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Before leaving for Mai Chau, there was time for a group visit to the Museum of Ethnology that gives an excellent introduction to the ethnic diversity in Vietnam composed of 54 distinct groups. The Museum has 54 collections from each individual ethnic group. Clothing, jewelry, weapons, antiquities, everyday objects, artifacts relating to the various religions, all extremely interesting and this is coming from me, a non-museum type person.
This museum was a joint effort between Vietnam and France. Extremely crowded with family groups and schools since it was a Sunday. The lower level had displays and objects relating to craft making, arts and spiritual practices. The Viet (or Kinh) people make up almost 86% of the population of Vietnam, the biggest of the 54 ethnic groups.
Continue reading "Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi" »
The first few days were spent in Bangkok (read the detailed articles) before leaving the Best Western Swana at 5:30 a.m. and headed back to Suvarnabhumi Airport for a brief one-hour Thai Airlines flight to Hanoi. Adventure Center told us that Peregrine Adventures would meet, greet and transfer any tour members to the hotel if we arrived on this day. Good as their word, a representative was waiting outside baggage claim holding a card with our name on it. It's less than a hour (depending on traffic) from beautiful Noi Bai International Airport located 45km/28 miles from downtown Hanoi.
If you are on your own, transportation choices in Hanoi are: taxis, minibus or public buses. The Hoa Binh Hotel*** was built in 1926 and located in the old French Quarter on Ly Thuong Kiet Street, a short three-block walk to West Lake (Hoan Kiem Lake). With pleasant employees, and old but completely adequate, clean rooms, we dropped the bags and went out to revisit Hanoi. TIP: Always grab your hotel business card to find the way back and/or be able to tell the cheap taxis where you are staying. Especially, when in a jet-lagged fog.
Continue reading "Fascinating and Historic Hanoi, Vietnam" »
Air? We flew Chicago to Bangkok via Tokyo on United (our airline of choice) into Suvarnabhumi Airport, and then used air miles for a free ticket on Thai Air to Hanoi. You have many, many airlines to choose from since almost every major airline flies to Bangkok. For example: Aeroflot-Russian International, Air France, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Cathay, China Southern Airlines, Japan Airlines, Korean Airlines, Lufthansa, Malaysian Airlines, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, United Airlines, VietNam Airlines just to name some. Hanoi is very easy to reach from Bangkok but there are certainly many other cities to use for entry into Vietnam.
Hotel? Flying via Bangkok meant misconnecting to Vietnam. It was either gut it out at the airport and arrive in Hanoi two days early or spend the time in Bangkok. On one hand, we had already visited Hanoi twice before and this tour started and ended in Hanoi. On the other hand, we've landed, connected and visited Bangkok too many times to mention. Still, there is always something new to see and do in Bangkok. Done deal and selected the Best Western Swana Hotel close by Khao San Road, a vibrant, happening area.
On the opposite end, we flew from Hanoi back to Bangkok, and booked one night at the Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport because of a very early United departure home the next morning. This hotel is more expensive but located a free bus ride away on the airport property.
Continue reading "Planing A Trip Into Remote Vietnam" »
If you've never visited Vietnam, don't wait any longer. Put it on your "must list." If "soft adventure" isn't your druthers, do the usual tour of Saigon, Hanoi, Hue, etc., and then return to visit the hilltowns of Vietnam.
Our first trip was over the Millennium and both ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I were blown away by the friendliness of the people since we expected animosity over American participation in the Vietnam War. The second trip in 2002 revisited some places and included Sapa in the Hill Country. Read all the details about A Trip in Vietnam.
 Vietnam map
Continue reading "Into Remote Vietnam" »
On a trip with Explore, U.K. (book through Adventure Center on side of this site for U.S. travelers), some of our English friends told us about their COMPLETLY CATERED AND PROVIDED family camping experiences in Europe. Now, I had never even thought that something like that was possible, let alone existed and what a perfect solution in this economy.
One company is Key Camp, a company that organizes camping holidays with sites in France, Spain, Italy Luxembourg, Holland, Austria and Switzerland. Their holidays include: a choice of luxury two-three bedroom mobile homes, chalets and even spacious four-bedroom supertents - something for every budget and fully equipped! They have on-line route planners for your vacation, children's clubs (from tots to teenagers), suggestions for couples seeking an activity holiday. Depending on your camp site, it's possible to scuba dive, sail, windsurf, canoe, golf, fish, and much more.
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ex-Marine (husband, Steve) pays a yearly visit to a local Chicago suburban grade school to spend an hour talking to 4th graders about travel and our experiences. He tries to tailor each session around what unit the children are learning, tells funny and true stories, and brings unique (and unusual) "stuff" collected while traveling.
This year, the 4th graders were studying Africa. Steve and I walked through the house, packing up what we hoped would be of the most interest to 9-year olds. Little Chinese shoes worn by women with bound feet, a West Africa Chief's pipe, Ethiopian lip plate from the Mursi tribe, large ear plugs and other earrings from Myanmar/Burma, gourd bowl shaped like a face from Uganda (used to carry water), slave beads used as currency, and a woman's head covering from Yemen decorated with beads, old coins, piece of an expandable watchband and even buttons!
Continue reading "Did you know that Penguins bray like Donkeys?" »
Termessos is one of the best preserved ancient cities in Turkey founded by the Solymi people, from Anatolia. Extremely scenic located in a rugged mountain valley at a height of 1,665m/5,462' ...View image. Today was one last but very long day scheduled before the entire Explore group headed home with the exception of us who were going to spend a few days relaxing in Antalya. We hiked up to the many ruins scattered among the pine forests with many concealed and overgrown by vegetation.
The important remains are the 4,200 seat Amphitheatre and Roman stele built by Augustus in the 1st century AD. There is also an Agora, several temples, gymnasium, watch towers, a meeting hall with seating for 600, and more than 1,200 rock tombs.
Continue reading "Termessos, Duden and Kursunlu Waterfalls, Turkey" »
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