markets

Went to Dong Xuan market today and ate buon (rice vermicelli noodles) and fried prawn cakes very cheaply indeed. A glass of tea was 1000 dong (ten cents) and buon was 5000 dong. This was way off the tourist track and we were the only foreigners there sitting on little plastic seats. Tomorrow am off to Hue and Hoi An where web access may be limited- so blogging may wait until I return to Hanoi. It is exciting being here in the lead up to new year, lots of xe oms carrying peach blossom trees and persimmon trees, and people in a mad rush to buy hampers and New Year cards. Last night was kitchen god day so lots of burning votive offerings and people releasing fish into the water for luck (and sometimes the plastic bags that the fish came in).