More sightseeing...

Things continue to progress here, with the passports on their way back from Singapore. We're hoping they arrive tomorrow (Wednesday). We're currently booked on flights for Saturday, but no bassinet or exit row seating, so could be a tough flight. We may try to see if we can get a flight Thursday or Friday, but the single mother traveling with us spent the day at the clinic with her little guy in an oxygen tent for his newly diagnosed asthma, and they don't want her to fly before Saturday. So, we'll play it by ear the next couple days - seems like flights are booked solid anyway. A little frustrated with the fact they didn't tell us this would be a problem before we left home, but it's one of those "unknowns" in this process that you just have to go with! And hey, at least we don't have to swim!

Maiya's been doing well. Slept from about 8 pm until 4:30, had a bottle, then back to sleep until 7:30 am, so not too bad. It appears that my usual late night schedule has come to a screeching halt, as we are both having a hard time keeping our eyes open past 8:30 pm! As you can see from the picture, she has quite the sense of humour and loves kicking up a mess in the bathtub. She has now upped the ante with Brett, and has gone from peeing on him while he changes her diaper (3 times so far) to pooping in the tub for him! I'm sure she will love us for sharing that once she's older!

Went to the Reunification Palace today for a tour. Maiya was again a big attraction, but no big school groups to swarm us this time thankfully. The picture is of the front gates where the tanks crashed through when the North took over at the end of the Vietnam War. There are some absolutely beautiful grounds in various places around Ho Chi Minh, and it makes it an interesting city to tour. We haven't been able to see as much as we'd have liked, given the heavy, sweating baby we have to carry! But we've seen enough to know we'll definitely be back when Maiya's older to enjoy it more thoroughly.

Tonight we went out to a German restaurant in the silk area. My stomach has been pretty rough for about 3 days, so thought maybe some potatoes would at least sit okay. Made it through the meal, although didn't eat much. Brett loved his though. After, we wandered around the little shops. It's so lively at night and not quite as sweltering, so made for a nice evening. We stopped in this little alley filled with art work, and bought 3 little pictures with silhouettes of a girl in a white ao dai. They were just over a dollar each, and I was too tired to try "bargaining". When I went to pay, the lady and an older woman whom I assume was her mother, had made quite a fuss over Maiya and were so happy we had adopted her. So when I gave her the 60 000 dong, she got out her money and said - "I want to give you 5000 dong back because you get the baby and it is good." Now the 5000 really only translates to a few cents, but for her, and for the gesture, it was a big deal. So now we have a great memory to attach to the pictures as well.

That's about it for tonight. Brett's upstairs likely getting a bottle ready for Maiya so I'd better head up and do my part!