Kuala Lumpur, a city of surprises
We first experienced Kuala Lumpur (KL) during a 6-hour layover between Paris and Koh Samui, Thailand. Our brief time checking out the city impressed me enough that I knew we would need to come back and explore it more. I had heard that it was a great place for food, and I loved the general vibe I felt while walking around. I had expected a grungy city with really only a couple of monuments to be of interest. Boy was I wrong! The nice...
Thoughts on Visiting Vietnam Today
There are some places you visit that you instantly fall in love with, or perhaps by the time you leave you have conflicted emotions. Then there are those places that slowly seduce you and have you missing them before you’ve even left. That is exactly where I found myself during our too brief time in Vietnam. What is it like in Vietnam today? Vietnam is composed of 54 different ethnic groups. For much of its earlier history, it was...
Relaxing in Da Lat
After several days in noisy, chaotic, hot, and kind of grumpy Hanoi, we were ready for somewhere that was calmer. Lots of people recommended Hoi An, which is basically why we didn’t go there. I wanted to see a part of Vietnam that wasn’t as popular with the Western tourists. When another blogger mentioned the town of Da Lat, I was intrigued. She absolutely loved it, and it had two big requirements for us: cooler temps (homes don’t...
Things to do in Bangkok
As with any large city, there are a lot of things to do in Bangkok. Some of it is ultra touristy, but there is plenty that isn’t your typical type of tourist activity. I figured I’d give you some of both since I like mixing things up, as well as give you my opinion on places that you might want to think twice about. This list is by no means exhaustive, but hopefully it well help you get some ideas. Food Of course, I started with this...
Thoughts of an American in Vietnam on Liberation Day
I was a bit afraid to come to Vietnam. No, I wasn’t worried about being an American in Vietnam. It just seemed like there were plenty of horror stories occasionally mixed in with the “It’s an interesting place” vague ones. Okay, yes I was a little concerned about how I would be received. Not like I expected to be attacked or anything. It’s just. . . Complicated. Even though I was very young during the Vietnam War, it was still...
Things to do in Macau
–In collaboration with fellow writer Lauren Quincy In recent years, most of what you hear about Macau comes from the success of Macau casinos. They are now among the most profitable in the world. While many do go to Macau strictly to gamble, there is still a world of history and culture that is largely overlooked by the modern tourist population. Below are a few of the best things to do while traveling in Macau. Senate Square...
