Wednesday 2 September

One more day to go. Today is the National Day. The street where the hotel is seems to be less busy, less hooting horns and not so many people about. We took a walk towards the lake stopping off at the shopping centre. Well, you couldn't move in there, I think half of Hanoi must have been shopping - just like Ireland on a Bank Holiday. We didn't hang around. We walked up to the puppet theatre to see if there was a 3.30 showing but the first one is not until 5.00 and that's just a bit too late. Even the lake was busy today, no empty to seats on while to while away half an hour or so. It's amazing how every big city seems to have an open space with water where you can actually forget you are in the middle on one - except today. Refreshments beckoned. We caught up with a few of our fellow travellers. They had just been and collected some silk items that they had commissioned, they were beautiful so after coffee and water we ventured to the same shop. I have been measured for a pair of trousers and an overdress - we go back for them on the 5th. Dennis was slightly less adventurous and has had a dressing gown. A deep navy blue embroidered with gold thread in an ornate pattern.

We wound our way home and as we walked along the street where the hotel is we came across one of the pretend 500,000 Dong notes that people were burning yesterday so we have kept that as a memento. There doesn't seem to be any offerings today, we think there maybe fireworks this evening and there was certainly a stage and lighting put up at the lake. We did a bit of grocery shopping ready for tomorrow. We are just eager to get there now. For the first time on our travels we actually had a spot of lunch, nothing out of the ordinary, a tuna sandwich for me and a toasted cheese and ham for Dennis. Nerves! We came back to the apartment and now I am writing this. I swam before breakfast but I might go again after I have had a snooze, the calm before the storm you might say. Most of our bags are ready for tomorrow now, not too much left to do, just the formula to sort out and put hot water in the bottles but we won't do that until tomorrow morning.

As a group we are meeting up in the restaurant around 7.00.

Not sure if we will have time to post tomorrow, it may not be until Friday - however we will try to add a line or two just to let you know if everything is OK.