We slept in this morning and then had a walk around the hotel grounds. Gardeners were everywhere working on planting and trimming. This island was man made and they have boats to take guests to the hotel. They scan for face recognition to get on the boat and into the dining room. This would be a good spot to come and swim when it is warmer. We went out and felt the water from the South China Sea or the East Sea as the Vietnamese call it. That water felt warmer than the swimming pool.
Back in Hanoi we had fun visiting the supermarket where an ordinary Vietnamese person shops. We saw a whole chicken that was breaded and fried. And a raw chicken with its head. Lots of candy being sold to give to kids for New Year’s.
For dinner tonight we were on our own. We went to a Hot Pot restaurant where you cook food at the table. We were quite confused, but one girl spoke English and showed us how to make the sauce. It was a pork or mushroom base with garlic, scallions, soy sauce and ginger. We cooked the meat in a pot with spices, some hot and some mild. The beef and shrimp were really flavorful. We also cooked mushrooms and greens. I’d have eaten just about anything with that sauce.
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