We got ripped off in Bến Thành Market, and all we got was this shirt.

Day 3 –

Leah and I got to go on a Study today at McDonald’s with Jayson. There was a man who teaches students English and helps them know how to talk to foreigners, one of his younger students and her friend.
The road was under construction for the new Subway that is going in,
(the plan is for it to be finished by 2016. I think they are a bit behind hahaha)
Here is a picture of the workers taking a break. Check out the little stools. If you look carefully at the other pictures you can see the Japanese flag, this is because they are helping to make sure the Subway is planned out well.

After that we checked out the Huge electronics store. Since all the power outlets are 220 instead of 110 we had brought a single plug power converter but I wanted a power strip/converter to charge more than one thing at a time. Bought this cool Cube has 2 USB ports and 4 plugs. It was a hefty 249,000đ ($10) but totally worth it.

Then we stopped at a French Bakery and Gourmet Ice Cream shop. Super yummy!

Now for Bến Thành Market – Let the haggling begin!

How to get ripped off in Bến Thành Market:

1. Go to the 1st booth closest the entrance (highest prices in the market)
2. Make it obvious by smiling and pointing which shirt you love!
3. Make eye contact with the seller
4. Leave your back-pack with a motor-bike helmet and your new power strip at her booth.
5. Walk away
6. Remember like 45 minutes later that your back-pack is missing
7. Run all the way back through the market ignoring each booth asking you to
   “Sir or Ma-dam buy something?”
8. Ask each booth you shopped at if you left a bag
9. Arrive at the 1st booth and find out she saved your backpack! -wheeew
10. Start to feel relieved only to hear her say “You buy shirt now!”
    She then gestures to the shirt you clearly loved when you came in.
    This shirt is 4 to 5 times more than it should be and literately no other booth has it.
11. Unsuccessfully haggle for a lower price and offer to buy several shirts
    Explain that we really appreciate her saving our bag, but this shirt is too expensive.
12. Concede and buy the shirt
13. Remember that even though we paid 219,000đ for a 50,000đ shirt it was only $9.65

The best $10 shirt in the market that comes with a story

Leah sneaking a picture of the Tourist Police

Vietnam has several types of Police, in the background are “Tourist Police” they are here to keep us safe and not let locals bother us too much.

Cát Mộc Skincare and Wellness Center

We were referred to Cát Mộc Skincare and Wellness Center for massages.
Great Suggestion, a 90 minute Swedish Massage is $20.

Confession Time – Um, yea we totally went back 2 days in a row!

We finished up by going to Jayson’s for a Catanament!
After 2 rounds I was in 1st and set to take the trophy back to the states with us, then after the Champion’s Speed round I lost by 1 point. I’ll be back for you Catanament Trophy!

Note on Leah’s blog post still incoming … Her only explanation is that she is “off grid and has gone native!”