Buttons and Dragonflies

My Sunday lesson is over and my hunt for bamboo dragonfly toys and buttons is on. I am working on a new painting and need interesting texture. I normally would avoid shopping in the Old Quarter, but this is where you find almost everything if you are patient, determined and assertive.

I did my research and was told that Luong Van Can Street was where I needed to go for my dragonflies. As the cab approached my destination the streets became narrower and the scene more chaotic. I am seeing toy stores everywhere and know this is where my journey starts. As much as I was hoping to see what I wanted sooner, I knew that nothing comes that easy here. I consider the modern, shiny plastic toy shops for options, but know this is not where the dragonflies are hiding. I cautiously maneuver through the madness of vendors, tourists, cabs, motorbikes and the many obstacles like a pro. When I find my prize and I am focused on them I see dragonflies everywhere and realize they are at the tourist shops. I am thrilled, but daunted by the fact that ‘tourist’ means hard-core bargaining. You must be willing almost cry or whine as I did to get a better price. I walked away successful.

Oh, lord! Now I need to go find buttons. If I was home, this task would be so easy. One goes to the fabric store, all buttons are in nice little packages, organized by color, size and shape….effortless. I seek out Hang Bo street for everything sewing related and know from experience that finding buttons would not be so…effortless. Yes, it is always about the negotiation, the challenging communication and persistence, but OH MY, if you have ever been excited about buttons, you will have felt you died and gone to heaven. There is every color, shape and size, fancy and cheap, practical and excessive. I want cheap and cheap!! My first vendors were sewing shops and later realized it was a mistake. The prices and negotiation was not as good as when I walked further to discover shops that were only buttons, buttons, buttons. Who would have thought that three plastic buttons that look exactly the same would be different qualities and prices? Just give me the cheapest I say. I walked away with my bags of buttons.

I finished my afternoon with one last stop to get needle, thread and safety pins. Again, back home this would be one aisle over to the buttons, but not in Vietnam. You need to go to a whole different store or street for this. I was warmly greeted after all the aggressiveness of the hunt for buttons at a VERY small shop that had every color of thread possible. I had a young girl translate my needs from the neighboring stall and had the smallest stool in the world passed to me to sit my right side of my butt on. During the entire process an older lady who was likely 100 years old was watching the whole process. I penny for her thoughts. How amazing to only by one spool of thread, one needle and a few pins and to be treated so well.

Finding a taxi home is not difficult since they are practically running you down. Getting out of the Old Quarter is another thing. I happily sit in the back of the cab looking inside my many plastic bags as if I found rare coins or the most amazing slice of cake. The pleasure is not only finding what you need, but being able to successfully complete the journey that often entails treacherous waves, high winds, deadly sharks and sweet old ladies that when cajoled will give you a smile that makes it all worth while. Now to get home and see what amazing things I can create with toy dragonflies and cheap plastic buttons.