The 86 million people living in Vietnam come from 54 distinct ethnic groups. The largest, the Viet, make up 86.4 percent of the population. The other 14 percent is distributed among 53 different ethnic groups, many of whom live in the mountainous regions of the north. These groups share certain similarities, but have distinct dialects, […]
Vietnam: The Many Peoples of Vietnam Read More »
After writing class, I just couldn’t resist bringing Karyn and Eliza to what I’d started to call the Pink Massage Palace. Allison and Kevin and Linda joined us. The six of us were all lined up getting our massage in the same room, the five women in pink and Kevin in black and white striped
Vietnam: Pink Massage Heaven, Take II Read More »
Yesterday, we had our inaugural writing workshop of this trip. We gathered on the 11th floor of the hotel in a meeting room with a panoramic view of Hanoi on all sides. We could still hear hear constant honking from the streets and workers turning the restaurant over from lunch to dinner on the other
Vietnam: Writing Is At The Heart Read More »
Judy Slattum, tour leader, Danu Tours. Surya Made, Danu Tours, Judy’s husband and partner in their great boutique tour company. Yesterday we picked up our travelers from all over the world: Australia, Mexico, Canada, California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. Judy and Surya went to meet the first batch and our Vietnamese guide, Quynh, picked me up
Vietnam: And Now The Real Fun Begins . . . The Gang Is All Here! Read More »
Before our group arrived, Joanie and I decided to check out one of Judy’s tips to us, sent in an email before we left the U.S. “One of my favorite streets in Hanoi is Au Trieu street. Go there. You’ll see why.” So the same rainy day we toured the Hanoi Hilton, we headed in
Vietnam: A Very Very Bad Massage With Great Acoustics Read More »
The first thing we noticed while we were eating breakfast on the 11th floor of our hotel this morning was that the tiny people down below on the street were all wearing ponchos or holding umbrellas. It was raining. We dressed for the weather, grabbed umbrellas and headed out on foot. The second thing we
Vietnam: A Rainy Walk To The Infamous Hanoi Hilton Read More »
Doesn’t this couple look happy? Aren’t they beautiful? Well, I’m not. Apparently while Joanie and I have been savoring the sounds, smells (yes, even those) and tastes of Vietnam, the weather gods have been interfering with my son Eli’s arrival in Vietnam. He’s stuck in the Midwest–ice and snow. After all these years of leading
Vietnam: Oh Sh@t! D#mn It! Read More »
When we left the Vietnam Women’s Museum, we mapped our way to the foot massage parlor, about a mile or so away. After half an hour of swimming through streets filled with traffic and honking, we found our second destination of the day: Dai Cat foot massage. No one at the counter spoke any English
Vietnam: But I Thought We Were Getting A Foot Massage Read More »
This morning, our first in Hanoi, Joanie and I woke up from our respective twin beds (with very nice down comforters, I might add), remarked on how well we’d slept, and starting kicking around what wanted to do with our wide open day. I got on Trip Advisor and read about Women’s Museum, a likely
Vietnam: Learning About the Women of Vietnam Read More »
We made it….14 hours in the air and now we’re in Tapiei and the airport is full of some of tackiest art ever. Lots of fake scenes of nature. And…we arrived at the airport on the 25th and it’s now the 27th. Whaaa? We are definitely not in the US anymore. With my propensity to
Vietnam: Across the International Date Line Read More »
Wouldn’t you know it? My first blog post practically wrote itself before we even checked into our Eva Air flight to Taipei. Joanie and I chatted our way through the check-in line and as we approached the front, we reached into our respective purses for our tickets and passports. I grabbed mine and when I
Vietnam: Always Expect The Unexpected Read More »
It’s Christmas morning and I’ve come out to my office to write this inaugural Virtual Vacation blog post for my trip to Vietnam. Tonight, after Christmas dinner at my son and daughter-in-law’s house, I’m being picked up at 8 PM, by my friend Joanie, to head to the San Francisco airport for our 1 AM
Vietnam: All My Bags Are Packed and I’m Ready To Go! Read More »
This morning when we had our final writer’s group reading, Jackie Baritell read this poem as her contribution. I thought it captured many of the highlights of our trip and so I asked her permission to publish it here and on my blog. Here’s her piece: A PLENTIFUL SCOTTISH DIET Too full tonight. Too full
Virtual Vacation: Until We Meet Again Read More »
Today, on the last afternoon of the last day of our retreat, seven of us hopped in the Newbold van with Christopher and Martin from the house and drove out to a local organic farm that produces grass fed lamb and organic eggs, owned by a lovely farmer couple, Peter and Therese Muskus. They’ve completely
Virtual Vacation: Laikenbuie Farm Read More »
On the final outing in our ten-day trip, we headed out after lunch, with Alistair at the helm of our bus, on our way to Inverness to catch our boat to Loch Ness. “If you come from Inverness, you’re called an Invernessian,” Alistair told us over the bus microphone. As we drove by a the
Virtual Vacation: Loch Ness Read More »
