Surrealism defined: Montreal in March with absolutely no snow. I’m home again, though you’d never know it. It’s refreshingly cool after the heat of Saigon, but for March 24th it is ridiculously warm here. Since I haven’t really had any…
Back to the Future
I have quite literally travelled back in time: My flight took off in Tokyo at 11am, spent 12 hours in the air, and arrived here in Chicago at 8:45 in the morning — a full two hours and a bit…
Sai-going-going-gone
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…