Happy Friday, and happy birthday to my Dad, who probably isn’t reading this but I’m sure my Mom will pass the message along. Sadly, this is the last day of my trip, so here’s one last blog post from Saigon…
Waterworld
I woke up today still feeling pretty crappy, but with only two days left of my trip, I wasn’t about to squander any more time. My bus to the Mekong Delta was leaving at 7:30, and, cold or no cold,…
A trip to the tunnels
I woke up to discover, to my dismay, that what I’d thought was simply allergies was actually a full-fledged cold, sore throat and sneezing and all. My mind is enchanted by Southeast Asia, but between the stomach issues, heat exhaustion,…
Welcome to Saigon
Happy equinox and official first day of spring! I hear it went up into the 20s in Montreal this weekend. Unseasonably warm though it may be, it sounds enticingly cool compared to the mind-melting heat here in Saigon. It’s so…
Tailoring and cooking
The Hoi An tailor experience Day two in Hoi An. I spent most of the day running from one tailor to another for fittings of the clothes I ordered yesterday. First off, I went to check on the blouse I’d…
Shop ’till you drop
Today’s plan: Shopping! With nearly 400 different tailor shops, Hoi An is paradise for anyone seeking tailor-made suits, dresses, shirts, skirts, trousers or even shoes, all at a fraction of what you’d pay for them at home, and all ready…
Over the Hai Van Pass
Top o’ the mornin’ to you Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! (And Happy 60th Birthday to my mom, who as far as I know is one of the only people who actually reads this blog. Hi, Mom!) It occurs to me…
Pagodas and dragon boats
Goodbye, chilly and damp. Hello, hot and humid. After a somewhat unpleasant thirteen-hour train ride, I arrived in the former Imperial City of Hue (pronounced “h’WAY” for anyone who’s wondering) around 8am today. I think I’m officially done with overnight…
Islands, prisons and trains
An early start today, as we were woken up at 6:30am in order to eat breakfast before climbing to the top of Ti Top Island. With its 400+ steps, Ti Top Island offers panoramic views of Ha Long Bay from…
Junk boat in the bay
Refreshed after a fourteen-hour sleep, I departed early this morning on an overnight tour to Ha Long Bay. The so-called pride of Vietnam, Ha Long was recently voted one of the “new” seven wonders of the world. Even though I…