This morning at 0530 we took a local bus from the Farm Stay near Phong Nha to Hoi An about 350 km or 210 miles.  The local bus was a 20 seat van where they squeeze 30.  The good, we were the first on the bus and last to get off.  The bad, 30 passengers with only 20 seats.  The 20 passenger van took us … Continue reading Travel day to Hoi An by Local Bus – December 26, 2011

The Aussie guy who built the farm stay married into the Viet family that owns the farm.  It is his tradition to deliver bags of candy to all the village kids, large and small, for Xmas.  But Ben spent this Xmas in Australia so there was an extra Santa suit for the annual event.  David fit the description, and the suit, a plan was hatched.  … Continue reading Gray haired man with belly needed for Santa. Dec 25

We are spending the Christmas holiday in Phong Nha, a farming community in western Vietnam and 40 km from the Laos border.  It is home to the world heritage site and national park containing the largest and most spectacular cave system in Vietnam.   We found refuge in a farm who opens its doors to visitors.  Wonderful family and the warm company of 7-8 other nationalities … Continue reading Caves for Christmas. December 24 – 25

Mamma and papa, the hotel staff calls us that . . . . . Is it because we are 30 years older than all the other people at breakfast? Probably. They are so intrigued by us riding our bicycles!!!! Where are you going today they ask and today was a great ride I found in the guide book that one of the pagodas here is … Continue reading Momma and papa do Hue Day 2 December 22, 2011

Hue served as Vietnam’s capital under the Emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty from 1802 to 1945.  The city’s regal past can still be seen today inside the walls of the Citadel and the war-ravaged Imperial City. Having a western breakfast in the hotel with Vietnamese coffee, not sure why they call it coffee; an omelet (scrambled eggs); bread; very sweet mandarin oranges. Back to the … Continue reading First day in Hue, December 21, 2011

Click on photos to enlarge. The sea in Ha Long Bay is misty, the earth, those small islands and spirals, appear in a fog. . . . the depth of the landscapes softens and the mountainous terrain falls one layer after the other with color and shape lightening until it blends into the sky. There are 1969 Karst stones rising from this misty bay, and … Continue reading Ha Long Bay December 16 – 18, 2011

There are few traffic lights here, just everyone going about their business, left, right and straight in the same intersection.  The instruction for crossing the street is to just walk at a predictable pace, and the cars/scooters will move around you.  It does work, but it is much easier to watch other people move around than it is to hold your breath and venture from … Continue reading Hanoi – December 15

Flight from the Denver to Hanoi were great bu long. On the longest leg, San Francisco to Seoul we had paid $100 to upgrade to Economy in the exit row which we had ourselves.  The head purser for Economy was sitting opposite.  Right after takeoff he brought us bottles of wine then champagne. All flights were great with the Asiana Airlines flight attendants being soo cute … Continue reading Vietnam – December 13