From Prison to Puppets

We had a very busy day. We started with a trip to the local Cathay Pacific Airlines office to work on our return itinerary. Much is still undecided, but, assuming Lulu's visa is approved by the end of business on the 9th, it looks like we'll all be headed home that evening together. It's four days later than we had originally planned, but it's 4 days sooner than we had feared and will allow us all to travel together. Although we have considered sending Joni home earlier, we would like to avoid that if we can all leave without too much delay.

From the airline office we literally went next door to the Hao Lo prison, "the Hanoi Hilton." Only a portion of the facility remains, and what does remain has been turned into a museum. It chronicles the history of the facility, which began as a French prison. There are some exhibits and discussion of the Vietnam War and our POW's (including McCain's flight suit). Not surprisingly, some very rosy glasses are used to view the treatment of American soldiers during their stay. However, I think it would not be a stretch to say that our troops faired better than the Vietnamese at the hands of the French. We saw one of two original guillotines that had been used on Vietnamese revolutionaries during French rule. It was a pretty odd feeling, to be so close to an instrument of death and to be walking through cells and halls that had been witness to over a century of brutality, first against the Vietnamese and later under their control.

After walking through more of the "Old Quarter," we regrouped at the hotel for our evening trip to the Water Puppets. As it sounds, the show consists of puppets controlled by sticks/ropes underwater and manipulated by puppeteers hidden by bamboo screens. It may or may not sound all that impressive, but it was a good show. Lulu really got a kick out of it, as did we. Unfortunately, we knew Gabe would've enjoyed it most of all.

We ended the evening with dinner with another adoptee couple at a restuarant where "Everything is Bun" (pronounced Boon, or numbers 45-48 on the menu at Saigon for those in Wichita). Although it was a closer question than previous meals, there's no beating the food back home. Joni decided to tempt fate and tried a "Soursop" shake. We still don't know what she drank, but it tasted a bit like a blend of mild coconuts and cantelope. It wasn't that bad. I tried some hot Lotus tea, which tasted a lot like the dirt the bulbs came from.

All in all, it was a good day. Tomorrow we have our first appointment with the U.S. Embassy to get Lulu's visa. Wish us well, as this will likely determine when she/we'll be coming home.

As always, thank you for continuing to keep us in your thoughts, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon. And don't forget to check the photo posts put up by the folks back home. We try to send back a few photos (particularly of Lulu) each day.

Take care,

Aaron, Joni, and Lulu