Up early because tropics I guess.  It’s 21:15 as I write this it’s been dark for hours.  I don’t know what time the sun comes up.  Maybe no one does.  Absolutely spent after another day of intense walking.

First I went to the phone store because I can’t send text messages.  I can receive them and I can make and receive calls and I have full Internet access, but I cannot send text messages.

I am told that here in Vietnam SMS is on a pay-per-message basis and it’s 200 dong for each message.  You load up some money and then get to send text messages.  This is pretty wild when you think about it:  I get whatever 5G Internet but I can’t send anything using SMS.

Fine.  I’ll survive.

Took pictures of doors on the way back to Tower 2.

Dropped into the local Quickie Mart and bought one of those melon ice cream sticks so as to break a 500K note.  (I think that’s about $20.)

Cab ride to District 5.  He wondered where in Dist 5 and I said wherever since I’m just going to wander.  So he dropped me mid-block at the edge of Dist 5 near the boundary with Dist 10.  He very politely reminded me to put my camera around my neck which was already in my plans but still well meant.

Pick a direction and go.  Did consult the map to seek out areas with labrythinical attributes.

Eventually I found myself at a food place that’s maybe at least in part a theoretical restaurant, in principle.  Communicated with the guy by each of us holding up iterations on Google Translate or making hand gestures.

In the background you can see my “ginger juice”.  It came in that unmarked bottle and though the lid had sealed tabs I do suspect they make it here and just add fresh lids each time.  Whatever, I’m a fan.

They also were making dumplings.  The lady would take a bit of dough and glop some pork mixture in the center and sort of make a fist to create a rolled shape with scalloping.  After I was finished with my bowl of soup I asked about those dumplings.

You will see here the limitations of language barriers.  I thought maybe I’d try two dumplings.  He said it’s six items in one piece.  Ok, one is fine.  Well, the one piece was another bowl of soup.  Fine.  Good enough.

I’d forgotten about the shrimp:  bonus shrimpies!  I ate all the dumplings and some of the vegetable matter but left much of the delicious broth behind.  I did, however, drink a second ginger juice.

It was a crime to leave any of that broth behind.

And while I ate it rained with thunder and fury.

You can see her making the dumplings at the lower-left.

Departed and wandered again.  Met a guy, freshman in college, majoring in English.  We practiced his English for a while and his name was also James.  It really is the friends you meet along the way!

Next I met this little guy.  I’ll name him James as well.

Things are shifting around in anticipation of the evening.

Traffic was chaos so I slipped into a cafe to sit that out for a bit.

Eventually I went out seeking a cab.

Finally I landed a cab by walking into the middle of traffic directly in front of a taxi.  I pointed; he waved; I got in.

Back in Tower 2 I held the elevator for some folks and two of them were B and M.  B and I decided to hit the gym and then the pool, so we returned to the apartment to get trunks and towels.  Quick abs work and a bit of a dip in the pool.  Back to the apartment for a shower.  Passed out early from utter exhaustion.  Had to write most of this up the next day.