Vietnam

Coconuts and karsts in my sketchbook – Art from Vietnam

Que Dua coconut$65, mixed media and candy wrappers on paper, 8″ x 10″ I wanted new pictures in my head to go with the word “Vietnam.” I knew that my mental...

April 1, 2009 with 0 Comments

Hanoi, Vietnam travel tips

On and off, we spent almost a week in Hanoi, and we spent many meals hopping from one little shop to another, noshing on each shop’s specialty. So, there are a lot of travel...

March 31, 2009 with 0 Comments

Just like in the movies

Toes up soda can pigeons, Hanoi, Vietnam | Photo by Lauren Girardin Todd and I are literally forcing ourselves out of Vietnam. After five weeks of south to north exploration,...

March 30, 2009 with 0 Comments

Halong Bay, Vietnam travel tips

Where we ate: Holiday View Hotel, Cat Ba Island – See hotel review below. Dinner gets a “yeh” and breakfast a “nah,” which averages out to a: MEH...

March 28, 2009 with 0 Comments

Taking our chances

Sunset in Halong Bay, Vietnam | Photo by Lauren Girardin (Don’t get confused later when I talk about going to China in February. Remember, we’re behind in our...

March 26, 2009 with 0 Comments

Sapa, Vietnam travel tips

Sapa, Vietnam is a town that exists almost entirely for tourism. The town was a surprising and dismaying experience after 6 weeks traveling through the rest of Vietnam, but the...

March 4, 2009 with 0 Comments

Commerce in the clouds

Sunset behind Sapa’s mountain range | Photo by Lauren Girardin As fast as a hawk snatches a field mouse, a woman comes around to the front of her market booth, where...

March 4, 2009 with 4 Comments

Nimh Binh and Tam Coc, Vietnam travel tips

Tourism is just picking up speed in Tam Coc and Nimh Binh, Vietnam. Older guidebooks list hotels in the main town, Nimh Binh, and most are small, geared towards the independent...

February 28, 2009 with 0 Comments

From dawn to dusk

The Karsts of Tam Coc | Art by Todd Berman The sleeper bus pulls away, its driver honking repeatedly to warn the empty highway that it’s about to barrel through, leaving...

February 26, 2009 with 0 Comments

Hue, Vietnam travel tips

We are indebted to Vietnamese God and Travelfish.org for leading us to excellent restaurants after we discovered that Lonely Planet’s Hue restaurant recommendations served...

February 21, 2009 with 0 Comments