looking for some dressy flip flops like a pair Loan has and loves. Lastly we went to a book/toy store to track down something for the boys...a map for Isaac, some Pokemon cards (19,000 for pack of 36!) and a Vietnamese version of a Beyblade like thing (36,500) (CT Fahasa 60-62 Le Loi - go upstairs for toys and also kids books in Vietnamese/English - also other locations in HCMC).

Also scored some Vietnam hats for the kids. Loan and I got into a bit of a 'fight' about the hats as the vendor was very rude to her with her attempts to barter on my behalf to get the 'Vietnamese' price. Ah well...$10 for 3 hats still reasonable to me and I'm running out of time to shop around.

I had promised to take Loan to a buffet restaurant she recommended, and that I had seen on my walk down Dong Khoi. She describes it as authentic Vietnamese food. It was very tasty and lots of variety. (Bong Sen Hotel, 117-123 Dong Khoi St. Less the $10 US per person).

Back to the hotel to go over our paperwork, what we need for the airport, the last form to send in Canada for citizenship.

Now Trinh is napping in her bed...so I wait for our swim time.