Mr. & Mrs. Vandebilt + kids

You can’t come to south east Asia without visiting a market. Both because they’re fun but also because they’re unavoidable. They’re both a way of life and a tourist experience. We attempted to wander through the more traditional markets in the old quarter but it was just so stinking hot that it made it almost impossible. We lasted long enough to get some shorts and tanks for Jacob, and fans for the girls. We even managed to secure some lululemon cross body bags for the girls – Nora’s only birthday wish.

The canal and the old quarter really comes alive at night. The temperature drops to a slightly more bearable 30° and everything is lit up. There are lanterns just about everywhere you look. The stalls are all lit up. There’s music and ice cream and capybara everything everywhere. The kids learned the art of haggling and that they aren’t very good at it. We made it to the night market a couple of times – the second time for Madeline’s birthday evening where the kids sent lanterns down the river instead of blowing out candles.