Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

July 21, 2003

On my flight from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, I met Mi, a lovely young woman who was returning home from a business trip. Mi owns the Cara Nguyen Fashion Design Company. I called her and she invited me for lunch.

I met Mi and her sisters at a beautiful restaurant. We consumed a remarkable amount of food and had a great time. Since Mi was busy with her business, she suggested that her sister be my unofficial tour guide for the day. Sounded good to me.

July 26, 2003

Hoi An
Vietnam

At last Hoi An, a picturesque riverside town famous for its dozens of custom tailor shops. The driver brought me to a new hotel, with very comfortable guest rooms that surround an inviting swimming pool. The receptionist was apologetic when she quoted the rate of $15.00, including buffet breakfast.

Hue, Vietnam
July 29, 2003
Sunny, hot, breezy

I am sitting at the Mai Huong Patisserie, a small sidewalk cafe near an intersection of the main street. I am watching an unending stream of incessantly beeping motorbikes; police officers with whistles stop speeders! I am enjoying my favorite - iced Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk. Deeelicious.

July 29, 2003
Ha Long Bay
Vietnam

Ha Long Bay is the culmination of my three weeks in Vietnam, the "cross of the t and the dot on the i, the icing on the cake."

Listen.

Sushma and Paawan, newlyweds from Mumbai (Bombay), were with me on the Hanoi city tour. They had reserved a car and driver for the three-hour drive to Ha Long City. They were booked on a luxury yacht for a two-day, one night cruise of Ha Long Bay. They invited me to join them. Cabins were available.

I knew it would be a splurge. I said "yes!"

Aguas Calientes

Jueves, el 20 de Noviembre 

Thursday 20 November 2003

Saludos a mi familia y mis amigos,

I am sitting in the central square of Aguas Calientes, a town tucked away in a valley in the Andes. Surrounding the town are steep, straight-to-the-sky green mountains topped with clouds.

I am watching and listening

Day One

Arequipa to Chivay

November 25, 2003 

Dear Family and Friends,

Say “Hello” to Enrique, my tour guide, and Felix, my driver.

My small tour group is bound for Chivay and the Colca Canyon, by minivan.

The group consists of a young married couple from Spain, a younger, soon-to-be married couple from Peru, a young man from Japan and a young man from Germany. Yes, as per usual, I am the senior member of the group. “Señor Juan,” if you please.

Just outside the city we stop for some last minute provisions: bottled water, snacks and the WC. We are off to the high plains desert, volcanoes and the famously deep Colca Canyon.

(By the way, it’s a good thing we stopped for some extra water supplies. After about a half hour on the road, we passed another tourist van on the side of the road. The radiator was steaming. So, we poured in our extra drinking water and everyone was happy. No service stations out here, my friends. Just endless, stark, spectacular desert scenery.)