A year ago I was on the Orion, a boat bound for Borneo and the tiny port of Kumai. Kumai has the dubious distinction of being the birds-nest soup capital of the world. Soup production, however, was a side-show. Endangered orangutans were our quest. We were on an expedition arranged by Lindblad to see these primates in their home. Destination Camp … [Read more...]
Bagan/Pagan: Tale of Two Cities
We lifted off the ground imperceptibly, quietly. The only sound was the huff and puff of the jet filling the balloon with hot air. The cluster of nationalities in the basket was silent, gazing at the scene below, mesmerized. A few minutes before we had been standing in the grey pre-dawn light clutching warm cups of tea, a nod to the … [Read more...]
Celebrating Tet, Lunar New Year in Vietnam
It was 2:00 a.m. when I arrived in Ho Chi Min City. The flight from Hong Kong was delayed. I dozed as we cruised over the inky black South China Sea. I imagined my destination. Faded French colonial buildings and bustling new commerce overlaid with a legacy of bitter conflict. Tet Flowers Filled the Streets Enough of my preconceptions, … [Read more...]
Hanoi: A Day with Uncle Ho
Breakfast at the Metropole Hotel, Hanoi is quintessential time warp. Baskets of perfect freshly-baked buttery Croissants and Pain-au-Chocolates bookend one end of the buffet. Decor is French colonial Art Nouveau. There is music, of course. It is subtle, of course. It switches to the soundtrack from A Man and a Woman, that most romantic … [Read more...]
Laos, Land of a Million Elephants
Mekong Memories The first time I left Laos I took a sampan across the Mekong river. It was early morning. Air and water were still. I cradled a tiny silver ring in my hand, given to me by an old Meo woman. I knew I would return. A Return Visit to Laos nearly 40 years later This January, after my second visit, I left by air. As the prop plane … [Read more...]
