Old-Time Vietnam – Off to Hue
I must see Mr. T. He has the stories of the DMZ as a veteran. So I chose Hue as my fourth trip to Vietnam. On this first morning in Danang I had coffee, worked a bit more, and had lunch at the Happy Bread …
Vignettes of the World
Vietnam
Old-Time Vietnam – Sizzling at Hue Ngon, Danang
What’s with me and unmetered taxi’s? The guy came up to me at the airport and quoted đ200,000. I thought that included the airport tax but it was an extra đ70,000. I simply did not have the guts to bargain. On arrival at the hostel …
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 …
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 …