Avignon

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Despite the French rail strike, I managed to arrive in Avignon, France, in good time from Annecy today.  The Palace of the Popes (above) is the main landmark of Avignon and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was home to … Continue reading →

Invader

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I’ve noticed a few pieces around Avignon by French urban artist Invader. I’m sure there are many more! 

Kean

My tuk-tuk driver for Siem Reap, Kean. © 2012 . All rights reserved.

My time in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is coming to an end so I wanted to give a shout out to my super awesome tuk-tuk driver, Kean! A hard worker, all business, always on time and a very nice young man. … Continue reading →

Banteay Srei

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One of the last temples I visited, and one of the most admired by Angkor historians, is Banteay Srei. As of April 22, 2012, this site is 1,045 years old. It is small compared to other temples, but almost every … Continue reading →

Angkor Butterfly Center

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On the long tuk-tuk ride out to the Banteay Srei temple site, I just had to make a stop at the small but beautiful Angkor Butterfly Center. Ok, ok… looking at flowers and butterflies isn’t for everyone. But I’m all … Continue reading →

Khmer Cooking Class

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Another cooking class! This time in Siem Reap with Beyond Unique Escapes. Until I got to Cambodia I really had no idea what kinds of dishes they were known for. The recipes we made were similar to those in my … Continue reading →

Day Off

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Climbing around Angkor is pretty tiring. I am lucky enough to have some time off between exploring. Here are some non-temple shots.  Above is my hotel’s pool. It’s really getting in to low season around here. You can easily have it … Continue reading →

Angkor, Day 2

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Morning at the south entrance to Angkor Thom. Another representation of the myth The Churning of the Ocean of Milk. Some of the deva heads (here) and the aspara heads on the other side have been restored.   Some of … Continue reading →

Angkor, Day 1

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I’ve landed in Siem Reap, Cambodia and begun my exploration of the ruins of Angkor. This was the center of the Khmer civilization during the 9th-15th centuries and there are hundreds of temple and city sites in this region. At … Continue reading →

Cambodia…

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Cambodia is a country with a powerful history. For centuries it was a reigning powerhouse of Asia, seeing the leadership of many popular kings and the creation of Angkor Wat and surrounding sites. The Angkor period would likely rival any … Continue reading →

Phnom Penh

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I arrived in the capital city of Cambodia just after an afternoon downpour. Again, I’m grateful since it brings the temperature down a few degrees! A $7 US tuk-tuk ride got me to my hotel, The Blue Lime. A few … Continue reading →

Saigon by Vespa

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My last night in Ho Chi Minh City I did the Saigon After Dark tour with Vietnam Vespa Adventures. What a blast! It lasts 4-5 hours and you get zipped all over town on the back of a vintage Vespa, … Continue reading →

Saigon

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Officially it’s Ho Chi Minh City but most everyone still calls it Saigon. The heart of the city is more international and modern than Hanoi, while still keeping grounded in lots of Vietnam flavor. I was impressed with Saigon’s green … Continue reading →

Full Moon in Hoi An

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Lucky me, I arrived in Hoi An, Vietnam on Friday, May 4. It was a full moon and Hoi An’s monthly Legendary Night celebration. It’s like a street festival with vendors and food, entertainment in the square, lots of candles … Continue reading →

Ha Long Bay

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I knew a cruise through Ha Long Bay would be one of the highlights of my trip. But I wasn’t prepared for the magnitude of the beauty and magic of this place. There are dozens of junk (an ancient Chinese … Continue reading →

Ah, wats…

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As I make my way through Vietnam, I have to admit I am missing the beautiful and diverse wats I saw in Thailand. Buddhism in Thailand is pretty “user friendly”. I’m still getting a grasp on the spirituality of the … Continue reading →

Au revoir, Hanoi

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Just some parting shots of Hanoi…. a dynamic city. A place where you can cook your dinner on the sidewalk then go around the corner to buy an iPhone. I really enjoyed it and started to actually get used to … Continue reading →

Street Food-UPDATED

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I took part in Hanoi Cooking Centre’s half-day Street Food/Market Tour – highly recommended! Our guide took his time showing us one of the MANY fresh food markets in town. You can get every ingredient you need in one stop … Continue reading →

Hanoi Comes Alive

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Hanoi, Vietnam, my next world capital… This is one unreal place. And I thought Bangkok was pumping! To be fair, I am staying in the Old Quarter, which is overrun with motorbikes and everything and everyone spilled out onto every … Continue reading →

Got Him!

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I caught that blue crested lizard again in the courtyard of my hotel. Spectacular coloring!  

Local Eats

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I’ve been enjoying pad see ew for breakfast. How lucky am I?   Another delicious fruit here is the mangosteen. Amazing!!   A classic Thai dessert is mango with sticky rice. I have also had it on the side at … Continue reading →

Wat Chedi Luang

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This wat is larger than most and features one of Chiang Mai’s tallest landmarks. This is the largest chedi I have seen here. It has been partially destroyed over hundreds of years due to earthquakes. There is one area they … Continue reading →

Wat 101

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  If you would like to know more detail, here is a nice explanation of a wat from the website asiatours.net. I find them extremely similar to visiting chapels in Italy, Spain or France. Except instead of Jesus, it is … Continue reading →

Around Town

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The local Wats (temple sites) are quite photogenic and there is no shortage of opportunity – the Chiang Mai area alone has around 200 of them. I will post highlights from those soon. But here are some random shots from … Continue reading →

Bangkok, continued

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Some additional shots from Bangkok… The reclining Buddha at Wat Pho – for scale, see the people in the lower right corner. He is quite breathtaking in person! Close up of Buddha’s spiral footprint Close up of mother-of-pearl inlay on … Continue reading →

Cooking Class

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Baan Thai Cookery School, Chiang Mai, Thailand. For about $30, the class runs from 9a-3p with an hour break 1-2. You make five dishes and the class begins with a short tour of the market and the ingredients you will … Continue reading →

Sunday Market

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Imagine the biggest street fair of the year in your town. It’s probably once a year, right? In Chiang Mai they put one on EVERY Sunday. And it’s not even the only one. There are other night markets and bazaars … Continue reading →

Whew!

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I’m up north in Chiang Mai, Thailand now and I’ve taken so many photos and have so much to share! I have only been on this trip for five days and my mind is blown already. I will have many … Continue reading →

Hello, Bangkok

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Bangkok: 12 million people with someplace to be. It’s a city on the move and every last square foot is spoken for by someone making their living. Intimidating at first but once I started making my way around- not bad … Continue reading →

Gadget-Friendly Taiwan

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I’m on a short layover at Taiwan International Airport. Most of the gates have a theme of some kind (including that perennial favorite in these parts-Hello Kitty). This gate had every seat outfitted with a dual power plug and also … Continue reading →

Travel Photo Contest

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Conde Nast has an annual travel photo contest where the grand prize is a customized trip around the world. I entered about 15 photos this year – here are some. Wish me luck! Above – a tropical island in Mexico … Continue reading →

Pescado for Dinner!

Sayulita Catch One of us.....

On the Ya-Yas’ spring trip to Sayulita, we came across this youngster with his brother, each carrying a nice Yellowjack home to mama.  Note the small snapper in his shorts pocket!  He was more than happy to stand for a … Continue reading →