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Is Da Lat the Switzerland of SE Asia?
I expressed disappointment to my Saigon tour guide that SE Asia lacks any mountain towns to escape the heat. I further explained to him that Mexico is filled with charming high altitude villages when he asked, “have you not heard of Da Lat?” To be fair I’d heard of it but only as the region…
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Two days in Da Nang
Whenever I’ve been asked about Da Nang, I always tell people it is nothing more than a transfer hub. At least that’s all I’ve ever used it for. It has the closest airport and train station to charming Hoi An, which should be on everyone’s visit list when visiting Vietnam. My friend Vora had visited…
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Food, fun, and friendship in Vietnam
Things took a turn this week when my long time friend and fellow traveler Vora Dollar joined me in Vietnam. Our relationship has changed over the years, and now I think I’m learning more from her than she is from me. One thing that hasn’t changed, however, is our mutual curiosity about the world and…
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The story behind Vietnamese egg coffee
The first morning at my Saigon hostel, I headed downstairs at my usual 5:30 am and was surprised to encounter someone else there. Dave is my age and recently retired from a career as a firefighter. I was impressed to learn that he could survive on his pension, and he replied, “I can if I…
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Things to do from Hong Kong Island
With two weeks in Hong Kong, I had plenty of time to explore. In addition to seeing the main sites on the island, I headed out for a few offshore excursions, including a couple small fishing villages and a former Portuguese colony. Lei Yue Mun fishing village Just a short ferry ride from busy Hong…
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Other things to do on Hong Kong island
Because it was so expensive, I only booked three days for my first visit to Hong Kong last year. That meant when a two week pet sit came up over Christmas this year, I jumped at the chance. It gave me plenty of time to explore the compact island that piqued my adventurous curiosity last…
