Hue 1968
Book Review: Hue 1968 (2017) By Mark Bowden By tradition, your first encounter on the morning of Tet was supposed to be a harbinger for the entire year. If that were true, then Hue’s fate in the New Year would have been sealed. Its first …
Vignettes of the World
Travels
My Travel Journal
Beyond Pho – Goodbye, Danang
Since the 19th century, Danang has replaced Hoi An as the preeminent trading port in central Vietnam. It remains as such today. In terms of the American War in Vietnam, Danang was the first location in South Vietnam that received the U.S. Marines. Apparently, this …
Beyond Pho – Boating to the Full Moon in Hoi An
In the evening, we came back to Hoi An and found it bustling with festivities. The night market has opened. Music filled the air, food stalls lined the streets, and the colorful lanterns decorated the sky with the full moon above us. We had a …
Beyond Pho – Biking Between Heaven and Earth
We joined a biking tour on this sunny day. The Nu Eatery Lunch was at the Nu Eatery. The restaurant was known for its fusion touch on traditional Vietnamese cuisine. We had to try our luck as we did not make a reservation, and …
Beyond Pho – Dancing to the Full Moon in Hoi An
The people of Hoi An celebrate the full moon every month. Perhaps that was how they kept the tourists engaged. But on this traditional once-a-year Mid-Autumn Festival, the celebratory activities were much more elaborate. We intended to have a walk in Hoi An that evening …
Beyond Pho – Hoi An
Between the 2nd to the 10th centuries, Hoi An was a bustling seaport of the Champa Kingdom. Both My Son and Hoi An within its bounds, the Quang Nam province once belonged to the Champa King. A dispute arose between the Champa kingdom and Vietnam …
Two Days in Turin (2)
Sunday morning greeted us with a bit of a heavy rain. We checked out at 10am, got into the car and drove around looking for breakfast. We came upon a Lavazza Café that was opened on Sunday morning. The family ordered one to two each …
Two Days in Turin (1)
The house was bustling in the morning as the children woke up to a new day. I woke up tired because I researched late into the night for restaurants to visit in Turin. My cousin requested Michelin restaurants. The family enjoys stately meals when they …
Beyond Pho – God Shiva at My Son
We rose early to visit the Duy Phu village at My Son Valley. My Son, in Vietnamese, means “beautiful mountain.” In this part of Vietnam, the celebrated ancient culture is that of the Champa people. Now considered an ethnic minority (one of the 55), the …
Beyond Pho – From Marble Mountains onto Hoi An
God might have been with me on Monday, but certainly not on Tuesday. There was intermittent rain when we had breakfast. We liked the crisp baguette yesterday, so this time we ditched the eggs and requested Vietnamese ham instead. Our driver kept us wait a …