Water Puppet Theatre

The day before yesterday I walked all the way around the lake looking for the puppet theatre. Yesterday with a better map I found it--only a couple of blocks from my hotel in the Old Quarter.

Henry enjoys our new room so much. There is a mattress on the floor where he can play and we don't have to worry about him falling off. And the twin beds can be pushed together so he can play on them with less anxiety about him falling off.
I ventured out at 2:30 to buy a ticket for the puppet show's 4 o'clock performance. It turned out all is booked for the next several days, but they did have one seat for the 2:45 show so I went right in.
The plot is much like the show in Saigon. The theatre is bigger and better and has a much better sound system. There were a few changes here and there. The above scene was somewhat like the other, but it included the man being pulled out of his boat by a big fish.
I did have a better program and could tell what was going on more. I thought this man and woman were catching ducks when I saw it in Saigon, but it turns out they are frogs. And what I thought was a cat that was interfering with them is actually a fox. They did not have the part where the man beats the fox/cat almost to death.

I don't remember this scene in the Saigon show. A young boy returns from college, his parents meet him, his mother has a baby strapped to her back. Meanwhile Le Loi, a famous Vietnamese historical figure, is also returning and they watch his entourage.
This scene was in both shows--three groups of boys race in boats.
This is basically the finale--twelve women puppets dance to a slow and elegant number.
For a few moments the bamboo curtain raised and we saw how the puppeteers control the puppets.
The puppeteers and the orchestra take their bows.

After the show I walked to the end of the lake where I was told there was a grocery store. What I found was much like the Tax Trade Center in Saigon. Then since I was already halfway around the lake I decided to continue around and make a full circle. Along the way I passed St. Joseph Cathedral. The location is much lovelier than Notre Dame in Saigon. There was a mass going on and standing room only with people lined up on the steps.
After I got home I gave Henry a bath in the shower. He really loves to be washed now--it's hard to imagine he used to scream. I know he will love the tub when I get him home.
This morning I walked to American Airlines to find out about a bassinette seat. I had trouble getting them on the phone and decided to just walk. It was a long way, but along the way I bought a genuine water puppet and also one of the women wearing a conical hat that my mother wanted. Also I got one of those paddle boards with four chickens that look like they are pecking the ground for food.
This is the far end of the lake, our hotel is on the top end. This is a good example of how beautiful the streets are here with the tall stately trees.
I sat down for a few moments of quiet contemplation but was soon approached by somebody wanting to take me around on a motorbike. The solitude was nice while it lasted!

So now I have to go over my paperwork to get ready to submit it to the embassy tomorrow. I hope the hard part is behind me and this is just a formality. I won't feel like Henry is truly mine until I get past this and get him back to the US.