“LOOK!” cried our new German buddy, Sebastian, pointing to the horizon, “It’s a boat supermarket!” Sure enough, a few yards away from our small Halong Bay tourboat rowed a woman waist-deep in bottled water, fruit, candy, and soap! Her face was completely wrapped except for the eyes, as so many women in Asian countries do… [Read More]
Vietnam
Halong Bay is Nuts
Insane, magical, breathtaking, nuts, bonkers, gorgeous– Halong Bay, Vietnam is all these things and then some. This stunning spot is about three hours from Hanoi, and is one of the top tourist attractions in all of Vietnam. Take a one, two, or three-day boat trip through the sapphire waters between the two thousand limestone tower-islands… [Read More]
Vietnam Price Scams, Analyzed
2017 Note from Lillie: I wrote this article in 2009, and have since realized that it’s rude. As a kind commenter pointed out, haggling is part of the culture in Vietnam, and should not be seen as attempts at “ripping off” tourists. With that in mind, feel free to read on to see my thoughts… [Read More]
A Rickshaw Through Old Hue!
This photo, left, of three grizzled rickshaw drivers posing jauntily for the camera in Hue, Vietnam, may be my favorite pic of the month! My friend, David, had heard that Hue is particularly stunning at night by rickshaw, so we piled upon the rickety shaw and were arduously peddled by a wheezing old man for… [Read More]
Ain’t No Convenience Store Chains in Vietnam!
Here is a stark difference between Thailand and Vietnam: The Convenience Store Scene. In Thailand, every two hops you take you will smash against a 7-Eleven. Multinational colonization is pulsing strong in Thailand! On the positive side of this situation, globalization allows any tourist to satisfy her Big Gulp craving from the top to the… [Read More]
Hoi An Fashion Euphoria
Fashion-obsessed folks: keep a napkin poised by your mouth to wipe the drool this article will induce. Hoi An, Vietnam has been in the news recently for being under four feet of rainwater from a typhoon. Shell-shocked tourists recalled the five days they spent, trapped on the highest floor of their hotels, endlessly playing cards… [Read More]
