reunited in bangkok
Chao Phraya river
Longtail color pop
The stunning Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan
This monumental Buddhist temple is right on the river, with an iconic, ornately tiled central prang (spire)
If you look closely you can spot me in the lower middle of this image. It's difficult to see me because I'm wearing my porcelain camouflage shirt.
Visitors can rent traditional costumes and hire a photographer on-site.
post-temple beers with a view
Chinatown in Bangkok
The monk and the politician
porcelain doll-like
I love the contrast and similarities between the billboard and real-life
Golden Dragon
It is everywhere
breakfast at the coffee club
Another day at the office
Cats of Bangkok series #1
Yes, I am drinking a beer at 2 in the afternoon.
Cats of Bangkok series #2
Meanwhile, outside the market...
Cats of Bangkok series #3
Cats of Bangkok series #4
ready for the rumble
Toilet seat rules and regulations
This man gets paid to pose with people like us
I love the hype-man standing in the background
The iconic Rajadamnern stadium
Bridge over the Red River leads into Hanoi
Our Hanoi adventure begins
we hit the street, immersing ourselves in the Hanoi night
the senses are bombarded with the sights, sounds, and smells of Train Street
just happy to be here
train street, where the train is the show
Posers
awaiting the train's arrival, there is an exited buzz zin the air
Pardon me waiter, but there's a train in my soup
The proprietress
The train keeps a rollin' all night long
Right on schedule
post-train commerce
washing dishes after the dinner rush
These kids were our waiters on Train Street. the guy in the middle invited Liam to join a late-night soccer game
John McCain Monument. McCain parachuted into this lake after ejecting from his burning A-4 Skyhawk after it was struck by a SAM (surface to air missile)..
Illustrations for the Laws of Karma. As Buddha said, "Karma is a bitch."
our trusty guide khoa checking his dms
another day, another temple
street life
The wreckage of a B-52 bomber rests in Huu Tie Lake, struck down by an air defense missile on December 27, 1972
the downed b-52 bomber
Another view of Huu Tiep Lake
a fine example of decaying French Colonial architecture
The infamous "Hanoi Hilton."
built by the french and used to imprison Vietnamese dissidents long before it was used for American prisoners
The water puppet theater
You haven't had coffee until you've had Vietnamese coffee
The ho chi minh mausolium
on the way to ha giang we stopped at a military cemetery
He makes friends wherever he goes
the loop begins here
outside of the small village where we stayed the eve of our loop
happy water
this water lettuce is grown to feed the water buffalos
incredible beauty
Our home stay host
The loop
You are here. Tomorrow you will be there.
Rough Riders
my driver leo taking a break at our first coffee stop
A delicate sense of balance
fairy bosom mountain viewpoint
popular stop
ready for the rain
another of the many coffee stops
Off the beaten path in Lao Sa, Đồng Văn District, Hà Giang
weeds
Leaving Lao Sa
this could be a scene from another century
Pure joy
out of gas. For the rest of the trip I derived joy from asking my guide if he had remembered to fill up
we bought a water bottle full of gas from this woman
where have you been?
Fairy Bosom
our viewpoint from the Fairy Bosom Mountain Viewpoint
typical meal on the loop
a woman from a local hill tribe demonstrates her craft
we encountered many repairs in progress as a result of the heavy rains
CLOUDY Cafe & camping chill chill
i was getting jack nicholson from "easy rider" vibes
colorful scene
from whence we came
chance Encounter on Ma Pi Leng Pass
making and throwing "helicopters" made from grass blades
the view from above
out for a night on the town in dong van
in the old town square we tried our luck throwing a ball on a rope through the ring
time for karaoke
another day on the loop
is that kid flipping us the bird?
we came upon an old french fort overlooking the valley
the waterfall that everyone was talking about
our lodging for the night beckons
this young man attached himself to us while we walked back from the waterfall. he was hungry.
don't eat chilis with you hands and then put your contact lenses in. lesson learned
the asian version of hacky sack was a popular diversion at the coffee stops. I managed to kick one on the roof.
one of the many tours traveling the loop
another group taking in the view
rack 'em
our final stop for coffee
like a boss
ha long bay
Coco
we encountered this french family a few times during our travels
cooking class
squid fishing
the pearl showroom
the pearl lady writes up my invoice
the port of ha long efficiently moved tourists through the process of boarding a debarking
a lumber truck lost it's load
we find ourselves in tam coc due to the record floods in central vietnam
the view from dragon hill
the dragon
climbing the dragon in the wet weather was precarious
on the tam coc river. the man behind us was moving the oars with his feet
cold and wet but one of my best memories of the trip
Nhiu
scenic lunch at the Chef Dung restaurant
back in hanoi
researching the local beer
bridge leading to the Ngoc Son Temple
the modern vietnam history museum outside of hanoi
we were warmly received by these Vietnamese students
Screenshot
last night in hanoi
bitersweet ride to the airport
at the airport we say goodbye as Liam heads back to Bangkok
street shoot in ho chi minh city
the tunnel leading to the pasteur street brewing co. where i did more beer research on the local suds
yes, it was a big night out
good clean fun at the ho chi minh statue
Independence Palace
Independence Palace
Banh Mi of Ho Chi Minh City
Angels atop the opera house
You may recognize this rooftop as the place from where one of the last US helicopters to depart Saigon departed
