Vignettes of the World
My Travel Journal
One must buy leather shoes in Italy, the boot-shaped country. And we did so in Lucca. And in Lucca, everybody biked. On our way to Pisa, we met some American tourists on the train. They suggested that we visit Lucca, so we bought the train …
It was quite a walk from the Pisa Centrale to the Duomo and the Leaning Tower. I would say at least 30 minutes. We stopped by a small delicatessen kind of restaurant and paid a ridiculous check for a simple pasta lunch. We paid €18 …
In Siem Reap I wake up to astounding cacophonies of insects. Their singsongs accompany my journey throughout the day, from my waking at dawn to my resting at dusk. Thousands and thousands of them, each releasing its own distinctive sounds, perhaps by stridulating. There must …
On this final day in Hue, I decided to take a look at some special sites in the city. An easy stroll around the city would do for me. The An Dinh Palace You can’t miss the luxury and the preoccupation with all things western …
The breakfast at the Melody Hostel was something that I looked forward to every morning. The lady that cooked breakfast and managed the Hostel was Ling. She has two children. She showed me the photographs from their family vacations. I gathered from the photographs that …
A young Vietnamese woman came to pick me up in her motorbike. She had nice long flowy hair, perfect skin and a round face that said friendliness all over. She also spoke perfect English. I liked her immediately. Mandy was my guide for the day. …
I like visiting the local wet markets of Vietnam. The colors and smells of fresh produce in the markets are always so stimulating. Busy scenes of vendors selling food to morning shoppers are the best show of Vietnam’s vibrant street life. So on this free …
The tour at the DMZ brought me to a place in a time long past. In the decades since, Vietnam has made great strides from the traumas of the American War. That also came with the serious and mutual efforts with the United States to …
I asked Mr. T what he thinks of America. “We have no problem with the American people. We don’t like the U.S. government.” At some point, I asked also what he thought of China. “We have no problem with the Chinese people. We don’t like …
Cau Dakrong The Dakrong Bridge (Cau Dakrong), lies at the midway on Route 9. It also marks the beginning of Highway 15. During the American War, the Dakrong Bridge was a hotly-contested spot, being the access point of the Ho Chi Minh Trail (more below). …