tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80274184153678650042024-03-05T23:02:42.278-08:00Samantha in SaigonAdventures in VietnamAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-48546747669777722472015-03-14T04:31:00.000-07:002015-03-14T04:31:45.562-07:00Jaisalmer: A Desert Mirage<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">From the moment I set my two-week travel itinerary with <a href="http://indiasomeday.com/">India Someday</a>, I was most excited to visit the desert in <a href="http://www.jaisalmer.org.uk/">Jaisalmer</a>. I’d heard other adventurers mention a camping trip to the Thar Desert, and I couldn’t wait to experience it for myself. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I arrived in Jaisalmer (after a freezing cold 14-hour overnight bus from Jaipur), I went straight to <a href="http://www.mysticjaisalmer.com/">Mystic Jaisalmer Hotel</a> and repacked my bag for a journey to the desert. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coldest night of my life!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer from the roof of Mystic Jaisalmer</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was lucky enough to be joined by a lovely family from New Zealand on the desert safari. They were just like my family growing up -- Mom, Dad, two sisters, one brother -- except they all got along so well! I couldn’t have asked for a more delightful group of people to spend the next 24 hours with.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our first stop on the drive out into the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thar_Desert">Thar Desert</a> was a small Hindu Gypsy village. A local family invited us into their home and showed us around the village. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hindu Gypsy Village<br />
Thar Desert</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The daughters brought out their henna ink and started painting the hands of the Kiwi sisters. When they finished, one of the Hindu girls turned to offer me some henna, but then stopped, grabbed my hand, and said it looked like my skin was already covered in henna. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">*Le sigh*</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I rarely go more than three days in Asia without educating someone about freckles.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next leg of the journey was not in the van, but on camels! The Kiwis and I climbed up on the humps of our trusty steeds and held on for dear life. Just so you know, camels do NOT make for a smooth ride! </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mattais, my ride through the desert</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bumpy ride</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My camel, Mattais, was not very fond of me. He kept making a sound I can only describe as the dirty belch of an old drunk man. </span><br />
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As we bumped and humped through the desert, we caught sight of herds of goats, cows, and sheep, as well as the tiniest little deer I’ve ever seen. The landscape was breathtaking, with rising and falling sand dunes spotted with craggy trees and brush. I’d never been to a proper desert before, and I couldn’t open my eyes wide enough to take it all in.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />
Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />
Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />
Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />
Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />
Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We arrived at camp just in time to climb atop a sand dune and watch the sunset in the distance. Life is good!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thar Desert<br />Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset<br />Thar Desert<br />Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset<br />Thar Desert<br />Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvPXi-BUXFjO8goAD6eXtRsrQqzhRoy-DCuyUbUjwaDa5ba15sEUqZ54CNeKskKvrhyLV0TXUBu3o7mCBojbf6yYYzvp05FVIyuoQeoRuKEdl-IBw0824fMy1E822RSnb9i7ETv0ls88s/s1600/P1080669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKvPXi-BUXFjO8goAD6eXtRsrQqzhRoy-DCuyUbUjwaDa5ba15sEUqZ54CNeKskKvrhyLV0TXUBu3o7mCBojbf6yYYzvp05FVIyuoQeoRuKEdl-IBw0824fMy1E822RSnb9i7ETv0ls88s/s1600/P1080669.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Come on!!! What more could you want?</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As the darkness rolled in, our guides started the fire and cooked us dinner. We bundled up under blankets and sang songs around the campfire. I could have done with a few beers, but I guess you can’t have it all!</span></div>
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0ZtbL6iih4E/0.jpg" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0ZtbL6iih4E?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was so incredibly dark in the desert. The stars were out in all their glory, and we slept on mats right out in the open, no tents. The air was dry and cold, and I didn’t want to close my eyes for fear of missing out on one more second of the beautiful desert sky. So magical.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the morning, we woke up with the sun and climbed back up the dune, faced the opposite direction, and watched the sunrise. The tin cup of masala chai was the perfect pairing to the wonderful view.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFEJZOivSHDrqSGCKfICJSrLLDbAxSe4kFj5vEkNJWEKxaSro5fOVuJIJGbzMBaIttblwytBZROagfMH33goPeUqHjM1pDXShSZlnfdMNm0NXAxCiTPIsYIRXLCHe7BJqVFweYcTSRGLe/s1600/P1080676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyFEJZOivSHDrqSGCKfICJSrLLDbAxSe4kFj5vEkNJWEKxaSro5fOVuJIJGbzMBaIttblwytBZROagfMH33goPeUqHjM1pDXShSZlnfdMNm0NXAxCiTPIsYIRXLCHe7BJqVFweYcTSRGLe/s1600/P1080676.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise over the dunes<br />Thar Desert<br />Rajasthan, India</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCrlzorriT1V-KSWis6nGN3cG9eGgDXs3VdNLSf7cAhwfL883NucpBdoAV44I1XiwDqf5Iy4ziSBqERjnnJEsOkwYEJbfWpYXPMNNl6R8oodawk990-j8UdjbIuZGPnGpKRULPfO6O7BD/s1600/P1080677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPCrlzorriT1V-KSWis6nGN3cG9eGgDXs3VdNLSf7cAhwfL883NucpBdoAV44I1XiwDqf5Iy4ziSBqERjnnJEsOkwYEJbfWpYXPMNNl6R8oodawk990-j8UdjbIuZGPnGpKRULPfO6O7BD/s1600/P1080677.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our campsite</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After breakfast, we loaded up the camels and headed back towards civilization. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYAwk1rZf3abusu4Bv6P8RGxt3Qb_J0F8xEZYFuuTykU5JillAJ2Bq7kE5lVvpk9nu1TwnR0QPPAMRxsjeVDubTK0sLT-J3IkNg8kbiVmjxeW-KpAqnXbD6mHiQhZSk5EI0H0EGrdA_GT/s1600/P1080646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeYAwk1rZf3abusu4Bv6P8RGxt3Qb_J0F8xEZYFuuTykU5JillAJ2Bq7kE5lVvpk9nu1TwnR0QPPAMRxsjeVDubTK0sLT-J3IkNg8kbiVmjxeW-KpAqnXbD6mHiQhZSk5EI0H0EGrdA_GT/s1600/P1080646.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packing up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw6zJdjrB3zXkyEaPsaXIU5zOnex3QThVvPARRmb6PuHWbKMqFauxze9k2Bd1kz1PYpDQDtavlGOsjJWGQ1G47AKWaRp72iO1LeWipnnd5pMBjBljoAJfqCHAcw7Pm-s5SKNFGBA0L3Q1/s1600/P1080659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRw6zJdjrB3zXkyEaPsaXIU5zOnex3QThVvPARRmb6PuHWbKMqFauxze9k2Bd1kz1PYpDQDtavlGOsjJWGQ1G47AKWaRp72iO1LeWipnnd5pMBjBljoAJfqCHAcw7Pm-s5SKNFGBA0L3Q1/s1600/P1080659.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sittin.... waitin...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJk2NqSjh0HEs0QPduK5jAETRzDQSJF1-jc7dNOUZbTlgyBe2XUJhFrkU16QdvLdavja9mkJ-_YqK8nAgzdQo6pj4SkqGuLIGDVzcNB_anjTBTTsPiuE-pXqRz55ePr9zu3aiMX70Wt6/s1600/P1080678.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3eJk2NqSjh0HEs0QPduK5jAETRzDQSJF1-jc7dNOUZbTlgyBe2XUJhFrkU16QdvLdavja9mkJ-_YqK8nAgzdQo6pj4SkqGuLIGDVzcNB_anjTBTTsPiuE-pXqRz55ePr9zu3aiMX70Wt6/s1600/P1080678.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camel Convoy</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgMRMp2SDFe8_m6_2nzuIUddZ9FQcCiNRm6H7DY9_HVy6Gyou9S65y0WQWywXbS5wyntHSSfU6IdCaZnQTMdNwjTRUPpusO3mblS7-_qTAJ0M0kwzEuT1brThpyno4Sj998Zb1pEWsEDI/s1600/P1080688.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDgMRMp2SDFe8_m6_2nzuIUddZ9FQcCiNRm6H7DY9_HVy6Gyou9S65y0WQWywXbS5wyntHSSfU6IdCaZnQTMdNwjTRUPpusO3mblS7-_qTAJ0M0kwzEuT1brThpyno4Sj998Zb1pEWsEDI/s1600/P1080688.jpg" height="640" width="362" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mattais</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back in Jaisalmer, I said goodbye to my Kiwi family and set off to explore the Jaisalmer Fort. Jaisalmer is known as the Golden City because of the straw-colored sandstone fort rising out of the desert. It’s an impressive sight!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA5aLZFdUAjfB9BPW1gZUu9pO9Tnb7A-GpUlonIsV-nTHPp3_7sXYi4hGVWATlNkVOnpmcB6R4dORyBkumRXYm4ngwfw9wFgkCSItPuo1K4-yxWlU0RuwEaVd1rgD8zPwcC8YZfxz7ojk/s1600/P1080714.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtA5aLZFdUAjfB9BPW1gZUu9pO9Tnb7A-GpUlonIsV-nTHPp3_7sXYi4hGVWATlNkVOnpmcB6R4dORyBkumRXYm4ngwfw9wFgkCSItPuo1K4-yxWlU0RuwEaVd1rgD8zPwcC8YZfxz7ojk/s1600/P1080714.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Inside the fort, I felt like I had stepped back in time to a Medieval castle village. The fort was buzzing with commerce and daily life. The other forts I had visited in India were empty, more like museums. But Jaisalmer is a living fort, and it made for such a fantastic afternoon of wandering around honeycomb streets and alleys, visiting havelis, sipping chai on the rooftops, and watching life go by from the steps of Jain temples.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVk8dJC9oUP9T13CJPqAvrnvojgg0sJ8Hq6R9T4adkbjAC18EeHKNhnjjVwRC74vA7LE0zDUki-yQdZ9uKFpnqvvLptMvKAFYvSS36vM6inuRJqz0jYkawPqIE3V3tnAmaVxHbqEDToojr/s1600/P1080782.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVk8dJC9oUP9T13CJPqAvrnvojgg0sJ8Hq6R9T4adkbjAC18EeHKNhnjjVwRC74vA7LE0zDUki-yQdZ9uKFpnqvvLptMvKAFYvSS36vM6inuRJqz0jYkawPqIE3V3tnAmaVxHbqEDToojr/s1600/P1080782.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entering Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgrxxPIMCoHOwMbC20_NdivFI1H8oC-enh5sYwY70uYjWaljH_bl5pFlLwyPhKH6GBu-_bJsIOnRZWludQmzM39o483SWWEzn_uhhZUEkUCmGrUkSzof-E4mZPv-rvJT-StvbI6OsBMPu/s1600/P1080750.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmgrxxPIMCoHOwMbC20_NdivFI1H8oC-enh5sYwY70uYjWaljH_bl5pFlLwyPhKH6GBu-_bJsIOnRZWludQmzM39o483SWWEzn_uhhZUEkUCmGrUkSzof-E4mZPv-rvJT-StvbI6OsBMPu/s1600/P1080750.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8789yKDSHigz2h07OBvOtiXXMWE9Yph7o6glE88Z8QWWTtE0iRgzH2loFYCNu864QSSKE9aiupez6DZKd9rFqDg2XSVmMxMNowRWWTDl2vRdPHVMFCrzEktyT6pWO4iUpH8v_keFCg7_3/s1600/P1080748.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8789yKDSHigz2h07OBvOtiXXMWE9Yph7o6glE88Z8QWWTtE0iRgzH2loFYCNu864QSSKE9aiupez6DZKd9rFqDg2XSVmMxMNowRWWTDl2vRdPHVMFCrzEktyT6pWO4iUpH8v_keFCg7_3/s1600/P1080748.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haveli<br />Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0d3LILhpdrhVOHeyz3_DdqDBM5i1eBzuN3rFg5pda0luZA5ondqhpkdZJVggQRTXqIC6WOm_j5Ib4iOPUdnYvuIlfWBqejLQVnFlAe0vrFOdQrkAzzLFNEJOHwmwsZCFm0BJGPxIJlOF/s1600/P1080724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH0d3LILhpdrhVOHeyz3_DdqDBM5i1eBzuN3rFg5pda0luZA5ondqhpkdZJVggQRTXqIC6WOm_j5Ib4iOPUdnYvuIlfWBqejLQVnFlAe0vrFOdQrkAzzLFNEJOHwmwsZCFm0BJGPxIJlOF/s1600/P1080724.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haveli<br />Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhOERnMZo-X5oAkvXjl2O6vOvKxDUSGEOp4aJiEn5NAkKVD9wVfz2U1UAJyfRQxMvWC0ni5g0mJtD1JW0B2bfuYYjx6B0bxj-UvRGICzmtRwtj3IM3MR1-o04t6zAeLajmiCLV315-_pG/s1600/P1080722.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUhOERnMZo-X5oAkvXjl2O6vOvKxDUSGEOp4aJiEn5NAkKVD9wVfz2U1UAJyfRQxMvWC0ni5g0mJtD1JW0B2bfuYYjx6B0bxj-UvRGICzmtRwtj3IM3MR1-o04t6zAeLajmiCLV315-_pG/s1600/P1080722.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haveli view<br />Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieA5RWDcF-AqnilBVMLj-DrInPbH0uQ6Y877pK2TC0FDMzQyhOqUafC6h3jIyEBWo-bOoPSkTeEjrwbfd8aEFk_Ek1gN4cu5y-Thc9IdEEk6pQo_-sZNrKPpaGgkK35d8e92BNBVJ4D0iv/s1600/P1080747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieA5RWDcF-AqnilBVMLj-DrInPbH0uQ6Y877pK2TC0FDMzQyhOqUafC6h3jIyEBWo-bOoPSkTeEjrwbfd8aEFk_Ek1gN4cu5y-Thc9IdEEk6pQo_-sZNrKPpaGgkK35d8e92BNBVJ4D0iv/s1600/P1080747.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qbWvMhHOb4hQ_eCNruJI9K1Jvannqr9hGrUVXF041jpt7XgA0NSFfyJm3iwl5dBG2jodkEBaaF3Xethk86b9AJWjlo6JSQLm2CwE9_RQxy3WJOEfKQDvB4eeQHdyn3QePLGGs-i62m43/s1600/P1080770.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8qbWvMhHOb4hQ_eCNruJI9K1Jvannqr9hGrUVXF041jpt7XgA0NSFfyJm3iwl5dBG2jodkEBaaF3Xethk86b9AJWjlo6JSQLm2CwE9_RQxy3WJOEfKQDvB4eeQHdyn3QePLGGs-i62m43/s1600/P1080770.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7yTuxQ_pCEUmXy2JpkHpyQQXdi205-okiWvzPQb8HVD9JDEhpgivBVnhLFfMM97-Cm5kGQP1sOeyNf89t9IutSD35QHua782ty3L9XknwImNVmB97uZ7-j7TdV1Q8whc2lzGoAqhIKYX/s1600/P1080764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr7yTuxQ_pCEUmXy2JpkHpyQQXdi205-okiWvzPQb8HVD9JDEhpgivBVnhLFfMM97-Cm5kGQP1sOeyNf89t9IutSD35QHua782ty3L9XknwImNVmB97uZ7-j7TdV1Q8whc2lzGoAqhIKYX/s1600/P1080764.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3VyhVusyazAZvPWibjbf09697Ea993wAjn4RBdisck7azEGSy7YXRng4X6Sxq2plC7wgfVyOB_Yai-Ls2N96xk2bW67sWT6cTc0D5wR4fPXfL55WLLSRyoil7hw9M806RELfLAxCTQSu/s1600/P1080774.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix3VyhVusyazAZvPWibjbf09697Ea993wAjn4RBdisck7azEGSy7YXRng4X6Sxq2plC7wgfVyOB_Yai-Ls2N96xk2bW67sWT6cTc0D5wR4fPXfL55WLLSRyoil7hw9M806RELfLAxCTQSu/s1600/P1080774.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rooftops<br />Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WIAgl-aPd2q5udC0Jug87KI3OafhvO6MT-Xun9bkTIMzPGE_dFBjvshE2knu-6RsjRzZiatHyvq3w1MMDXwLNjFqST2bIWt0sRIBkXwxr2BLN26Z5QYgg9wJCa-xSSl1PpRHzXm6F55B/s1600/P1080778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9WIAgl-aPd2q5udC0Jug87KI3OafhvO6MT-Xun9bkTIMzPGE_dFBjvshE2knu-6RsjRzZiatHyvq3w1MMDXwLNjFqST2bIWt0sRIBkXwxr2BLN26Z5QYgg9wJCa-xSSl1PpRHzXm6F55B/s1600/P1080778.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Golden City sprawling below Jaisalmer Fort</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Jaisalmer is quite a distance out of the way from the rest of the usual Rajasthan tourist stops, but I’m so happy I made the journey. It was one of my favorite cities and a place I’ll never forget!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-29125920304390282952015-02-09T06:24:00.001-08:002015-02-24T05:26:00.100-08:00Fear and Fog at the Taj Mahal<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I woke up before dawn to see the sunrise at the <a href="http://www.tajmahal.gov.in/">Taj Mahal</a>. The guidebooks all said this was the most divine time to see the Taj, with the bonus of fewer crowds vying for a glimpse and a selfie. Never one to miss out on the best, I set my alarm and bundled up for the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/india/uttar-pradesh/agra">chilly Agra air</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I scuttled down the foggy, bleak streets towards the famed memorial, keeping one eye out for massive potholes and the other trained on the gangs of teenage boys loitering about. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G8peBPX_iI">Oh god. Youths! </a></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I walked hurriedly past the many touts and rickshaw drivers, one man shouted to me, “Miss! Buy tickets for the Taj Mahal here!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Ha ha! You can’t fool me, old man! I will NOT be tricked into buying your over-priced, fake entrance ticket!</i> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I kept walking, head down, refusing eye contact, lest I be forced into conversation that would surely (if my brief history in India was any indication) result in my buying loads of souvenirs to carry around the rest of the day.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Feeling savvy after my slick maneuver away from that scheming man and his ticket booth scam, I arrived at the East Gate entrance to the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex9jWJ5V014">Taj Mahal</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And guess what?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was refused entry because I hadn’t bought my ticket back at the office. You know, the one where that kind man tried to help me and save me from walking 1km up to the gate without a ticket? Arrrrg, my streetwise, seasoned-traveler arrogance backfired! Must try to trust people sometimes....</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well I certainly couldn’t show my face back at that ticket office after so rudely ignoring the ticket man, throwing a cocky sideways glance as I rushed past. My pride was the only thing keeping me warm.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So I checked my trusty Google Map and found that the South Gate was “just around the corner” and definitely walkable. The fog was still thick enough to cut with a knife, so each corner was hidden pretty well, preventing me from seeing what was around any of them.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I wandered aimlessly down the narrow, winding alleys of <a href="http://wikimapia.org/1689192/Taj-Ganj">Taj Ganj Colony</a>, I quickly realized that there were no signs leading the way to the entrance. I mean, the Taj Mahal is the ONLY thing to see in the area, and the locals could clearly see that I was a foreigner who did not know where I was going. But no one offered to help. Not that I would have taken their help (remember that ticket salesman...). </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The fog was hanging so low and thick, and the allies were so dark and narrow, I was beginning to think that THIS was how I was going to die. Surely at any moment that group of shifty youths would come around the corner, having followed me the whole way, and jump me. This was what everyone warned me about: “Samantha, be careful! Don’t go anywhere alone! You’ll be robbed!” I kept wandering, awaiting the inevitable. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I couldn’t take it anymore. My heart was pounding. I kept glancing behind me. I had one eye on the probable mugger sitting on his stoop and one eye on the would-be murderer drinking hot chai on the corner. I had to get out of there!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I followed my bread crumbs back out of the Taj Ganj, relinquishing myself to the shame of walking back up the road to that first ticket booth. At least I’d be alive.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But suddenly my luck changed! Walking toward me were three Italian med students, heading for the Taj Mahal! I joined forces with them, and we boldly made our way deeper into the allies, determined to find that elusive South Gate.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Looks like <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2015/01/christmas-on-ganges.html">my little dip in The Ganges</a> really paid off.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Finally, I was inside the grounds of the most beautiful building in the world. Despite the time wasted on my misadventures trying to find the entrance, the sun had not yet risen over the Taj.<i> </i>Touted as one of the essential views of this <a href="http://www.new7wonders.com/">Wonder of the World</a>, I was expecting a glorious and breathtaking spectacle. However...the fog.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3RzW-5E851nEH0XkdsI_x2HQNsfHE0x1YilnWIGtUa5ghT3OOFzHu-G0mYJBvvVWP-uY_YLuRJSnAbyqOMRWGGLf8-BIK0htVUZTkfSWNajpEP1VYmg0G4odyR5MLAo0xb6jPr6xBlwC/s1600/P1080283.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3RzW-5E851nEH0XkdsI_x2HQNsfHE0x1YilnWIGtUa5ghT3OOFzHu-G0mYJBvvVWP-uY_YLuRJSnAbyqOMRWGGLf8-BIK0htVUZTkfSWNajpEP1VYmg0G4odyR5MLAo0xb6jPr6xBlwC/s1600/P1080283.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Creepy fog!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The fog was STILL beyond murky and I couldn’t see a damn thing more than 10 feet in front of me. I stood on the spot where the most well-known photos of the Taj are taken, and this is what I got:</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4FWDf2L1vT4z93dbNVbp98yMDmanHEFUv0AyDSsIFHUD4BHW31jtnsjVdcmujvTguz887Jr5YwuvtYBV3mocFDgntgAyZLL_M-J9Nyqw7czYhK8oKDYWVVe5y58HMoSsb1bI4gCJMQXR/s1600/P1080281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF4FWDf2L1vT4z93dbNVbp98yMDmanHEFUv0AyDSsIFHUD4BHW31jtnsjVdcmujvTguz887Jr5YwuvtYBV3mocFDgntgAyZLL_M-J9Nyqw7czYhK8oKDYWVVe5y58HMoSsb1bI4gCJMQXR/s1600/P1080281.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still beautiful, but no Taj!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was just past 8am, so I figured I’d tool around inside the Taj Mahal, take in some architecture, maybe a little history, and then the fog would have lifted and I’d get my iconic view.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Four hours later, I was still waiting for the fog to lift. I was shivering, rattled through to my bones, and the security guard inside the main building was starting to get suspicious of me, having circled around at least a dozen times to avoid going back outside to the cold and damp fog. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At least I had plenty of time to read my notes on Agra provided by the fabulous staff at <a href="http://indiasomeday.com/">India Someday</a> and inspect the beautiful and intricate marble and semi-precious stone inlay work.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTEXfSWk3p49f7fKtTJ5EiqNAjMCe4nKNskvJx2YcSdZcKUG-jQXf8XQFm3R0OUTa4TfAWB34i6Yxk8Z0kVBMEUhyphenhyphenAluzgGVnuUX0asPpdy5gDopOvh_53V8eEOtsbNpvIwJcT8Cg5yTV/s1600/P1080287.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitTEXfSWk3p49f7fKtTJ5EiqNAjMCe4nKNskvJx2YcSdZcKUG-jQXf8XQFm3R0OUTa4TfAWB34i6Yxk8Z0kVBMEUhyphenhyphenAluzgGVnuUX0asPpdy5gDopOvh_53V8eEOtsbNpvIwJcT8Cg5yTV/s1600/P1080287.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Semi-translucent white marble inlaid with<br />
semi-precious stones</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cs2yrGiZla_LfQj1Rmqu5vX4JHiXMXwtpb3n1IwEYMcNFlQCsnv_QUSjUxUlaN7B1CSgyVXTLYAEOxYjMEhmnEjGxtc_vpirX1CGJXzZaXb7HIKp8ThK5oy1nX0E1IBarY9QgDVE0GTn/s1600/P1080294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cs2yrGiZla_LfQj1Rmqu5vX4JHiXMXwtpb3n1IwEYMcNFlQCsnv_QUSjUxUlaN7B1CSgyVXTLYAEOxYjMEhmnEjGxtc_vpirX1CGJXzZaXb7HIKp8ThK5oy1nX0E1IBarY9QgDVE0GTn/s1600/P1080294.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble inlay work</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGj5TyutIGGw26fEDegcWp27_or0-iPjjCgl_BqDUoDelyWEHhAxTZ-MlSuf9B9KNNZ9j32st_V0eW0OrBGq1iJaTiNtPxAtgi0ZXFQOnGe1uUrUkQ7chYPPxZJ0hDI4UcRxFNGWU6hGy/s1600/P1080296.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGj5TyutIGGw26fEDegcWp27_or0-iPjjCgl_BqDUoDelyWEHhAxTZ-MlSuf9B9KNNZ9j32st_V0eW0OrBGq1iJaTiNtPxAtgi0ZXFQOnGe1uUrUkQ7chYPPxZJ0hDI4UcRxFNGWU6hGy/s1600/P1080296.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble inlay</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8guUl2JiFwFOBxLKYTCZyuz4_xk5_PoKUJOYscVsBjkL5oZBktIrW5u74P2RPycPaf8JYxMq4L_KaGEOOBB4Xg6iDIpL1RmeNFzah2ndvyjlHnT1KMXXA3wjO5eX1iat39jUjcHxH1yL/s1600/P1080298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC8guUl2JiFwFOBxLKYTCZyuz4_xk5_PoKUJOYscVsBjkL5oZBktIrW5u74P2RPycPaf8JYxMq4L_KaGEOOBB4Xg6iDIpL1RmeNFzah2ndvyjlHnT1KMXXA3wjO5eX1iat39jUjcHxH1yL/s1600/P1080298.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand-carved marble work</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Around the time I started to get very nervous that I would miss my bus to Jaipur just waiting to get a look at the Taj Mahal, the sun finally came out and started to chase away the low-hanging cloud. Within about 20 minutes, the incredible Taj Mahal came into focus. I will never forget the moments I spent sitting alone on a bench under a tree in India on a chilly morning, watching the Taj Mahal materialize behind a cloud of fog. So majestic, so magical.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bykTGioL1RKcOiWhupQ_e6P4D3fNHaWp_TNonIo22X1O10XZQZI-8hzEbyu7uXcH_Z1V4YrM5I2Jf_OYzS5rCtev4Am6hF8nIqxCgbUeXZ2yWq_J2rnOMyhqO3sb9OV0GDjI0GKzkjeS/s1600/2014-12-28+11.26.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3bykTGioL1RKcOiWhupQ_e6P4D3fNHaWp_TNonIo22X1O10XZQZI-8hzEbyu7uXcH_Z1V4YrM5I2Jf_OYzS5rCtev4Am6hF8nIqxCgbUeXZ2yWq_J2rnOMyhqO3sb9OV0GDjI0GKzkjeS/s1600/2014-12-28+11.26.39.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting to peak through</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbtYk_GJeFdT4qJF_a-yDT49Qh5X1Xc07kLy8k-ldv3ihciT70rQPKgg9wh9UjnV8x4GTonXwhgaptaHlCIFklyaw2ZVtUSF_nVTBnpZv6bYJ88JL6T4CaVBuh_ME6C_OOf23g_DkX2nK/s1600/P1080339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbtYk_GJeFdT4qJF_a-yDT49Qh5X1Xc07kLy8k-ldv3ihciT70rQPKgg9wh9UjnV8x4GTonXwhgaptaHlCIFklyaw2ZVtUSF_nVTBnpZv6bYJ88JL6T4CaVBuh_ME6C_OOf23g_DkX2nK/s1600/P1080339.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, a glimpse!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e8i3U9hi_6odJvG8wfmvTBHGGyN0qXAo2uKkijYqQA48Fg_fYRvanYDSroR1gWXtzJJckel5R-9l1BdT0sYtZHzam825ZIhRkrJYBqMmOR19ERDddPMc6bE2kteRdGj5B7-23Q__fjKs/s1600/P1080342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-e8i3U9hi_6odJvG8wfmvTBHGGyN0qXAo2uKkijYqQA48Fg_fYRvanYDSroR1gWXtzJJckel5R-9l1BdT0sYtZHzam825ZIhRkrJYBqMmOR19ERDddPMc6bE2kteRdGj5B7-23Q__fjKs/s1600/P1080342.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There she is!<br />
A true wonder!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEYB3F4vv7C-FirDzU5dDHnAsC041lrTt7hqulcraJJZNZJ2LebWCc3PYcXjhxbz6c3hyNKYeIHAJ9h5WQuJ1uMiJQLLVpvA5SxSgQp63PWnDFwAYa60SVdHHXCtmNOBJJY36J7x9SGFS/s1600/2014-12-28+12.23.52.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcEYB3F4vv7C-FirDzU5dDHnAsC041lrTt7hqulcraJJZNZJ2LebWCc3PYcXjhxbz6c3hyNKYeIHAJ9h5WQuJ1uMiJQLLVpvA5SxSgQp63PWnDFwAYa60SVdHHXCtmNOBJJY36J7x9SGFS/s1600/2014-12-28+12.23.52.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Requisite Taj Mahal selfie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFC_xXcYP9W_jUKR8sjX0_N5YKzpyKDi9VOPnNRrWWmTZXbacdYWd0s1t6v7dEulXiUGRKjkJwG-z42s3SGVAId-G-FQF-KbCYcBGBZKYBc0O99KnxwfiTkW9ijLb2g3AVcqn3bDzGwpo/s1600/P1080347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAFC_xXcYP9W_jUKR8sjX0_N5YKzpyKDi9VOPnNRrWWmTZXbacdYWd0s1t6v7dEulXiUGRKjkJwG-z42s3SGVAId-G-FQF-KbCYcBGBZKYBc0O99KnxwfiTkW9ijLb2g3AVcqn3bDzGwpo/s1600/P1080347.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Still some haze in the air, but a much clearer view than 4 hours earlier!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-61259085516048577272015-01-31T02:15:00.002-08:002015-02-24T05:19:51.617-08:00Christmas on the Ganges<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I arrived in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varanasi">Varanasi</a> on Christmas Day, my second stop on a two-week adventure organized just for me by <a href="http://indiasomeday.com/">India Someday</a>. After spending a bit of time in New Delhi, I was ready to see the REAL India. New Delhi just felt like a big city in Asia.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well, if India was what I was looking for, India is what I got. From the moment my taxi left the airport parking lot, I was on sensory overload. You know when you picture India in your mind, or you see a B-roll clip in a movie? That’s just what Varanasi was like for me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the taxi ride from the airport to my hostel, I saw a dog chasing a pig, cows sleeping in the intersections of ridiculously busy roads, goats in coats (yes!), and a little girl shitting on the roadside. I was in love.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFKc3Scgr848TkfTbb6kQ6Se0_t1EuxTQ-83I2msN7f9JP4KTixt2QtngcsOUXZs6SariV8_B4196kQxA5R1jR4qYpVUYpr32ZlKdB-We69nKd0O5TT-cxWdVzbQtE9Zz7S42RXIL33z9/s1600/P1080210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyFKc3Scgr848TkfTbb6kQ6Se0_t1EuxTQ-83I2msN7f9JP4KTixt2QtngcsOUXZs6SariV8_B4196kQxA5R1jR4qYpVUYpr32ZlKdB-We69nKd0O5TT-cxWdVzbQtE9Zz7S42RXIL33z9/s1600/P1080210.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Varanasi traffic<br />
Look at the napping cow!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As soon as I walked in the gate at <a href="http://www.stopshostels.com/">Stops Hostel</a>, I was recruited to join the evening Ghats Tour. I dropped my bags and grabbed my camera, and we set off on a walking tour of Varanasi that lead us down to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganges">Ganges River</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our tour guide helped us into a boat, and we pushed off into the ‘The Ganga.’ The guide was full of information, and I was soon leaning forward away from any possible splash from the river, as I learned about all the dead bodies floating around in there. Unlike the East River in New York, where bodies are dumped in hopes of never being found again, the Ganges is a sacred river that is believed to secure salvation for cremated ashes released into its waters. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchly8X2PHQT9_jLkKKXClkgD9_6XrcSKkuK1LY6xONkoFchUi7Qw2Ou-qPYNhov0pRrNiXlj85UcBtEXTj5sIuI_V7atnSTOgE9olvXACfSbh4VIomF_Q0Ri0TjSVoNK_clkmxPPaWjjF/s1600/P1080190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchly8X2PHQT9_jLkKKXClkgD9_6XrcSKkuK1LY6xONkoFchUi7Qw2Ou-qPYNhov0pRrNiXlj85UcBtEXTj5sIuI_V7atnSTOgE9olvXACfSbh4VIomF_Q0Ri0TjSVoNK_clkmxPPaWjjF/s1600/P1080190.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Ganges at dusk</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hindus also believe that a dip in the Ganga will purify them from sin. That’s why you see men swimming in the river, even though right upstream they are tossing in dead bodies.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We saw a cremation ritual happening along the banks and watched a Puja prayer ceremony at sundown. I learned that certain dead bodies, such as pregnant women, young children, and people with leprosy, are not cremated. These bodies are tied to a rock and sunk down to the bottom to reach salvation. Floating along in our boat, with all those bodies below, I was very careful when I placed my ceremonial candle down into the water to float away in offering. Unfortunately my depth perception at night has deteriorated and my fingers plunged beneath the surface of the Ganges straight up to the first knuckle. I may have leprosy, but now I’m holy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLDpno05pSsxJjGuSFoR2L5bjqOD0D_GgS5A9DnR5aSwSitleu4KJobjdqeJT4QNS0hBkUYwmJGA_7zifTK51tgNWV0TMgzu9oOOoFHE4Wi6N5LcalAhN2_re9LnSNVWvhG9meAjAP6i7/s1600/2014-12-25+17.40.43.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioLDpno05pSsxJjGuSFoR2L5bjqOD0D_GgS5A9DnR5aSwSitleu4KJobjdqeJT4QNS0hBkUYwmJGA_7zifTK51tgNWV0TMgzu9oOOoFHE4Wi6N5LcalAhN2_re9LnSNVWvhG9meAjAP6i7/s1600/2014-12-25+17.40.43.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful ghats of Varanasi</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next morning, I took a stroll through the back alleys of Varanasi, taking in the colors, the people, the smells, the sounds, the cows.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVPVNTjm4igXs2ixWhCRP5NjGL0sLAADHKu9hPRmdfVNOSZq2F4FfJrSmL77tuFKe8hlDHPFJBnSpbpB3fcjMYYQ8o2vn2-Gdun-fkGj9Jj3nYvWruE1xtLrZxYeDqZkT0Br_mZepOPCK/s1600/2014-12-26+16.29.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVPVNTjm4igXs2ixWhCRP5NjGL0sLAADHKu9hPRmdfVNOSZq2F4FfJrSmL77tuFKe8hlDHPFJBnSpbpB3fcjMYYQ8o2vn2-Gdun-fkGj9Jj3nYvWruE1xtLrZxYeDqZkT0Br_mZepOPCK/s1600/2014-12-26+16.29.30.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Morning in Varanasi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMebR_OXs5CZ02ztPAMtU2LNO89wE98b5SupKeAPOWl6bvEYxXm5FrD906MEzrpK3qlNhEx8hHrvbfm5Rqbzyg6XA0wR828m8EbcfXKz4x6EwJXRjhBPUUejb_hgDaugUIL4-AYnjfDDvO/s1600/P1080205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMebR_OXs5CZ02ztPAMtU2LNO89wE98b5SupKeAPOWl6bvEYxXm5FrD906MEzrpK3qlNhEx8hHrvbfm5Rqbzyg6XA0wR828m8EbcfXKz4x6EwJXRjhBPUUejb_hgDaugUIL4-AYnjfDDvO/s1600/P1080205.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colors</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Varanasi Life</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back down by the banks of the Ganges, there are more than 5km of ghats to walk along. Ghats are the big sets of stairs leading down to the river from the town on top of the banks. I spent a couple hours enjoying the holy river and all the life happening on the ghats.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kedar Ghat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJFDIV7tgRq7Dlks0oKFsnoAK7Czqx1AV4ZlciTkYV3EsIHVPNpf31FyHoL5wmWe-30glmzT-xjjB8Kqpg3irh80ou99EhQxsh2BX7Wz-3Vk1O_eeHwYspfBF7tyQnBEW5n_xE6ooYc_6/s1600/P1080228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJFDIV7tgRq7Dlks0oKFsnoAK7Czqx1AV4ZlciTkYV3EsIHVPNpf31FyHoL5wmWe-30glmzT-xjjB8Kqpg3irh80ou99EhQxsh2BX7Wz-3Vk1O_eeHwYspfBF7tyQnBEW5n_xE6ooYc_6/s1600/P1080228.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats on the Ganges</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY78FaP5hKCiOUCxeJ1u_347rk7-JzqdVM8KNZATFyZk-hw-ZhFtkuUhO8j8ZMezbcVyHilD4g0IpgLK_Id8nycK3DN5DDEFrzQjf0T4I3D8G8Q4QZQgzXYaX7HjxDn9iBKXb31orbTYIg/s1600/P1080230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY78FaP5hKCiOUCxeJ1u_347rk7-JzqdVM8KNZATFyZk-hw-ZhFtkuUhO8j8ZMezbcVyHilD4g0IpgLK_Id8nycK3DN5DDEFrzQjf0T4I3D8G8Q4QZQgzXYaX7HjxDn9iBKXb31orbTYIg/s1600/P1080230.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghat games</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUCmy3jj7AgX3oHnSDgLK7PkGvXntgaOWGLL_xSQBZQ0FTWCBP1NTSDnUIjt9CpI3i4wrs9u1InlmSWphP7n76r36KQeKaieu_ca6L_m5VJUVluoJcbvByzWKC6ufEyK4FMdL2jU1yk31/s1600/P1080237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLUCmy3jj7AgX3oHnSDgLK7PkGvXntgaOWGLL_xSQBZQ0FTWCBP1NTSDnUIjt9CpI3i4wrs9u1InlmSWphP7n76r36KQeKaieu_ca6L_m5VJUVluoJcbvByzWKC6ufEyK4FMdL2jU1yk31/s1600/P1080237.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghats of Varanasi</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3yFjLPlcKI3bKjuvY3til0cpyDDjq2i3DJYdR8SAmwEQ-U0v-saUW8TeXW8EoCcnKviAeLGyjjI5p7uk8VlE5HFSFOh9eBlEiAlnhA3-HLCvH43s7HiegnB1Z7gtG5W0Z9P8LSjtaW6y/s1600/P1080238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC3yFjLPlcKI3bKjuvY3til0cpyDDjq2i3DJYdR8SAmwEQ-U0v-saUW8TeXW8EoCcnKviAeLGyjjI5p7uk8VlE5HFSFOh9eBlEiAlnhA3-HLCvH43s7HiegnB1Z7gtG5W0Z9P8LSjtaW6y/s1600/P1080238.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Life on the Ganges<br />
Notice the men bathing in the river (the guy<br />
in pink is about to do a backflip into the water)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxv6478vjospl5o1w2RwArN8r6XkX6rdTc9llNjwht__VMR6q_9GJcrCfFSX-3swyYnAeJFi-b1K9VtjJx4goDL68RN2KOKStfl0nwTchYLEMoAPzcZKPmSoFp-Q2z8CIQa_HF0e2BCcS/s1600/P1080243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvxv6478vjospl5o1w2RwArN8r6XkX6rdTc9llNjwht__VMR6q_9GJcrCfFSX-3swyYnAeJFi-b1K9VtjJx4goDL68RN2KOKStfl0nwTchYLEMoAPzcZKPmSoFp-Q2z8CIQa_HF0e2BCcS/s1600/P1080243.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laundry day on the Ganges<br />
The clothes are washed and rinsed in the river.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOU68o1Ki12ni-sT6rosVZnTxdOUcivpPwjAvsnm1VVbBS8ymp82HPkfxxnaXAqva2zXWhsCEBcO1o4lvaPdUb9CC3i02JA9E-afB1kJjcOx_EWITtthJRFTFvYuEJDWUsfF7-ENKe5Bj/s1600/P1080252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYOU68o1Ki12ni-sT6rosVZnTxdOUcivpPwjAvsnm1VVbBS8ymp82HPkfxxnaXAqva2zXWhsCEBcO1o4lvaPdUb9CC3i02JA9E-afB1kJjcOx_EWITtthJRFTFvYuEJDWUsfF7-ENKe5Bj/s1600/P1080252.JPG" height="566" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ghat life</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdUdXLv56mqSY7cC1g3SzAUS4ZoWyLtfULf1NfnFCqtIxmLbiVWcUu4Mmp1hvuuNjCUG93n5U5h1oNon6HjR5WOTLxJfOTJhOHe140ttkJ2fhg616YWnmohQlPREiDXH44AfgOQZtydPo/s1600/P1080257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUdUdXLv56mqSY7cC1g3SzAUS4ZoWyLtfULf1NfnFCqtIxmLbiVWcUu4Mmp1hvuuNjCUG93n5U5h1oNon6HjR5WOTLxJfOTJhOHe140ttkJ2fhg616YWnmohQlPREiDXH44AfgOQZtydPo/s1600/P1080257.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I loved watching these brothers flying their kite in the wind.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALlQZzQKAP4HEtNlH65Eu2oTDsGUHeneNOkK7qeYMgKSxy5oLAL3b1wa3talVK7xTony4SfvX6CeHy0Kqrm4W5pa0iTjQpfBKprIRjl7_jFirJITMuHIHaaYOxcZ9FEBj1crbK11W6Vrg/s1600/P1080269.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhALlQZzQKAP4HEtNlH65Eu2oTDsGUHeneNOkK7qeYMgKSxy5oLAL3b1wa3talVK7xTony4SfvX6CeHy0Kqrm4W5pa0iTjQpfBKprIRjl7_jFirJITMuHIHaaYOxcZ9FEBj1crbK11W6Vrg/s1600/P1080269.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh one</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At the far end of town, there is one special ghat that does very holy cremations. Only men are allowed to watch the cremations because women used to throw themselves on the fires in grief. Tourists are allowed to do some gawking, at a respectable distance. I had a look, and it was an experience I will never forget. I saw actual dead people being burned in a fire right in front of me. They use a mix of sandalwood and other fragrant woods, so the smell is not like you would expect. It’s the visual that really did me in. As I stood looking at a group of men tending to one fire, I noticed one man using a stick to poke at the fire. After a few jabs, I realized he was shoving the dead man’s foot back into the blaze. Then the glass was shattered, and all I could see was limbs and blackened heads sticking out of the fires, being licked by the flames. I moved on quickly.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I spent the rest of the afternoon wandering deeper into the alleys and back streets, buying souvenirs, and eating some of the most delicious food I’ve ever had.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNSIxGbVWhHP4Ava6wC6_bpnYzVgYlR0RuS-t7sH8rRhHbAU7t249-8TcoDsPnxdiUzacb_1NoPEWQazNBDe5ARJB-oV8Er00qSw8kvx8gRspQDricYlNhV7MgJcCmKrXsl8QlruQO78U/s1600/P1080273.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCNSIxGbVWhHP4Ava6wC6_bpnYzVgYlR0RuS-t7sH8rRhHbAU7t249-8TcoDsPnxdiUzacb_1NoPEWQazNBDe5ARJB-oV8Er00qSw8kvx8gRspQDricYlNhV7MgJcCmKrXsl8QlruQO78U/s1600/P1080273.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Door</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5Z5gf9wucrazdGdTWDbenkZTm9PtivZ8sdhj3vklw1g69VmLHYqqEEzS4hMxvZE_d3hBCW3DqlcQSyovAAr0jn_UC6fhClPVdQm6cFvBiwfqUtw8VLmdB6_1SKrbCMF9tPTVZBr6WM1F/s1600/P1080274.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5Z5gf9wucrazdGdTWDbenkZTm9PtivZ8sdhj3vklw1g69VmLHYqqEEzS4hMxvZE_d3hBCW3DqlcQSyovAAr0jn_UC6fhClPVdQm6cFvBiwfqUtw8VLmdB6_1SKrbCMF9tPTVZBr6WM1F/s1600/P1080274.jpg" height="640" width="448" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These alleys wound all around in a dizzying maze.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic30ya6jV9Pi4GPKHZ1h2MSQt8Fg36Gi-D2g9GbZP1ihl5CA4DVpe2AbMzOwkQNY_QRhyD5sNkaDV0sxKv6tYpC60PbIwLZExNI46jLImLp9i_tzMWsxTmHOoSMgTB67DJxWz1_EkpUpEz/s1600/2014-12-26+13.18.20-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic30ya6jV9Pi4GPKHZ1h2MSQt8Fg36Gi-D2g9GbZP1ihl5CA4DVpe2AbMzOwkQNY_QRhyD5sNkaDV0sxKv6tYpC60PbIwLZExNI46jLImLp9i_tzMWsxTmHOoSMgTB67DJxWz1_EkpUpEz/s1600/2014-12-26+13.18.20-1.jpg" height="592" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pomegranate banana lassi from <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297685-d3625222-Reviews-Blue_Lassi-Varanasi_Uttar_Pradesh.html">Blue Lassi</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4URMIb6TIQEbwuC2hiVnZKL0w8XRtmcPxIiqCCliL_9btCQwYXwAeV4bY5ICpVynRHZ1Bwi-MCDwU7HclLB3rPraP-t3B55Vmu0FLAsXb0nNy73cDV98DkToHxCv0Ds1-FwHW4aiDRZJ2/s1600/P1080279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4URMIb6TIQEbwuC2hiVnZKL0w8XRtmcPxIiqCCliL_9btCQwYXwAeV4bY5ICpVynRHZ1Bwi-MCDwU7HclLB3rPraP-t3B55Vmu0FLAsXb0nNy73cDV98DkToHxCv0Ds1-FwHW4aiDRZJ2/s1600/P1080279.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kite shop<br />
I bought a few!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUajzMCnRi4u_iZPhEtt5P7zyfYA2Uft25VjX6AgUYx4hCxqz7KJTHmSmbFn2RmaBtXGFoks9gArL19OM0Qla-g_7oyReGDLRna3bsQ8oNvfuNwnpnPrzlmcDor1YRHbAcXqRlq-23KVT/s1600/2014-12-25+20.18.33.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUajzMCnRi4u_iZPhEtt5P7zyfYA2Uft25VjX6AgUYx4hCxqz7KJTHmSmbFn2RmaBtXGFoks9gArL19OM0Qla-g_7oyReGDLRna3bsQ8oNvfuNwnpnPrzlmcDor1YRHbAcXqRlq-23KVT/s1600/2014-12-25+20.18.33.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feast! (paid about 2 dollars!)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And to top it off, I took a rickshaw back to the hostel. The poor guy had to keep getting off this bicycle to get a running start in all the crazy traffic.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCvMrr5FvdfCe7H40dmhdQD5vcmDF6PuM0KLvyTBP-GWpeeucE29yF9VRIYBipWg1nAsk-CBWBCoqHqc5R29PW_8ifs07Y14bE0qAguPLU6wQF5A5qdoUEMneYxohnBP6jgsZ387QjLyx/s1600/2014-12-26+15.34.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZCvMrr5FvdfCe7H40dmhdQD5vcmDF6PuM0KLvyTBP-GWpeeucE29yF9VRIYBipWg1nAsk-CBWBCoqHqc5R29PW_8ifs07Y14bE0qAguPLU6wQF5A5qdoUEMneYxohnBP6jgsZ387QjLyx/s1600/2014-12-26+15.34.26.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I thought rush hour in Saigon was bad....</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Varanasi was amazing and made for the most bizarre but wonderful Christmas I’ve had in a while! (And I’ve spent Christmas <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/01/strangers-in-strange-land.html">lounging outside in hot springs and eating vegan food on a mountain</a>...)</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-41679650357745189812015-01-08T06:36:00.002-08:002015-01-08T06:36:20.926-08:00Cliff Dives and Sexy Slides: Canyoning in Dalat<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Recently I took a trip to Dalat for a weekend away with the girls. </span>After the shortest flight in history, a mere 25 minutes from take off to touch down, we landed in <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Dalat">Dalat</a> for a weekend out of the city. Our goal was to get some fresh air and see what all the fuss was about for this little city in the Central Highlands. We got that and more when we signed up for a canyoning trek with <a href="http://vietchallenge.com/">Viet Challenge</a>.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now, I’m all for new experiences, but the thought of <a href="http://vietchallenge.com/Tours/1/Special-Canyoning-In-Dalat">rappelling down waterfalls and jumping off canyon cliffs</a> wasn’t my idea of a relaxing weekend away. Deep down, I’m a wimp. But Lisa, Lou, and Trina wouldn’t hear it. So we geared up, wrangled ourselves into our harnesses, strapped on helmets, and set off into the woods with our guides, Duan and Roy.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunP0jQa9LsI3ypFiqepeIZeVzN2gJ_ubP1c9UxfXA5I8on4JxYzI2CuOPvDiX4kVJq92sVlQF2gFdr8MdHHzrreX8bPfdD3qp7bvZ4lwLQn-553SDFoTLghBAkgla2E1Qq7askaPoINhI/s1600/P1030254.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgunP0jQa9LsI3ypFiqepeIZeVzN2gJ_ubP1c9UxfXA5I8on4JxYzI2CuOPvDiX4kVJq92sVlQF2gFdr8MdHHzrreX8bPfdD3qp7bvZ4lwLQn-553SDFoTLghBAkgla2E1Qq7askaPoINhI/s1600/P1030254.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trina, me, Lisa, and Lou<br />Locked and loaded!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our first abseil was down an 18m cliff. I was terrified, which I tried to keep under wraps. But after seeing a couple of the girls take that step backwards off the edge, jump and rappel down the rocks, and land safely at the bottom unscathed, I took a deep breath and grabbed the ropes. After the initial nerves wore off and we took the plunge, we were all hooked! The adrenaline was pumping, and we were ready for more...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVFf6J7wfz1OM2swlBBTRQFQt1498yXawku6maj5RM6QR349KBbl0j8WvMNXnJsk5JXDsFN4DDQpRI3o82965EEI6r8ocCQ9uPuaUzMkZvS18KuF-tayFKhr_SJJZDqngl0SwW-jHBFcs/s1600/P1030236.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOVFf6J7wfz1OM2swlBBTRQFQt1498yXawku6maj5RM6QR349KBbl0j8WvMNXnJsk5JXDsFN4DDQpRI3o82965EEI6r8ocCQ9uPuaUzMkZvS18KuF-tayFKhr_SJJZDqngl0SwW-jHBFcs/s1600/P1030236.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eeeeeek, so high!!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next up was an “easy” jump from a 3m cliff into what looked like very shallow water. I won’t point fingers, but some of the group backed out of the jump -- it seemed like you would surely smash your skull on the rocks as soon as you hit the water! (We didn’t die!)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">From here, the day got more and more exciting. We did a few water slides down some shallow falls, which were equal parts terrifying and exhilarating. We had to lie on our backs, tuck one arm behind our heads to protect our necks from snapping, and use the other hand to plug our noses so we didn’t inhale water and drown. Fun!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4V8VetiWwLPPRL63UvP8vKz1xA2A3LeYpr5VqzjlaTIdOwS09pGM57NhHxaLglI2GLaIv5V7C1ksl-UIJnHhDSjm98D6T2ebU2NdIJsOfZoUSOIevcKcflwoGWd_zluj9xIn-DQOuw0I/s1600/P1030284_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4V8VetiWwLPPRL63UvP8vKz1xA2A3LeYpr5VqzjlaTIdOwS09pGM57NhHxaLglI2GLaIv5V7C1ksl-UIJnHhDSjm98D6T2ebU2NdIJsOfZoUSOIevcKcflwoGWd_zluj9xIn-DQOuw0I/s1600/P1030284_2.JPG" height="360" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lou prays that she kept her insurance coverage current</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Over the next several hours, we hiked along the canyon, waded across rivers, rappelled down ever-more-frightening waterfalls, jumped from higher-than-sanity-should-allow cliffs, and barreled down slippery water slides. We even got to share some intimate moments together during a “sexy water slide” which challenged my personal space limits. If you want to know what is involved in the sexy water slide, I’m going to make you travel to Dalat and find out for yourself. It’s just too intimate for me to describe here on <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/">Samantha in Saigon</a>.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzmtS0BcMs3kqaXkAOB0tsI0JApg-xtUaAhR0Ei8KrDfEBb04hkxNje-m_lM99Jk6-sazXHO4gWNWsqkmadISGzLim4tZYri30wbEFk3sRoqX9W68VBT_sAovKf-KKK-TNqvhddtCT8Hg/s1600/P1030425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfzmtS0BcMs3kqaXkAOB0tsI0JApg-xtUaAhR0Ei8KrDfEBb04hkxNje-m_lM99Jk6-sazXHO4gWNWsqkmadISGzLim4tZYri30wbEFk3sRoqX9W68VBT_sAovKf-KKK-TNqvhddtCT8Hg/s1600/P1030425.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa climbs out of the canyon</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pBn9kv3G1lNIAOPRkfA1JhyR6lQ9v77mEx2ZcFPE8fQoIJQS21Gr013GIX1YNo8QCGWJPlcWb33HnbzD-2Qy4G_HIeqO2XUT8S8PWAe3jnCj2AWVwzh63YOaNjGRmgjz_ZQmmy3vf1G9/s1600/P1030293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_pBn9kv3G1lNIAOPRkfA1JhyR6lQ9v77mEx2ZcFPE8fQoIJQS21Gr013GIX1YNo8QCGWJPlcWb33HnbzD-2Qy4G_HIeqO2XUT8S8PWAe3jnCj2AWVwzh63YOaNjGRmgjz_ZQmmy3vf1G9/s1600/P1030293.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Human chain across the river</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAEX1KjsaV-vwLMTstO1rODx6tSysFgORv0B2ilNDrMv6adejThgTVDlsdSmX8GqdrrzAim7raUENZZCrY-W77fleQvN_l8yynVIPvUAuriG0J-di4rbeUKJ4C9nc-vAfdxae_CjZHrT1/s1600/P1030266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijAEX1KjsaV-vwLMTstO1rODx6tSysFgORv0B2ilNDrMv6adejThgTVDlsdSmX8GqdrrzAim7raUENZZCrY-W77fleQvN_l8yynVIPvUAuriG0J-di4rbeUKJ4C9nc-vAfdxae_CjZHrT1/s1600/P1030266.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding the waves</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFm2rVF40jsi7INPE6Lmni4D-MTvV1oqVPp7ieoW-McFeH7nIiLZAQgJehs-DbBuq1dALUk_jGsJ2k1Sfg1uV58h-xrKq2CC2IvMdy2t8df13eCT1Rfv1mkkPnJydFw7yjZzgFVy71BoEB/s1600/P1030361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFm2rVF40jsi7INPE6Lmni4D-MTvV1oqVPp7ieoW-McFeH7nIiLZAQgJehs-DbBuq1dALUk_jGsJ2k1Sfg1uV58h-xrKq2CC2IvMdy2t8df13eCT1Rfv1mkkPnJydFw7yjZzgFVy71BoEB/s1600/P1030361.JPG" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We jumped from the platform above that guy!!<br />11m -- what were we thinking??</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiloCGz5iZcVmEQ0rEAxIqvvRTUnHv7Vfepn3Ns2GF7TcZb2pJ6vKeb8kAwpqekzCuOgEjZCuupvjVNixn4sewrcLCTwn4geEQoWWnrI0k-_mVNGdtXJymT5HWQL221BVuIhISwL1REnxP/s1600/P1030321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiloCGz5iZcVmEQ0rEAxIqvvRTUnHv7Vfepn3Ns2GF7TcZb2pJ6vKeb8kAwpqekzCuOgEjZCuupvjVNixn4sewrcLCTwn4geEQoWWnrI0k-_mVNGdtXJymT5HWQL221BVuIhISwL1REnxP/s1600/P1030321.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just abseiling down a 25m waterfall.<br />No big deal.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4prxk555he_CwYrMCMitItpLdu3DYn3Sy_6ZVOIG-qHK0tyn9PyfRz0MvuODdaix4jcEA_1CpSssr2jwCDTSNvdWijq4-pYhW13p7OMnlXwefVlu-sZcRJfXGq4krESDS-UHhM2bZ7X_H/s1600/P1030375.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4prxk555he_CwYrMCMitItpLdu3DYn3Sy_6ZVOIG-qHK0tyn9PyfRz0MvuODdaix4jcEA_1CpSssr2jwCDTSNvdWijq4-pYhW13p7OMnlXwefVlu-sZcRJfXGq4krESDS-UHhM2bZ7X_H/s1600/P1030375.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wading through the water because the rocks are too slippery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQJyrU0KV94Ky2ecJ1NUASWJySeHOnrIEWeJqXMMWYy2adNFIe4ZGxKqdbja3WYNB1ikWJYX_kAVokOci2-DZYtHqdS8ViXG2b6TlnJB_87kdfGoHQnPpWshc_EccESaSf4Rgvy1PZvaO/s1600/P1030396.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQJyrU0KV94Ky2ecJ1NUASWJySeHOnrIEWeJqXMMWYy2adNFIe4ZGxKqdbja3WYNB1ikWJYX_kAVokOci2-DZYtHqdS8ViXG2b6TlnJB_87kdfGoHQnPpWshc_EccESaSf4Rgvy1PZvaO/s1600/P1030396.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trina rappels down into unseeable depths in the Washing Machine waterfall</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The canyoning trek was incredible, and I can’t say enough about our guides, Duan and Roy. We had such a blast doing things we never thought we could and laughing possibly more than four grown women should.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I do have share one truly ghastly thing that happened:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I lost a sock in the notorious 16m Washing Machine abseil!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They call it the Washing Machine because you spin around in the water so much,<br />you come out clean on the other side!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CSb4PcDsWaSmMsqD4D1G7ePMi2vn9bfUAndHuMEVlwaw_J-UmGLgoTMCs5IucgeYka4qE1MMdjVDMlMgAnCXx86vraTt8o8xnYDoxV8yhAIW6HRasDHCabd12BIPMYtuKRRo6hHOGMiu/s1600/P1030392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CSb4PcDsWaSmMsqD4D1G7ePMi2vn9bfUAndHuMEVlwaw_J-UmGLgoTMCs5IucgeYka4qE1MMdjVDMlMgAnCXx86vraTt8o8xnYDoxV8yhAIW6HRasDHCabd12BIPMYtuKRRo6hHOGMiu/s1600/P1030392.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sock down! Sock down!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-41908111192093224342014-12-07T18:58:00.000-08:002014-12-07T18:58:00.740-08:00December Blog Carnival<span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>This month, I'm hosting the Reach To Teach<b style="background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; border: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> <a href="http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com/blog/teach-abroad-blog-carnival/" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; border: 0px; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; border: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</span></a></b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe.</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The topic this month is </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans, sans-serif;">"</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans, sans-serif; line-height: 21px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="line-height: normal;">What are the most endearing/hilarious English mistakes your students have made?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans, sans-serif;">"</span></span></span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><br /></i></span>
<i><span style="background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-repeat: initial; border: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Check out the responses from teachers from different parts of the world! I</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">f you’d like to contribute to next month’s Blog Carnival, please get in touch with Dean at </span><a href="mailto:dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com" style="cursor: pointer; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 20px;" target="_blank">dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">, and he’ll let you know how you can start participating!</span></i><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><b>Rebecca Thering:</b></span><br />
<a href="http://www.rebewithaclause.com/2014/12/korean-esl-student-work-drawings.html" style="background-color: white; color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;" target="_blank">Crack a Smile with Some ESL Student Drawings</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">What do turkeys, families, a death note, and Real Madrid all have in common? They all appear in my carnival post this month! So stop on over and enjoy some photos of drawings and projects made by my elementary Korean students. You might even crack a smile! </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">About Rebecca: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 14.7679996490479px;">I’m a Wisconsin native who has recently finished a year teaching English at a rural elementary school in South Korea. My Spanish skills weren't quite as useful there as they were when I lived and taught in Madrid, which is where my Spanish nickname Rebe (Ray-bay) stuck. I have an itch to travel, learn, teach, and read—and to make the world a better place!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><b>Dean Barnes:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"><a href="http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com/blog-carnival-grammar-spelling-mistakes">Grammar and Spelling Mistakes</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">I was asked this month to write about the common grammar mistakes of my students, however I haven’t been a teacher for some time so I thought I would flip the mirror around on us adults. Below is a photo essay covering some funny and common spelling mistakes that adults have made. If we as adults cant get it right, then how do we expect our students to?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 23.7999992370605px;">About Dean: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">My name is Dean, I have been traveling for around 4 years now with a small stint back in my home country. I’m from the UK and I began my teaching career on the island of Bali. I then made the move to Taiwan where I currently reside. Here I have the joy to fulfill my passion for writing by providing ESL/travel related articles to the Reach To Teach website.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><b>Holly Beddome:</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><a href="https://adventureswithholly.wordpress.com/2014/12/08/pint-sized-sources-of-joy-and-humour-the-best-thing-about-teaching-in-korea/">Pint-Sized Sources of Joy and Humour</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Kids all around the world can be mighty cute. Throw in an adorable accent and full-time interaction with 'em and you're sure to witness priceless moments and stories you'll want to remember for a lifetime. Teaching ESL is by no means a picnic of a job, but falling in love with such hilarious, strange, cute, unpredictable and happy humans certainly helps make the struggle worthwhile. This post is sure to make you smile.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">About Holly: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21.2999992370605px;">Holly was bitten by the travel bug in her early teens and has long since rejected the idea of spending her entire life in Canada! She loves to read good books, flail about on the dance floor, and form new friendships, and documents cityscapes and the natural world around her through the lens of a camera. Having volunteered in Honduras, backpacked around Southeast Asia and studied in Australia in the past, she now calls Seoul home for the next year. Her plans: eat ALL of the kimchi, hike ALL of the mountains, form incredible memories and friendships, and hopefully have a positive impact on her students’ lives!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-86049171718671421712014-11-02T06:24:00.000-08:002014-11-02T07:04:06.538-08:00Japan in Haiku<h4>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The most appropriate way to blog about my trip to Japan is in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haiku">haiku</a> form.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Temples, parks, crowds, and sushi</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Love builds for Japan</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4ayhIGwKVjjhxIOkqnNfnGLcwzKDbVzIqnKZO8DZyE5IrvyC666SM6r1txcKzzgcU2Ti6aOtCyNdmUumcoruRse5Ob7Yx3m5LK2uAd1z0sizVgLNBoQrG3das7ZCTuTA-R8WkpsgQdBp/s1600/P1070315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ4ayhIGwKVjjhxIOkqnNfnGLcwzKDbVzIqnKZO8DZyE5IrvyC666SM6r1txcKzzgcU2Ti6aOtCyNdmUumcoruRse5Ob7Yx3m5LK2uAd1z0sizVgLNBoQrG3das7ZCTuTA-R8WkpsgQdBp/s1600/P1070315.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sensoji Temple and Five-Storied Pagoda<br />
Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUqNqQjdJBTWVwaHDVrKR3r-lOD86U1hWW9JoSaS64LmKEVH7KSHZLQz55HVEmwKNOBcRChmDzkAiBQF8x5NWyH5JTDsiU3Yp5SrY-s3F49L0DNKAF8ewecqumUsysyhRp767JbwY2h4P/s1600/P1070380.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihUqNqQjdJBTWVwaHDVrKR3r-lOD86U1hWW9JoSaS64LmKEVH7KSHZLQz55HVEmwKNOBcRChmDzkAiBQF8x5NWyH5JTDsiU3Yp5SrY-s3F49L0DNKAF8ewecqumUsysyhRp767JbwY2h4P/s1600/P1070380.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Japanese Gardens<br />
Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden<br />
Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5T-O6RWV_mG4YswCwz41kdPf5ADcq_kCD54R60jDwB8rP-qSlW-r1PIEA9fMOmSznLiAwbZfjfQsdj9p0624IO4N6Ihyphenhyphenc4-krC4vZKg5R-Z_y_xi1kdnDPJovAakCdftE8M1YlP77OFLs/s1600/P1070445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5T-O6RWV_mG4YswCwz41kdPf5ADcq_kCD54R60jDwB8rP-qSlW-r1PIEA9fMOmSznLiAwbZfjfQsdj9p0624IO4N6Ihyphenhyphenc4-krC4vZKg5R-Z_y_xi1kdnDPJovAakCdftE8M1YlP77OFLs/s1600/P1070445.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tsukiji Fish Market<br />
Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLZQdo8r5qPK-BSe21tle7P8nDwwYX2msgFC_4IeeZT4GqCfAsE_ZTfyEWDP2jjEmM0mo6q8woGvae89Tr_xoWq0ysPqkrgOn-Qi_IXMYQk0rbzam7DVUSCgJYPlg8jE_UyRhECUZVkya/s1600/P1070439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLZQdo8r5qPK-BSe21tle7P8nDwwYX2msgFC_4IeeZT4GqCfAsE_ZTfyEWDP2jjEmM0mo6q8woGvae89Tr_xoWq0ysPqkrgOn-Qi_IXMYQk0rbzam7DVUSCgJYPlg8jE_UyRhECUZVkya/s1600/P1070439.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fresh catch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCudyhR9xTwffsy9xlaOEf2JYekc8YCweu0Y4zoSxs9cm9cz2V_bUNyP28Ye0VmmrOG278wgfTaM_BUpwoMaSyqKbelHccrLs4Dao4R8nCg1Cauj2RNnzlw8LHclPPbnoaFYPgf0s1isem/s1600/2014-07-02+10.17.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCudyhR9xTwffsy9xlaOEf2JYekc8YCweu0Y4zoSxs9cm9cz2V_bUNyP28Ye0VmmrOG278wgfTaM_BUpwoMaSyqKbelHccrLs4Dao4R8nCg1Cauj2RNnzlw8LHclPPbnoaFYPgf0s1isem/s1600/2014-07-02+10.17.07.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sushi at Tsukiji Fish Market<br />
bluefin tuna, octopus, salmon, and neon flying eel</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ay_isXk9156esPPeJMuO6VsU5Ou47cEvMXOH0wEJQdEamcW9mHUDT5CUCVDW_xGsmnYwq-ksnE1TKm0PmsYfm9TxGKVbxVNwio0feHiCIw0qgLXffmKFc6jDdIWe7GwYjGhhg5u-KXJN/s1600/2014-06-30+21.13.55+HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ay_isXk9156esPPeJMuO6VsU5Ou47cEvMXOH0wEJQdEamcW9mHUDT5CUCVDW_xGsmnYwq-ksnE1TKm0PmsYfm9TxGKVbxVNwio0feHiCIw0qgLXffmKFc6jDdIWe7GwYjGhhg5u-KXJN/s1600/2014-06-30+21.13.55+HDR.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokyo at night<br />
Mori Art Museum observation deck</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMgGSm8tKNCb2lh5sT7j-8CmjSu9vv9XZZJVMjRzEhZWG982VkBMFt27ugHwcjXjI-Q-ZYqjr0IVzS8ArTtvH0d9gpggtk8RShl4V41LHX2eC7gLMOD2Xg6Xs0xAIO5_1e7iYZ4oBeRE9/s1600/P1070488.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMgGSm8tKNCb2lh5sT7j-8CmjSu9vv9XZZJVMjRzEhZWG982VkBMFt27ugHwcjXjI-Q-ZYqjr0IVzS8ArTtvH0d9gpggtk8RShl4V41LHX2eC7gLMOD2Xg6Xs0xAIO5_1e7iYZ4oBeRE9/s1600/P1070488.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barrels<br />
Yoyogi Park<br />
Tokyo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZkBjLCVzNChogC0iD8XB2cnDe1F6ynDOKz4A9qnIfa8is6IPvGBjSBJO6T6F435_aifgGB_O6r18Qt6ZFu6aCKVfVtrLafysswux4L2O_vW8A52rS7DrRj-TXVchfjOk1GhnnGKYMPOF/s1600/2014-07-01+12.56.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaZkBjLCVzNChogC0iD8XB2cnDe1F6ynDOKz4A9qnIfa8is6IPvGBjSBJO6T6F435_aifgGB_O6r18Qt6ZFu6aCKVfVtrLafysswux4L2O_vW8A52rS7DrRj-TXVchfjOk1GhnnGKYMPOF/s1600/2014-07-01+12.56.26.jpg" height="310" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tokyo<br />
Tokyo Metro Government Building observatory</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Rain in Kyoto</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Lunch from a vending machine</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Every bite delish!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc8lH-5Mise7qTNOOo6b-eNpSwxSd8iZAzgBFFZjjTCXRSxCUgzQ7E50Lx2kM-rOvtNIIevMcIVjqmvE-CmuTMqLNhWlyw79WEfzU_Tke5ehmSbbVUDl4a2hEHTSQJ8ATQ_Edc2ihIpz8/s1600/2014-07-03+14.43.25-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcc8lH-5Mise7qTNOOo6b-eNpSwxSd8iZAzgBFFZjjTCXRSxCUgzQ7E50Lx2kM-rOvtNIIevMcIVjqmvE-CmuTMqLNhWlyw79WEfzU_Tke5ehmSbbVUDl4a2hEHTSQJ8ATQ_Edc2ihIpz8/s1600/2014-07-03+14.43.25-2.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyoto rain<br />
Kiyomizu-dera Temple</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5IIYbaIN6N4B6opdpxfMExJEwT23sj3lpnPZlcu0UZwcJyEIftOA3I7T9QwEaq82Uj4-CgeFPrW4Z6CYbdl-JmFGgdeaGF4Q3FBS6v8eaJGsAI-xYsWt9tLnXqbiRYo7DY_kkuCqFwxh/s1600/P1070498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE5IIYbaIN6N4B6opdpxfMExJEwT23sj3lpnPZlcu0UZwcJyEIftOA3I7T9QwEaq82Uj4-CgeFPrW4Z6CYbdl-JmFGgdeaGF4Q3FBS6v8eaJGsAI-xYsWt9tLnXqbiRYo7DY_kkuCqFwxh/s1600/P1070498.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Choices, choices<br />
Vending machine restaurant</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLwHNLz0B6a4FMsAi08ioAmbxDVUXNIv9Zhu3mXiVpkrmafmUkqvPtERVYuSOWcjSKsHicmvVE297nxQ-6MHrL9-iNudVE_PbYNXlAU02j3IzkhiY7q5SYmT7P-WRuYipXjxMKsxBssrF/s1600/2014-07-03+11.45.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLwHNLz0B6a4FMsAi08ioAmbxDVUXNIv9Zhu3mXiVpkrmafmUkqvPtERVYuSOWcjSKsHicmvVE297nxQ-6MHrL9-iNudVE_PbYNXlAU02j3IzkhiY7q5SYmT7P-WRuYipXjxMKsxBssrF/s1600/2014-07-03+11.45.06.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I chose well :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bamboo to the sky</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A maze of bright orange toriis</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Kyoto magic</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Qhg8W8LbvqRkJmh4q9AtEy9LwiDEM5XMgu2zwe6hFRKiLKyd_6hyphenhyphenPHpm6xVFVMKeDBSAIy6PGUZoF9z3ur4gz9DbjHuVx5BM7Hf2ZXh3x_AvRePMqJR6LtVdmzqSUqO5msvLqPqaVi5O/s1600/P1070600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-Qhg8W8LbvqRkJmh4q9AtEy9LwiDEM5XMgu2zwe6hFRKiLKyd_6hyphenhyphenPHpm6xVFVMKeDBSAIy6PGUZoF9z3ur4gz9DbjHuVx5BM7Hf2ZXh3x_AvRePMqJR6LtVdmzqSUqO5msvLqPqaVi5O/s1600/P1070600.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo forest<br />
Arashiyama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvYCnuQLWrqJV3zfPVIp82UZgnR5N3R_xlGN79RL7llzAJwetdOr3nPiY4Kmqlm8E8zOreTOyO4HcWVm71kf30_zKAu7JLa3IAQ4XW6RiW0eq8ZGgX2KXyFduU0K5Cozr3XAbEEzy-uOH/s1600/P1070557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEvYCnuQLWrqJV3zfPVIp82UZgnR5N3R_xlGN79RL7llzAJwetdOr3nPiY4Kmqlm8E8zOreTOyO4HcWVm71kf30_zKAu7JLa3IAQ4XW6RiW0eq8ZGgX2KXyFduU0K5Cozr3XAbEEzy-uOH/s1600/P1070557.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tenryu Temple Garden<br />
Arashiyama</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCrphwk9vCrOP_tMyjD1Vsxok4lP6_K0e4wUt5YkZ4aQA0TGw5v-RfoJkvQALEooa0M8gG1N_km_o_PXVjY7AF1wfROolnWDIdMYPs6A52GR5S-8MnTAudFETjkvb8ey6Sf73DiKEKknp/s1600/P1070563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCrphwk9vCrOP_tMyjD1Vsxok4lP6_K0e4wUt5YkZ4aQA0TGw5v-RfoJkvQALEooa0M8gG1N_km_o_PXVjY7AF1wfROolnWDIdMYPs6A52GR5S-8MnTAudFETjkvb8ey6Sf73DiKEKknp/s1600/P1070563.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Talking<br />
Tenryu Temple</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikW4BD1K6ZUaMF1Te_r-Ue2wNJpU-_VSqmUz3tXGVVDpZMFWyNyTZYgPJ_ZdXdvkre06hyphenhyphenrjvRzH5RCPGXplHQManSCnfbkWPixVMCQnfxEKle7G-hl69tt4JyadK5and8IRR9wXsULo7/s1600/P1070575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhikW4BD1K6ZUaMF1Te_r-Ue2wNJpU-_VSqmUz3tXGVVDpZMFWyNyTZYgPJ_ZdXdvkre06hyphenhyphenrjvRzH5RCPGXplHQManSCnfbkWPixVMCQnfxEKle7G-hl69tt4JyadK5and8IRR9wXsULo7/s1600/P1070575.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tenryu Temple Garden</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</h4>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo8x9TkOnCryLDlEWQmWqX7PuQJoxICkbYHa6wMmKkuy1IR3Yl2ZIhuc4AmNRhvjk4lABH1Wj4EvPYQCYxS6iimtXysc-SRLl8vgn46BafIz0swcMbffwuqmyiPLw-A7LP4vfbXZ2XCex/s1600/P1070528.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdo8x9TkOnCryLDlEWQmWqX7PuQJoxICkbYHa6wMmKkuy1IR3Yl2ZIhuc4AmNRhvjk4lABH1Wj4EvPYQCYxS6iimtXysc-SRLl8vgn46BafIz0swcMbffwuqmyiPLw-A7LP4vfbXZ2XCex/s1600/P1070528.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kiyomizu-dera Temple<br />
Kyoto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h4>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIrx9H_sIfc9l2sq7nUOTUG3WNv-GKzfsmPPKL867k4bku2qDxGsfEBDY_7DMnVU0nWcRudya2vr3-7au05wItj3TusMX3hplhAexpzmcWqzrnHSWhMuhc7oPTj2m4maFj6UuiGqYbfsN/s1600/P1070505.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuIrx9H_sIfc9l2sq7nUOTUG3WNv-GKzfsmPPKL867k4bku2qDxGsfEBDY_7DMnVU0nWcRudya2vr3-7au05wItj3TusMX3hplhAexpzmcWqzrnHSWhMuhc7oPTj2m4maFj6UuiGqYbfsN/s1600/P1070505.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prayers<br />
Kiyomizu-dera Temple<br />
Kyoto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_SZ3dgZKG5wqZVitSseH2pb2cYdk9io2y7vvQ7oy6ogZeA56SkTPXShjsbHA-h7ewnqSunll0b8v-85m3T0C5vw_ba6UZ3ls0WOhGlfjVZyaVKvRY5gUFDiZkyVw1qWdtO3ilqD8iQXJ/s1600/P1070676.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG_SZ3dgZKG5wqZVitSseH2pb2cYdk9io2y7vvQ7oy6ogZeA56SkTPXShjsbHA-h7ewnqSunll0b8v-85m3T0C5vw_ba6UZ3ls0WOhGlfjVZyaVKvRY5gUFDiZkyVw1qWdtO3ilqD8iQXJ/s1600/P1070676.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torii Gates<br />
Fushimi-Inari Temple<br />
Kyoto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasfE4cyK1mPR06bTf8zFYMlWw4mGW4AOPZFxd_94LcUzt3gn_2LPSJ3HH3NlJnlhgfmxOCi2zbTlpI9Z3x4LAdplD_u0pbpkxfmxS5D0-mkj3hZotcUdFjwZnLKGgvBUr0Pig3OfNoGIJ/s1600/P1070681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhasfE4cyK1mPR06bTf8zFYMlWw4mGW4AOPZFxd_94LcUzt3gn_2LPSJ3HH3NlJnlhgfmxOCi2zbTlpI9Z3x4LAdplD_u0pbpkxfmxS5D0-mkj3hZotcUdFjwZnLKGgvBUr0Pig3OfNoGIJ/s1600/P1070681.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torii path<br />
Fushimi-Inari Temple<br />
Kyoto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Huge transformation</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Makeup, wig, kimono: Smile!</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Look! I’m a geisha!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM8PalPslyhieioqUtfy7-pGH_Jhg4Vu2B4w1QL7yihyWU4h8EUr5wIYV3uiiS_VjZ-f4VTvK5yUxfT76zRqw7yk2B__qQcT-3-enWMeRpG97-EZb9ERJPYnvMvqANpCbKX_q8n9YtPHz/s1600/P1070531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinM8PalPslyhieioqUtfy7-pGH_Jhg4Vu2B4w1QL7yihyWU4h8EUr5wIYV3uiiS_VjZ-f4VTvK5yUxfT76zRqw7yk2B__qQcT-3-enWMeRpG97-EZb9ERJPYnvMvqANpCbKX_q8n9YtPHz/s1600/P1070531.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An hour of make-up and costume<br />
Kyoto</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP91rgdJpOSqQRE2AserLrwAT9e5TM3Hd_EvWRjAYewHCBFB_0ytZlW-5cFoUfS6y1U64FPGX_G8kL5TAXdP0FUAWqhtnaohm9te5IzIYtJW5unnwDb0aMO2EV7Q1-O9iEhn8-4nDt-t4/s1600/P1070537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeP91rgdJpOSqQRE2AserLrwAT9e5TM3Hd_EvWRjAYewHCBFB_0ytZlW-5cFoUfS6y1U64FPGX_G8kL5TAXdP0FUAWqhtnaohm9te5IzIYtJW5unnwDb0aMO2EV7Q1-O9iEhn8-4nDt-t4/s1600/P1070537.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Konichiwa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bullet train, clockwork</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Shinkansen efficiency</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">All aboard! Zoom zoom</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l1RnEKzVmnc45rcfCbh-PaH6bK8I-asGppMQdbuzTd_vy6RnMdmQ-l8RcuTIBZYA2Jm_XfvfPXqmDMOrf310-VzDTS0E2dD4YXvZR9r_Qp8kIiMZUx04HXbJFfSvwdXL8sXb4Dpu67RF/s1600/2014-07-05+16.46.37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0l1RnEKzVmnc45rcfCbh-PaH6bK8I-asGppMQdbuzTd_vy6RnMdmQ-l8RcuTIBZYA2Jm_XfvfPXqmDMOrf310-VzDTS0E2dD4YXvZR9r_Qp8kIiMZUx04HXbJFfSvwdXL8sXb4Dpu67RF/s1600/2014-07-05+16.46.37.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shinkansen bullet train</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf7eL6MBFwTXC3tLPXe88KFqwq_J-zrF-Qv3lhK50YEE1U5ahRnzIQZVttJtMqiofOJLdPdRtJRhFQn3WQaGDg2hJ820U3GDtKgYB1Qa4Mog5q6e5-7B6Chl_Wo_c76v2z2PVXQ2SE6uE/s1600/P1070356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf7eL6MBFwTXC3tLPXe88KFqwq_J-zrF-Qv3lhK50YEE1U5ahRnzIQZVttJtMqiofOJLdPdRtJRhFQn3WQaGDg2hJ820U3GDtKgYB1Qa4Mog5q6e5-7B6Chl_Wo_c76v2z2PVXQ2SE6uE/s1600/P1070356.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warning</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Food! Glorious food!</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Okonomiyaki - yum!</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ramen! Houtou, too!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMIxRg3Rsu4NbLVUecsPg9YWpfSKYfCUnUYo5W3fbOSzD6J6HDa46EUvW5eQ53OhwFDbr2BnzO52C29E9q-zbFBlLj7ZPabitbsA5T4Wpbzg1ZNDY2CwCJZFKVOrbkdjfHvHXTI8rpTps/s1600/2014-07-03+21.16.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMIxRg3Rsu4NbLVUecsPg9YWpfSKYfCUnUYo5W3fbOSzD6J6HDa46EUvW5eQ53OhwFDbr2BnzO52C29E9q-zbFBlLj7ZPabitbsA5T4Wpbzg1ZNDY2CwCJZFKVOrbkdjfHvHXTI8rpTps/s1600/2014-07-03+21.16.10.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Okonomiyaki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qqoYVQs11w6S9ssmQhQvFohekAl21dCruPaXaPSyy7AXYJRfCrS3j_IEndUzAFK540N8RceF7512yJTDVahvfjWXDz8T3ykxcCjLXbzIBPRVtsjkWFsXT2-2s5D4JSkUvut_2ipy3vhd/s1600/P1070310.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6qqoYVQs11w6S9ssmQhQvFohekAl21dCruPaXaPSyy7AXYJRfCrS3j_IEndUzAFK540N8RceF7512yJTDVahvfjWXDz8T3ykxcCjLXbzIBPRVtsjkWFsXT2-2s5D4JSkUvut_2ipy3vhd/s1600/P1070310.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ramen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd7cN8vIdOrtQwFsjkZnU7ZTvQ2zypFt8KfhxyE5sQchhj4Z6cjD1FCiI4uDBhrPuaonrh8QmTa5IgRyUKURgIasHnDTuLVJcqNT72GLWleDt572wNUEzdsB24x7a92DFkjavlDVP3z7m/s1600/2014-07-07+20.13.18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYd7cN8vIdOrtQwFsjkZnU7ZTvQ2zypFt8KfhxyE5sQchhj4Z6cjD1FCiI4uDBhrPuaonrh8QmTa5IgRyUKURgIasHnDTuLVJcqNT72GLWleDt572wNUEzdsB24x7a92DFkjavlDVP3z7m/s1600/2014-07-07+20.13.18.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houtou</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_t_4dS9Y1d39XdZ4DLlOjeLdDDG_TA5U52iqCxAL9EkaKFI-yoxmPrVXiBtXgjVTwdnqL-J-6nZIvJ2USO1-WLLNfVyVHlnIfFVI01kkuhMWDl_wrGFOsG8Z1BEe6yKh9wgQn_H-W9fK/s1600/2014-07-04+20.19.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO_t_4dS9Y1d39XdZ4DLlOjeLdDDG_TA5U52iqCxAL9EkaKFI-yoxmPrVXiBtXgjVTwdnqL-J-6nZIvJ2USO1-WLLNfVyVHlnIfFVI01kkuhMWDl_wrGFOsG8Z1BEe6yKh9wgQn_H-W9fK/s1600/2014-07-04+20.19.23.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sarah cooking teppanyaki</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcTyLZkXVO2Rd_h-VuRqNqQzTKO3EyYbKJXcs0wMTbzi4LBJ_oH4NDpB5EaSlKVGTqgjaYq-_ucbkrVm4Aw2tbJ-BK1vYVlUeNjDF-7UwPFHuvt5DJakRpgzFFeEkiiDTCfxqhsh2pWk2/s1600/2014-07-06+20.42.34-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLcTyLZkXVO2Rd_h-VuRqNqQzTKO3EyYbKJXcs0wMTbzi4LBJ_oH4NDpB5EaSlKVGTqgjaYq-_ucbkrVm4Aw2tbJ-BK1vYVlUeNjDF-7UwPFHuvt5DJakRpgzFFeEkiiDTCfxqhsh2pWk2/s1600/2014-07-06+20.42.34-1.jpg" height="584" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serious noodles</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0QaHvvJxji2RuUkjH4k86UvByrw7R-JdkRSq1zMVILy6tirdh-dW0eZe1zSXmgUz_bHcAk8MllokoJXgh-ZnvbsAM6N-O89jJx9EE4issA5h_ID9zy_sWqji8F_MosXKzimkClJ0h7mJ/s1600/P1070796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0QaHvvJxji2RuUkjH4k86UvByrw7R-JdkRSq1zMVILy6tirdh-dW0eZe1zSXmgUz_bHcAk8MllokoJXgh-ZnvbsAM6N-O89jJx9EE4issA5h_ID9zy_sWqji8F_MosXKzimkClJ0h7mJ/s1600/P1070796.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fried oysters on a stick</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Miyajima Isle</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Floating torii at low tide</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Come with me, “deer” friend!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJeFBaQ2bt18j-eJFI_k23YMo7l107ZcQxCOvP4DLL59vMQfxC9FJMtPRLHT3MFDkrC3qd9iFWejdGpieADw2CZ8UHuteEQBAsSlP0a3GCYRwppgcfNJ_YSJoVQT8TCs8KHCoRqlMV8II/s1600/P1070734.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIJeFBaQ2bt18j-eJFI_k23YMo7l107ZcQxCOvP4DLL59vMQfxC9FJMtPRLHT3MFDkrC3qd9iFWejdGpieADw2CZ8UHuteEQBAsSlP0a3GCYRwppgcfNJ_YSJoVQT8TCs8KHCoRqlMV8II/s1600/P1070734.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Torii Gate<br />
Low tide<br />
Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC8Ig2Q7NdnCpvpD-rk8AJqmdYZTjLJr4LNjOX6vbBuBNzkqTfWUvjUlpZNU7FNj2myJ0Yy0RNpFDTnZ6uuMOV5Ct5zTGmlzthLYvxiyYK5F4Bp619eMy6UV7Y2g6KFpXa7GSyusRUGw5/s1600/P1070742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeC8Ig2Q7NdnCpvpD-rk8AJqmdYZTjLJr4LNjOX6vbBuBNzkqTfWUvjUlpZNU7FNj2myJ0Yy0RNpFDTnZ6uuMOV5Ct5zTGmlzthLYvxiyYK5F4Bp619eMy6UV7Y2g6KFpXa7GSyusRUGw5/s1600/P1070742.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7n1cB9p1Hc3-kPddFKvUBoU318IVRM-pJ6-Gu7_1SDNkJ1_kTCKumdjL8jrKPyEed610xbRC6nIJUtMVI60cPnlNINK-e25UO4KVTnfgLXNPhMyPKOhlLpzDRe65v7H3QrLHK_U5qQpI/s1600/P1070752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha7n1cB9p1Hc3-kPddFKvUBoU318IVRM-pJ6-Gu7_1SDNkJ1_kTCKumdjL8jrKPyEed610xbRC6nIJUtMVI60cPnlNINK-e25UO4KVTnfgLXNPhMyPKOhlLpzDRe65v7H3QrLHK_U5qQpI/s1600/P1070752.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7G-djxFbgY9OK7-Dsgy_cLokIpufP0eZNT8NOK7WOyJOSeidRjyCJ4QXkfNiBCQxEL2DzOCZ2z3_lGjy3lTcAJ9epXy1aKK_H3_Mv4339IKwoCDkJgy5obllDvqQ_76DpNKGJzEki2BW/s1600/P1070766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr7G-djxFbgY9OK7-Dsgy_cLokIpufP0eZNT8NOK7WOyJOSeidRjyCJ4QXkfNiBCQxEL2DzOCZ2z3_lGjy3lTcAJ9epXy1aKK_H3_Mv4339IKwoCDkJgy5obllDvqQ_76DpNKGJzEki2BW/s1600/P1070766.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miyajima fog</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXWa7LfiB1H5jOCfBgntBefFaeg9YgHqa9GSE3C3bDfOILy5rl7wZ_lkC-gcefzQ1VriHMLPMlZon5gaXgACfwlZy2QD093LRRj5cx8IJzOUGo-S-ufQ-2MWs9-ikwc_EAvW2BgkUj6SW/s1600/P1070779.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQXWa7LfiB1H5jOCfBgntBefFaeg9YgHqa9GSE3C3bDfOILy5rl7wZ_lkC-gcefzQ1VriHMLPMlZon5gaXgACfwlZy2QD093LRRj5cx8IJzOUGo-S-ufQ-2MWs9-ikwc_EAvW2BgkUj6SW/s1600/P1070779.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cable car to Mt Misen<br />
Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu9LRUNKI5I2botwF_Nu-5qpF5Ez7Cniv6flJaHereHLQTTojIcal-6vE_HHHNxcL1KuCyljwvoPbgFsDk-NgMhxtTm-7IAzW_YG1SL9ZiSOs2zXmQoNHpSRsWtUsski0JtQTIIR61wHY/s1600/P1070781.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuu9LRUNKI5I2botwF_Nu-5qpF5Ez7Cniv6flJaHereHLQTTojIcal-6vE_HHHNxcL1KuCyljwvoPbgFsDk-NgMhxtTm-7IAzW_YG1SL9ZiSOs2zXmQoNHpSRsWtUsski0JtQTIIR61wHY/s1600/P1070781.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YUepA7ontWI74DFXxca_k8cWM6lgMJGuUz2hJFdRFWX6dtNZ4SljwYYXis2XNJFSd2_Jon9vuV61QELFd06kqONvbYFz0wyqRIhJUgzi95TadGmmEnLcm2ONTVD-I-Ete4Ho2AwdMNOS/s1600/P1070789.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-YUepA7ontWI74DFXxca_k8cWM6lgMJGuUz2hJFdRFWX6dtNZ4SljwYYXis2XNJFSd2_Jon9vuV61QELFd06kqONvbYFz0wyqRIhJUgzi95TadGmmEnLcm2ONTVD-I-Ete4Ho2AwdMNOS/s1600/P1070789.JPG" height="608" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These deer roam free on Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeNqaiO28AXClNsV9snL4MKg6NlqS7Nv9QnDkAhpEphQHgiM7fJBh1NX6Aj-2FGRPd1W6C-Jw8axC1vWDiY23NgBnXHqdQ-ZsFt8tAaiI7ZVQbWLZIgKMrUl_pEvKJ_YCNIMQeHMXy66w/s1600/P1070799.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeNqaiO28AXClNsV9snL4MKg6NlqS7Nv9QnDkAhpEphQHgiM7fJBh1NX6Aj-2FGRPd1W6C-Jw8axC1vWDiY23NgBnXHqdQ-ZsFt8tAaiI7ZVQbWLZIgKMrUl_pEvKJ_YCNIMQeHMXy66w/s1600/P1070799.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tide rolling in<br />
Miyajima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Paper cranes for peace</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hiroshima, history</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Atomic rebirth</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GTUag9NeN-yxpWmlGhH3-BujFYIatG99h63BEotcGimbLfvt3nngDuKrkI0eaWaFMX1CSSeyTYL9-i8fuBk3C3M7UQkoCMm7D9Pbhbmr9MXVuUFW9eskulEqfsZAQNt7-DpMfQ6BNnF5/s1600/P1070803.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1GTUag9NeN-yxpWmlGhH3-BujFYIatG99h63BEotcGimbLfvt3nngDuKrkI0eaWaFMX1CSSeyTYL9-i8fuBk3C3M7UQkoCMm7D9Pbhbmr9MXVuUFW9eskulEqfsZAQNt7-DpMfQ6BNnF5/s1600/P1070803.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peace Memorial Museum<br />
Hiroshima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1k70kKrkBaLLvo4uuLmItlPv4Pq70HhGwKmKyuNxUouwQdLify77i04zVCmaKxXwAsHxnDWrg81hiDWqntTUtZjfF2p-ZeDOS0nw6Bp-xfMmOz2GapKZEDsZTqydx6ZSqGresE2eyEtM/s1600/P1070804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1k70kKrkBaLLvo4uuLmItlPv4Pq70HhGwKmKyuNxUouwQdLify77i04zVCmaKxXwAsHxnDWrg81hiDWqntTUtZjfF2p-ZeDOS0nw6Bp-xfMmOz2GapKZEDsZTqydx6ZSqGresE2eyEtM/s1600/P1070804.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time stopped at 8:15 on August 6, 1945<br />
Peace Memorial Museum<br />
Hiroshima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaMHFtyXlLQonIvA2X9jlFHRDJvucgB_4vJQMFD1BEViJhzO6rHCKBlfR89GrrSg70SOhiIKaLrWYP2Erc_yNpxD2Zbi_0vfRbIbsry-CqC5zhvfwTzWmGGCMZMCY6q-brMvynR-IzzGE/s1600/P1070809.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicaMHFtyXlLQonIvA2X9jlFHRDJvucgB_4vJQMFD1BEViJhzO6rHCKBlfR89GrrSg70SOhiIKaLrWYP2Erc_yNpxD2Zbi_0vfRbIbsry-CqC5zhvfwTzWmGGCMZMCY6q-brMvynR-IzzGE/s1600/P1070809.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aftermath<br />
Peace Memorial Museum<br />
Hiroshima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tEpEZ95l6EXBAWByk88ueeji_7piYdyBXBTcB-TgsMPf9f_di4GwBZk92_-tB7l5Tde86uosO6gQCXUXbaFdy32fXwcr23rMkEV7IHKvdDv1YL6pT0V7pfzkn6CFyDHJiHWvtrl4ysEW/s1600/P1070815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tEpEZ95l6EXBAWByk88ueeji_7piYdyBXBTcB-TgsMPf9f_di4GwBZk92_-tB7l5Tde86uosO6gQCXUXbaFdy32fXwcr23rMkEV7IHKvdDv1YL6pT0V7pfzkn6CFyDHJiHWvtrl4ysEW/s1600/P1070815.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Centopath contains the names of all the known victims of the atomic bomb.<br />
The Flame of Peace will only be extinguished when every nuclear weapon on earth as been destroyed.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJn9koRpeuGsXwMRtQFwqSkRXQ5QY1KwakHGAfwfaBuRtf5GOyaaT7kPQYqDrYUujU02fHmGRwwdvWzL79PSYxb2sSZB-cypgAqYVT3W_WMRKCOsA5BHupMjDjX8jHuMt0Xr3vhvOs6a6/s1600/P1070818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFJn9koRpeuGsXwMRtQFwqSkRXQ5QY1KwakHGAfwfaBuRtf5GOyaaT7kPQYqDrYUujU02fHmGRwwdvWzL79PSYxb2sSZB-cypgAqYVT3W_WMRKCOsA5BHupMjDjX8jHuMt0Xr3vhvOs6a6/s1600/P1070818.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Children's Peace Monument surrounded by thousands of paper cranes<br />
Peace Memorial Park<br />
Hiroshima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC5JIZbuZMCPXzlacbt8e4PDLVU1N0frgQ87r9no8x-1-HesSjxevozg4UMBAm6COsO4BOF2p6RLzCiDi2g7UZxhNeEzf7Z0JdgbDqDlayGagVPpExGrlX87SeNCC04-ne7B9vN9YZ60I/s1600/P1070835.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggC5JIZbuZMCPXzlacbt8e4PDLVU1N0frgQ87r9no8x-1-HesSjxevozg4UMBAm6COsO4BOF2p6RLzCiDi2g7UZxhNeEzf7Z0JdgbDqDlayGagVPpExGrlX87SeNCC04-ne7B9vN9YZ60I/s1600/P1070835.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Atomic Bomb Dome<br />
Last standing building from the epicenter of the bomb<br />
Hiroshima</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mt Fuji bike ride</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Snow-capped peak, lavender fields</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Unforgettable!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJNm_lA9mCrAUuNZ19MDM4jf0uT9czRBm9xB7onkFmLig9yrz2WsLGzWBnQVIfcbkC4KFowAHw_hHd_9JHSTNyMmfGoPn7Q6yKM-MSyRNTUUB2OJTVrqyQzb-9Q7pdUfRuKzN6LEachtg/s1600/P1070839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJNm_lA9mCrAUuNZ19MDM4jf0uT9czRBm9xB7onkFmLig9yrz2WsLGzWBnQVIfcbkC4KFowAHw_hHd_9JHSTNyMmfGoPn7Q6yKM-MSyRNTUUB2OJTVrqyQzb-9Q7pdUfRuKzN6LEachtg/s1600/P1070839.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kawaguchiko Train Station</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozDfFWUy6AjNt8K8JGZLdPLaL_FyT1ne00tqyy-63YKZ2tFBABehAhiG1zQ9YYqua227bUDFNibS9GQo8uX-kZGVFABYvuEmPHA73OSzErGzAiQnyyKo_UXGqR1zFUmCFmV_Hhb-hXQnp/s1600/P1070846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhozDfFWUy6AjNt8K8JGZLdPLaL_FyT1ne00tqyy-63YKZ2tFBABehAhiG1zQ9YYqua227bUDFNibS9GQo8uX-kZGVFABYvuEmPHA73OSzErGzAiQnyyKo_UXGqR1zFUmCFmV_Hhb-hXQnp/s1600/P1070846.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hangin with friends near Mt Fuji</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1TafF56__Yl5tMk5Lq2bU9RjOSSVcKIT4bLFHRdU2LiRcadQF7GeN2M7FcVqCTxd3FAKWYmBoA3PAoPpukD5H1_aAjhoMnT0I_Y9m-HLaiUJdroIHAD4GEw5LeCtwKDAgljVKvbdoHRT/s1600/P1070855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB1TafF56__Yl5tMk5Lq2bU9RjOSSVcKIT4bLFHRdU2LiRcadQF7GeN2M7FcVqCTxd3FAKWYmBoA3PAoPpukD5H1_aAjhoMnT0I_Y9m-HLaiUJdroIHAD4GEw5LeCtwKDAgljVKvbdoHRT/s1600/P1070855.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kawaguchiko Lake</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvL14pvlwLcVt5anLjtQxRM-nyAj8QFVC2FeGJSn5X-NS8F4RoyZctt-2ppFnWoaepGSeaJgweTTwdGbhl8zz2dwe0pCeFYgxzcXAhklQ7X9-9QADqD9bwbSsD-vy6WefW21rGYw8kdNt/s1600/P1070856.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvL14pvlwLcVt5anLjtQxRM-nyAj8QFVC2FeGJSn5X-NS8F4RoyZctt-2ppFnWoaepGSeaJgweTTwdGbhl8zz2dwe0pCeFYgxzcXAhklQ7X9-9QADqD9bwbSsD-vy6WefW21rGYw8kdNt/s1600/P1070856.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mt Fuji</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg4-GEBjuFblS8kJ0FBACOKv-7TLDknqaccUVByB9BK5VkllPa3T4x-pukxbUeT3Hyvdci0xhbXABHaFuSvm-O5X-Aj0_MgtIraHXzCyhjtKamyWYC-Pmc6WM01yJ_GHMM6v0Q9LE8KDb/s1600/P1070866.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwg4-GEBjuFblS8kJ0FBACOKv-7TLDknqaccUVByB9BK5VkllPa3T4x-pukxbUeT3Hyvdci0xhbXABHaFuSvm-O5X-Aj0_MgtIraHXzCyhjtKamyWYC-Pmc6WM01yJ_GHMM6v0Q9LE8KDb/s1600/P1070866.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kawaguchiko<br />
Mt Fuji foothills</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEZLTClu5zLpFK-OSXeWADGgRn5-pGOslirMgAHaD7AzZ8iXk9WBfVitaPLafaxei2S4v3DmU9wBAozU7Aslo61lIeHGINjjf1CFr62Nhf0Yuvxy3jEyprDIxgscYw78Es5r-F5cUimLd/s1600/P1070884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEZLTClu5zLpFK-OSXeWADGgRn5-pGOslirMgAHaD7AzZ8iXk9WBfVitaPLafaxei2S4v3DmU9wBAozU7Aslo61lIeHGINjjf1CFr62Nhf0Yuvxy3jEyprDIxgscYw78Es5r-F5cUimLd/s1600/P1070884.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lavender fields<br />
Oishi Park<br />
Kawaguchiko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZV5pWTAQRGv-17cr6McjCPd4iiIORuH3cvK3sRiuj_hyiCIdKArUVxhh8mWO5DpcKZp2HD4e0kPyv0aAsq0DbYw8IZivGBDonCIY-uZ59ko8YrNHdT4y5zpV3vu-6745vaP9NhUz5AIo/s1600/P1070887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkZV5pWTAQRGv-17cr6McjCPd4iiIORuH3cvK3sRiuj_hyiCIdKArUVxhh8mWO5DpcKZp2HD4e0kPyv0aAsq0DbYw8IZivGBDonCIY-uZ59ko8YrNHdT4y5zpV3vu-6745vaP9NhUz5AIo/s1600/P1070887.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oishi Park<br />
Kawaguchiko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwf96L0aU6i306G95z8SMwHua_QxLpfSiQstIBRbO8B4AyeHXgKu5boF19tuu0qo9cBjfdpAhY2VyVPjmdXxsudM_30KqUzxoHyXdG3LWSLXruNX8ZwRQbw5PxGEBowOWWi9ngEw7HNp0/s1600/P1070904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVwf96L0aU6i306G95z8SMwHua_QxLpfSiQstIBRbO8B4AyeHXgKu5boF19tuu0qo9cBjfdpAhY2VyVPjmdXxsudM_30KqUzxoHyXdG3LWSLXruNX8ZwRQbw5PxGEBowOWWi9ngEw7HNp0/s1600/P1070904.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trusty wheels<br />
Saiko Lake<br />
Kawaguchiko</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8xcLzDkB9zcQ8HkxtY-3itXXGTP1oJ1ihv-070eUTrWbWcvpovTm4auuMr-kTvVess5hWspS3rDanzIpiBdgwaSMB_s-JC2cXajZNe0NG-eNaqVVYZgQgiYovGiqcLNzdh7Dfuxk_csY/s1600/P1070860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm8xcLzDkB9zcQ8HkxtY-3itXXGTP1oJ1ihv-070eUTrWbWcvpovTm4auuMr-kTvVess5hWspS3rDanzIpiBdgwaSMB_s-JC2cXajZNe0NG-eNaqVVYZgQgiYovGiqcLNzdh7Dfuxk_csY/s1600/P1070860.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another breath-taking view<br />
Mt Fuji</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bright stadium lights,</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Baseball and beer, just like home.</span></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hey, Go! Go Swallows!</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgGspgbV42D3MDd-G2iGRRL2agGM9hnSHdZeAAfDVz7bN8YIv38mOFslY3x0K-X3zVV0sSqQa8eKSon2En-OG0CsKuzAQ4T3Z7LAWKDY2AtB06YdGnyA5rs4WS7M3h6sU2MP6CwwCxpba/s1600/2014-07-08+18.55.15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgGspgbV42D3MDd-G2iGRRL2agGM9hnSHdZeAAfDVz7bN8YIv38mOFslY3x0K-X3zVV0sSqQa8eKSon2En-OG0CsKuzAQ4T3Z7LAWKDY2AtB06YdGnyA5rs4WS7M3h6sU2MP6CwwCxpba/s1600/2014-07-08+18.55.15.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Root, root, root for the home team!<br />
Jingu Stadium<br />
Tokyo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PM5rcNZGRNS5dR1kmI0xJbjjpXoOvBUQ9JyMNRk3xS2Uejlf7VX6i51SaZBbY5la1RFX40QkMmoqsKxEA9__EGr_zOpMnSIj5Eh4X6DqzuoWs32V8M8hso3VQ44PZicenX3FnfR29-f5/s1600/2014-07-08+20.44.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3PM5rcNZGRNS5dR1kmI0xJbjjpXoOvBUQ9JyMNRk3xS2Uejlf7VX6i51SaZBbY5la1RFX40QkMmoqsKxEA9__EGr_zOpMnSIj5Eh4X6DqzuoWs32V8M8hso3VQ44PZicenX3FnfR29-f5/s1600/2014-07-08+20.44.17.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Yakult Swallows!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii03TL4roOjfa4CCOaxOIhYYCy8lwKeZOh149rFfOI2YZOsxgAGNHbaqx8ZYZ5QWex32qSkJ4yX_33pa4GJGckNEgvpNSS30WdC_UGyL_CLq5MFwAhZwntwrWX2T7u4cJSIizwCqRbkkw/s1600/2014-07-08+20.39.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii03TL4roOjfa4CCOaxOIhYYCy8lwKeZOh149rFfOI2YZOsxgAGNHbaqx8ZYZ5QWex32qSkJ4yX_33pa4GJGckNEgvpNSS30WdC_UGyL_CLq5MFwAhZwntwrWX2T7u4cJSIizwCqRbkkw/s1600/2014-07-08+20.39.39.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Umbrella cheer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlyESBlCU3qR5CEqzHtxCmgL2IZl5p8D988ty5ZHTFQyRO5ThQr4W_vMWiwG419wYRC8NThooDwQAgCTw1sgh4_zBlKAV-YFlyQbZ7xaihGDcL06OqaBQdGa0OMSoD16a6MzPjlE-UeW/s1600/2014-07-08+20.11.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenlyESBlCU3qR5CEqzHtxCmgL2IZl5p8D988ty5ZHTFQyRO5ThQr4W_vMWiwG419wYRC8NThooDwQAgCTw1sgh4_zBlKAV-YFlyQbZ7xaihGDcL06OqaBQdGa0OMSoD16a6MzPjlE-UeW/s1600/2014-07-08+20.11.27.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beer and baseball go hand-in-hand</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Japan in our hearts, </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Sayonara</i> is so sad.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Oh, <i>arigato</i>!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4t67sAW2nvCbOXAzwNjFsprB4jcWN0ArN7z-S_0WqR7LGseFtD5uTlvNG1wCs8iHqOh56bvGU7ZOf5UANCG13g14uQuXCZJcyRVYObIvNAmCzVkFaOn88PIEXATxZ3Ohb9TqBxzwgnrr/s1600/P1070587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ4t67sAW2nvCbOXAzwNjFsprB4jcWN0ArN7z-S_0WqR7LGseFtD5uTlvNG1wCs8iHqOh56bvGU7ZOf5UANCG13g14uQuXCZJcyRVYObIvNAmCzVkFaOn88PIEXATxZ3Ohb9TqBxzwgnrr/s1600/P1070587.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy in Kyoto</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn34_T2FOWRNC0dwpD8w4ahlZV95s_Ga1hbluPmoWm0JVHzMAKCK6iWseZlmumM0SVVVghhSjNv01zplRrncEb76uelNfMEOhH4zWuvM_h6qC_WTSIUlp21K7fNtWq-Od7m1vJeaE9NlJn/s1600/P1070308.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn34_T2FOWRNC0dwpD8w4ahlZV95s_Ga1hbluPmoWm0JVHzMAKCK6iWseZlmumM0SVVVghhSjNv01zplRrncEb76uelNfMEOhH4zWuvM_h6qC_WTSIUlp21K7fNtWq-Od7m1vJeaE9NlJn/s1600/P1070308.jpg" height="640" width="484" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boo!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-52205643051589395652014-09-07T06:38:00.001-07:002014-09-07T06:38:14.654-07:00Angkor Wat<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Following an <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/06/motorbike-diaries-2-cruisin-central.html">awe-inspiring motorbike trip through central Vietnam</a> and <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/08/another-day-another-adventure.html">a few days recovering in Hoi An</a>, Dad and I said goodbye to Lisa and flew across the boarder to <a href="http://www.tourismcambodia.com/">Cambodia</a>. After checking in at the hotel, we beelined straight for dinner at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g297390-d1656983-Reviews-Cambodian_BBQ_Restaurant-Siem_Reap_Siem_Reap_Province.html">Cambodian BBQ</a>. Dad manned the grill, cooking up bits of chicken, pork, beef, squid, swordfish, dogfish shark, and crocodile. I manned the beer bottles.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBbKHuqdvKcnX1DGMGMsscXrvk7MZtZuRCQYfwhaibQg4EPI93CEgdWzUu385-Vmc9o2UvVSvnqLoLQBpbLR8d_IYHOCxUn_rGrqQ1-BMA_mb2yTZZ93feTmnObu0Y-c77bvJYPjdPQ7i/s1600/2014-04-06+21.06.16-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXBbKHuqdvKcnX1DGMGMsscXrvk7MZtZuRCQYfwhaibQg4EPI93CEgdWzUu385-Vmc9o2UvVSvnqLoLQBpbLR8d_IYHOCxUn_rGrqQ1-BMA_mb2yTZZ93feTmnObu0Y-c77bvJYPjdPQ7i/s1600/2014-04-06+21.06.16-1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmmm, grilled meat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoYHziYTkpfxx9O1X6sKK4DhvSowhoeRXffmSCiJy0XWpgF6lbfgAYYkU_ps74DHMJVUzPA984-gpBYY_Q1RHIUPWCqhAfLJxElp6miLGDyZiXC5IKov0U-O817doKf1PFXhyphenhyphenDszeqY1C/s1600/2014-04-06+20.53.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQoYHziYTkpfxx9O1X6sKK4DhvSowhoeRXffmSCiJy0XWpgF6lbfgAYYkU_ps74DHMJVUzPA984-gpBYY_Q1RHIUPWCqhAfLJxElp6miLGDyZiXC5IKov0U-O817doKf1PFXhyphenhyphenDszeqY1C/s1600/2014-04-06+20.53.21.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mmmm, beer</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next morning, we hired a tuk tuk driver, Won Di, to cart us around the <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/668">Angkor Wat complex</a>. As he pulled to a stop in front of the famous Angkor Wat temple, we began to realize how impressive the world’s largest religious monument truly is. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa4h7gCDPXoNkYVAaCzOUEDgHucGhJYIDjScliWEerXQVxu96o__Aj0PQbDj2cJ4r14nrj1V0RNIK_wn7NP5Ne87Of92XGVO0x6SzS9bdLHyHTwrx-L7x7Is1eDOlmv7Qi5C_u0BgbNK_/s1600/P1060939.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipa4h7gCDPXoNkYVAaCzOUEDgHucGhJYIDjScliWEerXQVxu96o__Aj0PQbDj2cJ4r14nrj1V0RNIK_wn7NP5Ne87Of92XGVO0x6SzS9bdLHyHTwrx-L7x7Is1eDOlmv7Qi5C_u0BgbNK_/s1600/P1060939.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE63zdyIV9y8uBsucmA0QwbAy0zOOOLTYGzENwOfv95PtW5d-Tn6VKa_oZV6CMONNRAIXmCP3M3G0yh7OLqKKeNwfKgfDMHXZ3cbyYvx-zrso8mnT9lQDpLh20kevm-rgk3sqvuGRQ-bzv/s1600/P1070009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE63zdyIV9y8uBsucmA0QwbAy0zOOOLTYGzENwOfv95PtW5d-Tn6VKa_oZV6CMONNRAIXmCP3M3G0yh7OLqKKeNwfKgfDMHXZ3cbyYvx-zrso8mnT9lQDpLh20kevm-rgk3sqvuGRQ-bzv/s1600/P1070009.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ridin' in style with Won Di</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat over 600ft wide. Inside the temples, there are hundreds of bas-reliefs, in varying states of ruin. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfouSlCbFR-SCwS2lAyQeyo4dK805ac8HSFzIH5dfdptC-9oLWEORRY791gi9NxgXaKASzvkVFwBae04oha5PlUEVNBTh5III6qVIxJOMG2WODtR9JEpgLWjPmfcc3TNb5Qd3kbVEjT6MC/s1600/P1060818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfouSlCbFR-SCwS2lAyQeyo4dK805ac8HSFzIH5dfdptC-9oLWEORRY791gi9NxgXaKASzvkVFwBae04oha5PlUEVNBTh5III6qVIxJOMG2WODtR9JEpgLWjPmfcc3TNb5Qd3kbVEjT6MC/s1600/P1060818.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior temple<br />Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYL9imzPtM8aao8db8aTr9tFXE46kVDyKISPRFjalD04QPW09V8euMTI1DbUv5NR7g8A0jfX8nhSRSJb6v6E-uQcSE8PnXK_xkG3sAQa9qXrSaI4BCE078rR_DBKlWphIbiL62GkYo4py/s1600/P1060790.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIYL9imzPtM8aao8db8aTr9tFXE46kVDyKISPRFjalD04QPW09V8euMTI1DbUv5NR7g8A0jfX8nhSRSJb6v6E-uQcSE8PnXK_xkG3sAQa9qXrSaI4BCE078rR_DBKlWphIbiL62GkYo4py/s1600/P1060790.jpg" height="640" width="324" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEH3-eQnfQmwUk0xOo1d9J3kWZOzx7_MegP9EpUVuTo_fKlO0UHHXVQPWDKwrSiJj2WMQfj9bOSPk6tYlzEUIyvULxAnIL2RYhYck7ZVYFUXVPJtDsLkmCUBfGcwYTdWDoJCwDCLKIDZ4/s1600/P1060792.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEH3-eQnfQmwUk0xOo1d9J3kWZOzx7_MegP9EpUVuTo_fKlO0UHHXVQPWDKwrSiJj2WMQfj9bOSPk6tYlzEUIyvULxAnIL2RYhYck7ZVYFUXVPJtDsLkmCUBfGcwYTdWDoJCwDCLKIDZ4/s1600/P1060792.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-bottom: 6px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 6px; padding-top: 6px; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uRMV-48xjx2Zk6q34w9OKvGbXxc55uhI6oc1AFNiY102eCyRQc93EyWHHPDFP1YqkTV5_P3mSahzbIe8FC9PelwhrhA-l-bwOIcwxoo1UR9zyLp8veg4h_8QhalBCGhlheP7D-kYURqt/s1600/P1060794.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0uRMV-48xjx2Zk6q34w9OKvGbXxc55uhI6oc1AFNiY102eCyRQc93EyWHHPDFP1YqkTV5_P3mSahzbIe8FC9PelwhrhA-l-bwOIcwxoo1UR9zyLp8veg4h_8QhalBCGhlheP7D-kYURqt/s1600/P1060794.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyTqORiunOJ0BbocGm31NdNxwt7NlztDiTI70VrCpuyXX5rMssVzyWPPIcOwhNV3eIepGVD65OwhPl4oKZtuHoQYkdlC93roYOo7SuSog5DhLRAt2g5iduzbbLk_oN9ZiLMNRbNJDgpLx/s1600/P1060796.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyTqORiunOJ0BbocGm31NdNxwt7NlztDiTI70VrCpuyXX5rMssVzyWPPIcOwhNV3eIepGVD65OwhPl4oKZtuHoQYkdlC93roYOo7SuSog5DhLRAt2g5iduzbbLk_oN9ZiLMNRbNJDgpLx/s1600/P1060796.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vyCD3M0y1myjO6J1b3fV-u2-BATxD-VagHRZUy1pKwLGstoBZyUOuraoxIOyrNlwuqx4Qbg0nWHUohT7xKWufcQiG0Qg87HV5A0i2cRw8PEu7YHLRIewAcsQ29eEWku87r_ZmUpJDjQG/s1600/P1060801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2vyCD3M0y1myjO6J1b3fV-u2-BATxD-VagHRZUy1pKwLGstoBZyUOuraoxIOyrNlwuqx4Qbg0nWHUohT7xKWufcQiG0Qg87HV5A0i2cRw8PEu7YHLRIewAcsQ29eEWku87r_ZmUpJDjQG/s1600/P1060801.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interior temple of Angkor Wat through a window</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3NUki4dLCZ3v6WSOEemgpn5UYK2WWCUILUJGaPyGj1zXXo3jeNoxXLG4vKLqd67YQgRTUCUKMjTz38l2_5nGGXjTJ9DG0a5An5_ImIBn4o7mHuZrfExvYo8PEPG2XtbwwjZJoL3W1XxV/s1600/P1060806.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3NUki4dLCZ3v6WSOEemgpn5UYK2WWCUILUJGaPyGj1zXXo3jeNoxXLG4vKLqd67YQgRTUCUKMjTz38l2_5nGGXjTJ9DG0a5An5_ImIBn4o7mHuZrfExvYo8PEPG2XtbwwjZJoL3W1XxV/s1600/P1060806.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next up on the tour was Bayon, inside the Angkor Thom complex. Bayon is another example of Khmer design and is best known for the 216 giant carved faces of Avalokiteshvara.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnap3dkI9A686lGZJhuPoZi-nj7vkIumQhKBMPIXcRSEOPrJelBj8mE6Gtomu1Yzd_PeSnKdylOBEuPswgld_bcPQPKJF5jydXpp_dfFd-RTGNARKvBzaFfqfw_Fu2QYNGV_4Ca0axv3d/s1600/P1060855.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPnap3dkI9A686lGZJhuPoZi-nj7vkIumQhKBMPIXcRSEOPrJelBj8mE6Gtomu1Yzd_PeSnKdylOBEuPswgld_bcPQPKJF5jydXpp_dfFd-RTGNARKvBzaFfqfw_Fu2QYNGV_4Ca0axv3d/s1600/P1060855.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xv8QFpf2H1OiPXOwyng_bOvGL5dYzw0EfRdI6GCV0MwRWJbGwRnDdj7jZb5CPQ-eeurx_w620x4A69PE2OLPlFD2SeNlN6hSJGpnw6INWZymQ-UtCPqP2GBFiQkIm_iNMK5azvLMDQrC/s1600/P1060859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xv8QFpf2H1OiPXOwyng_bOvGL5dYzw0EfRdI6GCV0MwRWJbGwRnDdj7jZb5CPQ-eeurx_w620x4A69PE2OLPlFD2SeNlN6hSJGpnw6INWZymQ-UtCPqP2GBFiQkIm_iNMK5azvLMDQrC/s1600/P1060859.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjletLgAEq_DbXmWZ30JSwPJtdjRr2XRBEBF9yOE1dJg9cYk3DbIjd5jPFB7gYpFFmlDUO3F2ngWO46uurESVM0OffIERO9EioF6uWYYSsdVfA_POdjGsPASOwcZnxFy6bVIJoZ3b9EmCpp/s1600/P1060860.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjletLgAEq_DbXmWZ30JSwPJtdjRr2XRBEBF9yOE1dJg9cYk3DbIjd5jPFB7gYpFFmlDUO3F2ngWO46uurESVM0OffIERO9EioF6uWYYSsdVfA_POdjGsPASOwcZnxFy6bVIJoZ3b9EmCpp/s1600/P1060860.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful relief work<br />Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4lfRvieHb7-nc5sjelHz2xEYktqVxyMmXAcIg-4HOfqxX8HXAXoYsOQvQimVu7FmX_mJRAPcwWRv4wafWMN-kUlC6lG5w8ipuB5RJrtU-rY-_glqPXwkkT1G34toWJgLEB5HSmajvJoi/s1600/P1060861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ4lfRvieHb7-nc5sjelHz2xEYktqVxyMmXAcIg-4HOfqxX8HXAXoYsOQvQimVu7FmX_mJRAPcwWRv4wafWMN-kUlC6lG5w8ipuB5RJrtU-rY-_glqPXwkkT1G34toWJgLEB5HSmajvJoi/s1600/P1060861.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NbtMeIL1mxIhtyHhF3Zp1nJnJOu9USZUtN_dlub_wBs_UNd4rk_sUGNyiazHVMFNz7gPDvllWglx1rvhLmFufmcyjNxhCU9E2JZorrWJE_S9vjCt8h3P0Rt5Cz0TZga-DOMmcGc0EpUr/s1600/P1060864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9NbtMeIL1mxIhtyHhF3Zp1nJnJOu9USZUtN_dlub_wBs_UNd4rk_sUGNyiazHVMFNz7gPDvllWglx1rvhLmFufmcyjNxhCU9E2JZorrWJE_S9vjCt8h3P0Rt5Cz0TZga-DOMmcGc0EpUr/s1600/P1060864.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IDHlL7xGuX_hxE7cJYldc2qWKdYFI0jo6zMWDb-4p257PyquxRPQ4M-MxjveiSQhLasUZ7fTHqxJQumf7A2zHsss9MVTtqMNFvCP5bzO5ZaIaf5rg_EmC2ob3gmvUlMAsWCOLAW-ARu9/s1600/P1060868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IDHlL7xGuX_hxE7cJYldc2qWKdYFI0jo6zMWDb-4p257PyquxRPQ4M-MxjveiSQhLasUZ7fTHqxJQumf7A2zHsss9MVTtqMNFvCP5bzO5ZaIaf5rg_EmC2ob3gmvUlMAsWCOLAW-ARu9/s1600/P1060868.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Huge faces<br />Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4kV0J50wjh9SsBBJiTJeLhP1btvzYBv3Nt2JSDabDSaU_rsBa4Hpu3-eYY25LBFYXrKmOtO1U2Nh90sTWJGebDg52BC9HblLZy2dtQyVazS0jnw0yuyAQkgsijyf8x4mB4Y1uCOta1Gb/s1600/P1060870.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4kV0J50wjh9SsBBJiTJeLhP1btvzYBv3Nt2JSDabDSaU_rsBa4Hpu3-eYY25LBFYXrKmOtO1U2Nh90sTWJGebDg52BC9HblLZy2dtQyVazS0jnw0yuyAQkgsijyf8x4mB4Y1uCOta1Gb/s1600/P1060870.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqlywWkID6ChGjOT17Vu1i1-Tk6XvmPwHPSQpIz0WvmCZpvPhidjXACH0KVVRQA3xNIuhaITlu-Z_liXkZU3Z-14SLdFn4oAhqPp0HhNO-RxvyDu7pkOfsEHfQdpeNr4EjmqdM1s9dlEc/s1600/P1060873.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKqlywWkID6ChGjOT17Vu1i1-Tk6XvmPwHPSQpIz0WvmCZpvPhidjXACH0KVVRQA3xNIuhaITlu-Z_liXkZU3Z-14SLdFn4oAhqPp0HhNO-RxvyDu7pkOfsEHfQdpeNr4EjmqdM1s9dlEc/s1600/P1060873.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1087Z7tV6z-kd4Kl4XgM2OM7WvfuUs2vMLcog3rKCiEEOksaJCO1yBdyifpGJvLzOTkSWV6JcSUYyolDubVtjzn8PMYaBZIAB_gtRKZ3DImRix9p4j2wLoan1zgVn3tn2RE0lMXP6CY6N/s1600/P1060874.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1087Z7tV6z-kd4Kl4XgM2OM7WvfuUs2vMLcog3rKCiEEOksaJCO1yBdyifpGJvLzOTkSWV6JcSUYyolDubVtjzn8PMYaBZIAB_gtRKZ3DImRix9p4j2wLoan1zgVn3tn2RE0lMXP6CY6N/s1600/P1060874.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3wSdLbRMDM5Mp6P3A9l80EwP8qCae4-FgdbMqnLx6ZaK_NOGsU_VwaqKrB3pcHULwAMNPVr8uwpGv3FccR4yOecGuy3ISlIlbCBa4eGr2FSg-yhRJl6ehxoM9NmKrW5-BNB5wxRJXWjk/s1600/P1060876.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3wSdLbRMDM5Mp6P3A9l80EwP8qCae4-FgdbMqnLx6ZaK_NOGsU_VwaqKrB3pcHULwAMNPVr8uwpGv3FccR4yOecGuy3ISlIlbCBa4eGr2FSg-yhRJl6ehxoM9NmKrW5-BNB5wxRJXWjk/s1600/P1060876.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-F0j4rR9LC-t92ukXo6ffqCfpsNQz_nhBYX8tfdPuFemlTbqn5eQjpIhCrMsRChLJ3uhrrAPP9G7wIEzPj36FtTujk4gHkGua_WCjSC7mrjulgXmetrH9lFOtukXmWdj_88G4Mhk4_vM/s1600/P1060877.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy-F0j4rR9LC-t92ukXo6ffqCfpsNQz_nhBYX8tfdPuFemlTbqn5eQjpIhCrMsRChLJ3uhrrAPP9G7wIEzPj36FtTujk4gHkGua_WCjSC7mrjulgXmetrH9lFOtukXmWdj_88G4Mhk4_vM/s1600/P1060877.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-UZhP9HTAyfNYE_JMJed8508R7CEEvaHBoxQoLbA0d9B3iCaxBYWAv2fT7E8xBLvLQ3sQb-NruWij8_n2Epp0rzmAbrJjnyi4zJmnhtVnl0YKlfmJo7TXth0jdKMze1nHFfN7lMs5_Bn/s1600/P1060879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD-UZhP9HTAyfNYE_JMJed8508R7CEEvaHBoxQoLbA0d9B3iCaxBYWAv2fT7E8xBLvLQ3sQb-NruWij8_n2Epp0rzmAbrJjnyi4zJmnhtVnl0YKlfmJo7TXth0jdKMze1nHFfN7lMs5_Bn/s1600/P1060879.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bayon, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The heat really started to set in as we tuk tuk-ed our way down the road to Ta Prohm. Ta Prohm is popularly referred to as the <i>Indiana Jones</i> temple. The beautiful towers and courtyards are overgrown by trees, their roots slowly devouring the stone.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1XGIDCoo85f4D1_tw3oI0wj55h8Xphyphenhyphenty5spLFfJSDrongsnkbyk_wdIuKThYNUnputCQxALqkKy5rNIdhK_CPHvvWWRUF1Z_7ssuzlEvLin3PMkMLEbfyzRb8NchmbrR_hgU8B8qjWP/s1600/P1060884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1XGIDCoo85f4D1_tw3oI0wj55h8Xphyphenhyphenty5spLFfJSDrongsnkbyk_wdIuKThYNUnputCQxALqkKy5rNIdhK_CPHvvWWRUF1Z_7ssuzlEvLin3PMkMLEbfyzRb8NchmbrR_hgU8B8qjWP/s1600/P1060884.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr8QMDvmFtrVBNLm0L8IlTXKclNaa_Btotp76tvLUXxsPdm0ucO84j6h_4KYqkEsUZpa6mOb4qDpc4FyUkxZ5-gaYNY6fKGW2PtW2pKBo8ZYsOCrzkg2kRBpRb-sD3QCqyUnDwfT4ohhU/s1600/P1060886.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFr8QMDvmFtrVBNLm0L8IlTXKclNaa_Btotp76tvLUXxsPdm0ucO84j6h_4KYqkEsUZpa6mOb4qDpc4FyUkxZ5-gaYNY6fKGW2PtW2pKBo8ZYsOCrzkg2kRBpRb-sD3QCqyUnDwfT4ohhU/s1600/P1060886.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots<br />Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzLRAdYjbjJ0KmOUDZ9erQ8VbBbxs5QuuOMQ3ANMKWfs9bj4YX3eJxXhIadKh-RRnjDn9ETLhkAa76tKIolcJe35HeIT0y-LfnPQ7fiyDipfUG6gjdTMg6AsmI95xdj8k8tJcnAikJ2pe/s1600/P1060888.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitzLRAdYjbjJ0KmOUDZ9erQ8VbBbxs5QuuOMQ3ANMKWfs9bj4YX3eJxXhIadKh-RRnjDn9ETLhkAa76tKIolcJe35HeIT0y-LfnPQ7fiyDipfUG6gjdTMg6AsmI95xdj8k8tJcnAikJ2pe/s1600/P1060888.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking over<br />Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp8pFoXOv01GorMS56ekxGATVbRpaQQ8Mcnmowyrpds2VAf9MCRM74zf4u9U1VMofdSFBGTtUxi4UUdyQEHw9v8nLMjo9UjRne6k9xYBs1BP1PncSpCfXbAbJ5Ee03uEM1YIrhcT9TYwR/s1600/P1060890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglp8pFoXOv01GorMS56ekxGATVbRpaQQ8Mcnmowyrpds2VAf9MCRM74zf4u9U1VMofdSFBGTtUxi4UUdyQEHw9v8nLMjo9UjRne6k9xYBs1BP1PncSpCfXbAbJ5Ee03uEM1YIrhcT9TYwR/s1600/P1060890.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk17_qdl8wNUC6c8yZsjQnsGIM1HYRWLLk0HU3L7mrE9zU-YmKOP-e00ocdf2iv-UjJhAUwdYakwpZa534uwR52HLXZ-hv53lRtCYWqnadRwN3GZBr7jPWbEyIrvQ0dnmCW-QBFu9P347l/s1600/P1060893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk17_qdl8wNUC6c8yZsjQnsGIM1HYRWLLk0HU3L7mrE9zU-YmKOP-e00ocdf2iv-UjJhAUwdYakwpZa534uwR52HLXZ-hv53lRtCYWqnadRwN3GZBr7jPWbEyIrvQ0dnmCW-QBFu9P347l/s1600/P1060893.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazing!<br />Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVEYp3dIvYhgeJCwvC9ivCn5n0IQ6HAvN9CaDE8wRHxWVM6aBaFa86xQN8TaKmaByr-MXZ7ydyiM2oibf4rFzk_IjtxTzE_nj5Sm8LOeDfypgGyirbVNT4UZAjjDsFU79su1D_EiYPbkY/s1600/P1060896.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVEYp3dIvYhgeJCwvC9ivCn5n0IQ6HAvN9CaDE8wRHxWVM6aBaFa86xQN8TaKmaByr-MXZ7ydyiM2oibf4rFzk_IjtxTzE_nj5Sm8LOeDfypgGyirbVNT4UZAjjDsFU79su1D_EiYPbkY/s1600/P1060896.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tree hug<br />Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfuMDlRSFm4kXPEMMaRp87CPYasG01CO0Fqqi5FqDYCAmYyhX3zGGt6jS2RaIAevQIi9q3kijvOb41k8Eyvl0uskkWWirCiSX9pao2s8b45bifTRVrHzTF5YnC51fkpPQP_-UZv6gFg8o/s1600/P1060900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidfuMDlRSFm4kXPEMMaRp87CPYasG01CO0Fqqi5FqDYCAmYyhX3zGGt6jS2RaIAevQIi9q3kijvOb41k8Eyvl0uskkWWirCiSX9pao2s8b45bifTRVrHzTF5YnC51fkpPQP_-UZv6gFg8o/s1600/P1060900.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9u-gBbEv7Xh7UGBo9VfW1JeJbpMGHHBldN4P_9i0VZczEjN-1s_6E9CDdWeMZf_eCEiVQLHYuVHHz-vG1BKAXq3ODjArSVmEiCyvPY3eKjv7n3e8zXplSbmSXdaLCd7HX0d4zG-vB0Owa/s1600/P1060902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9u-gBbEv7Xh7UGBo9VfW1JeJbpMGHHBldN4P_9i0VZczEjN-1s_6E9CDdWeMZf_eCEiVQLHYuVHHz-vG1BKAXq3ODjArSVmEiCyvPY3eKjv7n3e8zXplSbmSXdaLCd7HX0d4zG-vB0Owa/s1600/P1060902.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKIrC29-8wTUTuUkHOd_TvvjfuobSJu1P6KxJeNEav5w6OeM8TAHODo7c8EEn2KTOwtrXlD56O3e6G6xIADmq-KH8GKDHuf-l0WGfrEtoYGCjFBHnbINRneqE6n1-qOL4sSKxFhXUXK4J/s1600/P1060905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJKIrC29-8wTUTuUkHOd_TvvjfuobSJu1P6KxJeNEav5w6OeM8TAHODo7c8EEn2KTOwtrXlD56O3e6G6xIADmq-KH8GKDHuf-l0WGfrEtoYGCjFBHnbINRneqE6n1-qOL4sSKxFhXUXK4J/s1600/P1060905.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As the afternoon sun beat down on us in full force, we climbed the hill to Phnom Bakheng to see the sun set over Angkor Wat. We were exhausted, soaked with sweat, hungry, and less than eager to deal with the rapidly growing mass of people also looking to take in the sunset. After a short debate, we decided to head back down the hill to find Won Di to take us home.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZfLRsRS3cyS9ahXJfbOPKYoL_8NwojozU9MJg0bj_2xp150XjoFNGbuYQPcVlekYaF8SHuvD1NGkTuvB7-5vyamLawYDIBVMKv1SClrhZgUgELuTqDBWxUR-j_Bc9gQCG8ej1aJDrs_M/s1600/P1060907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdZfLRsRS3cyS9ahXJfbOPKYoL_8NwojozU9MJg0bj_2xp150XjoFNGbuYQPcVlekYaF8SHuvD1NGkTuvB7-5vyamLawYDIBVMKv1SClrhZgUgELuTqDBWxUR-j_Bc9gQCG8ej1aJDrs_M/s1600/P1060907.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remains of steps up to Phnom Bakheng</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgpbJSWcqSFbuS1ljGp6YI_aFL9rzj7Yy980Oarsj4MWPLFkUTYZja6MGZ04PA2Jss_yvzUJHK221EzPQpZ6zl84Q0n036wGTWyVzC_2j4K37_uzVJAHI0zziWsXuiWLu9p7_FdoHJOTK/s1600/P1060909.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIgpbJSWcqSFbuS1ljGp6YI_aFL9rzj7Yy980Oarsj4MWPLFkUTYZja6MGZ04PA2Jss_yvzUJHK221EzPQpZ6zl84Q0n036wGTWyVzC_2j4K37_uzVJAHI0zziWsXuiWLu9p7_FdoHJOTK/s1600/P1060909.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viewing deck at Phnom Bakheng</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Well before dawn the next morning, Dad and I woke up and met Won Di out front for a chilly tuk tuk ride back to Angkor Wat. We followed the crowds over the moat and towards the reflective pool. As day broke, the mob of onlookers grew quiet, busily clicking photos of the magical sunrise over the temple.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlzVtDZHVavd_-j-5oCs_ximF6jkXi4rbe-4e4sfRjdK-XJJUmcJaBeTME3RQ0gkr2l_s1lK88tJANoysZMOvlwWFxjUXyXCZ0_O_RLjr3Z7HLlcnz8mVCDPre8cBEcVG7aQTzjTpvfsD/s1600/P1060916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOlzVtDZHVavd_-j-5oCs_ximF6jkXi4rbe-4e4sfRjdK-XJJUmcJaBeTME3RQ0gkr2l_s1lK88tJANoysZMOvlwWFxjUXyXCZ0_O_RLjr3Z7HLlcnz8mVCDPre8cBEcVG7aQTzjTpvfsD/s1600/P1060916.JPG" height="359" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daybreak at Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPMCNHcbGxdDNneZPGn_CVc0IB5vFQVsEbrM1pOzxaenCQ2JT12TrMgeNbMxG6WmbUfovCEkKZ3U8zdEyHux7MpzLtrVWd5SuQiaDMxKNfQi3ekVWMLQNvnrJZTIrZpYEM24ZKYfWTa24/s1600/P1060922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDPMCNHcbGxdDNneZPGn_CVc0IB5vFQVsEbrM1pOzxaenCQ2JT12TrMgeNbMxG6WmbUfovCEkKZ3U8zdEyHux7MpzLtrVWd5SuQiaDMxKNfQi3ekVWMLQNvnrJZTIrZpYEM24ZKYfWTa24/s1600/P1060922.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reflection<br />Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAwQt2S1ZhvEU0ZwRkZ-ijKTHCjW5N5h5OQ2VsuokNr4iAMURLsQB6n-jA7kpzLdLhicJSxjbVqJkzs7hpBepSp_vmV17CZYoDawVvlkAwOTijWorhvXDHsB_d13XuPCv3f2emfIV19C_/s1600/P1060924.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigAwQt2S1ZhvEU0ZwRkZ-ijKTHCjW5N5h5OQ2VsuokNr4iAMURLsQB6n-jA7kpzLdLhicJSxjbVqJkzs7hpBepSp_vmV17CZYoDawVvlkAwOTijWorhvXDHsB_d13XuPCv3f2emfIV19C_/s1600/P1060924.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise<br />Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FBXYSubbCtIjXobtkkoeDU9GtuUFVwH-pu2Di3HZGb3TAft5cwrM9etElTxx4Rh4VMX3HvbHEzBSgDOa6HMdjV70UDKz8YSS_Sk2XJe75Hk3jRlMd1faokuX-q6IKFj8Q6scRmQSKajX/s1600/P1060925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4FBXYSubbCtIjXobtkkoeDU9GtuUFVwH-pu2Di3HZGb3TAft5cwrM9etElTxx4Rh4VMX3HvbHEzBSgDOa6HMdjV70UDKz8YSS_Sk2XJe75Hk3jRlMd1faokuX-q6IKFj8Q6scRmQSKajX/s1600/P1060925.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise<br />Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzMWjyFu5zOOqWg6fKVe_dZTxQof3L_ySAmOiI5L01kwTMBC1bUnR4eSu7Vpa7yyB-Fo6_S1GUaq3Ij1D-h64g6TXEZ0Y9X6rNHfseGOEE-qAzby1ugVIFyb-4ec6sBJRXxSQitzJ7jDI/s1600/P1060930.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYzMWjyFu5zOOqWg6fKVe_dZTxQof3L_ySAmOiI5L01kwTMBC1bUnR4eSu7Vpa7yyB-Fo6_S1GUaq3Ij1D-h64g6TXEZ0Y9X6rNHfseGOEE-qAzby1ugVIFyb-4ec6sBJRXxSQitzJ7jDI/s1600/P1060930.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here comes the sun<br />Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After breakfast at one of the food tents outside the temple, we met Won Di again had headed through the Angkor Thom South Gate. We stepped out of the tuk tuk and strolled along the bridge to cross into Angkor Thom on foot.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlEDzaDJR-bgo_hEj_vBAiA4sGWaAjAGKwxolC0l18lMlU0nJ72HrLTbOJImQ33KAB6IGeBScS_CCQ4bR81K7Yq3HTsj65DEz4Z5L79WkW2axz11opToJ_YozFgyY6SB6-5Lt6a99BC1Q/s1600/P1060947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizlEDzaDJR-bgo_hEj_vBAiA4sGWaAjAGKwxolC0l18lMlU0nJ72HrLTbOJImQ33KAB6IGeBScS_CCQ4bR81K7Yq3HTsj65DEz4Z5L79WkW2axz11opToJ_YozFgyY6SB6-5Lt6a99BC1Q/s1600/P1060947.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Thom South Gate</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCe-dLCflVhgdaK7vxR7fdBI1-WgfzlQ9MBu7uOiZebvwV3yXyKNR1bHr8PzER0vNw1ccW8zDhNYOz7eYvdSy2kucvYil_oq84hEHq6v7crh-YahNjpmtYkSevcwLzyJtzLkpAyusnzAt/s1600/P1060948.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUCe-dLCflVhgdaK7vxR7fdBI1-WgfzlQ9MBu7uOiZebvwV3yXyKNR1bHr8PzER0vNw1ccW8zDhNYOz7eYvdSy2kucvYil_oq84hEHq6v7crh-YahNjpmtYkSevcwLzyJtzLkpAyusnzAt/s1600/P1060948.jpg" height="640" width="358" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing guard</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMb83d78Oyth-Jz61KxEEJxmtSrtgsvLKbtgPBKliiZc6MPoBbEpdhpegyhjabIwnPX711Vb-TT87HBd1cfmvYb6ymzd4U7F7aoBZYnwJ9HeGnXCVOaiKqwG_GjwKfU1NkQUeUYkfRwZT/s1600/P1060950.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYMb83d78Oyth-Jz61KxEEJxmtSrtgsvLKbtgPBKliiZc6MPoBbEpdhpegyhjabIwnPX711Vb-TT87HBd1cfmvYb6ymzd4U7F7aoBZYnwJ9HeGnXCVOaiKqwG_GjwKfU1NkQUeUYkfRwZT/s1600/P1060950.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angkor Thom South Gate</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On the other side of the complex, we arrived at Preah Khan. This was possibly my favorite of all the temples, with its pink- and green-hued stones and lichen covering. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTPB2RWJ8xXCfHGUMViy0B-jP_bWD0rblFx3IG6Bozxz2iEnx5K9zSeHLC8BmMUTLO4Vdedz1_NfYV4ReaOLjLF4UTYeDXRypj1hgWo_WlD5e7ZfKs7Es6y4H_fxYSaB1nrmaBDlkvuyT/s1600/P1060957.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTPB2RWJ8xXCfHGUMViy0B-jP_bWD0rblFx3IG6Bozxz2iEnx5K9zSeHLC8BmMUTLO4Vdedz1_NfYV4ReaOLjLF4UTYeDXRypj1hgWo_WlD5e7ZfKs7Es6y4H_fxYSaB1nrmaBDlkvuyT/s1600/P1060957.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bigfoot<br />Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsUEFPQIBWvfCmQ-g6Uuf1KOlAM15n3iyzfzOiVYeR2KS5icdkl0MN3IUaNzOKPEgNFqqe0AvfGOEKJPAa2AIYJ0TdAmXaUApN3AxxfK0F-LqnxRVUtF5dKOl69fOeceYWkq4f7Sf7pTd/s1600/P1060982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlsUEFPQIBWvfCmQ-g6Uuf1KOlAM15n3iyzfzOiVYeR2KS5icdkl0MN3IUaNzOKPEgNFqqe0AvfGOEKJPAa2AIYJ0TdAmXaUApN3AxxfK0F-LqnxRVUtF5dKOl69fOeceYWkq4f7Sf7pTd/s1600/P1060982.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunlight shining into the temple<br />Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ueaHeYoVgt9PABvykJeBmoAmlSzM8qWNZBETi0DU3wrIhz3JLdOFv5cxvh7e-RYkXpFFLVO_pOEMhBpQ1VZ6zd39lHUajPc2FOgwwCTN5a9Vw-CGDJ5hp6WNJP8LU-uxJOpR2i_bSvWi/s1600/P1060988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ueaHeYoVgt9PABvykJeBmoAmlSzM8qWNZBETi0DU3wrIhz3JLdOFv5cxvh7e-RYkXpFFLVO_pOEMhBpQ1VZ6zd39lHUajPc2FOgwwCTN5a9Vw-CGDJ5hp6WNJP8LU-uxJOpR2i_bSvWi/s1600/P1060988.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink and green stones<br />Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr1bRFNQWQiaD3npCClabK9IvH6LgoXDKu_djbSw-baiA1Dmk6dsog2QO9naOu-X942McEWHdF9dgxopxhu7phvbvw1Vh89Nl0S1l3Pr-aqOAisKSOveC_RsjJKTnPuW9oy5dX_vyD2t8/s1600/P1060991.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEr1bRFNQWQiaD3npCClabK9IvH6LgoXDKu_djbSw-baiA1Dmk6dsog2QO9naOu-X942McEWHdF9dgxopxhu7phvbvw1Vh89Nl0S1l3Pr-aqOAisKSOveC_RsjJKTnPuW9oy5dX_vyD2t8/s1600/P1060991.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWipqyeIgK3ygve_mY6d-yWI86251AFnyJOjzuxtlzD_5co4RKp9egWS59ogRoT-wmLhq8wCmQAAbC9XBtdN29FRojHNeJHw5jZOAdB3vZdb_ZuNP3LwVIqEidyNDIqTZPVJdL1qZuHZSd/s1600/P1060993.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWipqyeIgK3ygve_mY6d-yWI86251AFnyJOjzuxtlzD_5co4RKp9egWS59ogRoT-wmLhq8wCmQAAbC9XBtdN29FRojHNeJHw5jZOAdB3vZdb_ZuNP3LwVIqEidyNDIqTZPVJdL1qZuHZSd/s1600/P1060993.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnAmaJfC5xfHJHMEDkecKrVqjRSsdVHaMWje-R_8pA9i_UGUMu3yFa56u7-JgRtPmwussuuHP4sM2Ey44Ki85mIRUqNNoQ6yIDCSUFlWyUCvSsgYlP8Cwa99un0wUqXxEY3c7R5wYvyfC/s1600/P1060994.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijnAmaJfC5xfHJHMEDkecKrVqjRSsdVHaMWje-R_8pA9i_UGUMu3yFa56u7-JgRtPmwussuuHP4sM2Ey44Ki85mIRUqNNoQ6yIDCSUFlWyUCvSsgYlP8Cwa99un0wUqXxEY3c7R5wYvyfC/s1600/P1060994.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNz9FUe5MiYBgRXEt0h9UalsJFQOxmg5OrhNwvP4bYeP4Fy4fB8bb4bFlkzuJBl6_x0aSKnSO08IcYwvHpRgHZsozBULp5kDRij0G8VpMJ_MiS2X83uCrFD4OiuOB2BwvwWqow03LAtjW/s1600/P1060996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhNz9FUe5MiYBgRXEt0h9UalsJFQOxmg5OrhNwvP4bYeP4Fy4fB8bb4bFlkzuJBl6_x0aSKnSO08IcYwvHpRgHZsozBULp5kDRij0G8VpMJ_MiS2X83uCrFD4OiuOB2BwvwWqow03LAtjW/s1600/P1060996.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seven-headed serpent<br />Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtdTwsdoEJNqSakZBh9CEKsrV-idVawzOj4Rh67ke_4b19tAdHnaZAGfaE1eZ7ouPiRvtGuuKmgQGlSYqfkZv8Ar9CnOio9-T7jGdcXW1OWeUUNRneS6-oXr3WSkn6o3lL3Pe8xuxU6-0/s1600/P1070008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtdTwsdoEJNqSakZBh9CEKsrV-idVawzOj4Rh67ke_4b19tAdHnaZAGfaE1eZ7ouPiRvtGuuKmgQGlSYqfkZv8Ar9CnOio9-T7jGdcXW1OWeUUNRneS6-oXr3WSkn6o3lL3Pe8xuxU6-0/s1600/P1070008.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Preah Khan, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next up was a long walk down a wooden pier over a somewhat creepy swamp to Neak Poan. This tiny temple is surrounded by a peaceful pool. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy90rlaBS0Q7cR7ISj5wzO9OtzvB4fwsufpRacS5RHre_orZdgs4J2YC_1g3UGyIvXI_aEB7rTh8B0XEslGFSsrtJskjjaPvaOaAtWRNWXJOyPya61WqVTk7p65t9YoLWso4DFScRGFQJ/s1600/P1070012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNy90rlaBS0Q7cR7ISj5wzO9OtzvB4fwsufpRacS5RHre_orZdgs4J2YC_1g3UGyIvXI_aEB7rTh8B0XEslGFSsrtJskjjaPvaOaAtWRNWXJOyPya61WqVTk7p65t9YoLWso4DFScRGFQJ/s1600/P1070012.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swamp<br />Neak Poan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEXTTYRaYUWA75wT1zsURZiyeEG-qXXY5SRz4iLxg5t9ygaRHO9MMaQEwpuiNztG6n7WkDm8X92QTwoiKIzsZWtRBGaaM17bfYgQ_hdpz-8uzxtfMt1GoXw8mfPJH6aA6pN8NTul7T9Nd/s1600/P1070014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEXTTYRaYUWA75wT1zsURZiyeEG-qXXY5SRz4iLxg5t9ygaRHO9MMaQEwpuiNztG6n7WkDm8X92QTwoiKIzsZWtRBGaaM17bfYgQ_hdpz-8uzxtfMt1GoXw8mfPJH6aA6pN8NTul7T9Nd/s1600/P1070014.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neak Poan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFevTLVtUV7iJazL4AhLijD1i29VA4goMiiM8dqn4xam4xOY8agaR285sHFTXu5B2AEdXpxlfP7cYarKUGnRUB7I6pmR8CjuwpVX2dl1senIheq7fsv9uR9-keryP0gcvlfZ8KXq4NLbKD/s1600/P1070016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFevTLVtUV7iJazL4AhLijD1i29VA4goMiiM8dqn4xam4xOY8agaR285sHFTXu5B2AEdXpxlfP7cYarKUGnRUB7I6pmR8CjuwpVX2dl1senIheq7fsv9uR9-keryP0gcvlfZ8KXq4NLbKD/s1600/P1070016.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neak Poan</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As the heat of the day grew stronger, we toured around lesser-known Ta Som. It was a bit like a combination of the pink and green stones of Preah Khan and the overgrown jungle of Ta Prohm. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8inzKes528-V4Py-oKCdYKEeIlvds87MqXi8Mj0-ciDfinrb-Za4GbPSTBiF0p2uxNMRl6q64iHb1VIEOJgbJKICDZqBdBCs9aC2vPQWuGa9VyVWbB_rzuj_Q8bRzMrkGxIGbrcKyOtd/s1600/P1070023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB8inzKes528-V4Py-oKCdYKEeIlvds87MqXi8Mj0-ciDfinrb-Za4GbPSTBiF0p2uxNMRl6q64iHb1VIEOJgbJKICDZqBdBCs9aC2vPQWuGa9VyVWbB_rzuj_Q8bRzMrkGxIGbrcKyOtd/s1600/P1070023.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX479mP5YvoVi75j6dMuL_CVA6yeZHDhqyh4u-SNuUIWyRMMKoAzKfUATfHWTkv7xHBWgzBhpKk_QqqxapNrz1wwxOe5I4R1pvUcwPBFdRuR4qE6QAPWoM6RuQDqF1sHW8WtckPirdleMM/s1600/P1070031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX479mP5YvoVi75j6dMuL_CVA6yeZHDhqyh4u-SNuUIWyRMMKoAzKfUATfHWTkv7xHBWgzBhpKk_QqqxapNrz1wwxOe5I4R1pvUcwPBFdRuR4qE6QAPWoM6RuQDqF1sHW8WtckPirdleMM/s1600/P1070031.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hWM2yZ9eOKTKpN6paMtz-WwxiRMQti6oGpLoQ_kkM0fMN_veC5Dc13qjjAeWWXEXxSDp76niuPE717LtsjhbiJgXqTeEqyISCRT32S8x9wn0uTK0JiF6LaMx0G-1ChAXrv3JvQgeXCy9/s1600/P1070032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hWM2yZ9eOKTKpN6paMtz-WwxiRMQti6oGpLoQ_kkM0fMN_veC5Dc13qjjAeWWXEXxSDp76niuPE717LtsjhbiJgXqTeEqyISCRT32S8x9wn0uTK0JiF6LaMx0G-1ChAXrv3JvQgeXCy9/s1600/P1070032.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pink stones<br />Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4IAz2XFA6SLn-THC9Dtj7R7ilCiNjVTytC1r1To1SlyhRTglVHgLQr4uQ6_2crJ56Un8FCJAB0JPLG6TuenmKofa_UUjAYZDSAVXjCNK1llU_7sPQzk39r2eS_eGbYneQhAuxykKdahg/s1600/P1070034.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4IAz2XFA6SLn-THC9Dtj7R7ilCiNjVTytC1r1To1SlyhRTglVHgLQr4uQ6_2crJ56Un8FCJAB0JPLG6TuenmKofa_UUjAYZDSAVXjCNK1llU_7sPQzk39r2eS_eGbYneQhAuxykKdahg/s1600/P1070034.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sg0yHfcJ9AuMrvN0EUyppDXlmqTnLIL_2rWZjmhYJ4fDN3gDxI4QS9TJA0H_-K8q1i3riz7Zo2MRZNr7D02HX5Cluynaw5hPFxMHNVKLGufBt59gJz_NbfB2RGlLXc9JoGrn6TKM1nJq/s1600/P1070046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7sg0yHfcJ9AuMrvN0EUyppDXlmqTnLIL_2rWZjmhYJ4fDN3gDxI4QS9TJA0H_-K8q1i3riz7Zo2MRZNr7D02HX5Cluynaw5hPFxMHNVKLGufBt59gJz_NbfB2RGlLXc9JoGrn6TKM1nJq/s1600/P1070046.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roots<br />Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyluApcCCKxr-JRtoMQBs0XZinU2APugDhtOqQTNOiXygKRRwxsvnwTxGqmIq2e9gAnwhuSSTaHEha-tpGdcp6ax7f2DqDs4f41UkHar3qwOWdLma0Rh-AcnVZDL8lleux6HKK3WZUC-BK/s1600/2014-04-08+08.06.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyluApcCCKxr-JRtoMQBs0XZinU2APugDhtOqQTNOiXygKRRwxsvnwTxGqmIq2e9gAnwhuSSTaHEha-tpGdcp6ax7f2DqDs4f41UkHar3qwOWdLma0Rh-AcnVZDL8lleux6HKK3WZUC-BK/s1600/2014-04-08+08.06.45.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Incredible!<br />Ta Som, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our last temple was Banteay Kdei. The heat was so incredibly unbearable, we only made a quick circle of the temple before jumping straight back in the tuk tuk with Won Di.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banteay Kdei, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banteay Kdei, Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Two full days of temples, tuk tuks, and temperatures that prove Global Warming is real couldn’t have been spent with anyone better than Papa Baker!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Dad and me at Angkor Wat</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-28642647819947168162014-08-18T20:49:00.000-07:002014-08-18T20:49:48.153-07:00Another Day, Another Adventure<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><i>Back in April, my dad came to visit me for a couple weeks. We had an amazing time <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/06/dad-and-sam-in-viet-nam.html">traveling to Hue</a>, <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/06/motorbike-diaries-2-cruisin-central.html">motorbiking through central Vietnam</a>, exploring Angkor Wat, and boating around the Mekong Delta. I asked Papa Baker to write his own version of the story. Enjoy!!</i></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">On to another adventure with Sam. After </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';"><a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/05/reflections-of-taiwan.html">a successful visit to Taiwan</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande';">, it was time to return to Asia: Destination Viet Nam. Walter Cronkite showed me Viet Nam every night from 1965 til 1975. The names of the cities, villages and areas of Viet Nam echo in my mind.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready to fly</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The flight from Atlanta to Seoul was all daylight. I saw the ice breaking up on Lake Superior and a lot of Siberia. Clouds closed in as we flew into the area where the snow had melted. No view of the Great Wall for me.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ho Chi Minh City. The smell of the city hits you in the airport and follows you everywhere you go. I have never been anywhere that smells as good as Viet Nam. Someone is always cooking something just up there, around the corner, down that alley, through that door. Whatever it is, it sure smells good.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food, food, everywhere!</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/06/motorbike-diaries-2-cruisin-central.html">Three days on a scooter</a> built for a person 5’6” tall, 150 lbs. Three months later, I still have stripes on my feet from sunburn through my sandals. Seldom have I experienced the exhilaration I got from driving that scooter through Viet Nam. First time driving in NYC, maybe. Parasailing in Peru, probably. Buffaloes in the road. 10 meter visibility fog. Incredibly beautiful scenery on all sides.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We stopped at the Military Cemetery in Huong Dien. It struck me that I had the same feeling there that I had when I visited Arlington National Cemetery. Honorable men who died fighting for their country.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The tunnel complex at Vinh Moc, three levels dug by hand in solid basalt, were all I needed to see to understand why North Viet Nam was victorious. Iron will and determination proved undefeatable. I enjoyed going through the tunnels, but they are not for the claustrophobic. 1.5 meter tall, ½ meter wide in most places. I went through crouched and bumping the sides.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENAKrwWYNivsKIk50If4ufSDcAxNOINIVI25H5q5N9YgQH1i9CjhJm5VP7jEwFQzHpUcFU5wgu-EdpY7yJkFAxD5Nz-WKbR2F4uyAtgcz33MIJ570DBoDc_5_7Hr00Clp-k04vHfMb1Hi/s1600/10.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiENAKrwWYNivsKIk50If4ufSDcAxNOINIVI25H5q5N9YgQH1i9CjhJm5VP7jEwFQzHpUcFU5wgu-EdpY7yJkFAxD5Nz-WKbR2F4uyAtgcz33MIJ570DBoDc_5_7Hr00Clp-k04vHfMb1Hi/s1600/10.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watch your head</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Down the Ho Chi Minh Trail to Khe Sanh, last stop on the gloom and doom tour. This famed trail is now Highway 2. Smooth, well maintained, with an occasional truck burning in the ditch. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn73LnF9KYJQErkmzMO8sskImLQHXl0WQ5AgNRPlW4xe9Ng5lxktzeIstQZ4WrEUDBJSPaNmJnhv67PMLSHgbT9EK978DsNwbaXkhTkoKgMfu_iXOiV5TG29BbSbVVca2nP4C-3xu6o8S1/s1600/12.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn73LnF9KYJQErkmzMO8sskImLQHXl0WQ5AgNRPlW4xe9Ng5lxktzeIstQZ4WrEUDBJSPaNmJnhv67PMLSHgbT9EK978DsNwbaXkhTkoKgMfu_iXOiV5TG29BbSbVVca2nP4C-3xu6o8S1/s1600/12.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Chi Minh Trail</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">On to Da Nang and China Beach. Marble Mountain of 4,382 steps. Many of the stalagmites look just like Buddha, amazing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvyrpRxh4i6RKh0lvIEw06UU3r5kEB60YyI55-h4Jb8F8mAFB4mdl9-zlvYgUoyi2W4u9dR08ursewxqTGoyoc7Wb4zLJ0FkVr7RZKDK3Ry8GPhpOmXKveBfFwS0seqQntghxiMBRET0m/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvyrpRxh4i6RKh0lvIEw06UU3r5kEB60YyI55-h4Jb8F8mAFB4mdl9-zlvYgUoyi2W4u9dR08ursewxqTGoyoc7Wb4zLJ0FkVr7RZKDK3Ry8GPhpOmXKveBfFwS0seqQntghxiMBRET0m/s1600/IMG_5996.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KWrOMl-3lguP4SywahO4rhaY10uZE3WFO-lg3J6bmKiLc0LWti2KKDl8X7YHvjmgpGcbdjKlDvhByV2Md74dUvZNevgA_K3DZ1yo_fPfdKQLtGHPgTZeOgoj2S2OQHZY5DyOAb06g-mb/s1600/IMG_6026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5KWrOMl-3lguP4SywahO4rhaY10uZE3WFO-lg3J6bmKiLc0LWti2KKDl8X7YHvjmgpGcbdjKlDvhByV2Md74dUvZNevgA_K3DZ1yo_fPfdKQLtGHPgTZeOgoj2S2OQHZY5DyOAb06g-mb/s1600/IMG_6026.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Spent a couple of days in Hoi An partying with Sam’s friends, mostly Brits, but fun to hang with. Eat, drink, rest and get a massage. The hot stone massage burned, hurt and gave me a killer headache. The next day, however, I felt great. $25 for a 40 minute massage. I highly recommend it.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBN0b1d2aJqSRFbQDKUTHbgFZ5RoZ0ISBKFWz0ZOxOF_O6FZbQVedZ5mLCVwpWAmtc28qebSHTd5isq0gHcuNv-v1wwtTmGFdIN9l8fpLHoOYbprtZTFUhKOZs5s_dmzlGqYSp_r1OkhwN/s1600/IMG_6106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBN0b1d2aJqSRFbQDKUTHbgFZ5RoZ0ISBKFWz0ZOxOF_O6FZbQVedZ5mLCVwpWAmtc28qebSHTd5isq0gHcuNv-v1wwtTmGFdIN9l8fpLHoOYbprtZTFUhKOZs5s_dmzlGqYSp_r1OkhwN/s1600/IMG_6106.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidySGmgJYJ9lNHq76eRORrmC-Iw4fQt8eQpUL3rvZoZqWMQep9YMDrSMiR6lc-ioX8yddTI3O6zoen2lUD3SCjiv9KNX6K4jxu-eaqsADk2S3owjf1-mM6EtvF2QOkXVzENEXSHivYvtVe/s1600/IMG_6284.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidySGmgJYJ9lNHq76eRORrmC-Iw4fQt8eQpUL3rvZoZqWMQep9YMDrSMiR6lc-ioX8yddTI3O6zoen2lUD3SCjiv9KNX6K4jxu-eaqsADk2S3owjf1-mM6EtvF2QOkXVzENEXSHivYvtVe/s1600/IMG_6284.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoi An lanterns</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHGaD_-td-UAZ-d_jJyRMFHztkp_XL-UTLp0cx3f0ihFqHDih8C88EwlqaxmlkSwzc4HROCPTRnOKC1iAlL1q6uLkupLMr3WKKSxdWYn4eajKpyatriwyP9Q8wyGccZREJ3mgrbFvlA7E/s1600/IMG_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPHGaD_-td-UAZ-d_jJyRMFHztkp_XL-UTLp0cx3f0ihFqHDih8C88EwlqaxmlkSwzc4HROCPTRnOKC1iAlL1q6uLkupLMr3WKKSxdWYn4eajKpyatriwyP9Q8wyGccZREJ3mgrbFvlA7E/s1600/IMG_1118.JPG" height="298" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stuff of nightmares<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZWPBmilvasexcloQXpMFZZxvJaAehqEbcv-iugKd1FMK2-nueSJdhQONU_Ps0WqGasqUV3kuzjysbMdJzV1D3asym2duzZyEYjMujUMNj8ZiW01t5RzYXGbdsTnl2aMJYAc6HhGYfy-T/s1600/IMG_6354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZWPBmilvasexcloQXpMFZZxvJaAehqEbcv-iugKd1FMK2-nueSJdhQONU_Ps0WqGasqUV3kuzjysbMdJzV1D3asym2duzZyEYjMujUMNj8ZiW01t5RzYXGbdsTnl2aMJYAc6HhGYfy-T/s1600/IMG_6354.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coffee in Hoi An</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Flying out of Da Nang for Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. The revetment for the F4 Phantoms are still on the tarmac at Da Nang. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Traffic in Siem Reap was thicker and more berserk than any I saw in Viet Nam. The temples at Angkor Wat are beautiful, awe inspiring and overwhelming. After being surprised by elephants coming up the trail, the 112 degree heat became unbearable. Back to the hotel for A/C, shower and a nap. Khmer BBQ and Angkor beer for dinner. Very good.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Sunrise at Angkor Wat is worth the early start. Omelet sandwich and coffee for breakfast. Cambodian and Viet Namese coffee are the best. I wonder how they make it so good? Dinner and a floor show of Khmer song and dance. Tasty and entertaining.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We took a six hour bus ride to Phnom Penh. If you ever have the opportunity to make this trip, fly. Phnom Penh is a huge, bustling city. Some of the most interesting electrical systems I have ever seen hanging above a street. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We went to the ferry dock on the Mekong in the morning only to find that the boat was late. Bar open, beer cold, wait OK. During the boarding process, Sam went back to the office to get our lunches. Naturally, we left without her. Fortunately, we went back to the dock for her.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left behind</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The ferry trip down the Mekong is great. The river is alive with commerce. Ships, ferries, sampans, people and industry everywhere.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mekong River</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We arrived two hours late, but our guide, Mr Kao, was waiting to take us on a Mekong Delta tour. A two hour drive and ½ hour boat ride later, we arrived at our home stay and supper. Next morning, we went to the floating market for coffee, pineapples and souvenirs. Commerce never rests. After a walking tour of downtown whatever town we were in, we boated off to another restaurant for lunch and a tour of one of the Delta islands. And of course more food with tea and local honey. All I do is eat and drink. Life is good.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating coffee delivery</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Back to the car for the drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. We took the toll road, 62km at 60 km/hr. Highest speed limit in Viet Nam.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Dinner at the Ghetto Food Court. Three blocks from Sam’s house and I am completely lost. The last day and a half in Viet Nam are a blur. Went to the Post Office for trinkets and a book of inspirational war posters. Had weasel coffee, only $9 per cup. Probably more at their store in NYC. Took a tour of Sam’s school. A beautiful facility.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weasel coffee</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ms Samantha's class</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Happy hour at the Deck and dinner next door. Flagged a taxi, said goodbye and off to the airport. 29 hours on a plane and back in Alabama. I’m ready to go again. <a href="http://chicago.riotfest.org/?sort=day">Riot Fest in Chicago</a>, 12-14 Sep 14. See you there.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One last "cheers" to Vietnam!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-28158214092067605992014-06-28T09:23:00.000-07:002014-06-28T09:23:09.178-07:00Motorbike Diaries 2: Cruisin' Central Vietnam<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After a <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2014/06/dad-and-sam-in-viet-nam.html">quality night’s rest in Hue</a>, we met Mr. Hai out in front of the hotel to begin our grand road trip. <a href="http://www.dmzeasyrider.com/">Mr. Hai was recommended by a friend</a>, and he lived up to all our expectations. Our plan was to take the long way from Hue down to Hoi An, making a trip that usually takes only a few hours into an epic three-day escapade.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Even though I love riding my motorbike around Ho Chi Minh City, I was a bit anxious about driving the motorbike for three days. But my dad seemed unconcerned, even though his first few moments with Mr. Hai went something like this:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mr. Hai: “Oh, welcome to Vietnam! Have you driven a motorbike before?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dad: “Yeah, yeah, no problem!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mr. Hai: “Oh... have you driven in Vietnam?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dad: “No, well... No, actually I haven’t driven a motorcycle in a while.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mr. Hai: “When did you drive last?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dad: “1975.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mr. Hai: “Hmmm.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But, Vietnam is Vietnam, and driving experience is not necessary for driving. Mr. Hai sent Dad off on a “test run” that involved Dad chugging the bike down the road to the corner, turning around and riding back. Satisfied that Dad wouldn’t lay the bike out, Mr. Hai packed our bags onto the back of the bikes and we set off!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hai gives a driving lesson</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Locked and loaded</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our first stop was a military cemetery in Huong Dien, just north of Hue. The cemetery is dedicated to men who were killed during the Vietnam War. There were many tombstones without names, and several that had been “claimed” by families and bore hand-written names and dates.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Military Cemetery</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZA1gFZ50SXcttssywK0sX8Tge9Na-WjtiexZPS7yyNRfhYuCo-TTWHsHmlEkdKJvCu0Q2fYQaBRQbygSgeQYOBpvdNV5gvxLoWY3Z17w2eA-akD8HypPl25Wese1lLLyEQGUbUZ8hNhss/s1600/P1060503.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZA1gFZ50SXcttssywK0sX8Tge9Na-WjtiexZPS7yyNRfhYuCo-TTWHsHmlEkdKJvCu0Q2fYQaBRQbygSgeQYOBpvdNV5gvxLoWY3Z17w2eA-akD8HypPl25Wese1lLLyEQGUbUZ8hNhss/s1600/P1060503.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Military cemetery in Huong Dien</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQe-ZtcY7jhohYYyiwmk08AoZbFKNr-1sUT_InhU8u4sk3_LZjv4JTvXLlvnN3qvSq9myFoid8jEcNSkoyBgXgnycQpZbGhroyrS78XauqSZOb7WL0Rrc8cTeMHz6U2OssssYuFRM7LWEr/s1600/P1060504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQe-ZtcY7jhohYYyiwmk08AoZbFKNr-1sUT_InhU8u4sk3_LZjv4JTvXLlvnN3qvSq9myFoid8jEcNSkoyBgXgnycQpZbGhroyrS78XauqSZOb7WL0Rrc8cTeMHz6U2OssssYuFRM7LWEr/s1600/P1060504.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unknown soldiers</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next stop was the ruins of Long Hung Church in Quang Tri, which sustained eighty-one days of bombing during the War.</span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURUTOqdS_gWKNBBt-TNvDK4aqDO9mHPIIbX-zJ1biqFu08f5c6mmiaEZLH42SIUFfsfMlVw5976XqlfcGD9Vn5LRp3dJ3plA2FBjxI-iayRzci8cRuEAUFwzGLmrYMV5Y2YBrc-7s6SzR/s1600/P1060508.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURUTOqdS_gWKNBBt-TNvDK4aqDO9mHPIIbX-zJ1biqFu08f5c6mmiaEZLH42SIUFfsfMlVw5976XqlfcGD9Vn5LRp3dJ3plA2FBjxI-iayRzci8cRuEAUFwzGLmrYMV5Y2YBrc-7s6SzR/s1600/P1060508.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Hung Church</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_NLKLt2mFLH3XAwEgzTgfxsCRrdyOygvK__bszFG5fpjUepxYQ7i4B3l649UuGp4ASVZqNYHXbHMzyzH8g55ugIhSTmsDBe6MgvxQB3hMiVggLaziD_cLKawwCys3d9RVC0lvDZsUw0R/s1600/P1060509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE_NLKLt2mFLH3XAwEgzTgfxsCRrdyOygvK__bszFG5fpjUepxYQ7i4B3l649UuGp4ASVZqNYHXbHMzyzH8g55ugIhSTmsDBe6MgvxQB3hMiVggLaziD_cLKawwCys3d9RVC0lvDZsUw0R/s1600/P1060509.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullet holes</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsGC-vfR9ZchXVrI58hk5byGhyzflIo8nkzCTxY1y3_TcQLJTuUKvnBPBEyPX1prmcbX9FG39E5dhQtVMcN56Far6-StJKRosat81rwZsoJyd-BRytQLn8vSm7661F09_MnVrzaPeAh6h/s1600/P1060510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAsGC-vfR9ZchXVrI58hk5byGhyzflIo8nkzCTxY1y3_TcQLJTuUKvnBPBEyPX1prmcbX9FG39E5dhQtVMcN56Far6-StJKRosat81rwZsoJyd-BRytQLn8vSm7661F09_MnVrzaPeAh6h/s1600/P1060510.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrapnel holes in the tile work</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Dodging busses and doing our best to steer our bikes ‘safely’ within the minuscule shoulder of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Route_1A_(Vietnam)">famed Highway 1</a>, we made our way up the coast to Cua Viet Bridge. Here we happily dismounted the bikes and soaked in the ocean breeze blowing in from the South China Sea. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvE2QlRNwETsTtxVlaOUthyphenhyphenWfgfCU9F_PZfFAuD14-boet8fRbI9hLMDQcVXCLsnKdVHojQ6YwxuzMt64N2dHxGStpXxHlQzndXCugEdFR1P53yFKnH_Zb00Vro1oJ-DsN66CxtUKKYV5N/s1600/2014-04-02+12.21.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvE2QlRNwETsTtxVlaOUthyphenhyphenWfgfCU9F_PZfFAuD14-boet8fRbI9hLMDQcVXCLsnKdVHojQ6YwxuzMt64N2dHxGStpXxHlQzndXCugEdFR1P53yFKnH_Zb00Vro1oJ-DsN66CxtUKKYV5N/s1600/2014-04-02+12.21.36.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breezy driving break</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01XpMEoUvvRBq9LtqU3yx3x82S6LXrA7QjUtztnJBBvglKy7prrRIQGSTWc4_IOGLTyR6N2pi1lonMYmpAEGNUNUWi6OAssyhH555HmHt0ByCuX42jwg0inMdniXjXvUThnZviFzEC5Ow/s1600/P1060523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg01XpMEoUvvRBq9LtqU3yx3x82S6LXrA7QjUtztnJBBvglKy7prrRIQGSTWc4_IOGLTyR6N2pi1lonMYmpAEGNUNUWi6OAssyhH555HmHt0ByCuX42jwg0inMdniXjXvUThnZviFzEC5Ow/s1600/P1060523.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">South China Sea from Cua Viet</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXB0hlJWT4N1daXeXh8GZL33VYkaTT575zH6rzxI8L0o-IQBXjxkxcpUFTezBsVnfzcrv_udaqVJtWKm-cxj3MKA-9sl_MSh_zihrzK1eHU37QELNS0c9xL335Q0kzqqgnmkoED11UXN0/s1600/P1060524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKXB0hlJWT4N1daXeXh8GZL33VYkaTT575zH6rzxI8L0o-IQBXjxkxcpUFTezBsVnfzcrv_udaqVJtWKm-cxj3MKA-9sl_MSh_zihrzK1eHU37QELNS0c9xL335Q0kzqqgnmkoED11UXN0/s1600/P1060524.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fishing nets</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back on the road, we turned off Highway 1 and skirted the coast road up to Vinh Moc. Quickly the terrain changed from beaches to thick woods and hills, winding along one-lane roads, until we took a seemingly-unmarked turn and arrived at the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/V%E1%BB%8Bnh_M%E1%BB%91c_tunnels">Vinh Moc tunnels</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">During the Vietnam War, over 90 families sought refuge from the constant bombing by burrowing into the ground. The North Vietnamese villagers constructed a system of tunnels nearly 2km long, in three levels. The families lived and worked in the tunnels for years, and the documentary that preceded the tour painted a grisly picture of life underground.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The tunnels are now open to visitors and are rigged with electric lights and some signs explaining the different rooms. While the tour was impressive, seeing family rooms, toilets, meeting rooms, kitchens, school rooms, and even a make-shift hospital (children were born down there!), getting a glimpse into the reality of these people’s lives was sobering.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kHBhyphenhyphendl8oX5yp1s_yguQ2yVum5vhLZodphHI2k7EnQkuIO_vbld2RDFFsUsdqJOOw-6GGTk3Qa-XvAsYc6ZhnPBFanJVVarwGwvfffnvg5F3yYmJGDsH9YVSWTqMnYZsSEtXEEO-sQGI/s1600/P1060532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8kHBhyphenhyphendl8oX5yp1s_yguQ2yVum5vhLZodphHI2k7EnQkuIO_vbld2RDFFsUsdqJOOw-6GGTk3Qa-XvAsYc6ZhnPBFanJVVarwGwvfffnvg5F3yYmJGDsH9YVSWTqMnYZsSEtXEEO-sQGI/s1600/P1060532.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bombshells</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWW2dXsmUBh-Wv1ksxT-cQFIFhBzdOd-LkK2rLEwv5SbAD1Tj36-IjO4wkf7M3uQrLh1_kXTdYrUQlW8hcZsFjnBpVB5rd8GQrzS-EcIbkvEsM78o7OT4HEndT2comXUUrSpo43L17-XW/s1600/P1060527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNWW2dXsmUBh-Wv1ksxT-cQFIFhBzdOd-LkK2rLEwv5SbAD1Tj36-IjO4wkf7M3uQrLh1_kXTdYrUQlW8hcZsFjnBpVB5rd8GQrzS-EcIbkvEsM78o7OT4HEndT2comXUUrSpo43L17-XW/s1600/P1060527.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel entrance</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHWWTM-WEkITJdNWMsJzBEg__LG_dT6EqeTrwlBwwKWmX5l5m4NWBdn8Zdmo98yjfHkT09qQdUAcZsQT8lwYDEeXbgaI8ODgZ36KpwI6z4Y6oTOxpWPHGju9F9G48s6XEOT54Bcn-1kKz/s1600/P1060542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIHWWTM-WEkITJdNWMsJzBEg__LG_dT6EqeTrwlBwwKWmX5l5m4NWBdn8Zdmo98yjfHkT09qQdUAcZsQT8lwYDEeXbgaI8ODgZ36KpwI6z4Y6oTOxpWPHGju9F9G48s6XEOT54Bcn-1kKz/s1600/P1060542.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tunnel down to the second level</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW08QYFa7ihYtN2EsqJp3Lw1U8CRHyb4HBZmJrByANuHWdLMOjOVdivT6eCxfg0Mc6e1uPq3yCUO406oYzOpaeMCW2r_i0_8j8uSUnSMMzvz-R6oJuWPnS46NBuxtbr0OwWMgAVi2a-9yk/s1600/P1060544.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW08QYFa7ihYtN2EsqJp3Lw1U8CRHyb4HBZmJrByANuHWdLMOjOVdivT6eCxfg0Mc6e1uPq3yCUO406oYzOpaeMCW2r_i0_8j8uSUnSMMzvz-R6oJuWPnS46NBuxtbr0OwWMgAVi2a-9yk/s1600/P1060544.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Model of a family room in the tunnels</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5bfh9qTh9non_KUQAhSJN698VmdwU2ad2tJuUtMXYJbTdf5ipU_PzYxfqkDTs3eCXt482MCnsfoZOHYl2fhkOvBF3Dcuf7pTDbjrc-HycGkOJhqEPiSGE0FrgacC95yuTB5hcCqBkeCy/s1600/P1060546.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5bfh9qTh9non_KUQAhSJN698VmdwU2ad2tJuUtMXYJbTdf5ipU_PzYxfqkDTs3eCXt482MCnsfoZOHYl2fhkOvBF3Dcuf7pTDbjrc-HycGkOJhqEPiSGE0FrgacC95yuTB5hcCqBkeCy/s1600/P1060546.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad crouching in one of the family rooms</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwD_bVRWL9RL3m9_dqUF-0zI8vrUxVl30Z53hoVOrhwQh27qzVsv7rN7gJ5yDGbrtQpomRCDfMt5SxNFSDTeKUEowvZLNls5k11nCi6YzESmc_OndDo_dAR1XxC95FqII85kfg8nzbx6p/s1600/P1060552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIwD_bVRWL9RL3m9_dqUF-0zI8vrUxVl30Z53hoVOrhwQh27qzVsv7rN7gJ5yDGbrtQpomRCDfMt5SxNFSDTeKUEowvZLNls5k11nCi6YzESmc_OndDo_dAR1XxC95FqII85kfg8nzbx6p/s1600/P1060552.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving the tunnels</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Exiting the tunnels, we came out into the daylight and to a beautiful ocean view.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RW0aP90-MHQh3V1Q0X-8rxe349Xc5ZrQLIScBdZEcsbX2OVO83eY0gD11-OysY6oJg0yYds2Hh7GCHO6wiFNOq4ECcu6YSo7JnVGjSQ9OCoVgxEwnTK6vumBd5c8QsdDKDsmwVMbk5lV/s1600/P1060556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1RW0aP90-MHQh3V1Q0X-8rxe349Xc5ZrQLIScBdZEcsbX2OVO83eY0gD11-OysY6oJg0yYds2Hh7GCHO6wiFNOq4ECcu6YSo7JnVGjSQ9OCoVgxEwnTK6vumBd5c8QsdDKDsmwVMbk5lV/s1600/P1060556.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vinh Moc Beach</td></tr>
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<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The final pit stop was the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g293926-d1532574-i41166341-Stop_Go_Travel-Hue_Thua_Thien_Hue_Province.html">Ben Hai River</a> and the 17th Parallel. This is the sight of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_Demilitarized_Zone">Demilitarized Zone</a>. The DMZ was the dividing line between North and South Vietnam during the War. Now the line is marked with a small museum and the old French bridge still stands.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjuPmrTwHZrC5yadY_JzJOmsULhMGRFKflP-gyK6274Wnc8qBvadXnj8EV35AwKmbm60qNeDjlkaOxa5SLos-iD5go2cHf6EYfGiWRLoa31_6KQE8h2wTl9hXIoPITvZPC4njCmPEHw-c/s1600/P1060560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpjuPmrTwHZrC5yadY_JzJOmsULhMGRFKflP-gyK6274Wnc8qBvadXnj8EV35AwKmbm60qNeDjlkaOxa5SLos-iD5go2cHf6EYfGiWRLoa31_6KQE8h2wTl9hXIoPITvZPC4njCmPEHw-c/s1600/P1060560.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge over Ben Hai River, marking the<br />
division between North and South Vietnam</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our first day of travel was nearly finished, but not before a drive over the river, through the woods, and across the Truong Son Mountains.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0FZwZS3FDhwf8yVnzbJed-6azXlQX3mSyzavAGMDUYIoqeEJLwyXqx7u6Kgzw9GP0yPG2AV6_zJL0gOd27rzE4HkC-P226oRXS29d9Y_wUThKh5oMfs2DoGActcE8gVk8tsavLk_94ow/s1600/P1060565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq0FZwZS3FDhwf8yVnzbJed-6azXlQX3mSyzavAGMDUYIoqeEJLwyXqx7u6Kgzw9GP0yPG2AV6_zJL0gOd27rzE4HkC-P226oRXS29d9Y_wUThKh5oMfs2DoGActcE8gVk8tsavLk_94ow/s1600/P1060565.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadside friend</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HeptSSX37ZBe3VZRMtVCH-3oUrmZ8IpKhr2vskYKyaPxnStBfCV2SR0nl7zACyazyCu9jOufMWKvjFkf93yRRU06umFtWA3Firn1fxFYxvDnMHiZWpiSzoLo46zkznpR9__EIa1eSttR/s1600/P1060569.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4HeptSSX37ZBe3VZRMtVCH-3oUrmZ8IpKhr2vskYKyaPxnStBfCV2SR0nl7zACyazyCu9jOufMWKvjFkf93yRRU06umFtWA3Firn1fxFYxvDnMHiZWpiSzoLo46zkznpR9__EIa1eSttR/s1600/P1060569.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice farmers</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We arrived late that night in Huong Hoa, also known as Khe Sanh Town. After a quick shower, we joined Mr. Hai in the restaurant next door to the hotel for one of the stranger Vietnamese dishes: a whole chicken deep fried in sticky rice!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lE-kNAHcJl06TDHgqejtqXkE0p7Fuzm5WCGwkRGXwjlswyV10UFdUxfpF9TFmuYsGmnjvUt5HwF9bSfm0wWrJHIZnx0eFpLlTb92Jm3Vv6TjjgH9nqncXFh9qyIDVoifZQYNtKi5TCpM/s1600/2014-04-02+19.42.44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9lE-kNAHcJl06TDHgqejtqXkE0p7Fuzm5WCGwkRGXwjlswyV10UFdUxfpF9TFmuYsGmnjvUt5HwF9bSfm0wWrJHIZnx0eFpLlTb92Jm3Vv6TjjgH9nqncXFh9qyIDVoifZQYNtKi5TCpM/s1600/2014-04-02+19.42.44.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hai carves the chicken</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next morning, we downed our breakfast and an extra shot of <i>ca phe sua da</i> and set off for Khe Sanh Military Base. <a href="http://www.history.com/topics/vietnam-war/battle-of-khe-sanh">Khe Sanh is the sight of the most famous siege of the War</a>. The difference in the number of soldiers and civilians killed varies greatly depending on which source you trust. While the base was the sight of an incredibly bloody battle, it’s now very quiet.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdv_pOgSfFP7GOWJvupqpNRZDktlQS5FiZuJ5b0I2c7jylaCHdLDjwMMwkPKcGVSblZpHVoE-w2pdcjqwlO4X_T-ukQUXJi09uSm05-lSZG1J_lLHey1maXkUuDXFY-SEYpdwbGipp8j0/s1600/P1060573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdv_pOgSfFP7GOWJvupqpNRZDktlQS5FiZuJ5b0I2c7jylaCHdLDjwMMwkPKcGVSblZpHVoE-w2pdcjqwlO4X_T-ukQUXJi09uSm05-lSZG1J_lLHey1maXkUuDXFY-SEYpdwbGipp8j0/s1600/P1060573.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khe Sanh Town</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXz5t9JnTZ_tUQ6Er7goYGBmYNJn20RJYRT2v9IwKfQP4KCLL2uFcLAPKW_FDNoeuwZ-x_spv_1lEfeq4Y1gadCzNhBcMeAA4u_5nSxNmRXDwktBbF5SP-lSC6I28ETXcxvbyYM7K6SM8J/s1600/P1060578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXz5t9JnTZ_tUQ6Er7goYGBmYNJn20RJYRT2v9IwKfQP4KCLL2uFcLAPKW_FDNoeuwZ-x_spv_1lEfeq4Y1gadCzNhBcMeAA4u_5nSxNmRXDwktBbF5SP-lSC6I28ETXcxvbyYM7K6SM8J/s1600/P1060578.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helicopter </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXh96-UwVpkOU2qFjMohWGDFHeai4ceSu30XzCYsRrHCMov-h0XuHBSUTPqqWc-Rpk2KmSHIA9Wf_zBa0U4mlMrUGzOjyVtG4KtkZAaDmikttG3Kan3wbEvVluQ_bF3x9Zr0ii0dVqCaS/s1600/P1060579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBXh96-UwVpkOU2qFjMohWGDFHeai4ceSu30XzCYsRrHCMov-h0XuHBSUTPqqWc-Rpk2KmSHIA9Wf_zBa0U4mlMrUGzOjyVtG4KtkZAaDmikttG3Kan3wbEvVluQ_bF3x9Zr0ii0dVqCaS/s1600/P1060579.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Khe Sanh Military Base</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2yw9Omn5DXf-l7fbgV7L0vZ8sBdf7H8Qz2p097T9ScKMlrsIFBsIBl6ZhSbh8jbJHkCyhvrTf4izKV4azYGjkd1CKmrVMCTPhe5N_IF3xQ4tm49sTJpmv5ngdZTTFCN0EnKdDFXN1F6m/s1600/P1060581.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha2yw9Omn5DXf-l7fbgV7L0vZ8sBdf7H8Qz2p097T9ScKMlrsIFBsIBl6ZhSbh8jbJHkCyhvrTf4izKV4azYGjkd1CKmrVMCTPhe5N_IF3xQ4tm49sTJpmv5ngdZTTFCN0EnKdDFXN1F6m/s1600/P1060581.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runway</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLZ8OoL6mpv8CZVv45Nt036RdN_QyFNQlIr4P3tvdH-Al9TsxijIMUKf3K_Kh3KtLnz1AS1vU3h4119c6ejuonfFSyWcX9fWoesuSAMA5QwWCfXXQkOuSa5fBhVAuYak6eks6bjwiVewe/s1600/P1060587.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTLZ8OoL6mpv8CZVv45Nt036RdN_QyFNQlIr4P3tvdH-Al9TsxijIMUKf3K_Kh3KtLnz1AS1vU3h4119c6ejuonfFSyWcX9fWoesuSAMA5QwWCfXXQkOuSa5fBhVAuYak6eks6bjwiVewe/s1600/P1060587.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Propellors </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was only 10am, but the sun was blazing and the heat was scorching as we crossed over the Dakrong Bridge outside of Khe Sanh. We spent the rest of the morning and into the afternoon sweating and burning in the wind as we zoomed through the mountain pass.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcGPae_vUi-qK1LTb_MpBJHfGYFMQpdA0LpeZafI0evWKjuWrntkqvSeL69viVU4NSiJXCto4xTdtOQvC-YnD2pRDyb-U7vyp2KaDfKIW4GF7OHDHCx6_kYc7rThMtYiM15DKKOVJLO9T/s1600/P1060590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcGPae_vUi-qK1LTb_MpBJHfGYFMQpdA0LpeZafI0evWKjuWrntkqvSeL69viVU4NSiJXCto4xTdtOQvC-YnD2pRDyb-U7vyp2KaDfKIW4GF7OHDHCx6_kYc7rThMtYiM15DKKOVJLO9T/s1600/P1060590.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Dakrong Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIDCCXNbJ8PDg9sp5gvb6Vt3a3e4dybWMDQMx-gK4DMFiQawSkANYLFtIil5flTd7WGNFXeIY47dxrlb3fTva0cKjMlH5J7hIuqQa0clOmVgkVkXg2NL-7kk7QzWZEatB03DKF4QpSpgt/s1600/P1060601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEIDCCXNbJ8PDg9sp5gvb6Vt3a3e4dybWMDQMx-gK4DMFiQawSkANYLFtIil5flTd7WGNFXeIY47dxrlb3fTva0cKjMlH5J7hIuqQa0clOmVgkVkXg2NL-7kk7QzWZEatB03DKF4QpSpgt/s1600/P1060601.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkquggy1no6nb9GtC1nxLadYxXjhtFEg-c1bBVV1nTit2WvYWH7bR5TMx1j_9juGfnw0Rfqhgq7Lq9wf6DimA14LjUYS_H4SlDtMQ8Wi7o3fauRuNoSX0VZxAj4FwmMauGh7le_MG6pYg/s1600/P1060602.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkquggy1no6nb9GtC1nxLadYxXjhtFEg-c1bBVV1nTit2WvYWH7bR5TMx1j_9juGfnw0Rfqhgq7Lq9wf6DimA14LjUYS_H4SlDtMQ8Wi7o3fauRuNoSX0VZxAj4FwmMauGh7le_MG6pYg/s1600/P1060602.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to beat the views</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On the other side of the ridge, the weather turned cooler, but a storm was brewing. In a matter of minutes, we went from this:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxeaf_fksT9MZh87ryGda57fFkWpa5FSyovOS-VVC2A8N3R3lKRF175Gk_J9ahsTkdH0lYz8QZZAcNDfRhdyRL5VOEWiAwUlh-t5eztEVjf1q2j8UBHmV8Mo4wkltc0I_Otumu_wvIDNu/s1600/P1060607.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxeaf_fksT9MZh87ryGda57fFkWpa5FSyovOS-VVC2A8N3R3lKRF175Gk_J9ahsTkdH0lYz8QZZAcNDfRhdyRL5VOEWiAwUlh-t5eztEVjf1q2j8UBHmV8Mo4wkltc0I_Otumu_wvIDNu/s1600/P1060607.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun and sun</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">....to this:</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPMViTMt1ddiVY8gOlcGM7hyWlC-qqI8Q5KlGELMhqgFGG2iARKgdsfpeCIEcNpjXWUimFBD4HISbG-G343Ot-gS60WHMS65zcFmpCpWbfQr8YSwTrAiwZ40VN4hdE3LMJG4TmbEVPf2b/s1600/2014-04-03+14.51.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQPMViTMt1ddiVY8gOlcGM7hyWlC-qqI8Q5KlGELMhqgFGG2iARKgdsfpeCIEcNpjXWUimFBD4HISbG-G343Ot-gS60WHMS65zcFmpCpWbfQr8YSwTrAiwZ40VN4hdE3LMJG4TmbEVPf2b/s1600/2014-04-03+14.51.00.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for rain</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For the next hour or two, we drove white-knuckled over the mountains through intense fog and pouring rain. The roads were narrow and winding, and I had to ask Mr. Hai to drive slower so that I could follow close enough behind to see his taillights. The fog was so thick, I could barely make out the white line marking the division between the road and the shear drop off the side of the mountain. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And suddenly there were cows in the road! Out of nowhere, herds of cattle would appear, chilling in the middle of the road, on top of a mountain, in a downpour, completely hidden by the soupy fog. Whatever.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When we finally came out of the fog and the rain let up, the views were amazing. Straight out of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104254/">Fern Gully</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a6uR1q1rNm4_cZ7AF6S0JmDL-HaNrvZw6QPyboH_Em72VSpT7Y4u5QfbKxxjNLqK1vk_9q849QFdcRNJkI0nS_Q3pZL8ENIO-_wklRdl1LlysajLZjvoJEq9sWfWlKf8SxZIE1ai6Zm1/s1600/P1060608.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4a6uR1q1rNm4_cZ7AF6S0JmDL-HaNrvZw6QPyboH_Em72VSpT7Y4u5QfbKxxjNLqK1vk_9q849QFdcRNJkI0nS_Q3pZL8ENIO-_wklRdl1LlysajLZjvoJEq9sWfWlKf8SxZIE1ai6Zm1/s1600/P1060608.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fog lifting over the mountains</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnd2qIkc5C-QnxdSp-JoBRy9WEw77Ges5xkSh8YabMNpAqHZjOM-QVLRSVvw2YtJtxmtq3_4ria5v1UHWI96ztnXePNkzp-u37FULG_jz6DylhmMBxBwdux3BBUMV8iac0iFdIlEZrlbS/s1600/P1060610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPnd2qIkc5C-QnxdSp-JoBRy9WEw77Ges5xkSh8YabMNpAqHZjOM-QVLRSVvw2YtJtxmtq3_4ria5v1UHWI96ztnXePNkzp-u37FULG_jz6DylhmMBxBwdux3BBUMV8iac0iFdIlEZrlbS/s1600/P1060610.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the rain</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3K0euDCCPXYJko1VuTppE_sjH1a-NgjRJLk2KtlSoDeExmOWs0Slpr57wbNinPC4M406MmHnVtiMRLIiksgXnIRM_UPCMQev_No6o4VzUM_wqymjdqgTbFnGxaegtBdkOK7oz4isSekW/s1600/P1060615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW3K0euDCCPXYJko1VuTppE_sjH1a-NgjRJLk2KtlSoDeExmOWs0Slpr57wbNinPC4M406MmHnVtiMRLIiksgXnIRM_UPCMQev_No6o4VzUM_wqymjdqgTbFnGxaegtBdkOK7oz4isSekW/s1600/P1060615.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain in the mist</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Because we’d been slowed down by the rain and fog, we had to drive an hour or so in the dark to arrive at our destination for the night, P’Rao. Driving in the dark on mountain roads in Vietnam was an adventure I might not want to relive, if I’d survive it a second time anyway!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The last day of our journey started off on the <a href="http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/268322/Ho-Chi-Minh-Trail">Ho Chi Minh Trail</a>. We made a quick stop at the Duong Ho Chi Minh sign for good luck!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1BS551map48JzamdKaABwAFKhv-6NrZFxGWYmkt57b2YVuZ9OQQn14lqb-DiJfTx5f_6hfISam1yc5e8Nk7CuIrF-1qhLFVN10RRUkR2Mwvk5SCu9KvLVxlmc7OAJQwIXzF8naeuVmkS/s1600/P1060616.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ1BS551map48JzamdKaABwAFKhv-6NrZFxGWYmkt57b2YVuZ9OQQn14lqb-DiJfTx5f_6hfISam1yc5e8Nk7CuIrF-1qhLFVN10RRUkR2Mwvk5SCu9KvLVxlmc7OAJQwIXzF8naeuVmkS/s1600/P1060616.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Chi Minh "Street"</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoru5wDlusczKufqJ6il9ex66_dZZNj5HEKl-du3ylSQbWjPv3gsquErx1zxy7r2Rmuus9tWI8ZpKCitZi56wYJH_oKKHgce-f65gZymW28EEcFeZDOTe7qCGrTPlbxiNkCY9uCfBRrVA0/s1600/P1060619.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoru5wDlusczKufqJ6il9ex66_dZZNj5HEKl-du3ylSQbWjPv3gsquErx1zxy7r2Rmuus9tWI8ZpKCitZi56wYJH_oKKHgce-f65gZymW28EEcFeZDOTe7qCGrTPlbxiNkCY9uCfBRrVA0/s1600/P1060619.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cheeeeeese!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our final day did not disappoint, in terms of views or adventures, either one. We wandered most of the day down one-lane backroads full of pot holes, through villages that rarely have foreign visitors, judging by the villagers’ reactions as we scooted past. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLlOKcxZ7CUlR5JBK4JvKHHFunHYR7KDv3Dl2yTJ_CHCP2EIOb5gyvZisAjdQfQOClZtnw0XzkotfBuctkO9laYwdZD3lF__quqF4dpNswWv8cXJxxKOZAPqIanhOcin1ul2J1NF_anha/s1600/P1060620.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwLlOKcxZ7CUlR5JBK4JvKHHFunHYR7KDv3Dl2yTJ_CHCP2EIOb5gyvZisAjdQfQOClZtnw0XzkotfBuctkO9laYwdZD3lF__quqF4dpNswWv8cXJxxKOZAPqIanhOcin1ul2J1NF_anha/s1600/P1060620.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rural life</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCl2lIJLryVYqhauYeFu299LLnoEtt4iPZautR33zCVqvM0js8q_af5EiwfTQMUv9YarvQTFxIPng4xfqUlTIA0cWek-phsx41jz4uVgF2djlbIy4WyV_5aKedgvU9BXC2ixUQWlz4-qt/s1600/P1060621.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCl2lIJLryVYqhauYeFu299LLnoEtt4iPZautR33zCVqvM0js8q_af5EiwfTQMUv9YarvQTFxIPng4xfqUlTIA0cWek-phsx41jz4uVgF2djlbIy4WyV_5aKedgvU9BXC2ixUQWlz4-qt/s1600/P1060621.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One-lane road</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo8GVeLnoMOS5Bj-Qt6yJZZhbviKKW-ejyDVAYam1jT-Wi1F9_WhzfG-EHSAmqEpUnq0GbvYBsHQHI8d4ab_TKgc5qbEqbUnN0ugWxUXrBZ__shpf-R5HjbxLvcp-25ktUGYcdraEo2u2/s1600/P1060626.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXo8GVeLnoMOS5Bj-Qt6yJZZhbviKKW-ejyDVAYam1jT-Wi1F9_WhzfG-EHSAmqEpUnq0GbvYBsHQHI8d4ab_TKgc5qbEqbUnN0ugWxUXrBZ__shpf-R5HjbxLvcp-25ktUGYcdraEo2u2/s1600/P1060626.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valley</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYelbG3z7qbhswRUkDoiQy7dJYaTz-Bkiw-Xr-_HWAJIQx1z8XUbzUJrQXazgH-pbZgLCnmdor4UmZsTEEboa49zPl8eZEj8j3Qt_xCiN9eSCIEu7fNmrBDhZ7Zhbz_DPczbZvzzlmKiW/s1600/P1060627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYelbG3z7qbhswRUkDoiQy7dJYaTz-Bkiw-Xr-_HWAJIQx1z8XUbzUJrQXazgH-pbZgLCnmdor4UmZsTEEboa49zPl8eZEj8j3Qt_xCiN9eSCIEu7fNmrBDhZ7Zhbz_DPczbZvzzlmKiW/s1600/P1060627.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rush hour traffic</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Mr. Hai took us into one minority village and let us explore a bit on our own. We crossed from the main road over a bridge into the village. As we walked down a dirt road, we came up to a small school, and the children went wild waving and saying “Hello!” to us.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjikGZ1OaMaQsYPHu1pcFjX5MGpsy3ja8-lizFxo7aKegqcPB66d4HAH1XvzEpieCUFSaj0E_aJCD5WzwqpXLZ5wdiTSoDbgeLSd7NpuiBnxrG2ZmgAgzskJOvGzcxUmDZpAsK_8sSKL0v/s1600/P1060630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjikGZ1OaMaQsYPHu1pcFjX5MGpsy3ja8-lizFxo7aKegqcPB66d4HAH1XvzEpieCUFSaj0E_aJCD5WzwqpXLZ5wdiTSoDbgeLSd7NpuiBnxrG2ZmgAgzskJOvGzcxUmDZpAsK_8sSKL0v/s1600/P1060630.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qFNGdJcSfk9xkJZWCLbauZHhbYrEvyV4ZTgMlN8hGwnD0w1A0E20tWAuu3ktYiSHt6wQJHL24ammPUel_LQi8jZwFE3PLPEnfDxGPWW3lCBYgqScxO12qpk41omZmqGK1C8NAdwuPUsh/s1600/P1060633.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1qFNGdJcSfk9xkJZWCLbauZHhbYrEvyV4ZTgMlN8hGwnD0w1A0E20tWAuu3ktYiSHt6wQJHL24ammPUel_LQi8jZwFE3PLPEnfDxGPWW3lCBYgqScxO12qpk41omZmqGK1C8NAdwuPUsh/s1600/P1060633.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stilt house</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UCFQ354JPRl_sUCCdZsOYuHJHg9kBGlLj2tItEg6V_ohfalE9u7EQIaQrK6hxd1wMkd4daVr4701Syf0ez4CPgBM8Epnz7Z_36ez14fdhN6jG7Nsu4FmR3K-60k0DdntWAn0FesD6xCn/s1600/P1060637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2UCFQ354JPRl_sUCCdZsOYuHJHg9kBGlLj2tItEg6V_ohfalE9u7EQIaQrK6hxd1wMkd4daVr4701Syf0ez4CPgBM8Epnz7Z_36ez14fdhN6jG7Nsu4FmR3K-60k0DdntWAn0FesD6xCn/s1600/P1060637.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">School children</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAisBysnw5EEm_V9v-ek2KbGO0l95fQ32eY1hJYbKJajVmtQUfuLZnHi1cCZcLam8nrFn205V-pdIjgNoNkaxuLCUga2PoU_FrMgFXhzYWgbApxdOEMpRvRSJ_PMs6R4AY8sD0zlInYRg/s1600/P1060638.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWAisBysnw5EEm_V9v-ek2KbGO0l95fQ32eY1hJYbKJajVmtQUfuLZnHi1cCZcLam8nrFn205V-pdIjgNoNkaxuLCUga2PoU_FrMgFXhzYWgbApxdOEMpRvRSJ_PMs6R4AY8sD0zlInYRg/s1600/P1060638.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They loved looking at the camera to see<br />themselves in the pictures</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDt7fo9SPE0elAwVodWqfHqCCexk-DwGwkTPs4DuClUE6mmyJ-tmwoPrZ0CpV37idS6wt7GmNiB4TGCtC0dcWlc7kti-JvQfa7Mp8YMoJZxH2nWmcG6ZEmkLq9AS49gcw4Fo6YX3QwKgv/s1600/P1060639.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDt7fo9SPE0elAwVodWqfHqCCexk-DwGwkTPs4DuClUE6mmyJ-tmwoPrZ0CpV37idS6wt7GmNiB4TGCtC0dcWlc7kti-JvQfa7Mp8YMoJZxH2nWmcG6ZEmkLq9AS49gcw4Fo6YX3QwKgv/s1600/P1060639.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I couldn't get enough of these guys!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We’d been pretty lucky up to this point, mechanically speaking. But just to add to the adventure, Dad got a flat tire out in the middle of nowhere. Mr. Hai made a solid attempt to fix the flat.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_FjWXqx-i9Cl8RRAEuy1CdyesKUwRctRa0e44i6I8mB9lAPLOtrIeNsC5LCk89zPoQa3a5EKaeWqUFC7DYmgakCkocjvD-dcFWE6bbo1kKgoMb30MvLqsvPQyabPbvQvq8mpglJGVXdi/s1600/P1060644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8_FjWXqx-i9Cl8RRAEuy1CdyesKUwRctRa0e44i6I8mB9lAPLOtrIeNsC5LCk89zPoQa3a5EKaeWqUFC7DYmgakCkocjvD-dcFWE6bbo1kKgoMb30MvLqsvPQyabPbvQvq8mpglJGVXdi/s1600/P1060644.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Hai at work</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But before too long, the patch let go, and we had to make a real pit stop at a conveniently-located motorbike shop for a new tube.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadOcfG1yY7qQVIa0jjyNM_F-tuzf7s4ceHd_AMP21QO7hXo7E1ZbnsOyOgipIrbgW9Z0vJ3PLZG1OM8VLZkDNoFiYchFOYgrg4wBKI_Xb5sLdSXadUljfbJ2nyh0ZdY44cmCf-rWHKrk1/s1600/P1060643.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiadOcfG1yY7qQVIa0jjyNM_F-tuzf7s4ceHd_AMP21QO7hXo7E1ZbnsOyOgipIrbgW9Z0vJ3PLZG1OM8VLZkDNoFiYchFOYgrg4wBKI_Xb5sLdSXadUljfbJ2nyh0ZdY44cmCf-rWHKrk1/s1600/P1060643.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">AAA doesn't come out here</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKbSrzkaQplwhHQEeSxvTQk6vIkw0sERchNzIj6QGGazl66CTXe7PlNVMqKOhrkxpPxjNDgJVhAV7U2P7cT6_pMGeMAPQIaE-w0P2_2f0WA_oOG08ZR4GGnG_7zm8yYu17E5l9MguYUKT/s1600/P1060652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZKbSrzkaQplwhHQEeSxvTQk6vIkw0sERchNzIj6QGGazl66CTXe7PlNVMqKOhrkxpPxjNDgJVhAV7U2P7cT6_pMGeMAPQIaE-w0P2_2f0WA_oOG08ZR4GGnG_7zm8yYu17E5l9MguYUKT/s1600/P1060652.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting for the mechanic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsPKcbWzzOV7koYhX75RtD9O0tJhFiTJAGMB8WE9G63FZWcAOYXb9uxtvH_VbqHx2USPMKNdRBCYxwAX1oJJuZKvfVR3xRBYGPy4c68JLT1vhwTGTUcb7x9dAiK2N6UyzoA0bNiFRqFv5/s1600/P1060647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirsPKcbWzzOV7koYhX75RtD9O0tJhFiTJAGMB8WE9G63FZWcAOYXb9uxtvH_VbqHx2USPMKNdRBCYxwAX1oJJuZKvfVR3xRBYGPy4c68JLT1vhwTGTUcb7x9dAiK2N6UyzoA0bNiFRqFv5/s1600/P1060647.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kids walking home from school</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rOBDavdE_wys80LDDOm1FWUCAqM2ggIvsO86vzGiWt3jlDemhWpAEnUncpmazjI2-dbw0gBCE1G-CRfhgNFrcDG-5e2eGYmK9_u5N-hXUwgSRTYLzEPWq0AvV8E7TeV-NbXuR1NmbVJr/s1600/P1060651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-rOBDavdE_wys80LDDOm1FWUCAqM2ggIvsO86vzGiWt3jlDemhWpAEnUncpmazjI2-dbw0gBCE1G-CRfhgNFrcDG-5e2eGYmK9_u5N-hXUwgSRTYLzEPWq0AvV8E7TeV-NbXuR1NmbVJr/s1600/P1060651.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These boys found our flat tire hilarious</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back on the road, we made our way east to Da Nang. We drove from the mountains, down into the foothills, past tea plantations, and finally back to the coast!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6L154Ay5LRd1SdJiz81icxbDCjTwUgjeYyHnuQOI-Iqmr18_DpulKRMF9zJjdOBUO9rQFgSkNB4z8EaaM98aVIZ1mUHlu9Retr6aVOarLO62HhqRiT_n86tBxLo6sarVn4ugBpsiBBSR/s1600/P1060654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn6L154Ay5LRd1SdJiz81icxbDCjTwUgjeYyHnuQOI-Iqmr18_DpulKRMF9zJjdOBUO9rQFgSkNB4z8EaaM98aVIZ1mUHlu9Retr6aVOarLO62HhqRiT_n86tBxLo6sarVn4ugBpsiBBSR/s1600/P1060654.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More mountain views</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJAyE4zs3gWpxzWYMo-TKrlBkrsi7BUDgnOIK3YDEsgRvrJJBsfdUBF5-LF3DpxYIGwfzVuc1YpqBJEvKKA32PVqeTOyFmgIKWX6Db3ysLuw3S7rFZgjqrrRvbAPy-wc5SHWjLVBFH2GB/s1600/P1060658.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJAyE4zs3gWpxzWYMo-TKrlBkrsi7BUDgnOIK3YDEsgRvrJJBsfdUBF5-LF3DpxYIGwfzVuc1YpqBJEvKKA32PVqeTOyFmgIKWX6Db3ysLuw3S7rFZgjqrrRvbAPy-wc5SHWjLVBFH2GB/s1600/P1060658.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad and Mr. Hai at the tea plantation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5qff1mZ-VbKVk03KO0x6UAGhDQ2KBqbFr8MHIMBSJQBrfrhFyovZt7Y9Jc30JTCs286NFPpwm0RycXoV0pJ2qzrL_opPw0vEkxQgyfF0DyBMi_B_rQzAlqz4BSXHN9n1rxvU65fbswiO/s1600/P1060659.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP5qff1mZ-VbKVk03KO0x6UAGhDQ2KBqbFr8MHIMBSJQBrfrhFyovZt7Y9Jc30JTCs286NFPpwm0RycXoV0pJ2qzrL_opPw0vEkxQgyfF0DyBMi_B_rQzAlqz4BSXHN9n1rxvU65fbswiO/s1600/P1060659.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downhill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgPBFFozlifnhYh8wqVN3Fjoxgh_YLc-wZEZiOJGKqyo8nBAeZlff6RDn89KVTXA8av9eKhBm_vI_-5Qtwc4XcpuHZmMpm0UJGhP3YSIXvyANmx4o93vfBuhIosWiQiVNg4QgMSq38hxS/s1600/P1060663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilgPBFFozlifnhYh8wqVN3Fjoxgh_YLc-wZEZiOJGKqyo8nBAeZlff6RDn89KVTXA8av9eKhBm_vI_-5Qtwc4XcpuHZmMpm0UJGhP3YSIXvyANmx4o93vfBuhIosWiQiVNg4QgMSq38hxS/s1600/P1060663.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foothills</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">From Da Nang, we hooked a right and headed back down Highway 1 to Hoi An. Before we arrived in Hoi An, we made one more tourist stop at <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g298085-d454980-Reviews-The_Marble_Mountains-Da_Nang_Quang_Nam_Province.html">Marble Mountain</a>. Atop the large outcroppings are natural caves and several pagodas. A little old lady made many attempts to be our personal tour guide, but we resisted, giving tired smiles and exhausted waves. We gathered up every last bit of energy we had to climb up the thousands of stone steps to visit the sights.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMhT_iVcfFgXFnbUN7vcKz5gCG9gx1myNB0jbiK5YF3zUvRfDTOQVBy1BVWgakhIEXIUngvBOViOfMEy1ufdZ6g01d4VwCvjiYzc5e79TqbaCsEotLd7dmkRO-Z2c_TWWjE1i6xnyyO2b/s1600/P1060665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzMhT_iVcfFgXFnbUN7vcKz5gCG9gx1myNB0jbiK5YF3zUvRfDTOQVBy1BVWgakhIEXIUngvBOViOfMEy1ufdZ6g01d4VwCvjiYzc5e79TqbaCsEotLd7dmkRO-Z2c_TWWjE1i6xnyyO2b/s1600/P1060665.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first of THOUSANDS of steps</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoKF3LRmaNubb-I9hokwenTQbasx6Vuhq4BpEI3lk1zD00X6UeLuGngzaMNeIAT0KMb1i9U-pU4qwN2HY1ElFzdVbSD7jkPVAPQwLP8oiTboG1tb069kGQGaY6-hIVQXSDXTjUUGZFXTm/s1600/P1060667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOoKF3LRmaNubb-I9hokwenTQbasx6Vuhq4BpEI3lk1zD00X6UeLuGngzaMNeIAT0KMb1i9U-pU4qwN2HY1ElFzdVbSD7jkPVAPQwLP8oiTboG1tb069kGQGaY6-hIVQXSDXTjUUGZFXTm/s1600/P1060667.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble Mountain </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGGavKI_L45EyUYyILX2n7WAiZuVAMrCAzv_rn9-64WOtTmDAxReyuDgIYJQl5xpKpRu_ULKkOaf4bggiGy_btlN7mqVGwgX_9ziooKV78M5_nZXekyNGPZqxaFQvh57lLj2XRjNarHF3/s1600/P1060674.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGGavKI_L45EyUYyILX2n7WAiZuVAMrCAzv_rn9-64WOtTmDAxReyuDgIYJQl5xpKpRu_ULKkOaf4bggiGy_btlN7mqVGwgX_9ziooKV78M5_nZXekyNGPZqxaFQvh57lLj2XRjNarHF3/s1600/P1060674.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad converts to Buddhism</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQX69yynRkkphczXUciv8tZ2qGDptbV498k3YpY3BjaJyXv83fjJGMNXqLwhEtdWVb8cokbNPGFI8gU9jqqcq8dTHzCev9j8r90WbtQwRz1oVCao7uzwjo3F0lv77G4xmBtCCh3BMl9c_r/s1600/P1060675.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQX69yynRkkphczXUciv8tZ2qGDptbV498k3YpY3BjaJyXv83fjJGMNXqLwhEtdWVb8cokbNPGFI8gU9jqqcq8dTHzCev9j8r90WbtQwRz1oVCao7uzwjo3F0lv77G4xmBtCCh3BMl9c_r/s1600/P1060675.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble Mountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpyvKmVqpo5GjkCnjhqvI05HcaIBwEMlHMkWom9yYGDJCY4P9D8_l1gAL3GTgd1BKfIA1CDxI6NvRuBoNR0jPFAGJEDDt9YfMZLNqWPEaUX9rcz08RgdIi0g16Ik0B6qtfa9A4RR2Dktx/s1600/P1060679.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpyvKmVqpo5GjkCnjhqvI05HcaIBwEMlHMkWom9yYGDJCY4P9D8_l1gAL3GTgd1BKfIA1CDxI6NvRuBoNR0jPFAGJEDDt9YfMZLNqWPEaUX9rcz08RgdIi0g16Ik0B6qtfa9A4RR2Dktx/s1600/P1060679.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cave</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUZZrzqFyWdOcozwIKyfkErQ1pm9wZ20BkFkhBF4vnvIY2bhajCvAQARB8lbjBySONYXQqoCCxkwjSxfbRXJmVP6-ExUPDTH-1H1Z-A_JFJhH7W45-k02eMrdpsxV_vUwYVXJSIU7KMcd/s1600/P1060685.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAUZZrzqFyWdOcozwIKyfkErQ1pm9wZ20BkFkhBF4vnvIY2bhajCvAQARB8lbjBySONYXQqoCCxkwjSxfbRXJmVP6-ExUPDTH-1H1Z-A_JFJhH7W45-k02eMrdpsxV_vUwYVXJSIU7KMcd/s1600/P1060685.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn3_Bsfecza2S_xzOHbXKOIPYdAAGrI_i1PsNyyPbNi3PO0PXR15YzHHaFeJ0qCOcfD9qchMEuHsN1p_1d_lukAjw88I0vyJfxXQPW-06tnw2X2zXm1LhqmmV900DwhD0j94PCtfpgg9J/s1600/P1060698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhn3_Bsfecza2S_xzOHbXKOIPYdAAGrI_i1PsNyyPbNi3PO0PXR15YzHHaFeJ0qCOcfD9qchMEuHsN1p_1d_lukAjw88I0vyJfxXQPW-06tnw2X2zXm1LhqmmV900DwhD0j94PCtfpgg9J/s1600/P1060698.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marble Mountain</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxz15SdLlJQoJ4wwV14kOdKLlVYU_7eBkUoS6hAAxFY_J2WvwjKo8kuE2kOqGhQXIG_XBJV9pLH68R7el9tZUXL8oZdlnINZoZuLVMnYCTykKT-x4ruhyUqiMwA3LuYeyYeRXRUiNVf-G/s1600/P1060706.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxz15SdLlJQoJ4wwV14kOdKLlVYU_7eBkUoS6hAAxFY_J2WvwjKo8kuE2kOqGhQXIG_XBJV9pLH68R7el9tZUXL8oZdlnINZoZuLVMnYCTykKT-x4ruhyUqiMwA3LuYeyYeRXRUiNVf-G/s1600/P1060706.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Da Nang from Marble Mountain</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The sky was growing dark, and we had long-since grown weary. As we mounted our bikes for the last leg down to Hoi An, I couldn’t help but think back over the last 72 hours. The sights alone would make for some lasting memories, but sharing the adventure with my Dad and Lisa guaranteed an unforgettable experience!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad, me, Mr. Hai, Lisa<br />Finally arrived in Hoi An!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-15903302599367794432014-06-20T22:01:00.000-07:002014-06-20T22:05:42.714-07:00Dad and Sam in Viet Nam<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I told my father I was planning to move to Vietnam, his response wasn’t what you’d expect. He didn’t say “Oh my god, that’s so far away,” or “Geez, why would you wanna live there?” or some quote from <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0109830/quotes">Forrest Gump</a>. He didn’t even lead with “I’m really going to miss you!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">He said, “Great! I’ve always wanted to visit Vietnam!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I can always count on my dad to say just the right thing.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Of course I wasn’t surprised that he was already planning a trip out to see me in Vietnam. <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/05/texas-takes-taiwan.html">He came to visit me in Taiwan and loved every minute.</a> </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I arrived at the airport to pick him up around 10pm, more than a little drunk from a day of boozing that started at the all-you-can-drink <a href="http://www.amchamvietnam.com/4024/family-sunday-brunch-at-market-39/">Champagne brunch at the Intercontinental Hotel</a>. But Dad didn’t lecture me. He hugged me and cracked open one of the<a href="http://www.333beer.com/"> 333s</a> I picked up for the ride home from the airport. And the next morning, while I slept off the bubbles, he waited patiently downstairs for breakfast. What a guy.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first day, I threw him in the deep end in with a ride on the back of my motorbike around Ho Chi Minh City. We haggled at Ben Thanh Market and ate pho for lunch.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIo-zmweK88BGo_BB87ZMfC2Deipa7NDdOXD6i2qU3NJu-ziTLgfPDrTS6lJEyHpjz_JBp0UjShEb7PjHaHsq_OpMTFe3uPe7-ZqYczeeAi614CD309wkUVCzX2ffUW3BV_L136ln6e8k/s1600/2014-03-31+12.53.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYIo-zmweK88BGo_BB87ZMfC2Deipa7NDdOXD6i2qU3NJu-ziTLgfPDrTS6lJEyHpjz_JBp0UjShEb7PjHaHsq_OpMTFe3uPe7-ZqYczeeAi614CD309wkUVCzX2ffUW3BV_L136ln6e8k/s1600/2014-03-31+12.53.48.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pho!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">No guided tour of Saigon would be complete without a trip to the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d311089-Reviews-Central_Post_Office-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">Central Post Office</a>, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d317896-Reviews-Notre_Dame_Cathedral-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">Notre Dam Cathedral</a>, and <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d317890-Reviews-Reunification_Palace-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">Reunification Palace</a>, so of course I dragged Dad along to all the major sights. Exhausted but dealing with the jet lag like a trooper, Dad was up for a quick drink at my favorite little spot, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g293925-d5774553-Reviews-The_View_Rooftop_Bar-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">The View</a> rooftop bar. So cheap, so lovely.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TYNh8Lp2LFKN8tgxL1g2HqdBED6nkOTCWV2WpyF5pmFIT0NSziYmegldCKIOzVj41pFnCONNatyLC3Cx-5tdFeJOpgk8v6tn4sblC4r6IcO8BDrbf0wpnqzN8m5gucHtSuyL4kIu_ap8/s1600/2014-03-31+15.35.31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TYNh8Lp2LFKN8tgxL1g2HqdBED6nkOTCWV2WpyF5pmFIT0NSziYmegldCKIOzVj41pFnCONNatyLC3Cx-5tdFeJOpgk8v6tn4sblC4r6IcO8BDrbf0wpnqzN8m5gucHtSuyL4kIu_ap8/s1600/2014-03-31+15.35.31.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drinks with a view</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We ended the day with a family dinner, Vietnam style. I roped in all the roommates and taxied over to <a href="http://www.cucgachquan.com.vn/en">Cuc Gach Quan</a> for a feast of Vietnamese deliciousness. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viet-family dinner</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next day, we woke up early, grabbed a ca phe sua da and a banh mi, and headed to the airport.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rKYzFZ7r5oigfWjGKQa8m8ll2udmCInXO5yAAe6TkME4ZwU7XcAaXUSaUq-yXeZM66luxqGv5IX5ztRF9Q4MtiDmDjgCpUeEF53OnxV9op9SsjWiTw0NFzVKd3xTKzwqMO0fabuPB9iN/s1600/2014-04-01+08.00.47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-rKYzFZ7r5oigfWjGKQa8m8ll2udmCInXO5yAAe6TkME4ZwU7XcAaXUSaUq-yXeZM66luxqGv5IX5ztRF9Q4MtiDmDjgCpUeEF53OnxV9op9SsjWiTw0NFzVKd3xTKzwqMO0fabuPB9iN/s1600/2014-04-01+08.00.47.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad enjoying his first bites of Banh Mi</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At the airport, we met our travel companion for the next few days, Lisa, my coworker at <a href="http://www.bisvietnam.com/index.php">BIS</a>. We boarded our plane and set off for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hu%E1%BA%BF">Hue, the old Imperial capital of Vietnam</a>. Without much of a plan, we headed out on foot to explore the city. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hue has quite an interesting history, but most people know of Hue from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Hu%E1%BA%BF">Tet Offensive</a> during the Vietnam War. We wandered around the streets near our hotel, ventured across the <a href="http://www.vietnamtourism.com/Hue/e_pages/tn_songhuong.htm">Perfume River</a>, and walked up to the impressive <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293926-d317599-Reviews-Hue_Imperial_City_The_Citadel-Hue_Thua_Thien_Hue_Province.html">Citadel</a>. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TOflUXc4tbO8ycwhinAiCFzA1G0_qmnHMI2oGpGWC98AKpp5uhC3l7RgrUoYK0skYhOBG-l5edoFtQcsp_77szX5K5PXrAsjOycAD2zTUiYN13kANjmlyO77pm6i2IrZVf-FyTLJkgcl/s1600/P1060451.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-TOflUXc4tbO8ycwhinAiCFzA1G0_qmnHMI2oGpGWC98AKpp5uhC3l7RgrUoYK0skYhOBG-l5edoFtQcsp_77szX5K5PXrAsjOycAD2zTUiYN13kANjmlyO77pm6i2IrZVf-FyTLJkgcl/s1600/P1060451.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Streets of Hue</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pieces of wartime memorabilia</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Perfume River<br />
(it did not smell of perfume...)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the Citadel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ngan Gate</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The Citadel is surrounded by a 2m-thick brick wall and houses the Imperial City, historic halls and palaces, and many Hue residents. We decided not to enter the Imperial Enclosure, but instead strolled along the perimeter of the 2.5km-long walls of the citadel-within-a-citadel. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9PNl95FVeW-cPeiNAn3EFgZ0AvquNvkFXHlzRZmVKgKRXDyaw_XMpLuX_UKD7Oqmr6qz9ec-HteDzKvDRNFYYMUxeXDtrXFQ8hoRtbIc3qjIFXDfJ2xzwIMGv5QTo05dbqEQ8KUOeHtJ/s1600/P1060468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn9PNl95FVeW-cPeiNAn3EFgZ0AvquNvkFXHlzRZmVKgKRXDyaw_XMpLuX_UKD7Oqmr6qz9ec-HteDzKvDRNFYYMUxeXDtrXFQ8hoRtbIc3qjIFXDfJ2xzwIMGv5QTo05dbqEQ8KUOeHtJ/s1600/P1060468.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Enclosure walls and moat</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEPcrxrg6BDFPqRBM2h_M_hgpMu9dM1zhCoZwDkpfYHwerMdoUEJAd-cfzvyuKn__HxZ527C3ScVXhnofyEaAmdzFcGQQzyh7Qd_yfoK_lJ5U6t48-xLthikkNREDSsIJJxY84XpL-N_-/s1600/P1060474.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioEPcrxrg6BDFPqRBM2h_M_hgpMu9dM1zhCoZwDkpfYHwerMdoUEJAd-cfzvyuKn__HxZ527C3ScVXhnofyEaAmdzFcGQQzyh7Qd_yfoK_lJ5U6t48-xLthikkNREDSsIJJxY84XpL-N_-/s1600/P1060474.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bridge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalUCW9gUxGYxpcIappcBJ870y3jbR8sLjjryn4wUYrxCxft8TqrHDj4msWOrzy7io-W45u0ewAACARuc2u_odMR5BjS7nlAPs9Un8baS47VmLyP2pxq7ybmLUPrupA9wdO5I68GXwvzkl/s1600/P1060476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhalUCW9gUxGYxpcIappcBJ870y3jbR8sLjjryn4wUYrxCxft8TqrHDj4msWOrzy7io-W45u0ewAACARuc2u_odMR5BjS7nlAPs9Un8baS47VmLyP2pxq7ybmLUPrupA9wdO5I68GXwvzkl/s1600/P1060476.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Citadel wall</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVrcC-W_ddsTzXx7LtsLdPRBXcHWBr0MKRHJVtd4OUprmhSLipHk8CVA1VVHHaXLMbjleAa19Bq53uGTdRrO63f_J-0r_sjbfxgTf97cQFwxpHDhdacOFgpsZziVJkl_XNIummirly12C/s1600/P1060479.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEVrcC-W_ddsTzXx7LtsLdPRBXcHWBr0MKRHJVtd4OUprmhSLipHk8CVA1VVHHaXLMbjleAa19Bq53uGTdRrO63f_J-0r_sjbfxgTf97cQFwxpHDhdacOFgpsZziVJkl_XNIummirly12C/s1600/P1060479.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imperial Enclosure gate</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Along the way, we saw the 37m-high Flag Tower, Vietnam’s tallest. We stopped to snap shots of the Nine Holy Cannons, representing the four seasons and the five elements. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wOfwtFwJZwbqcX8fyqmfobYAfwCuL-rkR20VE49ZW_RhHH-OBmLOjSmLR2Geyb1NlK-kL4fzzZgJpzslrVR8rwSv9Uymp4MdRxD9xCtTN_2m1Ds_zKg4K9CBFOYMIGGfp4ronnyfUoCT/s1600/P1060471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wOfwtFwJZwbqcX8fyqmfobYAfwCuL-rkR20VE49ZW_RhHH-OBmLOjSmLR2Geyb1NlK-kL4fzzZgJpzslrVR8rwSv9Uymp4MdRxD9xCtTN_2m1Ds_zKg4K9CBFOYMIGGfp4ronnyfUoCT/s1600/P1060471.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flag Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW0HwDPaDR26tzQh7CuGvhtmhCm-Z2VPw8JVXpZh8nAgNwvnArZXYy4mr90poCRSjX8VmiJOUzeWtnTinaBbPwJkzyylYq1StRV76-8RATjUJSwBT_4m_4Z8vz_xqtlV_43Ll_P7HSMa-/s1600/P1060469.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzW0HwDPaDR26tzQh7CuGvhtmhCm-Z2VPw8JVXpZh8nAgNwvnArZXYy4mr90poCRSjX8VmiJOUzeWtnTinaBbPwJkzyylYq1StRV76-8RATjUJSwBT_4m_4Z8vz_xqtlV_43Ll_P7HSMa-/s1600/P1060469.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Four Seasons Cannons</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In an attempt to conserve our energy for the upcoming action-packed days of travel, we took our sweet time circumambulating the Imperial Enclosure. We stopped frequently for pictures and wished desperately for a coffee shop, to no avail!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGAFfOzNXFuI9UnzbedqWVjgyLK6BMN7Yxi-QUkb1c2JdGgiZ2IklEms7bybDqFCIFeVl_D5ooCwowaU964-6q9jRSneWMWAlmb4Zl9fAVVMJbujHIKBd39MXLyuGyGBmKBRSFRnO8Cfp/s1600/P1060478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtGAFfOzNXFuI9UnzbedqWVjgyLK6BMN7Yxi-QUkb1c2JdGgiZ2IklEms7bybDqFCIFeVl_D5ooCwowaU964-6q9jRSneWMWAlmb4Zl9fAVVMJbujHIKBd39MXLyuGyGBmKBRSFRnO8Cfp/s1600/P1060478.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crack kills</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkoSJM-2GwuRbK4ZItMq6s0sFDO7hcI8MA0NiipFLBQGf6l-FWXTaSyBLBlgpnbOHbPBDToqtSsPpQ6X8kj9FToSFIawRoYLxmMLSUWfhijDZhZKjrjuegdlhUqHbcYxx1rH5xD96NqaC/s1600/P1060482.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSkoSJM-2GwuRbK4ZItMq6s0sFDO7hcI8MA0NiipFLBQGf6l-FWXTaSyBLBlgpnbOHbPBDToqtSsPpQ6X8kj9FToSFIawRoYLxmMLSUWfhijDZhZKjrjuegdlhUqHbcYxx1rH5xD96NqaC/s1600/P1060482.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More moat</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmvykRlL2UOeT201ERpKAIscPdht8LV8adApMNnx3dTLRpldKCHcYSeCMaFLLA_4dpf0liqHICNB9U7gTfGEaPonXuii0c9p6BMd1PXhmz-2-1muQyIVWWm9BEJIb5EQjcaFwm2v8_PpZ/s1600/P1060485.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVmvykRlL2UOeT201ERpKAIscPdht8LV8adApMNnx3dTLRpldKCHcYSeCMaFLLA_4dpf0liqHICNB9U7gTfGEaPonXuii0c9p6BMd1PXhmz-2-1muQyIVWWm9BEJIb5EQjcaFwm2v8_PpZ/s1600/P1060485.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dad climbs up the wall hoping for coffee</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iMd4xdB8WxSf6BrCB18TcwmO83ADDct3u0cqhLTlx8s3clWehItn57CSJmgZWicCLZc8WnngVtobkoxmwXjrg97PDWqE4kYQZHf5RFYI2yaaM4IauTfvd93Pvv6uGsWixkpE0YUxFwAm/s1600/P1060487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4iMd4xdB8WxSf6BrCB18TcwmO83ADDct3u0cqhLTlx8s3clWehItn57CSJmgZWicCLZc8WnngVtobkoxmwXjrg97PDWqE4kYQZHf5RFYI2yaaM4IauTfvd93Pvv6uGsWixkpE0YUxFwAm/s1600/P1060487.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lily pads</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After crossing back over the Perfume River, we beelined over to the bar district and settled in for a few refreshing local brews.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsoatouuDP5ZNckGPtW51iM9rUvFG5H7WWoApt2AZi5RCIuQO3bScy1VuKlsiwdH8IXnwCGdk-0Op341FtSwBzh6hFN_O6QOZ3l2WsPUby97h3duEhvrkPQKuGDALMK-6-XuKspKk7jAj/s1600/P1060489.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrsoatouuDP5ZNckGPtW51iM9rUvFG5H7WWoApt2AZi5RCIuQO3bScy1VuKlsiwdH8IXnwCGdk-0Op341FtSwBzh6hFN_O6QOZ3l2WsPUby97h3duEhvrkPQKuGDALMK-6-XuKspKk7jAj/s1600/P1060489.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boats on the Perfume River</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh4E-jE_iylHhiP2XNZ71Obz9l4d-pHxtbEhbnWhT3fFBYiCxbJfcuLWF1xB4ffQZEF-lz9n3QQcspUZRej2aaMUa_dg8rFFqYoGxOduit7Zcc9PF8x-nW0kuR7wQ7Y1k5KGCOvmxwtRp/s1600/2014-04-01+16.32.01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQh4E-jE_iylHhiP2XNZ71Obz9l4d-pHxtbEhbnWhT3fFBYiCxbJfcuLWF1xB4ffQZEF-lz9n3QQcspUZRej2aaMUa_dg8rFFqYoGxOduit7Zcc9PF8x-nW0kuR7wQ7Y1k5KGCOvmxwtRp/s1600/2014-04-01+16.32.01.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When in Hue....</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That night, after dinner, we went to bed early, to dream of sugarplum fairies and fully-automatic motorbikes. An epic journey awaited us in the morning!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-83871811808316336532014-04-20T06:44:00.001-07:002014-04-20T06:44:57.866-07:00Nha Trang Love<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Let this be a warning: Happy Hour, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XM5hbS7GlU">The Newlywed Game</a>, and <a href="http://www.vietjetair.com/Sites/Web/en-US/Home">Vietjet Airlines</a> do not mix!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We spent the afternoon of Valentine’s Day drinking discount cocktails and quizzing Lou and Trina on their knowledge of each other’s vital information, like “If she were dying, what would her last meal request be?” and “If she could be a shoe, what shoe would she be?” While this caused many laughs (and a few tense and awkward moments), it also caused us to lose track of time. As we politely encouraged the cab driver to hurry the F up, worries mounted that we might miss our flight to <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/south-central-coast/nha-trang">Nha Trang</a> for a weekend away with friends.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflyfJ1jA6mpN74ogrbpips_FwmcguwKtOB33RgSRCS0tt_m836iYAnTiRMxsLKMc9i4BfrjcBuJA73Esm-CIjMpckmhQCmaPiNZZGwxWtFcA-mXEdTW8GJXelqPhDn4L3y8Jf1NGjcsyq/s1600/2014-02-14+17.23.21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiflyfJ1jA6mpN74ogrbpips_FwmcguwKtOB33RgSRCS0tt_m836iYAnTiRMxsLKMc9i4BfrjcBuJA73Esm-CIjMpckmhQCmaPiNZZGwxWtFcA-mXEdTW8GJXelqPhDn4L3y8Jf1NGjcsyq/s1600/2014-02-14+17.23.21.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Lou, Trina, and Lisa taking a break from yelling at the traffic<br />
to pose for this taxi selfie</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Missing our flight is the OPPOSITE of what happened when we arrived at the airport. We DID miss the ridiculously strict window of opportunity to CHECK IN for our fight. But we did not miss the actual flight. We tried everything to be allowed to check in: begging, pleading, reasoning, lying, threatening, backing away slowly as security began to surround us. Nothing worked. We could not check in for the flight.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Not to be shut out of the fun and sun promised in the brochure, we anted up and swiped our credit cards for a new flight on a different airline, leaving just an hour later. I could write an entire blog post about the events that followed that evening at the airport, but let me sum it up quickly: Vietjet is a ridiculous airline and we ended up arriving in Nha Trang about 3 hours BEFORE our friends who didn’t miss the check-in with Vietjet.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next morning, Lisa and I woke up bright and early and made a plan for the day. After strolling along the beautiful beach, we convinced Hannah and Heather to join us for a cycling tour of rural Nha Trang. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRrWZ79F_oqlg8BC7HWBMU_PCT7wL-UoOTnCN2a2hHEF5W8g16vhAP4-W014a_9hIIbSVfLCQfzHh25E1LSvrMhsN74ExfOcSmvWVV1ySlJ-Sx5pAMzv51tFLJnS5geAo0T-zI3YbUvHF/s1600/P1060335.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKRrWZ79F_oqlg8BC7HWBMU_PCT7wL-UoOTnCN2a2hHEF5W8g16vhAP4-W014a_9hIIbSVfLCQfzHh25E1LSvrMhsN74ExfOcSmvWVV1ySlJ-Sx5pAMzv51tFLJnS5geAo0T-zI3YbUvHF/s1600/P1060335.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Beach</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Using my trusty <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g293928-Nha_Trang_Khanh_Hoa_Province-Vacations.html">TripAdvisor app</a>, I found <a href="http://vietnamactive.com/city-and-country-side/">Vietnam Active</a> and set up a private tour with our guide Thanh. We chose the City and Countryside Bike Tour because it was advertised as “Easy”. No sense exerting ourselves while on vacation.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73mJH9v4cUKlnRQiQ-6S206z1G2Kyz4Q0zjAG_jlg8Di4XW4Ifjb2s3bAbBS3x2gtb_w_Da6AehpntxVYhb94Rbks32wC1NG7fWu0xtIiPwul1VIHfdoSiaJogn_3LeeEqG8A1MjEiN5O/s1600/P1060366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh73mJH9v4cUKlnRQiQ-6S206z1G2Kyz4Q0zjAG_jlg8Di4XW4Ifjb2s3bAbBS3x2gtb_w_Da6AehpntxVYhb94Rbks32wC1NG7fWu0xtIiPwul1VIHfdoSiaJogn_3LeeEqG8A1MjEiN5O/s1600/P1060366.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heather, Lisa, Hannah, and me cycling around Nha Trang</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The tour took us first to Po Nagar Pagoda, which dates back to the 7th century Cham population. Thanh told us the temple was built in honor of a woman who appeared in town as a child during difficult times. She was deemed lucky, as things began to improve after her arrival. Legend has it she disappeared into thin air one day, and the townspeople built the temple to honor all she had done.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rfZQ-QHjdMCDj0gAcdhqopSGcS2H_JJWwKmBRB6kpcM3Kz0v8UjUnCU8JIDnIIrlh2xrK6_LNytHrPaKhkamEXzy7PMN-tkBK2d3wK4KHfYOzsF2a1BuR8oT3_XUFEe6dxFNi82Zzxpp/s1600/P1060341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0rfZQ-QHjdMCDj0gAcdhqopSGcS2H_JJWwKmBRB6kpcM3Kz0v8UjUnCU8JIDnIIrlh2xrK6_LNytHrPaKhkamEXzy7PMN-tkBK2d3wK4KHfYOzsF2a1BuR8oT3_XUFEe6dxFNi82Zzxpp/s1600/P1060341.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Po Nagar Pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PissNjUkB7cgksgiSb-MRuz2biSSp3maeTBC7ldYoIgrMY5fgVDM5q29P0pR9tZOccOnYsXMR9Mm7kSVttpsJ2pd-SonAfWg3z3oxvEWzZgRuBzL7CjV2fJgB8M0SNwqklGNgNJLXj1X/s1600/P1060345.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PissNjUkB7cgksgiSb-MRuz2biSSp3maeTBC7ldYoIgrMY5fgVDM5q29P0pR9tZOccOnYsXMR9Mm7kSVttpsJ2pd-SonAfWg3z3oxvEWzZgRuBzL7CjV2fJgB8M0SNwqklGNgNJLXj1X/s1600/P1060345.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Po Nagar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb37outkXhbW-f4Uw0Gy_kH08oO6MNeCv8XAC9zSxhtQiQ6mPVJhcHl95guSLcksqBgp1frZ3CFo54B4BEbjWj5El9j-_X4RnV3V6ybeB3tc7KsyqK0AAouaD0anVpZmyd0dHa5iP-Wm12/s1600/P1060342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb37outkXhbW-f4Uw0Gy_kH08oO6MNeCv8XAC9zSxhtQiQ6mPVJhcHl95guSLcksqBgp1frZ3CFo54B4BEbjWj5El9j-_X4RnV3V6ybeB3tc7KsyqK0AAouaD0anVpZmyd0dHa5iP-Wm12/s1600/P1060342.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang from Po Nagar</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjawaQQ0FZ2p2tayj50x06SFbrr90jeQQ0KEgXiHiwByUwLZmM5hJFl5JXTPGzLfpyg184Qf4Dq0dnZ4mUCSjSDi3LnKbZny4S5r42vPK_vyWuASQIYm_vz7PJbG4jzBTqYGtic0ipyEYr/s1600/P1060347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjawaQQ0FZ2p2tayj50x06SFbrr90jeQQ0KEgXiHiwByUwLZmM5hJFl5JXTPGzLfpyg184Qf4Dq0dnZ4mUCSjSDi3LnKbZny4S5r42vPK_vyWuASQIYm_vz7PJbG4jzBTqYGtic0ipyEYr/s1600/P1060347.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Po Nagar</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next we continued cycling along the coast toward our first rest stop at Hon Chong, known as Husband Rock. Apparently some lady waited so long for her husband to return from sea that she turned to stone. Ah, love.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfLSfJEUQ2H9xtFB3mBC9607qH8ahnEgEmimILXxulDmeBe_Xu4Yi0b6x5RU6QkfPrRoQS69m7diW0G3d54fW7gYLvMc2hek0w8-Etf8vjXzPiYUoW1QqqWHiZWEwcxCS3lxMj602t4bY/s1600/P1060352.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzfLSfJEUQ2H9xtFB3mBC9607qH8ahnEgEmimILXxulDmeBe_Xu4Yi0b6x5RU6QkfPrRoQS69m7diW0G3d54fW7gYLvMc2hek0w8-Etf8vjXzPiYUoW1QqqWHiZWEwcxCS3lxMj602t4bY/s1600/P1060352.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Careful there</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05wAEJ950xGw3kAh1uf3k70eTV_cPoS2Er4fvkZrCNkEFUVQcIUTD9dMuABZfBfdpfQL701ij1qqe_P1HtsLx0sXkuNbpXZ_wt8x1sCDxbxrtnyoLGbdHi5l0XPdB8yJC19t2Em6j5cpb/s1600/P1060354.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05wAEJ950xGw3kAh1uf3k70eTV_cPoS2Er4fvkZrCNkEFUVQcIUTD9dMuABZfBfdpfQL701ij1qqe_P1HtsLx0sXkuNbpXZ_wt8x1sCDxbxrtnyoLGbdHi5l0XPdB8yJC19t2Em6j5cpb/s1600/P1060354.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing on Husband Rock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDnJVSXPK_RjTxXYTb-SHyGKv7e-ID-JKOYooHMKCzcAByzwrmbfVs3pER0vsvB7Rkwo8UUOAFRLfEBPn07vBZWzcgqmyzi0AhbQfQSRvx1DIH4lubMlEjv2wm1ssXt84BUV3qh_CI1iT/s1600/P1060358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimDnJVSXPK_RjTxXYTb-SHyGKv7e-ID-JKOYooHMKCzcAByzwrmbfVs3pER0vsvB7Rkwo8UUOAFRLfEBPn07vBZWzcgqmyzi0AhbQfQSRvx1DIH4lubMlEjv2wm1ssXt84BUV3qh_CI1iT/s1600/P1060358.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Bay / South China Sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfykiaThXQ2DYmpxKtvrbRmQLxYuk6YJz7MlQ8XbR8q6tyqJMp6Ov9OyIU6no259e7DVwB4MEuBFljll7VVwKbrfQQPDKy3rde_NDX2nuaJkvwoWP6EoOAVLsR9dW-bPytk5NtHyXBIiT/s1600/P1060360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsfykiaThXQ2DYmpxKtvrbRmQLxYuk6YJz7MlQ8XbR8q6tyqJMp6Ov9OyIU6no259e7DVwB4MEuBFljll7VVwKbrfQQPDKy3rde_NDX2nuaJkvwoWP6EoOAVLsR9dW-bPytk5NtHyXBIiT/s1600/P1060360.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hon Chong</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Back on the road, we took a turn down a gravel path and meandered through the countryside and a sweet little village. Sparse motor traffic and beautiful landscapes made the cycling very pleasant.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKbrmHHNReK2dMtD4vrjg8Y7D5vSj4sZbVZEiTrLFtMIkHE4e1zq6pmypLlvI32mLq8e8NZO7lrw-cUy5rZ8gNy524AHsm6fUNURqKq9HNx9hDmRwR1NtDkWJ8JbrCzk6oOy6sM4qxxpz/s1600/P1060361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrKbrmHHNReK2dMtD4vrjg8Y7D5vSj4sZbVZEiTrLFtMIkHE4e1zq6pmypLlvI32mLq8e8NZO7lrw-cUy5rZ8gNy524AHsm6fUNURqKq9HNx9hDmRwR1NtDkWJ8JbrCzk6oOy6sM4qxxpz/s1600/P1060361.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Countryside</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd2IV4fV_U0sywuFl0i2eTZp-jeqeyVOm1HVJJN3pk09qXnjC3SBcIOvmf4Xxt5ZPr3fYsf9KZzgy8NfVj90w5L4nlLFnQEW_M83flJaaV-BNKvC8yAt4gjeKh-bZjLHE6GGLspLmkNb1/s1600/P1060370.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwd2IV4fV_U0sywuFl0i2eTZp-jeqeyVOm1HVJJN3pk09qXnjC3SBcIOvmf4Xxt5ZPr3fYsf9KZzgy8NfVj90w5L4nlLFnQEW_M83flJaaV-BNKvC8yAt4gjeKh-bZjLHE6GGLspLmkNb1/s1600/P1060370.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">River</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyLUqhwYOFhVldjb5h_prNigx7Q8Ka5vaYCOmhswYjsh_ojSJ_mByYFB9XnD1hGGQzoMwwWomf2bVzvyAJBdF1OIGExYhaacoZkwQiwIpDC9ojDiGb-p1Z1Y0cyJXVWwSUVtGCOha5Mhu/s1600/P1060371.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyLUqhwYOFhVldjb5h_prNigx7Q8Ka5vaYCOmhswYjsh_ojSJ_mByYFB9XnD1hGGQzoMwwWomf2bVzvyAJBdF1OIGExYhaacoZkwQiwIpDC9ojDiGb-p1Z1Y0cyJXVWwSUVtGCOha5Mhu/s1600/P1060371.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lisa cycles across the rickety bridge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_COJ2KqFAw7dpOdS69mq3PV3Sl8kvwf-SJNcUcDlVbu0u-Fd6ud-eYJ9nanRiX1Kq8wVkeZwBrWMuAU78LHAZMm44xjNL38P3ztCmvoK23GT7Z-ivXKc7Upw8F9fjIwLaPeDGWH1ndnX/s1600/P1060374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_COJ2KqFAw7dpOdS69mq3PV3Sl8kvwf-SJNcUcDlVbu0u-Fd6ud-eYJ9nanRiX1Kq8wVkeZwBrWMuAU78LHAZMm44xjNL38P3ztCmvoK23GT7Z-ivXKc7Upw8F9fjIwLaPeDGWH1ndnX/s1600/P1060374.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next stop on the tour was Long Son Pagoda. As the temperature rose steeply in the mid-afternoon sun, we wandered around the temple complex and stumbled upon a monk striking a bell. Thanh told us that if you sit inside the bell and make a wish while the monk strikes the bell and chants, your wish will come true. Of course we could not pass up this opportunity.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkmrmXk8w5VJ8QAIdy5FXPKfqCiy1wYhDWpxw3WLVt-Jr9vgKC6bkYoRDyZT1YaGGLcwKWtrmcU6BbF4pXThEIrBhSJ7XeNTP0_C6UhYRYKv3ipfBf4XAAK_4jg0uGqIiHUDevxBsGzQS/s1600/P1060378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkmrmXk8w5VJ8QAIdy5FXPKfqCiy1wYhDWpxw3WLVt-Jr9vgKC6bkYoRDyZT1YaGGLcwKWtrmcU6BbF4pXThEIrBhSJ7XeNTP0_C6UhYRYKv3ipfBf4XAAK_4jg0uGqIiHUDevxBsGzQS/s1600/P1060378.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Long Son Pagoda</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBzM2XXAzFd9uMm11HqNqipBcx1xfphKacdHPjRCxrQWmkhW5S4YywWPrma5zi1oIi2QgCfGNbBhDAcdNAaagkX3kZuZLi3OJmRh5kFbX9qHYLlaRHWxVuU1_2cnrj7eGGuPf1DLVHgAp/s1600/P1060388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiBzM2XXAzFd9uMm11HqNqipBcx1xfphKacdHPjRCxrQWmkhW5S4YywWPrma5zi1oIi2QgCfGNbBhDAcdNAaagkX3kZuZLi3OJmRh5kFbX9qHYLlaRHWxVuU1_2cnrj7eGGuPf1DLVHgAp/s1600/P1060388.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Monk</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t remember what my wish was (probably not a good sign), but sitting inside the bell as the monk chanted and rang the gong, I looked up and saw a collection of wishes written in markers on the inner surface of the bell. It was such a strange experience, but quite lovely!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosopRMp0eBGPNfLgkQWKZ7xmlCxXczinlFubhjh-3TRBmlsCjQV9nFMMj0tISLEgn8_p3FL_cAhLYPTJmYiYDztmX3FabaVOC4RZQb9Gh-COAfIQWxb1LetkXtoW7BRruWkfeVkTEu5kC/s1600/P1060386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiosopRMp0eBGPNfLgkQWKZ7xmlCxXczinlFubhjh-3TRBmlsCjQV9nFMMj0tISLEgn8_p3FL_cAhLYPTJmYiYDztmX3FabaVOC4RZQb9Gh-COAfIQWxb1LetkXtoW7BRruWkfeVkTEu5kC/s1600/P1060386.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making a wish</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To commemorate our time together, Thanh bought us each some calligraphy from one of the monks outside the big Buddha statue. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzpsO4MwxdDAFvu1WASiZl6A82bO0tK_jIX9hFb8MYTLa_uWEqxtSZESo_7X7heO_gkcb4t0tNrQAXeNLwyt5CjFmF-P6f78Vw3-nLOiAVeSLWr_DIaEXK-Arn1RdNN8MDEndFdcRME7A/s1600/P1060392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzpsO4MwxdDAFvu1WASiZl6A82bO0tK_jIX9hFb8MYTLa_uWEqxtSZESo_7X7heO_gkcb4t0tNrQAXeNLwyt5CjFmF-P6f78Vw3-nLOiAVeSLWr_DIaEXK-Arn1RdNN8MDEndFdcRME7A/s1600/P1060392.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you tell what he's writing?</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our final destination was the Nha Trang Cathedral, a French church built in the 1930s. To be honest, by this point we were pretty tired and hungry, so I can’t remember much about the history. But here’s a few pictures to prove I was really there.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkApbzbnLlLsm8Re16qEXmuULH8ltS1KKccyW-S6lXX5-RND-bb5IPEe4XxFW7r38-Bn-A0HRJgYH2prUC-Tq8d98RzTl_EzYGEtPnTo4xta_iZcKnwbpY8H1VmHfGhaSwt-s1U9y4yLYp/s1600/P1060396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkApbzbnLlLsm8Re16qEXmuULH8ltS1KKccyW-S6lXX5-RND-bb5IPEe4XxFW7r38-Bn-A0HRJgYH2prUC-Tq8d98RzTl_EzYGEtPnTo4xta_iZcKnwbpY8H1VmHfGhaSwt-s1U9y4yLYp/s1600/P1060396.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Cathedral</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOODYIxSyEhvhucXUYVHMgjXfOPG3Oxo4z18Ru_9qJOm4ZJIyze5KEdhcexRKRzQFbLb1YUCkU7BEqAYp9KsZBSdpI7xqMObTOO66WhuZClTsJlpa9OL8oHO1hVCRRabAD7TbjIZfkXR3u/s1600/P1060397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOODYIxSyEhvhucXUYVHMgjXfOPG3Oxo4z18Ru_9qJOm4ZJIyze5KEdhcexRKRzQFbLb1YUCkU7BEqAYp9KsZBSdpI7xqMObTOO66WhuZClTsJlpa9OL8oHO1hVCRRabAD7TbjIZfkXR3u/s1600/P1060397.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Cathedral</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That night, we showered up and set out for a Nha Trang pub crawl, organized by yours truly. Basically I consulted TripAdvisor for the most popular bars and plotted their location on the free map from our hotel. Then I spent the entire night making sure we did not steer off course, which became more difficult with each sickeningly sweet bucket of booze.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEERNhZG5EXtV4TmAqCDSIR3ro0xh1AAvIcoZ46tumSEKTQPw_aESI3hqxDl_C5zffdNhCeTYtlIQfWmaQUjnZR7pUXdF-6SH6zpv4bJHVo3Qm1lZQysns6b81jFnF6LOaOgL8D09y13z3/s1600/IMG_0593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEERNhZG5EXtV4TmAqCDSIR3ro0xh1AAvIcoZ46tumSEKTQPw_aESI3hqxDl_C5zffdNhCeTYtlIQfWmaQUjnZR7pUXdF-6SH6zpv4bJHVo3Qm1lZQysns6b81jFnF6LOaOgL8D09y13z3/s1600/IMG_0593.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Official Pub Crawl Route</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next morning, we relaxed on the beach for a while before packing our bags and riding an electric golf cart (??!!) to the mud baths. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPYN-JgwDLWBFxPCmQ9r09Dxo5JANe8Thu6PxyBOQJVmiEvuj6KKJBOJjKhvhWqdEIs1jqAatHPh9cWWISN9FLELDR4dVLcR1mYgbbDSSTJVKOf2UfDRDyulnf52ak7nAGJ8KV5S4IpxE/s1600/2014-02-16+13.24.57.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTPYN-JgwDLWBFxPCmQ9r09Dxo5JANe8Thu6PxyBOQJVmiEvuj6KKJBOJjKhvhWqdEIs1jqAatHPh9cWWISN9FLELDR4dVLcR1mYgbbDSSTJVKOf2UfDRDyulnf52ak7nAGJ8KV5S4IpxE/s1600/2014-02-16+13.24.57.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nha Trang Beach</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBFw50C_b1wD7QP9w9rTXvsB3amQHeto7xyBabZOcKH8qEV2T05NEz0cUzadGCHLnXoxrLJCEkdEpi484CKyDf-5FuzM7vaOA7h1yok9cx3IK83mdvp9oka0UGdOyZS-pTg9wb2_wd87M/s1600/2014-02-16+14.06.48.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBFw50C_b1wD7QP9w9rTXvsB3amQHeto7xyBabZOcKH8qEV2T05NEz0cUzadGCHLnXoxrLJCEkdEpi484CKyDf-5FuzM7vaOA7h1yok9cx3IK83mdvp9oka0UGdOyZS-pTg9wb2_wd87M/s1600/2014-02-16+14.06.48.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How do I always manage to get the front seat?</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Now, these mud baths... Wow. Nha Trang has several mud bath spas, but we went to the <a href="http://www.i-resort.vn/index.php?lang=en">iResort</a>, as recommended by, you guessed it, TripAdvisor. I should be getting sponsored by those guys. We started off in the crowded changing rooms, throwing elbows to find enough space to get near enough to our assigned locker to cram our bags inside. After a wander around the immense spa, we squished and squashed ourselves into a mineral mud bath. It was runnier than expected, but after a few minutes of uncertainty and skepticism, we embraced the cool muck and rolled around like .... well, I was going to say ‘pigs’ but we are way too stunning to be described in such a way!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPEpWlJkIZv_Krcsy6PbqjvC-sTANnkl0lJ76oVx-Zqyyw1J1gjg0EZ5TQvZ_2It50yhKFRCavoCSrUbjw8GjroSO1dg3Tu4istPSFohZqHcrtXm4iYcvr9Q0fWxDVA6NB7ZyR-L4xZXQ/s1600/P1060400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPEpWlJkIZv_Krcsy6PbqjvC-sTANnkl0lJ76oVx-Zqyyw1J1gjg0EZ5TQvZ_2It50yhKFRCavoCSrUbjw8GjroSO1dg3Tu4istPSFohZqHcrtXm4iYcvr9Q0fWxDVA6NB7ZyR-L4xZXQ/s1600/P1060400.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lara, Lisa, Sarah, me, Hannah<br />
Wallowing :)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Had we planned slightly better, we could have taken full advantage of the many mineral pools and waterfalls around the spa. You could easily spend the entire day there, hopping from pool to pool, soaking up the curative minerals through osmosis. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Sadly, we had a plane to catch, and heck if we were gonna miss another flight! The whole group met for an early dinner at <a href="http://www.louisianebrewhouse.com.vn/">Louisiane Brewhouse</a>. The cherry on top of our weekend of delights, the restaurant served delicious Witbier brewed on sight. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_phvEtnC2pbGelL8OXo1X2X-_2QwYpKx4hjoh9iDLkMz3ye8zpeivPwo5Uiuk8Bttux0kluZZVvvXwt8FI-jYi5vnWyZGIQB2tc01mzBvWAI7vPnzxIaFT_4sGj34yTfUlYCGQgI4DM1/s1600/P1060402.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI_phvEtnC2pbGelL8OXo1X2X-_2QwYpKx4hjoh9iDLkMz3ye8zpeivPwo5Uiuk8Bttux0kluZZVvvXwt8FI-jYi5vnWyZGIQB2tc01mzBvWAI7vPnzxIaFT_4sGj34yTfUlYCGQgI4DM1/s1600/P1060402.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good beer, how I've missed you!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A somewhat-sketchy unmarked taxi ride back to the airport followed dinner. Of course the return flight with Vietjet was delayed. I won’t complain about it here because I want the weekend in Nha Trang to end on a positive note. So I’ll just leave you with this creepy doll sold in the airport shop to sum up once again how I feel about That-Airline-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBP7G-_R6jZcmox5tS8FkY2XBg4doGS1BpE859epGnZla3Q_Lj2Gf_BTpsy7BlYxHbdztnu8gSa2O9ngsWnrK56ZVe9xhY5gWWUqWVdDjcouqI2Jc3WgOiWR0eayIzAWP_Pzp1GovAbyS/s1600/P1060404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEBP7G-_R6jZcmox5tS8FkY2XBg4doGS1BpE859epGnZla3Q_Lj2Gf_BTpsy7BlYxHbdztnu8gSa2O9ngsWnrK56ZVe9xhY5gWWUqWVdDjcouqI2Jc3WgOiWR0eayIzAWP_Pzp1GovAbyS/s1600/P1060404.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eek! The stuff of nightmares!</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-33895467082393922212014-03-25T06:53:00.000-07:002014-03-25T06:53:05.109-07:00El Nido, Palawan<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">During the <a href="http://www.vietnamonline.com/tet.html">Tet holiday</a> in January, I traveled with my friend Dave to the Philippines. <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/02/samantha-in-philippines.html">I’d been once before</a>, but this trip was to El Nido, Palawan, known for its natural beauty and cluster of islands.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Inspired by this magnificence, and the current English unit at school about non-rhyming poetry, I’ve decided to tell the tales of my adventure in <a href="http://www.palawanelnido.com/">El Nido, Palawan</a>, in <a href="http://www.poetry4kids.com/blog/lessons/how-to-write-an-acrostic-poem/">acrostic form</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So, here’s to you, El Nido!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>E</b>: Experience</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When people ask me where is the most beautiful place I’ve been, it’s difficult to choose just one. But I think if I really had to choose, I would say the Philippines, and feel confident in my answer. Of course, there are plenty of places I haven’t been, and plenty of places in the Philippines, but the parts that I’ve seen...there is no comparison!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The people are friendly, the food is delicious, the views are beyond words. It just feels good to be there.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">So if I can give you a bit of unsolicited advice: Go EXPERIENCE the Philippines!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0t5H89NMYKq7NRsfD7ajPuRGp0aevW3GDwa0gPTdixLATbTBOPwIvCxV7g2pvGrg_HcQ3VSTbkjLfHR1I-8T2rcWKorZS1RJLW60nEfWtR9somLxLrhBreSPQbYOVNhmtkAJiGdcjq33/s1600/P1060212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0t5H89NMYKq7NRsfD7ajPuRGp0aevW3GDwa0gPTdixLATbTBOPwIvCxV7g2pvGrg_HcQ3VSTbkjLfHR1I-8T2rcWKorZS1RJLW60nEfWtR9somLxLrhBreSPQbYOVNhmtkAJiGdcjq33/s1600/P1060212.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first glimpse of Palawan from the plane</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>L</b>: Landscapes</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I mentioned the views are beyond words, and really, it’s true. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves. The first beach we visited was in El Nido town. Not a great beach for sunbathing, but clean nonetheless. The whole strip is lined with hotels and restaurants, but it was surprisingly quiet when we were there.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmhfkg_XNfsy3Lu3INbMp8ctpOPgxS7VPRRgtkj83-zLyMXThfHq9nI8ncVYcEF3N7FcHSRCOxyirpMDiJIpS87MsPERzal6s9z5vbp3rLjj1gcyIPE3SqaPEhN2ICdl-rTETTaYHhCao/s1600/P1060263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlmhfkg_XNfsy3Lu3INbMp8ctpOPgxS7VPRRgtkj83-zLyMXThfHq9nI8ncVYcEF3N7FcHSRCOxyirpMDiJIpS87MsPERzal6s9z5vbp3rLjj1gcyIPE3SqaPEhN2ICdl-rTETTaYHhCao/s1600/P1060263.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bay at El Nido</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5d1-O1Smo-7voBpRTxSBbGoEAH5e9xg_jznaPZccwJGzedNrDxADaHJo8YBfxGQwNb_ZxqWUweMl2tbdCATavJDGRNJgm6R3IY8TaBQrodXXwtuEu0fPC9sQnz0xJd4Nsgz8DadiG9bn/s1600/2014-01-29+15.56.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP5d1-O1Smo-7voBpRTxSBbGoEAH5e9xg_jznaPZccwJGzedNrDxADaHJo8YBfxGQwNb_ZxqWUweMl2tbdCATavJDGRNJgm6R3IY8TaBQrodXXwtuEu0fPC9sQnz0xJd4Nsgz8DadiG9bn/s1600/2014-01-29+15.56.00.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Nido</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">One afternoon, we rented a motorbike and drove out through the country to a beach called Nacpan. About halfway there, the paved road ran out, and we rode the rest of the way down gravel roads full of potholes and across tiny bridges made of rotting logs. But we got to see this!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglznx1RUqZ8T757LCIBl2DAzaAzvSFWBEAsBFdoFqBGLI6oG4UyH6szW2k0ZxafmJNbH2g0xfpXzsfdyrX0sN9UtkJCzN4fhyphenhyphenrqkTC7-yT6z4dcyrFMg5wETgAFQnAwrN1b2YE1-E-fdUA/s1600/P1060230.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglznx1RUqZ8T757LCIBl2DAzaAzvSFWBEAsBFdoFqBGLI6oG4UyH6szW2k0ZxafmJNbH2g0xfpXzsfdyrX0sN9UtkJCzN4fhyphenhyphenrqkTC7-yT6z4dcyrFMg5wETgAFQnAwrN1b2YE1-E-fdUA/s1600/P1060230.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rural Palawan</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5pUyUdZT_RPuTJsfMU8Gz1cBVqEtBLdQH4y-9yq9reA2T59YH9CTYOD0rMM_x3k70uBOjcXO-dIprkeLfa2HIOFvySOhykW9uzDNvfzCaXQ5hlQcY6HcVv-Vkmcu727skATGRYAcUBd4/s1600/P1060233.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_5pUyUdZT_RPuTJsfMU8Gz1cBVqEtBLdQH4y-9yq9reA2T59YH9CTYOD0rMM_x3k70uBOjcXO-dIprkeLfa2HIOFvySOhykW9uzDNvfzCaXQ5hlQcY6HcVv-Vkmcu727skATGRYAcUBd4/s1600/P1060233.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Country road, DON'T take me home!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sobi1ET9upNZpgv5d4aup5aincNS5SkZhcx6T6XkeZPme2vBv_bJJ2wabIh033xNM75a7lOm4HIsM4jRW9jFTMU5TYwSFfKl6GUCzC3D6nEYUKYGe00Q2pqXO9EOitLYtUIdNCKd89dl/s1600/P1060221.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0sobi1ET9upNZpgv5d4aup5aincNS5SkZhcx6T6XkeZPme2vBv_bJJ2wabIh033xNM75a7lOm4HIsM4jRW9jFTMU5TYwSFfKl6GUCzC3D6nEYUKYGe00Q2pqXO9EOitLYtUIdNCKd89dl/s1600/P1060221.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nacpan Beach<br />Paradise??</td></tr>
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After eating some possibly dodgy seafood, Dave and I both got food poisoning. It was a bonding experience. There is no way to un-hear someone puking their guts out through the thin bathroom wall.</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">To recover from our nastiness, we spent an afternoon lounging on a nearby beach called Las Cabanas. I mostly laid in the shade, sipping a coconut to replenish my electrolytes. But if you’re going to “waste” a day in paradise, this ain’t a bad way to do it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpCCMx-Ur01RfMboOQngHttA2mEsH_ezTo1M4JizmlXgfiuPKYL5TmuhIVbqYI07UMlNRlSB28I3f7nl5KC_1KKZHV0ftNZ5ammXReBn3F5ardZ-f4eAZqyqHm5fsa-1SbmvMRlE2-t44/s1600/P1060240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcpCCMx-Ur01RfMboOQngHttA2mEsH_ezTo1M4JizmlXgfiuPKYL5TmuhIVbqYI07UMlNRlSB28I3f7nl5KC_1KKZHV0ftNZ5ammXReBn3F5ardZ-f4eAZqyqHm5fsa-1SbmvMRlE2-t44/s1600/P1060240.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Las Cabanas Beach</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>N</b>: Natural</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our hotel, <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g294256-d1592681-Reviews-Island_Front_Cottages-El_Nido_Palawan_Island_Palawan_Province_Mimaropa.html">Island Front Cottages</a>, made it very clear when we booked that electricity is a privilege, not a right, on Palawan. The power only operated for certain hours of the day. Most of the businesses ran generators during the outage hours, though. We had to time our showers to allow for the hot water heater, or pay an icy price.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSGwp5C4ix8-j7GVvwc19yML2jJ5J0fB5LmGDik6METxk-hIhjJThoYDnvRjwGjrkVsUw_UCrFYlNjGx1DJqWenRQtaN5t42jFaJHYESIQivKylRvWKXqbN7NBBb7oYO_95Igpb7NwKoF/s1600/2014-01-29+07.24.59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSGwp5C4ix8-j7GVvwc19yML2jJ5J0fB5LmGDik6METxk-hIhjJThoYDnvRjwGjrkVsUw_UCrFYlNjGx1DJqWenRQtaN5t42jFaJHYESIQivKylRvWKXqbN7NBBb7oYO_95Igpb7NwKoF/s1600/2014-01-29+07.24.59.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our hotel beach at low tide</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlcuDKOXU9BtQaNvtIDQdrhvroVGOYVf6GBBXUdNJ8-OOD0ZuRxvFz5AiFv0wz0Lrnb1JWUkoHja7mImwdl3-qJ7UHgi5mKeq8P8t-cWHet4U_ViLyD9oqwklYde_94lYCSLNhjXFvkeh/s1600/2014-01-29+09.27.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUlcuDKOXU9BtQaNvtIDQdrhvroVGOYVf6GBBXUdNJ8-OOD0ZuRxvFz5AiFv0wz0Lrnb1JWUkoHja7mImwdl3-qJ7UHgi5mKeq8P8t-cWHet4U_ViLyD9oqwklYde_94lYCSLNhjXFvkeh/s1600/2014-01-29+09.27.03.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No power lines</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On our last day on the island, it rained. It rained all day. All day. And because most people had traveled to El Nido to go scuba diving, island hopping, and sunbathing, the entire tourist population was trapped in the restaurants and bars along the one little road through town. We, of course, found friends in a bar to spend the time with, drinking and playing cards. Ahhh, the simple life.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eCAyBHa5yCbaPWFSEST38o0lnyXE3JZmIx476K1FYxrYv3rfv-iZ6EO4znIFNXtw8IT909E0vVEVs97w3U3Pa0DzCk0mLsmy5FlSQCySH7OifS4Q3K7MDa4tus2a44sL0L5WXp4JEef2/s1600/2014-01-29+17.39.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eCAyBHa5yCbaPWFSEST38o0lnyXE3JZmIx476K1FYxrYv3rfv-iZ6EO4znIFNXtw8IT909E0vVEVs97w3U3Pa0DzCk0mLsmy5FlSQCySH7OifS4Q3K7MDa4tus2a44sL0L5WXp4JEef2/s1600/2014-01-29+17.39.14.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">El Nido town</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9J_ge689i1enoptg_LFeXCA4ZfqypJ8-pxyUBGE4E6vKzjq_aKnpSkhrYscbfM-PscWzYd46ytmkSS7COsxrEAIfj4c6X0VmZ7_o1Cn3jP9zjwvYCeC06tCjNv6mIbSO7H1ggHsgkDnW2/s1600/P1060306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9J_ge689i1enoptg_LFeXCA4ZfqypJ8-pxyUBGE4E6vKzjq_aKnpSkhrYscbfM-PscWzYd46ytmkSS7COsxrEAIfj4c6X0VmZ7_o1Cn3jP9zjwvYCeC06tCjNv6mIbSO7H1ggHsgkDnW2/s1600/P1060306.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If I lived here, I'd see this every day...</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>I</b>: Island hopping</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">El Nido is part of the <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=bacuit+archipelago+map&ll=11.173013,119.389114&spn=0.363086,0.617294&client=safari&usg=__fyze2d2Wm8lcMduH5Qeqwagg5DA%3D&hq=archipelago&hnear=El+Nido,+Palawan,+MIMAROPA,+Philippines&t=m&z=11">Bacuit Archipelago</a>, which consists of 45 islands scattered around the South China Sea. This makes for an excellent day of island hopping on a banca boat. Dave an I packed our sunscreen and booked ourselves some fun in the sun with <a href="http://elnidoboutiqueandartcafe.com/Tour_C.html">Art Cafe’s famous Tour C</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The tour took us to such mystical places as Hidden Beach, Secret Beach, Matinloc Shrine, and Helicopter Island. The scenery cannot be rivaled, and again I think I should just let the pictures speak for themselves.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dave swims through the tunnel to reach Secret Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matinloc Shrine</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matinloc Island<br />Look at that clear water!!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch break</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KLdREB6MBuTaWO_fHy8WsCPFy_WlYXT9VH9tzi4tXNT743Oi8vNkK0fGj1zTsQHVXecsep3R-xR-1xRIbkb4My-bWzLti4QR06nYGovOhG5OXgzbiz9ig3KP-OAL3aTsXXE1h6UTGdQG/s1600/2014-01-31+18.56.07-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8KLdREB6MBuTaWO_fHy8WsCPFy_WlYXT9VH9tzi4tXNT743Oi8vNkK0fGj1zTsQHVXecsep3R-xR-1xRIbkb4My-bWzLti4QR06nYGovOhG5OXgzbiz9ig3KP-OAL3aTsXXE1h6UTGdQG/s1600/2014-01-31+18.56.07-1.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Island hoppers</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On the tour, we got to snorkel at several locations, and the water was so clear and full of life, it put an other snorkeling I’ve done to shame. I even saw an octopus!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvnNNIjbvwsoZMSiCxUQneTo7q9BApkBkjrhmiZd1sZd-RykbQ8WupNnWf__FKer1sqRFF5Sly5Gs1pSLcAS7jM4kou55qGVFO3XYhmcHMPQ2Ny40Dhn-fzNbbkI6Dz6K7_qTsqpGI8lX/s1600/P1030064_Fotor_Collage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTvnNNIjbvwsoZMSiCxUQneTo7q9BApkBkjrhmiZd1sZd-RykbQ8WupNnWf__FKer1sqRFF5Sly5Gs1pSLcAS7jM4kou55qGVFO3XYhmcHMPQ2Ny40Dhn-fzNbbkI6Dz6K7_qTsqpGI8lX/s1600/P1030064_Fotor_Collage.jpg" height="640" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">OoooOooo, a collage!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>D</b>: Diving</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When<a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/12/under-sea_5.html"> I learned to SCUBA dive in Thailand back in October</a>, I thought diving was the most amazing thing ever invented. Little did I know it could get BETTER! Because El Nido is so well-preserved, the diving is beautiful. We were lucky and had good weather conditions for excellent visibility and plenty of sea life. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I don’t have an underwater camera, and Dave’s isn’t safe to use at diving depths, so I don’t have any pictures of diving. But let me just say this: we went on nine dives over the course of the week, and never once were we disappointed in what we saw. I saw tons of clown fish in sea anemones, trumpet fish, giant clams, sea cucumbers, and countless jellyfish. I swam through a school of yellow snapper. And I watched a sea turtle eating coral. I mean, come on!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr5vemEh4LHxWT-vf2Vu7DYecvAN7mRp94lhrDGT-Lk7bCmW1CD7kD1hm8DAKPJKRCA4gS33DJqBnaLCkPCab2LWU62Is3LbM2tCHqceiI87YIjfwl3D-QvRsA9Wt8gR9vIDsIHlf-sKF/s1600/P1030033.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNr5vemEh4LHxWT-vf2Vu7DYecvAN7mRp94lhrDGT-Lk7bCmW1CD7kD1hm8DAKPJKRCA4gS33DJqBnaLCkPCab2LWU62Is3LbM2tCHqceiI87YIjfwl3D-QvRsA9Wt8gR9vIDsIHlf-sKF/s1600/P1030033.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm not as terrified as I look</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>O</b>: OMG when can I go back??</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The one bad thing about a spectacular vacation is that it only makes you want to go back. I don’t see how the pristine beaches and sensational diving could get old any time soon. But maybe I should branch out and see other places? Get another stamp in the ol’ passport? Try some new cuisine? </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Lucky for me, my job has good holidays. <a href="http://www.sipadan.com/">Sipadan</a>, anyone?</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJb3v9bbWcL-byL2ikTDCYddLrtRvXsS9WbcMvOCpoEZ6RmxSmuFx4gaZeukGUpZVsz6fgLT7VSD7yLfIBDh0gbnHA28yPsweqnYCcE7tcO_Qbzv5xnVcMudwfrhrZTulO1PyFxXnXTulh/s1600/P1060327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJb3v9bbWcL-byL2ikTDCYddLrtRvXsS9WbcMvOCpoEZ6RmxSmuFx4gaZeukGUpZVsz6fgLT7VSD7yLfIBDh0gbnHA28yPsweqnYCcE7tcO_Qbzv5xnVcMudwfrhrZTulO1PyFxXnXTulh/s1600/P1060327.JPG" height="358" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corong Corong sunset</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqKjoJ8KjPSrusvR79BBnkT63v32SvVb9o0HD59S_snzCUHxBP4XMz9gCsc0nwUfmBlAAUmrIR7t53tMagXLr55zvNSh3E3WVkGzMjOID5zLCKuqEfi6gumshcA5LeQgvJj77d6IvEtEm/s1600/P1060288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAqKjoJ8KjPSrusvR79BBnkT63v32SvVb9o0HD59S_snzCUHxBP4XMz9gCsc0nwUfmBlAAUmrIR7t53tMagXLr55zvNSh3E3WVkGzMjOID5zLCKuqEfi6gumshcA5LeQgvJj77d6IvEtEm/s1600/P1060288.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More this.</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-62226431446599173512014-03-02T04:27:00.000-08:002014-03-06T15:29:34.117-08:00Wow, You're So Brave: A Guide to Packing Your Bags and Moving Abroad<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;">Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach<b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;"> Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. </i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, serif; font-size: 15px;"><i style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; font-size: 14px; font-style: italic; line-height: 23.799999237060547px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;">The host for this month is </span><span style="line-height: normal;">Maggie Attoe;</span><span style="color: #333333; line-height: normal;"> <a href="http://maggieattoe.wordpress.com/2014/03/06/march-blog-carnival-adventure-tips-from-the-experts/">here you can find other similar articles.</a></span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;"> I'll be posting a new ESL-related article on my blog on the 5th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please contact Dean at <a href="mailto:dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: default; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com</a>, and he will let you know how you can start participating! </i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Ever since I decided to leave my teaching job at home and move overseas to teach English, before I even knew quite what I was doing myself, people have been asking me questions, seeking my advice, picking my brain for bits of information on this crazy commitment. Of course I’m happy to share what I know, and if you know me at all, you understand how much it means to me to feel like I’m imparting wisdom on others. Drawing great pleasure from acting as if I know everything is one of the main reasons I went into teaching.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Recently, one of my friend’s coworker’s daughters (think it through) sent me an email filled with questions about my experiences teaching abroad. Her questions are similar to the wonders and worries I had before embarking on my own big move. I’ll do my best here to answer her questions, along with a few other tidbits of golden insight.</span></div>
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<li>What made you choose Vietnam? </li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I get this one all the time. Same when I lived in Taiwan. Even the locals ask me, “Why did you choose to live here?” Unfortunately, I don’t have a good answer to this one. “It just sounded cool,” doesn’t seem like a sensible reason to move to the other side of the globe, but it’s the most honest answer I can come up with. I didn’t know anyone in Taiwan or Vietnam <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2011/08/it-was-just-like-movies.html">before showing up at the airport.</a> I guess deep down I chose Taiwan because it was more “off the beaten path” than China, Japan, or South Korea. Maybe I thought it would make my experience more interesting. Doesn’t really matter in the end though because <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/">Taiwan is amazing and you should definitely move there.</a> And as for Vietnam, I knew I wanted to live here after hearing other people tell me about their travel experiences in the country. I’ve been living here for nearly a year, and <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/">you should definitely move here, too.</a></span></div>
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<li>Have you been in charge of your own lesson plans, or were you originally assigned more of a teaching assistant role? What age group are you working with?</li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Questions about the day-to-day job are common. I had them before moving as well. However, since I’d already been a teacher for four years, I was less nervous about this aspect than someone fresh out of college or who has never taught before might be. I can only really speak about my own teaching jobs, but of course there are many paths you can follow teaching overseas. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I worked for <a href="http://www.saxoncourt.net/en/sest.php">Shane English School in Taiwan</a>, a company I was placed with through the recruiting agency <a href="http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com/">Reach To Teach</a>. As the first and only English teacher at <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2011/10/home-sweet-taiwan.html">my little school in Wugu</a>, I was able to run things the way I wanted. I was responsible for all my own lesson plans and developing materials and resources. I had a teaching assistant in most lessons, who corrected the homework and worked with the students after class to ensure they understood the grammatical points in the lesson. Because it was a language school, I worked with a wide range of students, from age 5 or 6 to adult.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here in Vietnam, I teach at <a href="http://www.bisvietnam.com/">British International School</a>, which is a well-respected primary school. Again I am responsible for lesson plans and developing classroom materials. We work with several teaching assistants as well. The primary school is for children from age 3-12, and there is a secondary school for older students as well. <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/12/its-little-things_4.html">I teach kids aged 4-6 this year</a>. </span></div>
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<li>What are the differences in teaching in public and private schools?</li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/11/teacher-samantha-goes-to-school.html">I haven’t taught in public schools overseas</a>, so I’ll be drawing from my friends’ experiences here. At the private schools I have taught in, schools where the parents pay a hefty tuition for their children to attend, I have noticed that money matters. At times, it can feel as though the school is a business first, and a school second. However, I think if you as the teacher keep the children and learning as a priority, that is what makes the difference. There is nothing you can really do about major corporate policies, but there is always something you can do to help students learn.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I have some friends who teach at public schools here in Vietnam, and their experience at work each day is quite different than mine. While I typically work with small groups of students to focus specifically on their English language needs, the teachers in the public schools stand in front of classes of up to 40 or more students with only a blackboard and a piece of chalk. Just like teaching in public schools in America, there is little you can do about changing the system, and reaching each child in a group that large is not easy. But again, teaching is what you make of it, and knowing that you’ve done your best to help your students attain their goals is what matters.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My advice would be to find out as much as you can about the schools you are considering. Ask for contact information for current and/or former teachers to get the real scoop. There are good and bad schools in any situation. </span></div>
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<li>Did you get your TESOL certificate before going overseas? Was it necessary with the program you went with and did it feel like a big help?</li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Because I was a teacher at home, I already had a teaching certificate and a Masters in Teaching. When I went to Taiwan, I did not go for any additional certifications. However, most schools in Taiwan require at least a Bachelor’s Degree and a TESOL/TEFL certification. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I came to Vietnam, I went through the <a href="http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-qualifications/celta/">CELTA course</a>, which is well-recognized in many countries worldwide. I did not necessarily need the CELTA to get a job here because I already had a teaching license, but I did find the course useful. Teaching English as a second language does require a specific set of skills. Of course, a good teacher can learn to teach most anything, but the CELTA course provided me with a solid batch of skills to plan strong language lessons. Plus I learned a load of nerdy things about grammar.</span></div>
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<li>Were accommodations more or less what you thought they would be? Any advice on big city versus small town? </li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">This question I feel I can answer fully, as I’ve lived in both a small town and a big city. In Taiwan, I lived <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2011/12/12-days-of-wugu.html">a small suburb of Taipei called Wugu</a>, where I was pretty much the only foreigner. My rent was ridiculously cheap (less than $200 per month including utilities) in my shared apartment with two amazing Taiwanese girls. My apartment was lovely compared to many of my friends who lived in tiny musty rooms in Taipei. Life was sweet there in Wugu, but I did spend a lot of time by myself. This was a good growing experience for me, learning to be with just me. However, I did get lonely and felt like I had to live it up every weekend when I went in to the city to see my other foreign friends. I wouldn’t trade my time in Wugu for anything, but I would think very carefully before moving to such an isolated location. I feel silly even describing Wugu as “isolated” because I was constantly surrounded by hundreds of thousands of people, but that’s the best description I can give.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Here in Vietnam, I live smack-dab in the center of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh_City">Ho Chi Minh City</a>, and I share a house with five other foreigners. Rent is still cheap (about $300 including utilities), and we have a lot of space. I have no lack of native-English-speaker interaction, due to my living situation as much as my working environment. Teaching at the British school, where everything is conducted in English, means I have very little opportunity to tune out and hide inside a foreign-language bubble. This leads nicely into the final question.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The short answer is ‘yes’. HOWEVER, I may have chosen the two most difficult languages for an English speaker to learn. Before I moved to Taiwan, I started to learn <a href="http://www.chinesewithmike.com/">Mandarin Chinese online</a>, like a good little student. As soon as I arrived in Taiwan, I stopped that immediately. The accent and character system were different from the way the online lessons were being taught. Lucky for me, I lived and worked in ‘isolated’ Wugu, full of wonderfully friendly people who couldn’t speak a lick of English but wanted to talk to me anyways. Interacting daily with my Noodle Lady, the workers at 7-11, and the little old man outside the camera shop forced me to learn and use Chinese at least at a basic survival level. I also took some free lessons through the Shane company, and my Taiwanese friends and coworkers were always willing to teach me useful words and phrases. By the time I left Taiwan, after 15 months, I was able to get by in necessary situations like restaurants, shops, train stations, etc.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I moved to Vietnam, I thought, “Oh super! They use the Roman alphabet over there! Learning Vietnamese will be waaaaay easier than Mandarin.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wrong.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/11/master-becomes-student.html">Vietnamese is the worst</a>. That Roman alphabet is just a false promise. The letters don’t make the same sounds, and there are more tones than Chinese! However, because I live in Saigon, learning the language isn’t really necessary. This is a blessing and a curse. The good thing is, I can almost always be guaranteed that someone nearby will speak English and be able to translate and help me get anything I need. The bad thing is, I’m not learning the language! I want to be able to chat with my Coconut Lady, the vendors at the street food stands, and the workers at the post office. I have a private tutor now, but honestly I don’t have (or use) many opportunities to practice Vietnamese. That must sound like a load of bull, seeing as I LIVE IN VIETNAM. But really. I work with foreigners. I live with foreigners. People in shops speak English. And most of all, when I try to speak Vietnamese, it’s really bad and no one understands me.</span></div>
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<li>My extra two cents.</li>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you’re thinking of teaching abroad, do it. You will not regret it. When my date to move overseas started approaching fast, I began to second-guess myself. I kept worrying about all the little details that I hadn’t figured out yet. There were so many uncertainties and unknown factors. I’m not the type of person who particularly gets a kick out of that sort of thing. I like a plan. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The thing that got me through those worries and kept me from unpacking my bags and canceling my flight was reminding myself that I was not the first person to embark on this kind of adventure. Many people younger and dumber than me had up and moved abroad, survived to tell about it, and even enjoyed it! If you’re questioning your decision, just remember, you can always buy a plane ticket back home.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2013/05/taiwan-touch-your-heart.html">But believe me, you won’t.</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-57647002335296071472014-02-05T04:51:00.000-08:002014-02-05T20:21:08.225-08:00Van Den Bondes in Vietnam<i>My friends Carey Van Den Busch and Jason Bonde came to visit me in Vietnam for the holidays! I've asked them to write a guest blog entry sharing their favorite moments and memories. Thanks for your post, and thanks MORE for visiting me! Come back soon.</i><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">After 42 hours of strenuous travel, we finally arrived in HCMC. Samantha was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. All we wanted to do now was shower and change clothes. We soon met her roommates, jumped into a couple of taxis, and headed over to the <a href="http://www.caravellehotel.com/">Caravelle Hotel</a> for a wonderful Christmas dinner buffet, complete with Vietnamese Santa! The food went on forever and the drinks were non-stop. There was something for everyone from fruit, to seafood, to sushi, ham, sweets… even picky eaters were stuffed.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Welcoming committee</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Xin Chao, Santa!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next day, we were picked up by our private driver and Phu, who would be our travel guide for the next day and half. We headed out of HCMC and into the <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/mekong-delta">Mekong Delta region</a>, with Phu basically grilling Samantha on her Vietnam knowledge. To Samantha’s credit (and Phu’s surprise), she answered most of his questions correctly. After a quick stop at a roadside rest stop, we hopped on a boat which headed out to one of the islands in the Mekong River. In short order, we enjoyed honey kumquat tea, checked out a bee farm, held a fairly large python, enjoyed many varieties of local fruit and finally jumped into a small canoe for a river ride one can only describe as intense. The waterway was packed full of canoes jockeying for position in an attempt to get down the river. The person at the front of the canoe pushed boats out the way, paddling when the waterway was clear, while the person in the back steered us down the waterway.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fruit and tea</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMl-vsOyq8G4gmxHcyPM4aFvZePe594qXzFSnnPX33YR_V9toy5NQ2MeclAWsQBpFBSKANkuE4tfRFMpqduB36bD7UVf0mmTC2tndt_XZX3GHPqiBxMSgpjQm4TzMAyGlZUQqiOqnYKE8/s1600/1544983_10152068453877976_1915828575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfMl-vsOyq8G4gmxHcyPM4aFvZePe594qXzFSnnPX33YR_V9toy5NQ2MeclAWsQBpFBSKANkuE4tfRFMpqduB36bD7UVf0mmTC2tndt_XZX3GHPqiBxMSgpjQm4TzMAyGlZUQqiOqnYKE8/s1600/1544983_10152068453877976_1915828575_n.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bravery at its best</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcp7x-xwP-nSX_xVKHUR_A3nnbvDTV_EbcsplDmerSOLRSIgZwsfWyDHyYmtVt9UmLEewnG1yE9yy2IzBbVpf9mC14xG2CIL_gLJfn8fhsr0t5om__yZxuXPP1ayaoI7wW9Uzl3ZkcKfER/s1600/1148934_10152068465282976_1979050544_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcp7x-xwP-nSX_xVKHUR_A3nnbvDTV_EbcsplDmerSOLRSIgZwsfWyDHyYmtVt9UmLEewnG1yE9yy2IzBbVpf9mC14xG2CIL_gLJfn8fhsr0t5om__yZxuXPP1ayaoI7wW9Uzl3ZkcKfER/s1600/1148934_10152068465282976_1979050544_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mekong Delta traffic jam</span></td></tr>
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After another short boat ride, we stopped at a shop that made coconut candy, and then found another lady that made super thin coconut and banana pancakes. (We made sure to stock up for our soon-to-be relaxing time on a beach.) But still we weren’t done! Onward to a bumpy horse and carriage ride, then finally a chance to sit down and breathe at lunch, where we enjoyed a feast of red snapper, mixed vegetables, grilled shrimp and fried rice.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm-J-LEKZP5z0gTq0NONWZGqPC0Dswm2u59Lh-WAOLfy11lE8co1kKd9-mEsh8H9RqrC6xtC1IuutRwkbGt96PJSTWHfoFkXCCgZ5aZr9GkkpF8Vsc9CefFKNeESD4Lwnfs7r1qctOmem/s1600/946944_10152068475752976_1029327581_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhm-J-LEKZP5z0gTq0NONWZGqPC0Dswm2u59Lh-WAOLfy11lE8co1kKd9-mEsh8H9RqrC6xtC1IuutRwkbGt96PJSTWHfoFkXCCgZ5aZr9GkkpF8Vsc9CefFKNeESD4Lwnfs7r1qctOmem/s1600/946944_10152068475752976_1029327581_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pancakes drying in the sun</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGl-Vt0INNxdGqOXm7x0EiQcWLWQ0uB_AxxMiMMUi5jZ2r3HqBcQhSWZsX6j8lARt473Zdj-1Gj-aBXgLBGgcisSeqUy8syohlaOoePO03EVxgrrIujMF29K7yy1xQrqgQ7jgbjHwnuRO/s1600/1506630_10152068477222976_1980837886_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyGl-Vt0INNxdGqOXm7x0EiQcWLWQ0uB_AxxMiMMUi5jZ2r3HqBcQhSWZsX6j8lARt473Zdj-1Gj-aBXgLBGgcisSeqUy8syohlaOoePO03EVxgrrIujMF29K7yy1xQrqgQ7jgbjHwnuRO/s1600/1506630_10152068477222976_1980837886_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bumpy ride</span></td></tr>
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A quick boat ride back to the car, then onward to our homestay family. After entrusting our bags and suitcases to strangers on motorbikes, we walked approximately a kilometer down river until we came across this beautiful house and garden, just in time for dinner that we would be responsible for cooking (thankfully with help)! On the menu were spring rolls lightly grilled in oil and omelet/pancakes with mixed veggies. After such a busy, fun-filled day and delicious dinner, we were ready to turn in. Jason and I shared our own room and Samantha was in the room next to us. We were separated by a few thin boards, but were able to have some privacy from each other. Other guests at the homestay stayed in a different area of the sleeping quarters.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8RVm_hhHpiWzuDGpQV4WYBWs5Fsw7d1Wne2X0x9Y4rxNn6GckVfqW41CPIRMomaLTy7hZ6DodI1epX-Q0Vb1FJYtAbQlu2VWgjK8oSQNPxD6ojya3-HP4tmUoxPUoMMWuuX0X57bClmY/s1600/1486867_10152068498362976_184736261_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO8RVm_hhHpiWzuDGpQV4WYBWs5Fsw7d1Wne2X0x9Y4rxNn6GckVfqW41CPIRMomaLTy7hZ6DodI1epX-Q0Vb1FJYtAbQlu2VWgjK8oSQNPxD6ojya3-HP4tmUoxPUoMMWuuX0X57bClmY/s1600/1486867_10152068498362976_184736261_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mekong Bell Hop</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnWb0ix5BMRu9aFHEV2I7Y1_1XPdOPRWrLvpe7g8euBRj-a8_zFB-L_qH6mkQit_Zq_6DC79shoB8xu1ChrqOatAaKQRQqNA9Nn-PlxCyhY8CWpi4hzyQCss0-ZjSLdt3k0UjsZ3NZbm-/s1600/71398_10152068499197976_1511442190_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtnWb0ix5BMRu9aFHEV2I7Y1_1XPdOPRWrLvpe7g8euBRj-a8_zFB-L_qH6mkQit_Zq_6DC79shoB8xu1ChrqOatAaKQRQqNA9Nn-PlxCyhY8CWpi4hzyQCss0-ZjSLdt3k0UjsZ3NZbm-/s1600/71398_10152068499197976_1511442190_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Learning to make spring rolls</span></td></tr>
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The next morning, we hopped onto another boat to tour <a href="http://www.mekong-delta-travel-guide.com/en/activities-attractions/floating-markets">the largest floating market in the Mekong Delta</a>. Each boat displayed their wares on long sticks for potential customers. After a few stops to see how rice noodles are made and more tasty fruit at a home that also grills snakes (!), we headed back into the city of Can Tho to check out a city market that could only be described as bustling with a “distinctive” smell. A quick lunch, then onward to the airport – the beautiful island of Phu Quoc awaits!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eC0UdnqFsvSpl8Z-8pB_dZOfwMTTUE412nslnzxSaEWqPcjATf1p4qby2oILm4gVbKebN2PuM3ZTEeH86xC4_3pfr5HMsTGPmSQEoB0CzaopS3Eqmcic2WH__huNh-DukAOGgn6rCDTW/s1600/1544462_10152068519467976_287479920_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6eC0UdnqFsvSpl8Z-8pB_dZOfwMTTUE412nslnzxSaEWqPcjATf1p4qby2oILm4gVbKebN2PuM3ZTEeH86xC4_3pfr5HMsTGPmSQEoB0CzaopS3Eqmcic2WH__huNh-DukAOGgn6rCDTW/s1600/1544462_10152068519467976_287479920_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mekong River</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGkX1yDQxSYMxkc0SLXNjDuSjGDYbJXGfhNgmCXyWyU1MEwY7NzdZsk8Ibled9TFn5cAJWZOVnHQb6jOVrQX2N3cKWGwW8LChVjCd4hyphenhypheno5HBokbYrhW7I1F-36kEwdAT6eGf1IBZwTEw4/s1600/1479161_10152068520662976_2020756432_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilGkX1yDQxSYMxkc0SLXNjDuSjGDYbJXGfhNgmCXyWyU1MEwY7NzdZsk8Ibled9TFn5cAJWZOVnHQb6jOVrQX2N3cKWGwW8LChVjCd4hyphenhypheno5HBokbYrhW7I1F-36kEwdAT6eGf1IBZwTEw4/s1600/1479161_10152068520662976_2020756432_n.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Produce displayed on boats</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78DhRCraapLDBTZ25b8E5JmR6rRnkpLZ0AEoOt7WOw7L9QQgYQth9qW5RDSXE9g7D4RhmGRMJn-f5B3-cxS4OBMlvkHsJVafzhyUCoIFWnwXxkdTFjCDgjsm4ynQMvC8OiUCcWtSnFPi0/s1600/1544964_10152068521517976_1089849168_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78DhRCraapLDBTZ25b8E5JmR6rRnkpLZ0AEoOt7WOw7L9QQgYQth9qW5RDSXE9g7D4RhmGRMJn-f5B3-cxS4OBMlvkHsJVafzhyUCoIFWnwXxkdTFjCDgjsm4ynQMvC8OiUCcWtSnFPi0/s1600/1544964_10152068521517976_1089849168_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Floating market</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs9N5eNa8a_-4lxKMkxv5LayuRk16JPqeIY4r0QBpa3lPhoX3AOUMAvDkcv31uO4d_1L8eW_-GgdZBmnd_yxzJ-n821j-rx5FPtVzgTG3sVovkdAZy5a7YYmNZemFfBf_3sbOM0wx73PQ/s1600/1477400_10152068559637976_1790521269_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHs9N5eNa8a_-4lxKMkxv5LayuRk16JPqeIY4r0QBpa3lPhoX3AOUMAvDkcv31uO4d_1L8eW_-GgdZBmnd_yxzJ-n821j-rx5FPtVzgTG3sVovkdAZy5a7YYmNZemFfBf_3sbOM0wx73PQ/s1600/1477400_10152068559637976_1790521269_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Can Tho Market</span></td></tr>
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Few words can describe the beauty of <a href="http://discoverphuquoc.com/">Phu Quoc</a>. Our tiny bungalow was quite cozy for the three of us. Samantha quickly had a cot delivered for her to sleep on and remedied the situation of having a very open concept bathroom – thank goodness for the privacy curtain! We were mere steps from the beach and bar. For our first full day at the <a href="http://thanhkieuresort.com/">Thanh Kieu Resort</a> we lazed on the beach enjoying the warm weather, blue water and tasty drinks. Jason decided to get a beach massage (for a paltry $5 USD) that ended up with an upsell to full back threading! There’s a story that will never get old. Carey opted for a safe manicure from the persistent beach vendor. For dinner we ventured up the road and ended at <a href="http://itacalounge.com/">Itaca Restaurant and Lounge</a>. The atmosphere was trendy, the food was scrumptious, and the company was beyond compare. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvrHRnhYT8KoFuVafNOlo-c9vJRl1IIaGs3Dhy6ma_imoCIIKNl2jolznUjlBAAKD1OiCvtuJVv25qpImqhR84VpwRlDnBj13FqYxU91f5FIrXlzwS0XpVtQCWJSaPgb2ykjVpAXWwjaN/s1600/1505394_10152068561807976_1600840838_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPvrHRnhYT8KoFuVafNOlo-c9vJRl1IIaGs3Dhy6ma_imoCIIKNl2jolznUjlBAAKD1OiCvtuJVv25qpImqhR84VpwRlDnBj13FqYxU91f5FIrXlzwS0XpVtQCWJSaPgb2ykjVpAXWwjaN/s1600/1505394_10152068561807976_1600840838_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunset on Long Beach</span></td></tr>
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The next day was an all-day Southern Island Tour. First stop was a Pearl Farm where we learned a bit about the creation of pearls, browsed an enormous showroom with so much jewelry that it’s surprising Carey didn’t have a heart attack. Next stop: a SIM wine factory with samples that no one loved and a quick walk into the fields to show us the Myrtle flower, which is used in the creation of the wine. After another quick stop (come to think about it, every stop was quick) at a second pearl farm, we headed to the Coconut Prison, which was used during the Vietnam War to keep North Vietnamese POWs. The depictions of prison life were extremely graphic, and the descriptions were very anti-American propaganda. A whirlwind stop at a fish sauce factory completed the morning itinerary. Finally a two hour break at Sao Beach for lunch, and to cool our heels on the beach chairs and in the breaking water. That did much to recharge our batteries, after such a hectic schedule in the morning.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTKhpTInLpOAOLgRv2CTkvC_0hh8HVfjGVhyQu8C7V8ZqSenN7Bh-ec8cHANsfuBhpanJyKaWdHJxdDP4sxoIXblWO-t30W-rPW85cCfh4De5r2SMoyZWMAB42a1TZPuM9aWiV_iAmFKo/s1600/1495516_10152068606932976_2038635575_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTKhpTInLpOAOLgRv2CTkvC_0hh8HVfjGVhyQu8C7V8ZqSenN7Bh-ec8cHANsfuBhpanJyKaWdHJxdDP4sxoIXblWO-t30W-rPW85cCfh4De5r2SMoyZWMAB42a1TZPuM9aWiV_iAmFKo/s1600/1495516_10152068606932976_2038635575_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pearl</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6SX897R3mIzanUnUUF68rsbUyihQEUkrITc9TzST5YhS2ZPDAUUwPu00Ien9MjkVJ-3yVkZMz2GmMsq5zTVuw8UAE_0UCGvGwuM0K3IIu7jGle6wzlqSpHL5SSRzdLxEPMjrkMQppuGz/s1600/1526313_10152068606992976_1347810175_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_6SX897R3mIzanUnUUF68rsbUyihQEUkrITc9TzST5YhS2ZPDAUUwPu00Ien9MjkVJ-3yVkZMz2GmMsq5zTVuw8UAE_0UCGvGwuM0K3IIu7jGle6wzlqSpHL5SSRzdLxEPMjrkMQppuGz/s1600/1526313_10152068606992976_1347810175_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Coconut Prison</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Fish Sauce / Stench Factory</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUw9ZPwLiOQWDJ9BFSZ98ZFHvIdYSuMBzgHF0pu3sCRlE_jA3Thv9BVpMhwEAfn8LEfBaHO3stm-duwMsq60VFm99ksaYLivjleS1kP1NW4lHThjkGOony39oYQoxKFWdbdMLNnI8AdW-P/s1600/1535687_10152068620847976_232819765_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUw9ZPwLiOQWDJ9BFSZ98ZFHvIdYSuMBzgHF0pu3sCRlE_jA3Thv9BVpMhwEAfn8LEfBaHO3stm-duwMsq60VFm99ksaYLivjleS1kP1NW4lHThjkGOony39oYQoxKFWdbdMLNnI8AdW-P/s1600/1535687_10152068620847976_232819765_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sao Beach</span></td></tr>
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After our lunch and swim, we drove to a waterfall on Thanh Stream that promised beautiful photo opportunities. What wasn’t made clear to us was the 600 meter roundtrip uphill walk on small boulders to get to there. It was beautiful as promised, but after we got back to the van, nerves were frayed and feet most definitely sore. On the way back to the resort we stopped at a pepper farm that really wasn’t much more than pointing out the pepper plants, and finally we headed back to the resort. We couldn’t wait to walk in the water and enjoy the sunset from our beach. Dinner at a neighboring resort, capped with alcoholic ice drinks ended another fun-filled day.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thanh Stream Waterfall</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sunset dip</span></td></tr>
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Carey was up early making sure the Packers pulled out a win over the Bears (and they did!) The next day we headed down to the beach for a relaxing morning and afternoon before our night squid fishing adventure began. We were picked up at 5:00pm and met another terrific couple from England staying at our resort. We became fast friends. Once on the boat, we relaxed on the upper deck to watch the sun dip below the horizon, then headed down below to get ready to catch (not so monster) squid. Overall, it was an ‘A’ for effort, but an ‘F’ for execution. Not one person (save the tour guide) caught a squid, and that seemed to be fine for everyone. Nonetheless we were served a nice dinner as we made our way back to shore.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Squid fishing boat</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Casting a line</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Catch of the day</span></td></tr>
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Early the next day we sadly said good-bye to Phu Quoc, nearly dragging Carey to the airport. We had forgotten how busy HCMC was and were quickly thrust back into city life. Samantha took us to have our first taste of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pho">Pho</a>. Jason loved it! Carey had a difficult time with the spoon in one hand and chopsticks in the other. We then made our way across the world’s busiest round-a-bout (or so it seemed) and checked out the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%E1%BA%BFn_Th%C3%A0nh_Market">Ben Thanh Market</a> for some souvenirs. After a quick drink on a rooftop bar (bottles of beer for less than $1 USD – wow!), we taxied back home to get ready to ring in the New Year.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0Xh5MvaRngHw14TH2BuxF37QaBTRmsJsbzg0irrKX1_7ifGyPFPwH5BcxprRTa55NC8GKMpRXnu3tKZIIN-wwstnjYAr3buSxUEezlqKfMcZxnKDi_Nxx00gtdRA1rWamFzLgQwXwRIV/s1600/1521556_10152069320192976_1393908894_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0Xh5MvaRngHw14TH2BuxF37QaBTRmsJsbzg0irrKX1_7ifGyPFPwH5BcxprRTa55NC8GKMpRXnu3tKZIIN-wwstnjYAr3buSxUEezlqKfMcZxnKDi_Nxx00gtdRA1rWamFzLgQwXwRIV/s1600/1521556_10152069320192976_1393908894_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ben Thanh Market</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcIySNYFteEiVWrbqpDaIXwmOL3tpG7GT7V1JRLCBupIJxfv9MHWLEFHRupFL8LHvY0VN_2IiTRnmUvejm-xHTGo87f7DNAmFPqORgIWDtbI2Q1ic0v75kMb-pCiDUZnS51v2vN_rdhU8/s1600/1485078_10152069320497976_2085356445_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOcIySNYFteEiVWrbqpDaIXwmOL3tpG7GT7V1JRLCBupIJxfv9MHWLEFHRupFL8LHvY0VN_2IiTRnmUvejm-xHTGo87f7DNAmFPqORgIWDtbI2Q1ic0v75kMb-pCiDUZnS51v2vN_rdhU8/s1600/1485078_10152069320497976_2085356445_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Saigon from the rooftop bar</span></td></tr>
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We headed over to a Western bar called <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mcsorleys.irishbar">McSorley’s</a>, where a meager $25 USD cover included one hour of free beer, buffet snacks, dancing and revelry. Also, we were given a playing card that could be matched up to create Poker hands (flush, full house, etc) giving us the opportunity to mingle with other partygoers. In short order Jason, Samantha and her housemate Nick matched up a full house with two other people and were gifted with a bottle of Champagne. Not to be outdone, Carey quickly found some other people and won a free bottle of bubbly herself. Although the countdown to New Year’s wasn’t as grand as Times Square, we can now check off “celebrate NYE in a foreign country” from our bucket list.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgehRdkVsXZD4Qw15xl0AKuEZJoIrlr3qOsfrcRXc-pfsh3-Rfv244wMpnYIJqiMH2UYZKIWkxlvGX3xMPQD1W52DW504hAFu8NisBYHc2q4Kg067DEuO4wiqwZA2MATGYv7VT6DG8FjOm/s1600/375705_10152069334987976_1735148384_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgehRdkVsXZD4Qw15xl0AKuEZJoIrlr3qOsfrcRXc-pfsh3-Rfv244wMpnYIJqiMH2UYZKIWkxlvGX3xMPQD1W52DW504hAFu8NisBYHc2q4Kg067DEuO4wiqwZA2MATGYv7VT6DG8FjOm/s1600/375705_10152069334987976_1735148384_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Champagne!</span></td></tr>
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January 1st marked our last day in Vietnam, and as expected, the day started off slow. The plan was to spend the day walking around doing typical touristy stuff. We checked out the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d317896-Reviews-Notre_Dame_Cathedral-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">Notre Dame Cathedral</a> and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saigon_Central_Post_Office">Central Post Office</a>, both beautiful buildings featuring French architecture. Our last stop for the day was the <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d317890-Reviews-Reunification_Palace-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">Reunification Palace</a>, which was the main government building when Saigon was the capital of South Vietnam. It was also the site of the end of the Vietnam War when North Vietnamese tanks crashed through its gates. After a few hours relaxing back at Samantha’s place, we headed to the Opera House to see a performance of “AO Show”, which can best be described as Cirque de Soleil with baskets and bamboo. Our verdict: simply amazing!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPdB_V2zclzvQh-dHM9wgSK-ydMKEtc6O81IMT472mGVqpkON9YvdTX9iy3-mTK3KKIgDtDPft_ZE54wagVspGoNnoYYVaBcqk0vxApQZvG0qj7uBDro66gAsd0lvDnyqI8QsbKZmrRTN/s1600/1489245_10152069354847976_69080729_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTPdB_V2zclzvQh-dHM9wgSK-ydMKEtc6O81IMT472mGVqpkON9YvdTX9iy3-mTK3KKIgDtDPft_ZE54wagVspGoNnoYYVaBcqk0vxApQZvG0qj7uBDro66gAsd0lvDnyqI8QsbKZmrRTN/s1600/1489245_10152069354847976_69080729_n.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Notre Dame Cathedral</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sUmZ7ULoSoK5cRm2uQz5T5_DgQ4Qo8ElkoCZzS6XIRbwxd0CWhRDZqOWTEQH0Cbtdtt6Olo_jfcj5-wmSWdx7JWgKZlWc12uM52RrgMQDuQT9V9NfsML3LVPn5ahbZtIcGoMzo6P3Z-i/s1600/559908_10152069354942976_858794315_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_sUmZ7ULoSoK5cRm2uQz5T5_DgQ4Qo8ElkoCZzS6XIRbwxd0CWhRDZqOWTEQH0Cbtdtt6Olo_jfcj5-wmSWdx7JWgKZlWc12uM52RrgMQDuQT9V9NfsML3LVPn5ahbZtIcGoMzo6P3Z-i/s1600/559908_10152069354942976_858794315_n.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Inside the Post Office</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDHoxbSqfl8EGVhcYGNROHI5W9P_sP-_QwZ3-ESCfbEzJYHEu3rWnacqFZLPu2RVxnSY1oFK_EpYGYh8pLa2VlTwc42HjMpRm50waY0mNvl6T54HoReWT7iZQdmuFYoGDUp_-y2CiVLxm/s1600/1546115_10152069355167976_1079320448_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDHoxbSqfl8EGVhcYGNROHI5W9P_sP-_QwZ3-ESCfbEzJYHEu3rWnacqFZLPu2RVxnSY1oFK_EpYGYh8pLa2VlTwc42HjMpRm50waY0mNvl6T54HoReWT7iZQdmuFYoGDUp_-y2CiVLxm/s1600/1546115_10152069355167976_1079320448_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Reunification Palace</span></td></tr>
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Zipping up our bags for the final time and hauling them out to the street was certainly bittersweet. Hugs and goodbyes were shared, then onward to the airport for 28 hours of travel ending in Milwaukee, where temperatures hovered in the single digits. Even in the frigid Wisconsin cold, memories of HCMC and Phu Quoc won’t soon be forgotten. Thank you for being a wonderful host, Samantha!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOeFDJaJB9oAkgC4ndXsX7PlXe0ky7GW7fvydtDHP6RXN6us06S05r8sImh7OU63P44UGYh9EN7_H7hCqqqk0LbX3HoHpr1Lui4NiaLoM3uzuhxeETy0BgDIEHAAEJ5i_wCcG2n5HWHVs/s1600/1499435_10152069336237976_1665588580_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoOeFDJaJB9oAkgC4ndXsX7PlXe0ky7GW7fvydtDHP6RXN6us06S05r8sImh7OU63P44UGYh9EN7_H7hCqqqk0LbX3HoHpr1Lui4NiaLoM3uzuhxeETy0BgDIEHAAEJ5i_wCcG2n5HWHVs/s1600/1499435_10152069336237976_1665588580_n.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hen gap lai!</span></td></tr>
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~Carey and Jason</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-11558304608962195322014-01-02T23:21:00.002-08:002014-01-02T23:21:50.511-08:00Buon Ma Thuot: Why I'll Never Learn My Lesson<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bang! Bang! Bang!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I woke up suddenly in a still-semi-drunk fog. <i>What’s that sound? Is that my head pounding? Where am I? Oh, look, I remembered to change into my pajamas last night. Good for me.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bang! Bang! “Samantha! Wake up!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Ok, not just my head pounding</i>. I stumbled over to the door to see what sort of fire Sarah had set in her room. Surely there was no other reason for her to be waking me up so rudely in the middle of the night.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Huh?” I mumbled through half-closed eyes as I cracked open the bedroom door.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“We’re late! We have to leave NOW!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“What? No. What time is it?” I run to my phone and look at the clock. “5:07?!?! Oh my god! What happened? Hurry!!!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We both screamed up the stairs to wake up Nick, and as I slammed the door and rushed to the bathroom to brush my teeth, the previous night’s events began to become clear in my mind.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I hadn’t planned to get drunk. It was an accident, really. The evening had started innocently enough, eating dinner with friends and drinking a few beers. But then we grabbed a couple more beers to enjoy on the cab ride over to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cargosaigon">Cargo</a>, and things went downhill from there. We went to see <a href="http://www.thecribs.com/official/">The Cribs</a> play a show, and since I had never heard of them, I didn’t mind hanging out a little bit too close to the bar and mingling with the seemingly hundreds of people I knew at the venue. And somehow (who ever really knows how these things happen?) I drank maybe one too many and then lost track of how many too many I was drinking.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Luckily, I had packed my bag the night before. I threw on my clothes and thought to myself, “This is ridiculous. We’re never going to make it. It’s twelve after five already and our flight LEAVES at 6:05!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I could hear Sarah running around in a frantic dash and wondered if Nick had even moved from the bed.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“NICK!!! ARE YOU AWAKE??” I screamed out the door, only considering poor Dave sleeping across the hall <i>after</i> it was too late. Sorry, Dave.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Well, whatever. Either Nick’s ready in five minutes or he isn’t. Must find camera battery. Must pack deodorant. Must drink coffee. Must stop drinking beer. </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">5:18. I ran downstairs, double-checking that I had my passport. <i>Shoes, shoes, where are my shoes?</i> Sarah flew into the living room, bag packed, the shock of the morning having wiped any sign of a hangover from her eyes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Where’s Nick? Is he coming? I’ll go flag down a cab. Hurry!!” Sarah ran off, leaving me to yell for Nick yet again. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After a few minutes of pacing by the front gate, a couple more shouting matches up and down the stairs (sorry, Dave!!), and one more passport check, Nick and I went dashing through the alley to catch up with Sarah. Thankfully, she had a cab waiting for us on the main road.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The cabbie must have sensed the panic in our voices as we frantically encouraged him to get us to the airport terminal ASAP. At lightning speed through the deserted early-morning streets, the taxi driver catapulted us across town in what MUST have been record time. A mere 11 minutes from our house to the airport? Unheard of!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">5:40. We tumbled out of the cab and scrambled through the growing crowds of people towards the check-in counter. There was no line, of course, because all the sensible people had long-since checked in for the flight. Most of them were probably already seated, carry-on luggage stowed safely in the overhead compartment, waiting patiently for the taxi to the runway.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Can we still check in for <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Buon_Ma_Thuot">Buon Ma Thuot</a>? Please!!” I begged, thrusting our passports across the counter. “We’re not checking any bags! We can run!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The woman glanced at our passports and picked up her walkie talkie. I have no idea what she said, but it was probably along the lines of, “Hey, I have three idiots down here at the counter, reeking of stale cigarettes, alcohol sweats, and desperation, asking to board the flight to Buon Ma Thuot.”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was now after 5:45am; the flight was scheduled to leave at 6:05. But because this is Vietnam, the land of miracles, we were allowed to check in for the flight. Home free!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Or not.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Upstairs in the hall, there were ten impossibly long lines waiting to go through security. <i>Where are all these people going?? It’s not even 6am! </i>We chose a short-ish looking line and held our breath. <i>It’s fine.... we’re checked in. Right??</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As we watched the security lines on either side of move faster than ours, we exchanged worried glances, but didn’t dare utter any reality-based phrases about not making the flight. Positive thoughts only.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">5:58. I made it through security was <a href="http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/29452504.html">recombobulating my bags</a>. <i>Oh man, only seven minutes till the flight leaves. Will they let us board the plane?</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">6:00. We approached the boarding gate, and the agents must have be warned about us by the walkie talkie lady down at the ticket counter. They chuckled a bit and scanned our boarding passes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As we walked down the stairs towards the boarding area, we all finally exhaled and celebrated our success. Hungover and with less than an hour between wake-up and take off, we made it.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And it’s a good thing we did. The strange adventures did not end at the boarding gate. By the end of the weekend, we had exited a taxi at a gas station in a random small town, walked aimlessly through said small town while being greeted by every citizen, mimed with locals to find out how to catch a bus, saw a family purchase a plastic bag full of live baby ducks, chatted with a local man outside his barber shop while waiting for a bus, sang <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqOHHlYtLF4">My Heart Will Go On</a> with a couple Vietnamese teenagers in the backseat of a bus, canoed around a lake, rode an elephant, drank too much coffee, been driven around rural villages on motorbikes without helmets, accidentally ate snake, been asked to be Facebook friends with some dude at a street food restaurant, and argued over the rules of strange card games.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Apparently, you can stay out too late, be over served, forget to set an alarm, and STILL have all your travel dreams come true!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_goTfJVVJhYJ7mgAEv0JKFlfrQSTLPWbsTcOeacBLkCJIjGjRAnbUyZRkpOLnjBKJzYlSJv59c2RC6Ax3BRSFNB6HgVW_rird_vstsgqkGbrJN5KwPzGgbChbcWlzZu-5Bx03e7mpN7np/s1600/P1050685.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_goTfJVVJhYJ7mgAEv0JKFlfrQSTLPWbsTcOeacBLkCJIjGjRAnbUyZRkpOLnjBKJzYlSJv59c2RC6Ax3BRSFNB6HgVW_rird_vstsgqkGbrJN5KwPzGgbChbcWlzZu-5Bx03e7mpN7np/s640/P1050685.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tiny little town Ea K'Tur<br />We may have been the first foreigners to wander the streets...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA_9K-bte8huCVQ-RqkxwcIyH_XNUhzu1ImnkV0mShGKv79B82TSkffqMkjsw7GDqOABwxZzBHD6eaq486KTJuoJaWZLw75H4Svcp-5hU2fluNHXIuNMFasrgpk-hXka8dv6eHkxQaYHF/s1600/P1050683.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqA_9K-bte8huCVQ-RqkxwcIyH_XNUhzu1ImnkV0mShGKv79B82TSkffqMkjsw7GDqOABwxZzBHD6eaq486KTJuoJaWZLw75H4Svcp-5hU2fluNHXIuNMFasrgpk-hXka8dv6eHkxQaYHF/s640/P1050683.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Duck delivery?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-SXGXBRqD3BPdjF-sxqUzOOQ-CccpTI446m2ZVHUAW5bRxApdAjgoS5Vnjt6EsKjdz2OkeWtd2ZocRp4qbVC86ZhGFzZSCEJAGgxHlTDcQuLNS3S1GeDM2Lq4IUslMgxwl_3MF9Gpd6Q/s1600/P1050692.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU-SXGXBRqD3BPdjF-sxqUzOOQ-CccpTI446m2ZVHUAW5bRxApdAjgoS5Vnjt6EsKjdz2OkeWtd2ZocRp4qbVC86ZhGFzZSCEJAGgxHlTDcQuLNS3S1GeDM2Lq4IUslMgxwl_3MF9Gpd6Q/s640/P1050692.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bus stop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCUIQbnknSaaGulh19qePF3s9vnZyBydPiLmL-bs_skZUk_0kDqDEt562J-jenSrXMunE7Kyn2B4i7r90iapK7X5A2D2fYjDF5ah7h06yiCS1sA5KV0-v-ECLdeX0uwC2CXlJPsAK-Yth/s1600/P1050694.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyCUIQbnknSaaGulh19qePF3s9vnZyBydPiLmL-bs_skZUk_0kDqDEt562J-jenSrXMunE7Kyn2B4i7r90iapK7X5A2D2fYjDF5ah7h06yiCS1sA5KV0-v-ECLdeX0uwC2CXlJPsAK-Yth/s640/P1050694.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our Celine Dion singing partners</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5vEmc9ZCvudO8986qU1DHOboLMpk8RIlpVjkFWdcIUsKaI7HzLSuUNZS7ZeAqeTmsIFtxi6VaX0NzkzbTl9EPDpAFSMvlraVd9Q4BZeFHpnRmMLiOQ9dTdnmB69F12aUJ11BXuu2U_YI/s1600/P1050704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd5vEmc9ZCvudO8986qU1DHOboLMpk8RIlpVjkFWdcIUsKaI7HzLSuUNZS7ZeAqeTmsIFtxi6VaX0NzkzbTl9EPDpAFSMvlraVd9Q4BZeFHpnRmMLiOQ9dTdnmB69F12aUJ11BXuu2U_YI/s640/P1050704.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lak Resort<br />Ho Lak, Vietnam</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8BitoQ_s4qj7TWT3V_Cwbp1uQR3dVXFEiTK6wL4KWBRZc_2niXbPjjMfUz6AnXFMOQIutgT_hmnYoNx8ji0Ff18BxjLQJj8Kiy4EBumk-jNDAZ9Oq4b-Ph9w8jNoEDRwzhYPucTPGlgO/s1600/P1050708.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8BitoQ_s4qj7TWT3V_Cwbp1uQR3dVXFEiTK6wL4KWBRZc_2niXbPjjMfUz6AnXFMOQIutgT_hmnYoNx8ji0Ff18BxjLQJj8Kiy4EBumk-jNDAZ9Oq4b-Ph9w8jNoEDRwzhYPucTPGlgO/s640/P1050708.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tin roofs, satellite TV</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X8lUMjXpUXmxK-fgXF5EjbaZGKY8Ihuhtnlac6oIYi0Eefe8_i0M8If1irU8isblatopIKObNj16D9IMddRb9xKNVvGooRWmpDjguDJx6vts3mZQ7WFCzx50kjhze7XsCiahjwWr7ZNV/s1600/P1050732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5X8lUMjXpUXmxK-fgXF5EjbaZGKY8Ihuhtnlac6oIYi0Eefe8_i0M8If1irU8isblatopIKObNj16D9IMddRb9xKNVvGooRWmpDjguDJx6vts3mZQ7WFCzx50kjhze7XsCiahjwWr7ZNV/s640/P1050732.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Lak / Lak Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dugout canoe ride</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jun Village</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Riding an elephant across a lake... I love my life!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Lak elephant</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-57118723829353308412013-12-05T07:36:00.000-08:002013-12-06T06:06:40.460-08:00Under the Sea<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;">One night, as I sat watching the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1533395/">BBC documentary Life</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"> with my housemates, I got it in my head that I wanted to learn to scuba dive. Seeing footage of all the crazy fish and weird coral that live down in the water made me realize: I MUST see it for myself.</span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So I booked a very last minute trip to Thailand with my coworker Hannah and set off to swim with the fishes. Twenty four hours and a <i>xe om</i>, plane, taxi, subway, sky train, night train, bus, and ferry later, we arrived in <a href="http://www.kohtao.com/">beautiful Koh Tao</a>. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuJhLL3OB50zPrRaNM_hQBKsR0RiemL_dUrz5jhAv59eZqHgdCQ0-HQUTTRHp4cB3a4NtKC4yXkgOqzScf-IAvFtic9TY8_gSrjFuSJIbYoiC6OV7Ig-2QiLgPBbXwDAM-yq-OeDDNp3e/s1600/P1050563.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiuJhLL3OB50zPrRaNM_hQBKsR0RiemL_dUrz5jhAv59eZqHgdCQ0-HQUTTRHp4cB3a4NtKC4yXkgOqzScf-IAvFtic9TY8_gSrjFuSJIbYoiC6OV7Ig-2QiLgPBbXwDAM-yq-OeDDNp3e/s640/P1050563.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hannah rides the rails</div>
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Night train fun</div>
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Finally! Koh Tao!</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">We stayed at <a href="http://www.crystaldive.com/">Crystal Dive Resort on Koh Tao</a>, and I signed up for the <a href="http://www.padi.com/scuba/padi-courses/diver-level-courses/view-all-padi-courses/open-water-diver/default.aspx">PADI Open Water Diver course</a>. After checking in to the bungalow and eating lunch, I started my course that afternoon. The first day was less than thrilling, just watching videos and taking quizzes, but the promise of underwater adventure was just below the surface (see what I did there?). </span></div>
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Crystal Dive Resort</div>
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Path to our bungalow</div>
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Pretty nice classroom, if you ask me</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Another day of videos, quizzes, an exam (perfect score, whaaaat??), and practicing the basics in the swimming pool, and we were ready to dive to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzUmRpIiULE">the bottom of the big blue sea</a>. I had worked myself into quite a little nervous wreck the night before, imagining myself getting tangled in seaweed, having my leg chopped off by the boat propellor, and slowing drowning due to a regulator malfunction. But the morning of the first open water dives, I woke up early, all my death dreams pushed aside, ready to see some sharks and <a href="http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/giant-squid/">giant squid</a>. </span></div>
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Setting sail for the dive site</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Even though I had aced the written exam, I struggled a bit with the practical side of diving. I couldn’t really remember all the steps of checking your equipment before getting in the water, and I mostly relied on my partner to make sure everything was in working order. Luckily there were seven people on the course, which put me the odd man out, so I was paired with one of the Dive Master trainers, Daniel. I felt confident he wouldn’t let me jump in the water without all the gauges and other doodads operating properly. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">And once I was in the water and it was time to descend to the depths, I quickly discovered that filling in the correct circles on a test doesn’t actually mean you’ll be a great diver. Right away my ears felt like they were going to explode from the sides of my head, and I strained to make them pop and equalize. I rarely have trouble when flying, so I assumed it would be the same for diving: just swallow a few times and move on. But no. I had to be privately coached on how to do that thing where you plug your nose and blow to pop your ears, with the added graceful element of shaking your head from side to side to force the air bubbles out of your ear canal. But the dive instructor Brandon was very patient, even when he had to drag me down to the bottom by the weight belt because I was too focused on blowing my ears to remember to actually descend below the surface.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Anyways, now for the good parts.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">DIVING IS AWESOME. You breathe <i>under the water</i>. Like a fish. No holding your breath. No going up to the surface for air. Just swimming around, free as a fish.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Over the course of two days, we did four open water dives for our certification. We saw tons of cool fish and swam over some beautiful coral. I’ve just spent about twenty minutes here at my computer trying to figure out how to best describe the experience, but no words can do the trick. The only thing that comes close to doing it justice is this video taken by the resort on the last day of our dive certification course. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">My debut as choreographer comes in minute ten :)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">That night we celebrated our new qualifications by drinking too many beers and playing with geckos.</span></div>
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Books and beers: the perfect studying combo</div>
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So tame</div>
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Maybe too tame</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Before heading back to reality, we squeezed two more dives in on the morning before the ferry. The second dive took us around a ship wreck, which was equally spectacular and creepy. </span></div>
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Buddy check complete!</div>
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</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Sitting on the upper deck of the ferry boat speeding away from Koh Tao and towards <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/upper-southern-gulf/chumphon">Chumphon (Chumporn? Chumpaloompah?</a>), I reached up and discovered that I’d lost an earring somewhere in the depths of the Gulf of Thailand. A small price to pay for one of the most remarkable experiences of my life (so far)!</span></div>
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Swing<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></div>
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I want to go baaaaaack!</div>
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Less jewelry, more freckles</div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">And it’s all thanks to <a href="http://www.davidattenborough.co.uk/">David Attenborough</a>.... </span></div>
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Open Water experts!</div>
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Tessa</div>
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Brandon, me</div>
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Akhmed, Ollie, Tina</div>
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Piotr, Snir, Justin</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-75714420323466687832013-12-04T07:06:00.001-08:002013-12-05T05:02:57.731-08:00It's the Little Things...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach<b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px;"> Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. I'll be posting a new ESL related article on my blog on the 5th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please contact Dean at <a href="mailto:dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com</a>, and he will let you know how you can start participating! For more tales of proud classroom moments from around the world, check out the <a href="http://nicholsaway.blogspot.com/2013/12/december-reach-to-teach-blog-carnival.html">other links for December's Blog Carnival</a>.</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">It’s difficult to choose one moment in my time teaching abroad that I could label as my “best” or “proudest”. When you’re in a career like teaching, there are so many highs (mixed with a healthy dose of lows), sometimes they become the norm, and you forget to be grateful for them. But reflecting on those moments can be a real boost to your morale, giving you a jolt of energy and feeling of accomplishment. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In the spirit of reflection, I’m going to share a few of my fondest memories, simple as they may seem. I truly can’t choose just one!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Two years ago, when I was teaching in Taiwan, I had a sweet little class of three six-year-old girls. They started with me in August in the very lowest level class, learning to say “hello” and recite the alphabet. But by winter, we were reading simple books and chatting up a storm every week. It’s amazing what young brains taught in a small group can absorb!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq5di_BzhbjKMtqHGvdRQlz_OwZ5GXU0-ckS51IXtz2uvpZQg75-tF7tVVcEZwLcbqRegl-CeBkYc4PXaEu0Dr3jyYRrQDStQMGaeVo8d1zrMGQmHBzInlU23eYS1o39SEhDBg40xsjmk/s1600/408383_339220192762067_2095656262_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtq5di_BzhbjKMtqHGvdRQlz_OwZ5GXU0-ckS51IXtz2uvpZQg75-tF7tVVcEZwLcbqRegl-CeBkYc4PXaEu0Dr3jyYRrQDStQMGaeVo8d1zrMGQmHBzInlU23eYS1o39SEhDBg40xsjmk/s640/408383_339220192762067_2095656262_n.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Reenacting the barber shop scene in "Kipper's Haircut"</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">I had a student in Taiwan that changed his name three times in the course of a year. His name started out as Dan, but since there were two other boys in the class who had chosen the name Daniel, he decided he wanted to be different. (Side note: the name Daniel is very popular in Taiwan because it’s Hello Kitty’s boyfriend’s name!) Dan was not one for subtlety, so he chose to rename himself as Milk. Yes, Milk. Now, I loved this ‘name’ and did not question his decision. It fit him quite well. But his mother did not like this dairy moniker, so it was back to the drawing board. After some deliberation, he came back to class rebranded as Mario. I couldn’t help but <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTa6Xbzfq1U">sing the theme song</a> every time I called his name for register. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6J_DzNEAlsYuh60IlJHL_iwuqYmv4WM_g1qQjrw_bnvit4D43hyKMlF9GkDstXIhT-VqzjODYduo-q8SzSJsbRtgdkrsB9kq_bWPVFAp27wk-hoe9BPrUQtPCkIZJkFAUQha2547xVg8/s1600/P1030344.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh6J_DzNEAlsYuh60IlJHL_iwuqYmv4WM_g1qQjrw_bnvit4D43hyKMlF9GkDstXIhT-VqzjODYduo-q8SzSJsbRtgdkrsB9kq_bWPVFAp27wk-hoe9BPrUQtPCkIZJkFAUQha2547xVg8/s640/P1030344.JPG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Check out his artwork. Hahahaha!<br />
Full credit :)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So many of the students here at British International School Vietnam come to class everyday with a great attitude and an excitement for learning. It’s refreshing, really, to not battle constantly with behavioral issues (although I deal with a fair amount of this too) and to actually focus on teaching and learning. This allows for breakthrough moments for the students. I had a six-year-old girl earlier this year read a sentence independently during class. She was so proud of herself because this was the first sentence she had ever read on her own! She read the sentence, “The chick is in the egg,” and immediately broke into a huge smile and shouted out, “I read! I read by myself!” A truly heartwarming moment that I had to capture on film.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_xF_i5uH_O6LJy3o9ICUfV27v6XUKpGnWrpdUIJc8bazLDDsO4A8eTTJbik5vUTK6tEAoA986uETlY6j_piAlMJtYWjxCYIFQve9gWfX6hh2Fi_Dmln_kmgcXndWazm6m9EQDbUl9Au0/s1600/2013-09-17+14.18.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_xF_i5uH_O6LJy3o9ICUfV27v6XUKpGnWrpdUIJc8bazLDDsO4A8eTTJbik5vUTK6tEAoA986uETlY6j_piAlMJtYWjxCYIFQve9gWfX6hh2Fi_Dmln_kmgcXndWazm6m9EQDbUl9Au0/s640/2013-09-17+14.18.23.jpg" width="478" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px; padding-top: 4px; text-align: center;">Proud moment; first-time reader!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">Here in Vietnam, I’m teaching the youngest students I’ve ever had in my class. My four-year-olds are particularly cute, and they make me smile everyday when they insist on calling me “Ms. Samantha Cinderella Princess.” I mean.... come on. Too much cute. Since I’ve never taught kids this young, I’m still learning the best practices and what appropriate goals are for this age. Every once in a while, I come up with something that turns out fairly well, like this gem:</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">With these little cherubs surrounding me on a daily basis, it’s no wonder I can’t choose just ONE best moment!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-52946742606937953112013-11-03T03:02:00.000-08:002013-11-05T03:18:59.844-08:00Master Becomes Student<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 21px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach <b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;">Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. I'll be posting a new ESL related article on my blog on the 4th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please get in touch with Dean at <a href="mailto:dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">dean@reachtoteachrecruiting.com</a>, and he'll let you know how you can start participating! To read other blogs from overseas teachers, <a href="http://appetiteodysseys.wordpress.com/2013/11/05/teaching-and-learning-are-hand-in-hand/">click the link</a>!</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As an ESL teacher, sometimes it’s easy to forget how challenging the process of learning a new language can be. I often find myself focusing so much on writing lesson plans, preparing materials, attending meetings, and doing paperwork, that I start to lose sight of what’s most important: the individual needs of the students! Sure, we’re all trained to understand the range of learning styles and how to deliver lessons to reach type of learner. But sometimes all the best practices get lost in translation, pun intended.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What'd you say??<br />
(BIS Vietnam)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But all the challenges and frustrations of language learning are shocked back into my system any time the tables are turned and I become the student. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My turn in the desk<br />
(Shane Taiwan)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As a high school and college student, I studied German and Spanish, and I felt fairly confident using the languages in class or out in the real world. However, living in Taiwan and studying Mandarin Chinese, I quickly realized how very different learning the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers">most-spoken language in the world</a> was going to be. Initials, finals, tones, Simplified, Traditional, pinyin? Forget it.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes I want to cover my eyes, too!<br />
(Shane Taiwan)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But the desire to communicate with the local people drove me to keep trying, and sitting in class trying to listen to and speak the language truly opened my eyes to the struggles my students were likely facing in my English classes. If I was having difficulty understanding and pronouncing the sounds in Chinese, they were probably toiling to do the same in English.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Too much work!<br />
(Shane Taiwan)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Must.... learn.... English....<br />
(BIS Vietnam)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Before I moved to Vietnam, I thought “Great! Vietnamese will be much easier than Chinese! At least they use an alphabet I recognize.” Ohhhhhh, how wrong I was. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnamese_language">Vietnamese</a> is no easier to learn than Chinese. It has more tones, a bunch of extra vowels, and a pronunciation pattern that I find beyond mind-boggling.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forget tests. Let's just play games!<br />
(ILA Vietnam)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I’m in class as a student, it brings to mind how it feels to be on the other side of the desk. I’m reminded that as a teacher, I need to provide my students with more than just vocabulary and grammar lessons. Students want to learn, but they also want to have fun and feel safe. And THAT is what teaching is supposed to be all about!</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had my fair share of fun with this class!<br />
(Shane Taiwan)</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-60669081343035004712013-11-02T02:47:00.000-07:002013-11-02T02:48:20.860-07:00Vung Tau: Jesus and a Sunset<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Having grown weary of life in the city and in desperate need of some fresh air, my roommates and I planned <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Vung_Tau">a weekend away in Vung Tau</a>. Plus, why the heck not? A mere hour-and-a-half boat ride away, Vung Tau was a quick and cheap alternative to my typical weekend of boozing on Bui Vien, followed by the new two-day hangovers that have plagued my life. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We made our way down to the Saigon River and boarded the <a href="http://www.vungtau-city.com/?page_id=267">Petro Express high-speed hydrofoil ferry</a> out of town.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURYQyyehOc_ihjzrpHcEUG3rKXhqcKRydnV02nE8AK060Ojz8tWHUYGWnKnsQAcL-SUL1pUj6HmcTrQ6EH80ejoX6mr2hYk0BA4NpCTRdX2vO2rlsEo7e1UJ0F90TWkt02Gbi_TE7WBvp/s1600/P1050484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURYQyyehOc_ihjzrpHcEUG3rKXhqcKRydnV02nE8AK060Ojz8tWHUYGWnKnsQAcL-SUL1pUj6HmcTrQ6EH80ejoX6mr2hYk0BA4NpCTRdX2vO2rlsEo7e1UJ0F90TWkt02Gbi_TE7WBvp/s640/P1050484.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nick, Sarah, and I aboard the catamaran</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://pthotel.com.vn/">Our hotel</a> was a short but hazardous walk from the pier, as the afternoon rain made the polished stone sidewalks slippery. We tossed our bags into the room and set off for a stroll along the beach. Walking down Front Beach, stopping for an intensely sweet blended coffee, and watching the sunset from the seawall: what better way to get away from the noise and chaos of Saigon?</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Post-coffee crash</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vung Tau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElafcjNylW48v-gzdv07YIa4jOIUPsMezzw8FwnforJWEofhnvU39r-_WQUf6WOuS3y5umQW2KqoWGgZxkO_01oxK-xN-mwHurDmzpwuOZvldyKGw6DOHLy0oWap5iB6jcCgrqu30itKV/s1600/1383567_10151783990213509_210577552_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhElafcjNylW48v-gzdv07YIa4jOIUPsMezzw8FwnforJWEofhnvU39r-_WQUf6WOuS3y5umQW2KqoWGgZxkO_01oxK-xN-mwHurDmzpwuOZvldyKGw6DOHLy0oWap5iB6jcCgrqu30itKV/s640/1383567_10151783990213509_210577552_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Sarah :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_tX7ENz8juT9KqHtmmWxcICPVdZ1K4dDY0lcp0kRi5CXfwdm5djI52b-oSO6XpB_8GYTEoONRVDFNgPJdSYukN_1EFHjQM9hyfmWWhQ7I6PeZLtPomXPz1Nno9fjOMvnW2yrKspvVKaL/s1600/P1050498.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx_tX7ENz8juT9KqHtmmWxcICPVdZ1K4dDY0lcp0kRi5CXfwdm5djI52b-oSO6XpB_8GYTEoONRVDFNgPJdSYukN_1EFHjQM9hyfmWWhQ7I6PeZLtPomXPz1Nno9fjOMvnW2yrKspvVKaL/s640/P1050498.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset, Vung Tau</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That night, we set out on a mission to find a seafood restaurant recommended by one of Sarah’s friends. He couldn’t remember the name of the place, but told us it was next to the Du Duc Inn. In our search, we stumbled into a Daffy Duck bar that was near the address he reckoned, only to find ourselves sipping beer in what must have been a brothel. Tons of young Vietnamese women in very high heels and very tiny dresses, bending over pool tables to make a shot and cozying up to icky old expat men. We ran away quick.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Luckily, we found the seafood place and wiped those images away with delicious hot pot and more beer. Then it was off to bar hop in the strange establishments on the beachfront. My favorite was a <a href="http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US/Content/Pages/home.html">Harley Davidson bar</a>, which had nothing more to do with Harleys than the name and this beer koozie. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BlOIC4egfSASLw5u2T2wdh8sGfkozkJgH_IOrcJdZP8_KejfFBX3_46O72iKo0V-82fBzXJYFJGiCsOYkEQb_58ADGjcerWTtbA52ToyfTgE2ylAQf1T2q5ZJWbo5uNZzf2gh0nDsBID/s1600/1390591_10151838626618509_1155568760_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9BlOIC4egfSASLw5u2T2wdh8sGfkozkJgH_IOrcJdZP8_KejfFBX3_46O72iKo0V-82fBzXJYFJGiCsOYkEQb_58ADGjcerWTtbA52ToyfTgE2ylAQf1T2q5ZJWbo5uNZzf2gh0nDsBID/s640/1390591_10151838626618509_1155568760_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo credit: Sarah x2</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Bright and early the next morning, we devoured our breakfast, choked down some tar/coffee from the hotel dining room, and flagged down a cab to go see Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Yes, Jesus.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">For whatever reason, there is <a href="http://www.citypassguide.com/destination/vung-tau/attractions/jesus-christ-statue">a large statue of Jesus</a> in this seaside Vietnamese town. He stands atop the hill and looks out over the water. We climbed one million steps (definitely NOT built for Western feet) in sweltering heat and encountered various religious sculptures and carvings along the ascent. One guy even stopped us and asked to take a photo of us posing with this girlfriend. Maybe he thought we were disciples.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUilqIc9aFZYQPrM1BJLZEHfA-iSvDrGwfPonZumILw0GUP-gauer3IF_oRm8VWRL34W_s2JUY97e1HaUfhcdEceekavDY_lneYLPIBdZBP13fGSqPpHjoQj1QfCkWqGUH5rijyXrmScC/s1600/P1050503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNUilqIc9aFZYQPrM1BJLZEHfA-iSvDrGwfPonZumILw0GUP-gauer3IF_oRm8VWRL34W_s2JUY97e1HaUfhcdEceekavDY_lneYLPIBdZBP13fGSqPpHjoQj1QfCkWqGUH5rijyXrmScC/s640/P1050503.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Final steps to glory</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mural on the Jesus statue</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF9_VdRuZGqyS0vvFd-JgR5ROU-tTBE4evHz201GLcyc3lTqNqqiU8fXdz8lm7OpU2zGtMeWF5iZyHF6algAqmHPzIS7J-lgvyFQLjB1wpuYGWgw5J87LdSzaTdaeBvVntPj98EqIkVoO/s1600/P1050502.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMF9_VdRuZGqyS0vvFd-JgR5ROU-tTBE4evHz201GLcyc3lTqNqqiU8fXdz8lm7OpU2zGtMeWF5iZyHF6algAqmHPzIS7J-lgvyFQLjB1wpuYGWgw5J87LdSzaTdaeBvVntPj98EqIkVoO/s640/P1050502.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">At the top of the climb, we found Jesus. He stands with arms outstretched, and you can go inside him! I took off my shoes, checked that my clothes wouldn’t offend, and entered the.... Jesus. A spiral staircase led us up to a viewing deck, standing on the shoulders of Christ. Amazing views. Rusty nails.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7yCDr0ULsi55LybSgYfh0RinJOImRHz4GRU8vuvXOjnezVukvBY4EHxxrIlmxhoYbccIBxISo33t6RrXP9d-njYa9p-5aNkurILjsdCqbV-H1V4yKlhgPSCqf_qoecc9SuwS0w3iA4rx/s1600/P1050514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju7yCDr0ULsi55LybSgYfh0RinJOImRHz4GRU8vuvXOjnezVukvBY4EHxxrIlmxhoYbccIBxISo33t6RrXP9d-njYa9p-5aNkurILjsdCqbV-H1V4yKlhgPSCqf_qoecc9SuwS0w3iA4rx/s640/P1050514.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So much work to get to Jesus!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSRbjPwPA_fz-iTJbh0g__EI08MlYifuu1PDh2h_57bpN4OJRYkqlDMw8TaExgHSpZ_N1jS09TsZJcWUONbTcRBqjDyIZxOKglH4AOgtoBtvvVkMLOSKKz4zubIJM5lsbKY_u9c0OKiz1/s1600/P1050517.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmSRbjPwPA_fz-iTJbh0g__EI08MlYifuu1PDh2h_57bpN4OJRYkqlDMw8TaExgHSpZ_N1jS09TsZJcWUONbTcRBqjDyIZxOKglH4AOgtoBtvvVkMLOSKKz4zubIJM5lsbKY_u9c0OKiz1/s640/P1050517.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out over Jesus' arm</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_XB6SVIPiqWFu0KFZFLAE7BoUKZ5pl1tMpRQ4AcyhaF1vKocAdWk2fbhde7am3gBhibN3n_ckr1qq0ngG889cQT5Dzq0qZxQCsJy36HJ14wpglAKbjpHQyK2BaVWvoxLO5qFTpazJrHE/s1600/P1050521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD_XB6SVIPiqWFu0KFZFLAE7BoUKZ5pl1tMpRQ4AcyhaF1vKocAdWk2fbhde7am3gBhibN3n_ckr1qq0ngG889cQT5Dzq0qZxQCsJy36HJ14wpglAKbjpHQyK2BaVWvoxLO5qFTpazJrHE/s640/P1050521.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vung Tau from Jesus' shoulders</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3IjShUwTguBLQcF1JPbXy_tgzedKLU35nBlmlsfaq9kNb79oKCP0R8XPEGXSydcicaaC4Ko7RM3v7iHqOCs-EIuX3hLXsaXlgJ5ImgdTEYViXQxgAHZoK2GEqGu_fuGMarp6J6QYhrI3/s1600/P1050522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="358" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3IjShUwTguBLQcF1JPbXy_tgzedKLU35nBlmlsfaq9kNb79oKCP0R8XPEGXSydcicaaC4Ko7RM3v7iHqOCs-EIuX3hLXsaXlgJ5ImgdTEYViXQxgAHZoK2GEqGu_fuGMarp6J6QYhrI3/s640/P1050522.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vung Tau</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh3DSFVod7wJ6Gj3J_ybwBduxtANPHDonUqgdEqtO7HDd2tKZzzs8JJ9bjEeKBLQPdegrNphsVabcCQEs_eZqtxH05uf1TZiZ8WuapG-TTl5Tu0mrfpHK8BKJPhXUdrNaZ2JvXZmR4m5W/s1600/P1050524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGh3DSFVod7wJ6Gj3J_ybwBduxtANPHDonUqgdEqtO7HDd2tKZzzs8JJ9bjEeKBLQPdegrNphsVabcCQEs_eZqtxH05uf1TZiZ8WuapG-TTl5Tu0mrfpHK8BKJPhXUdrNaZ2JvXZmR4m5W/s640/P1050524.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nails to deter tourists from climbing out on Jesus' arms.<br />I only realized they were there after jabbing my hand down on one. Probably dying of tetanus now.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDIpAF8qXFwI4rVYszFSAW774l2tiRN1lBgPD1x6l8Pull50_OemQqYY7IVhyphenhyphen_18UJwUY2rhDEDeClXf8Z-IRQTKYHVANLWXx13gtXTpyUdRMCJfyQGDFPPtemJ1918sbHH1BhM_ELIwt/s1600/P1050527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrDIpAF8qXFwI4rVYszFSAW774l2tiRN1lBgPD1x6l8Pull50_OemQqYY7IVhyphenhyphen_18UJwUY2rhDEDeClXf8Z-IRQTKYHVANLWXx13gtXTpyUdRMCJfyQGDFPPtemJ1918sbHH1BhM_ELIwt/s640/P1050527.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jesus and an island</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Feeling as if we’d just wandered the desert for 40 years, we savored an ice cream and made a beeline for the beach. Unfortunately, our dip in the sea lasted less than 30 minutes. As an ominous black cloud peeked over the mountain, we scrambled to collect our clothes and cameras and ran to find cover before the flood. No ark in sight, so <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g303946-d1630653-Reviews-David_Pizzeria-Vung_Tau_Ba_Ria_Vung_Tau_Province.html">we settled for pizza</a>. Fair trade, if you ask me.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’m pretty sure Jesus would have turned unleavened bread into pizza, if he’d had just one more miracle.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5nJqFr9bv8GKj6cSBWIV3Si8GpsUqjhwKvP7Qq3zBCaD6dEF0kc80nAxRy9dtTF5nm1AiLkHHndnApXDQdMQc0gcoLiJ9Lg7wP2NrC5MbT1sM6Hwl_UczxEYg3ylS1aZ3iMCmRSajQE7/s1600/P1050532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR5nJqFr9bv8GKj6cSBWIV3Si8GpsUqjhwKvP7Qq3zBCaD6dEF0kc80nAxRy9dtTF5nm1AiLkHHndnApXDQdMQc0gcoLiJ9Lg7wP2NrC5MbT1sM6Hwl_UczxEYg3ylS1aZ3iMCmRSajQE7/s640/P1050532.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-64700444200254894452013-10-26T21:20:00.000-07:002013-10-26T21:41:20.810-07:00Ha Long Bay<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After a couple days of <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/08/oi-hanoi.html">sightseeing in Ha Noi</a> and <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/09/sa-pa.html">hiking adventures in Sa Pa</a>, Lauren, John, and I treated ourselves to a bit of relaxation on Ha Long Bay. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our driver took us from Ha Noi out to Hai Phong; it was two hours of unnecessary traffic jams and movie soundtrack power ballads playing on loop. There’s only so many times you can hear <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xcTjbxJGyY">Because You Loved Me</a> before you start contemplating jumping out of the van speeding down the highway. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We hopped aboard the hydrofoil and <a href="http://www.lonelyplanet.com/vietnam/northeast-vietnam/cat-ba-island">headed toward Cat Ba</a>, a journey with fewer power ballads but way more puking. I love the smell of other people’s vomit in the morning. (I saved all my puking for the next day....)</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A short walk from the pier, we met up with <a href="http://www.ecofriendlyvietnam.com/">our guide Lu at Eco Friendly Vietnam</a>. From there, we were whisked away to our private junk boat for the next three days on Ha Long Bay. Two cabin rooms, sun deck, our tour guide Lu, Captain Vinh, and our private chef Duong, all for about $200 each -- a good deal if I ever saw one.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpT7Nkk4K4Nz-KCMQQhPEFcHePwalQfEhuWZPa1Y99G9VOf1-70fgX0jtcdNFp8eKyVkL7x1u1hQZJ5W8Czw_1PVQ2cIXyXL3QdoKkxaScYqS4tTs8ViePH7ioBgbYu2MUOCuFI6AsZHe/s1600/P1050409.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixpT7Nkk4K4Nz-KCMQQhPEFcHePwalQfEhuWZPa1Y99G9VOf1-70fgX0jtcdNFp8eKyVkL7x1u1hQZJ5W8Czw_1PVQ2cIXyXL3QdoKkxaScYqS4tTs8ViePH7ioBgbYu2MUOCuFI6AsZHe/s640/P1050409.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabin room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietAe0R2L7ILH-mXgrqaST3AzRyG5ChO3VpsMUYbvL3y9Ci8ooQPXJCryjSmi9VLWkCtsVlZJwdfjNOhOai7ygWisQuDaqqeQICd1czopNmutJvDPHODQpIzoFmjNkQmy_LRFPGw9DTXgJ/s1600/P1050413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEietAe0R2L7ILH-mXgrqaST3AzRyG5ChO3VpsMUYbvL3y9Ci8ooQPXJCryjSmi9VLWkCtsVlZJwdfjNOhOai7ygWisQuDaqqeQICd1czopNmutJvDPHODQpIzoFmjNkQmy_LRFPGw9DTXgJ/s640/P1050413.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plenty of shade up on the sun deck</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmchsG9xm9UHZAZqiBrOwCWBSUgqVmK8qXYGrU5N0jDyGHEU_Ma0AlRvm-9HERrnpX3Y_EmZt73D8aKF9WvMdPYIICaH0OycXHXqnuhmrXFl0ZB-56GpHfv9Gb5dkXN0YiI-gtHUrTheZI/s1600/P1050425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmchsG9xm9UHZAZqiBrOwCWBSUgqVmK8qXYGrU5N0jDyGHEU_Ma0AlRvm-9HERrnpX3Y_EmZt73D8aKF9WvMdPYIICaH0OycXHXqnuhmrXFl0ZB-56GpHfv9Gb5dkXN0YiI-gtHUrTheZI/s640/P1050425.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to complain about this view....</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The first few hours on the boat were spent lying in the sun and taking in the views of <a href="http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/672">Ha Long Bay</a>. The name means “Descending Dragon Bay” because the islands resemble the back of a dragon sinking into the water.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F3hkY5kdK9qiS-C5jFBmiU5CJPpW_yA2-ZrvYM4E4yqHkIg9pBfAzaKh_A_uznZ0HPihKZVVJycZakTrN-tOezFmpjX4GZL20xvHErppZJVN3XeUDATRQOLmCfvXIkZGgx717On0gi1c/s1600/P1050421.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1F3hkY5kdK9qiS-C5jFBmiU5CJPpW_yA2-ZrvYM4E4yqHkIg9pBfAzaKh_A_uznZ0HPihKZVVJycZakTrN-tOezFmpjX4GZL20xvHErppZJVN3XeUDATRQOLmCfvXIkZGgx717On0gi1c/s640/P1050421.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finger Rock</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-JzZQmkyMFA0AH5UDv9cxIJHPlgC7LszsfDy8IGD9cKxD9OYZ7MhFt7ku_cvfumdQpysUEQBbevNyce5QcEnbQwnieFf-yuTU2TU-5db1SJeG9c5F-MuL3r7-F7ZMItamCRgDNfvzR_3/s1600/P1050428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga-JzZQmkyMFA0AH5UDv9cxIJHPlgC7LszsfDy8IGD9cKxD9OYZ7MhFt7ku_cvfumdQpysUEQBbevNyce5QcEnbQwnieFf-yuTU2TU-5db1SJeG9c5F-MuL3r7-F7ZMItamCRgDNfvzR_3/s640/P1050428.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dragon's back / Islands</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We sailed past many local fish farming villages as Lu filled us in on some of the history of Ha Long Bay.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdwxZyjWph8VeN_LdwIOtXvn_ujNOP4JSYDD4A8M_0zeoVsHR3nzONLe1hzmq51qHRERm7mTY9buZurXGEM9njZCI6TEJ-Jejd4Lo9scjWjAEB0vmX6RvzSBnTLqDJLxYN_zcmPT01sQ0/s1600/P1050416.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpdwxZyjWph8VeN_LdwIOtXvn_ujNOP4JSYDD4A8M_0zeoVsHR3nzONLe1hzmq51qHRERm7mTY9buZurXGEM9njZCI6TEJ-Jejd4Lo9scjWjAEB0vmX6RvzSBnTLqDJLxYN_zcmPT01sQ0/s640/P1050416.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Floating fishing village</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLq6x27-qY-bRE0ZfD-w6a0D63s95xXUgSDB6Z5nbfCd-B4giodcig4XH0pAWZsQzqxGXzsDg9zwbwDQtUYxXCtURVAlyt-7sAEG-0NzNrnHJyVEZdypbEZvcfIsJoAScLrgLFm-WNOpj/s1600/P1050417.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpLq6x27-qY-bRE0ZfD-w6a0D63s95xXUgSDB6Z5nbfCd-B4giodcig4XH0pAWZsQzqxGXzsDg9zwbwDQtUYxXCtURVAlyt-7sAEG-0NzNrnHJyVEZdypbEZvcfIsJoAScLrgLFm-WNOpj/s640/P1050417.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rush hour traffic</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">In the afternoon, we kayaked around in the bay. Sadly, the water is polluted with garbage (even saw a hypodermic needle float by), so swimming was out of the question for me. But the views from the kayak were beautiful. We saw monkeys running around on the cliffs and navigated through caves around the islands.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">That night, Duong cooked us up a feast of seafood delights, and we spent the evening playing cards and laughing. After a few beers, Lauren and I quickly defaulting into our strange friend language of animal noises and obscure movie quotes, which we always find hilarious but left John wondering how either of us has managed to accomplish much more beyond tying our own shoes. Following one particularly riotous exchange that left Lauren and me dissolving into tears, John sat across the table, stoney-faced, and asked, “What is even funny about ANY of that?”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It can’t be explained. Sorry, John.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I spent the next day in bed <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-emQAsGMeQ">feeling like this</a>. Luckily, I had this view to cheer me up.</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfJO9Czdg7kwRXvhReC2rKSSqzBNew591DRb77Mp4UG64kkWJBhLNY12rBJbpw51Dt0jEgLFgn4pXelbSZReb5Pm0E_v3Y-RNXpVcekUwqSFNNsvq7eIsV6nzzD-YOlhtsJSiOagh5Uon/s1600/P1050441.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkfJO9Czdg7kwRXvhReC2rKSSqzBNew591DRb77Mp4UG64kkWJBhLNY12rBJbpw51Dt0jEgLFgn4pXelbSZReb5Pm0E_v3Y-RNXpVcekUwqSFNNsvq7eIsV6nzzD-YOlhtsJSiOagh5Uon/s640/P1050441.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sick view. Get it??<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFV5YFA3DpLye5iQj-JIknjdvEHQsEy2q1DtHWbo1Wzs10eaSlB7RiqnxdBDGLqgKbrv2eZuxQ0NDfzlJXRi2ImKTAg11KR1aJGz5Sj1cGhLd94fCph5PZ-N6E9yGTNvuI8V9XhiMp0BR/s1600/P1050442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJFV5YFA3DpLye5iQj-JIknjdvEHQsEy2q1DtHWbo1Wzs10eaSlB7RiqnxdBDGLqgKbrv2eZuxQ0NDfzlJXRi2ImKTAg11KR1aJGz5Sj1cGhLd94fCph5PZ-N6E9yGTNvuI8V9XhiMp0BR/s640/P1050442.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ha Long Bay</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Revived and fully rested, I was ready for adventure on the last day. We made a stop at Monkey Island, an area in Cat Ba. True to its name, there were monkeys on that island!</span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jc-ymtgYRdzd3NFGoGzsYiPk2xbmBqcjtcrzHmkAxty5GVKcI-gSl-rLJRCeTd-hSUAr5IqvIth4i4M2Uffl4c5xuBsqIaMKJmpvbuPNX6ynB5BAWY563Kz9YZjtbdC_lmFgoyS8CFa5/s1600/P1050449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6jc-ymtgYRdzd3NFGoGzsYiPk2xbmBqcjtcrzHmkAxty5GVKcI-gSl-rLJRCeTd-hSUAr5IqvIth4i4M2Uffl4c5xuBsqIaMKJmpvbuPNX6ynB5BAWY563Kz9YZjtbdC_lmFgoyS8CFa5/s640/P1050449.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the newest visitors</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyXWulQGt6E-SXv_H1a4kIPBscodiKP4ijoVU1K72rgMPuithtvMFCC8UA-xROA6hlf3e6HksqxwBGVVe_Fwp7ETFsqSAPFnEokKDJFgB5PX2sWJFJnO4RChpUoAduv4CoU8-b5oB-rOR/s1600/P1050468.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyXWulQGt6E-SXv_H1a4kIPBscodiKP4ijoVU1K72rgMPuithtvMFCC8UA-xROA6hlf3e6HksqxwBGVVe_Fwp7ETFsqSAPFnEokKDJFgB5PX2sWJFJnO4RChpUoAduv4CoU8-b5oB-rOR/s640/P1050468.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's a monkey.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8N1aRtdf2-kHnnCTN5Lc2ThoxDtaSiveOFfaiE9fDgFh_Z1tqnv5XIs3Sa1Aq-m8Ier0SzwT90cPKzo7zq6sHfmob4JSepZa53vZ3QSGcC0wnp-gFHMtbn9aulyCHzin_6vrL3Pra7kOb/s1600/P1050470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8N1aRtdf2-kHnnCTN5Lc2ThoxDtaSiveOFfaiE9fDgFh_Z1tqnv5XIs3Sa1Aq-m8Ier0SzwT90cPKzo7zq6sHfmob4JSepZa53vZ3QSGcC0wnp-gFHMtbn9aulyCHzin_6vrL3Pra7kOb/s640/P1050470.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awwww, monkey family</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">My next visit back to Milwaukee has a lot to live up to, so start planning, <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/08/lauren-and-john-in-saigon.html">Lauren and John</a>! </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-52512036983934438162013-10-03T06:43:00.000-07:002013-10-26T21:42:22.543-07:00Motorbike Diaries<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13.333333969116211px; font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;">Today’s article is written for the Reach To Teach<b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"> Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. I'll be posting a new ESL related article on my blog on the 5th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please get in touch with me, and I'll let you know how you can start participating! Check out the rest of this month's entries about <a href="http://internationallyindebt.wordpress.com/2013/10/05/reach-to-teach-blog-carnival-story-time-edition/">memorable experiences abroad by clicking here!</a></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The police officer stepped away from the shoulder and into the lane in front of me, about 50 yards down the road. I laid off the gas as he started waving his baton, motioning for me to pull over. As I got closer, I saw two other cops sitting on their motorcycles behind a tree.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Crap. What now? </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I was wearing a helmet. I wasn’t speeding. The road was basically empty, except for a few other motorist, including my housemate Nick, who I now noticed was also being signaled over to the side of the road.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb0DXfafM_CVA1_mJ9_lPpxAijbZvxVp32lVdCw0OBnG0DsEU79eoAfI2EfWPxQhk20czfUph7tVOfR0XlmFXOOSce5Dh_0bo650JUxOCvddpaHfPRU9B8PWlqGRBixzKcMwZ6ZcCNfeI/s1600/P1050103.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwb0DXfafM_CVA1_mJ9_lPpxAijbZvxVp32lVdCw0OBnG0DsEU79eoAfI2EfWPxQhk20czfUph7tVOfR0XlmFXOOSce5Dh_0bo650JUxOCvddpaHfPRU9B8PWlqGRBixzKcMwZ6ZcCNfeI/s640/P1050103.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No traffic!!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I couldn’t imagine what offense I had committed to warrant being pulled over by the police. I was on on good motorbike behavior. Nothing like what normally passes for driving on the busy streets of Saigon.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">On any given day, my commute across town to and from work offers up a plethora of death traps along the road. <a href="http://www.google.com/search?q=vietnam+motorbike+traffic&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=zdhKUu_RKaneigezoID4AQ&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=609&dpr=1">Ho Chi Minh City is congested with motorbike traffic</a>, and everyone seems to have their own idea of what appropriate big-city driving entails. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Motorbikes weave in and out between cars, taxis, buses, and other motorbikes. Buses blow exhaust in your face as they barrel across three lanes of traffic, blaring their horn in warning. Taxis turn left from the right lane and right from the left. Little old ladies cross the street in the middle of the block during rush hour. Street food carts set up shop in the gutter, sticking out in the lane and causing jams as hungry patrons pull up to order.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But I wasn’t driving in Saigon. <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g293925-d1165087-Reviews-Can_Gio-Ho_Chi_Minh_City.html">I was out for a country drive in Can Gio,</a> nearly an hour away from the hustle of the city. The road was wide and open. No real traffic to speak of.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Why is he pulling me over? What am I doing wrong?</i></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQS3nNxd96mPNndOt2vnmjnqfRi_Gh7b_DMsjzAqxKZkyDR8Al1VD_vAoClRhT8xBVhEiDqj_ZpXb31ahswzF8EnbfFOr3IbfDah0hYeowj4Mvr_xOh35FxtsZqCBLPUJ3BQRvSGSLbeA/s1600/P1050076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUQS3nNxd96mPNndOt2vnmjnqfRi_Gh7b_DMsjzAqxKZkyDR8Al1VD_vAoClRhT8xBVhEiDqj_ZpXb31ahswzF8EnbfFOr3IbfDah0hYeowj4Mvr_xOh35FxtsZqCBLPUJ3BQRvSGSLbeA/s640/P1050076.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue sky, country road</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As I slowed to a stop in front the police officer, a million thoughts were running through my head.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Is he going to write me a ticket? Does he just want a bribe? Crap, I don’t have very much money with me. Maybe that’s a good thing. Or maybe he’ll cart me off to the police station until I pay up. </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>Oh my god. </i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>I’m going to be <a href="http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/locked-up-abroad/">locked up abroad</a>!</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I parked my bike, turned off the ignition, and sat staring at the cop. Nick pulled up next to me, and the policeman walked over to us. He motioned for us to get off the bikes and walk towards the other cops, lounging in the shade on their police motorbikes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Nick and I exchanged puzzled and worried looks as the police officer spoke rapid Vietnamese at us, pointing at his clipboard and miming that he wanted to see our documents. This was a problem, as neither of us had a valid driver’s license for Vietnam. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>But surely, SURELY, this is no big offense. There are ways around every deadline and regulation in this country. I mean, which rules are ACTUALLY enforced??</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Certainly not traffic rules.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Beyond all the turning left from the right lane and right from the left, there are numerous traffic violations I witness on an almost constant basis, every time I drive my bike. Riders with no helmets. Motorbikes up on the sidewalk. Families of five, plus a dog or maybe a refrigerator, all on one bike. No blinkers. No checking your blind spot. No side mirrors with which to check your blind spot. Motorbikes driving down the highway with peach trees bungeed to the back. Wrong way down a one-way street. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/32958521">And don’t even get me started on the roundabouts</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If these horrible and terribly dangerous practices are commonplace, naturally my lack of one silly little document is small potatoes. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Right??</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGVcM1W1d2K7wt5EXsCxrt0qzc5SdWBeNpjXiIH9cj94Uh02kaUvAm-6rL7_3yOzzMNpj0ASTo1Z0U25vPbk0vKo-ln1CTsVJy8lZ1HAhpEEEPVOGYXEMBvlip6dyH0LquHrApJYiupMP/s1600/P1050085.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiGVcM1W1d2K7wt5EXsCxrt0qzc5SdWBeNpjXiIH9cj94Uh02kaUvAm-6rL7_3yOzzMNpj0ASTo1Z0U25vPbk0vKo-ln1CTsVJy8lZ1HAhpEEEPVOGYXEMBvlip6dyH0LquHrApJYiupMP/s640/P1050085.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My trusty Honda Wave</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Uhhhh, what should we do?” I asked Nick, my heart rate quickening at a terrifying rate.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“I don’t know. I don’t have a license. I don’t even have an ID on me. Just.... Just play dumb.” Good plan.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The brown-clothed police officer again demanded to see our documents, this time turning to look at his less-interested colleagues, one of whom was now recording this exchange on his camcorder. All I had was my Wisconsin driver’s license and an International Driver’s License from the AAA office back home, which claimed to be valid in Vietnam, although it was not translated into Vietnamese.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I handed over what I had, hoping they would suffice. The officer took them and walked away towards the other cops.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A few tense, silent moments later, he returned, clipboard in hand.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Blah blah blah blah blah??” he commanded in Vietnamese.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Uhhhh.....” we both shrugged our shoulders and smiled.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Do you speak Vietnamese?” the police officer sputtered out in a thick accent.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“No” was our simple reply.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The cop turned to look again at the other officers for assistance. They both stared blankly back. Finally, one officer, who couldn’t be bothered to move from the shade of the tree, cocked his head, shrugged his shoulders, and looked away.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Defeated, the traffic cop turned back to us, thrust my papers back towards me, and waved us off without another glance.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><i>That’s it. We’re free. We’re not going to Vietnamese jungle prison. We’re not even emptying our bank accounts in an offering of peace.</i></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“What just happened?” I whispered to Nick as we put our helmets back on and walked to our bikes.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">“Don’t ask questions. Just drive away before they figure out how to ask for money in English!” he responded as he hurriedly started his engine and lifted the kickstand. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As we accelerated away over the bridge, leaving the police crew behind us, I felt a little like a criminal who’d gotten away with something sneaky.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I pulled up in the lane beside Nick and shouted over the revving engines, “Thank god for the language barrier!”</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3fse5g5NOQ3e91nDWqZ8koTp0wijm7dj28wlQgxpjHzxgEpYIUvJfyK-ci_QYbG2yKyvLkdQUHwc2AwP3E4WWk97z845E3v0gQSmpcG6T8OjQA6Aj7JNc8U9SqzMGBbdh9uUnZw5DHUL/s1600/P1050091.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV3fse5g5NOQ3e91nDWqZ8koTp0wijm7dj28wlQgxpjHzxgEpYIUvJfyK-ci_QYbG2yKyvLkdQUHwc2AwP3E4WWk97z845E3v0gQSmpcG6T8OjQA6Aj7JNc8U9SqzMGBbdh9uUnZw5DHUL/s640/P1050091.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Free as a bird</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-27252339912425257172013-09-14T00:50:00.002-07:002013-10-26T21:45:35.610-07:00Sa Pa<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, Lauren, John, and I boarded a night train to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%A0o_Cai">Lao Cai</a>, with <a href="http://wikitravel.org/en/Sapa">Sa Pa</a> in our sights. Lao Cai is located along the Vietnam-China border, and it was our meeting point with our Sa Pa guide, Hao.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD4jalfzRJ8rqER_frdWNC1_4cgOxXq1bq-e9RnYya6bCTqZIQkya6eo8VOOVbqquxqKJB4CmNfr6KZQsi1Zv7nkFY6fgW9CkxaTrsBoc6EtFBWQ_pdEHTTgXJ9_r-nZe8zny9pY1MxMG/s1600/P1050181.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD4jalfzRJ8rqER_frdWNC1_4cgOxXq1bq-e9RnYya6bCTqZIQkya6eo8VOOVbqquxqKJB4CmNfr6KZQsi1Zv7nkFY6fgW9CkxaTrsBoc6EtFBWQ_pdEHTTgXJ9_r-nZe8zny9pY1MxMG/s640/P1050181.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren and John wait patiently for the night train</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A bumpy van ride out into the middle of nowhere, a few moments to slather on sunscreen, and a wave from the driver, and we set off on a three-day adventure into the depths (and heights!) of our <a href="http://topastravel.vn/">Sa Pa Trek</a>! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7I-tmyJPvH3FTdqljTeaPzXC040Lpb0Oe7R3CZZ6cKzw3AF8bYC_uGaMJmMXzkkPPEBG9D8BFKeHHhK444rxug_YBNWXmDGjVG-SP6Ep9PoyBWstVO8RflD_WnBJEZh2JzdGSnGuDOBR/s1600/P1050199.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD7I-tmyJPvH3FTdqljTeaPzXC040Lpb0Oe7R3CZZ6cKzw3AF8bYC_uGaMJmMXzkkPPEBG9D8BFKeHHhK444rxug_YBNWXmDGjVG-SP6Ep9PoyBWstVO8RflD_WnBJEZh2JzdGSnGuDOBR/s640/P1050199.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Follow the yellow brick road</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">As we hiked through the mountains and rice fields of the sparsely populated region, our faithful guide Hao offered some ‘short cuts’ to save time. After only an hour of hiking, we were covered in sweat, so short cuts could not be refused. But these were no ordinary short cuts. While the paths we took certainly shortened our horizontal distance, the vertical distance could not be avoided, and was in fact forced upon us in mere minutes. I swear to god we climbed 1,000 feet in two minutes. Ok, maybe not quite, but the short cuts left me sucking air and covered in mud.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But then we got to see this!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZGbxREzOP5ovLjk_X4ZI_h2Cv_aFuTsAkLM19KkSmaKR41211eNyNqEyAuj2odKla9BILRh5EPzvPHp3ndNCmwF1519cZE2ESVqhzC0mQGW_Bfknoc8aIwLanZwSkTqxaoMulCfH8BxA/s1600/P1050210.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ZGbxREzOP5ovLjk_X4ZI_h2Cv_aFuTsAkLM19KkSmaKR41211eNyNqEyAuj2odKla9BILRh5EPzvPHp3ndNCmwF1519cZE2ESVqhzC0mQGW_Bfknoc8aIwLanZwSkTqxaoMulCfH8BxA/s640/P1050210.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountaintop views</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG5aW2AgSb9V8KdiuenSap1fAIMJ80VMs0MBf1I3f9XcacEOl1z0XwAZU3iPda0xqfI2j_yonDlTu9rJk-JjU0-14oA6uAAYJYwvPDSjp2mfg-gGzbStB6gFXcOgWfxhBKGlNuH_06v2_/s1600/P1050217.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtG5aW2AgSb9V8KdiuenSap1fAIMJ80VMs0MBf1I3f9XcacEOl1z0XwAZU3iPda0xqfI2j_yonDlTu9rJk-JjU0-14oA6uAAYJYwvPDSjp2mfg-gGzbStB6gFXcOgWfxhBKGlNuH_06v2_/s640/P1050217.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bamboo fence post</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sa Pa region terraced rice fields</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSn5_zUZuvNGfCmZSwTr13-jvYKMP7IJLKYpdu22HZVdGVSivmR7KxpbnmdPIuNbpatFC70T0cIQM_I6j2fwxsAvnj_ICGbSGn7rVQ7Dx87j6z1q5ydFSWyM8cL4wMFjhOX75spC9bKe7/s1600/P1050234.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVSn5_zUZuvNGfCmZSwTr13-jvYKMP7IJLKYpdu22HZVdGVSivmR7KxpbnmdPIuNbpatFC70T0cIQM_I6j2fwxsAvnj_ICGbSGn7rVQ7Dx87j6z1q5ydFSWyM8cL4wMFjhOX75spC9bKe7/s640/P1050234.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Safety rail</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7phl3LOwU8GUXwWyyQZDwtw_gQYL6qbnnR5g0sLRX4_dFX8rr-q0mM-VCex4Iix5UAx7Im9CqgLZ7OaCUGSPkYvk9b9T_z6nUN52gY5dO43Z4ou0BlKo-3ouS8E4JPn2aT639BkElu2ue/s1600/P1050222.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7phl3LOwU8GUXwWyyQZDwtw_gQYL6qbnnR5g0sLRX4_dFX8rr-q0mM-VCex4Iix5UAx7Im9CqgLZ7OaCUGSPkYvk9b9T_z6nUN52gY5dO43Z4ou0BlKo-3ouS8E4JPn2aT639BkElu2ue/s640/P1050222.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Dzao woman taking a break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_L7fALlVaKCYxY636QKvte1kcPH0oxq2Baeu9B1yhP2O7NWaH1B7Lxvm761Ob2E_MOehUsS1ltFu2ylh4OnnqoI4GQKNetugeHEYtGF8Htg12e5Ifc-HrRiI9kTSNnZRjm_r8pi4qUaR/s1600/P1050212.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_L7fALlVaKCYxY636QKvte1kcPH0oxq2Baeu9B1yhP2O7NWaH1B7Lxvm761Ob2E_MOehUsS1ltFu2ylh4OnnqoI4GQKNetugeHEYtGF8Htg12e5Ifc-HrRiI9kTSNnZRjm_r8pi4qUaR/s640/P1050212.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of our trusty porters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQWEZc_aLAHBlmYVhdEu580ZavHMUit1Td-EDHfHVePdXGT0DYPxLPcs8tGPHYws4ZKQWcFbr_ea5Fk0Q9z9bn7vH7aadO7DOvg6vwYAEPOVxfVT3LghbFCszn2MM8BjGZWwV7bD8LlNQ/s1600/P1050280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheQWEZc_aLAHBlmYVhdEu580ZavHMUit1Td-EDHfHVePdXGT0DYPxLPcs8tGPHYws4ZKQWcFbr_ea5Fk0Q9z9bn7vH7aadO7DOvg6vwYAEPOVxfVT3LghbFCszn2MM8BjGZWwV7bD8LlNQ/s640/P1050280.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uhhhh, yeah... that's for real</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our first day of the trek, we did not see another foreigner even once after leaving the Lao Cai city limits. We hardly saw any people at all, to be honest. It was just us and the Vietnam mountains. And occasionally a surprised villager or two.</span></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Along the way, we passed through a couple of villages of local people. There are several hill tribes that live in the Sa Pa highlands. When we encountered a Red Dzao settlement, Hao asked permission for us to enter one of their homes. Hardly any furniture, but they had satellite TV!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYRgVu0e5ZP7VxETjIiXwp3Wi7Td6QXVRyeUTb_56IEK8hwux-YXM1iApc1jt6_x_juTjhHB6wmmm-2I-mpdSSBldhJy46l1wYlVswNfqMQcBvoM0xGGhDJoNi5_yFdGA9J1f3Pn_ctMv/s1600/P1050260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYRgVu0e5ZP7VxETjIiXwp3Wi7Td6QXVRyeUTb_56IEK8hwux-YXM1iApc1jt6_x_juTjhHB6wmmm-2I-mpdSSBldhJy46l1wYlVswNfqMQcBvoM0xGGhDJoNi5_yFdGA9J1f3Pn_ctMv/s640/P1050260.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Dzao woman and her son outside their home</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZXR6i6suWE2Ygz8lvdnLanE1paNajUbpWawYNZdfK42ICz9nz_7EY8nkDv6OlLi3U0WednZBgt7PokxJBy50RFKLvVgolTWNx0XRYGTSCwbKTyYpf5lIyX9_5u5X9fMZrLdpqawt9pno/s1600/P1050281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZXR6i6suWE2Ygz8lvdnLanE1paNajUbpWawYNZdfK42ICz9nz_7EY8nkDv6OlLi3U0WednZBgt7PokxJBy50RFKLvVgolTWNx0XRYGTSCwbKTyYpf5lIyX9_5u5X9fMZrLdpqawt9pno/s640/P1050281.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Dzao women and children</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI4Td3E07L_HhkQURgbvCvfGIsBDHEgzSGyADU8cgB_dcf5wsrsAjm8G7arL2nMNbfCc8RM4EaT498Q4uA5Sdg6rElL-o2UiQ6yZQj9sIZFqqjMb3FaEoapa6ZSUluDhxsy2G6_QJuFRE/s1600/P1050245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHI4Td3E07L_HhkQURgbvCvfGIsBDHEgzSGyADU8cgB_dcf5wsrsAjm8G7arL2nMNbfCc8RM4EaT498Q4uA5Sdg6rElL-o2UiQ6yZQj9sIZFqqjMb3FaEoapa6ZSUluDhxsy2G6_QJuFRE/s640/P1050245.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hao lends a hand to a Red Dzao couple building a roadside retaining wall</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When we stopped (collapsed) for lunch, we were spied by a group of children from the local village. They wouldn’t come very close to us at first, hiding around the corner of the old schoolhouse porch where we had sat for our picnic lunch. But after a few rounds of chase, lots of laughter, and the promise of candy, the kids warmed to us.</span><br />
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnZkG1prp3pukoy8gITe2D_Zzp8y52gtauUFwUwdtSuYwKZ0dZPMO0jHvIxUTN5zD2uzs-2N9qFf37xMntOSR-h1PkQJhPBuTjwAjpKWEqW_2ppVRfo_ywq1gwBBD9C60WiJF13-mtNqP/s1600/P1050255.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTnZkG1prp3pukoy8gITe2D_Zzp8y52gtauUFwUwdtSuYwKZ0dZPMO0jHvIxUTN5zD2uzs-2N9qFf37xMntOSR-h1PkQJhPBuTjwAjpKWEqW_2ppVRfo_ywq1gwBBD9C60WiJF13-mtNqP/s640/P1050255.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pit stop for lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOjXJ3gH3i15Vbm3wYX0VEgXWVYMtQa0pq83Np60sOaKGZuU0CRZNZrlgW8nCqdjbqcJL8pApwg4xdOtL2gZdL310i9KA2DQP7f1X_zYtOcj4kIlmMUaV1DrAdol8-b1BBOg0ScVM6rZz/s1600/P1050253.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOjXJ3gH3i15Vbm3wYX0VEgXWVYMtQa0pq83Np60sOaKGZuU0CRZNZrlgW8nCqdjbqcJL8pApwg4xdOtL2gZdL310i9KA2DQP7f1X_zYtOcj4kIlmMUaV1DrAdol8-b1BBOg0ScVM6rZz/s640/P1050253.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Village kids peaking around the corner at us</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQji7r2hHelctlp2vPdFXnvvvV9ABfW4vres2lFrQTmiRxIywP5xh4ePH9G3vQ4dlu8fLVAJwxTRFVjlWa2dyQc0XNzzyhtrXdH4ne_l9NNU6DQ5Mqm6JP9MKNbV4f7dKQC0GTEH9s-IZ/s1600/P1050257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSQji7r2hHelctlp2vPdFXnvvvV9ABfW4vres2lFrQTmiRxIywP5xh4ePH9G3vQ4dlu8fLVAJwxTRFVjlWa2dyQc0XNzzyhtrXdH4ne_l9NNU6DQ5Mqm6JP9MKNbV4f7dKQC0GTEH9s-IZ/s640/P1050257.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We also got up close and personal with some interesting wildlife.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fZQdfLydUxyfcsLf-WDYt5a1DCLnRbwhaUtMDikXwLR6pOzhBNgex3ZMsey52XaDxHoOy3FxMZ5DVKBCe2o0uohJBvNfD87SzAPm1DYtMceuKIsgkJ36O06O2-6QSGQuM6eVFnYrQOBM/s1600/P1050203.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0fZQdfLydUxyfcsLf-WDYt5a1DCLnRbwhaUtMDikXwLR6pOzhBNgex3ZMsey52XaDxHoOy3FxMZ5DVKBCe2o0uohJBvNfD87SzAPm1DYtMceuKIsgkJ36O06O2-6QSGQuM6eVFnYrQOBM/s640/P1050203.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roaming horses</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPGKrl4VWqDBR00lDT0wG1r4XVik8G30Zc_ZJR1hKRaRGfTgtJ2c3-9I3LBQ02ukQPM4i4YedbEN3L6S-GpvpVWmEEAV2ggR7RTgty8uc9qhyphenhyphenHAr8qgZ9L0G-OgSHKERLGb6hi_LGtLva/s1600/P1050231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPPGKrl4VWqDBR00lDT0wG1r4XVik8G30Zc_ZJR1hKRaRGfTgtJ2c3-9I3LBQ02ukQPM4i4YedbEN3L6S-GpvpVWmEEAV2ggR7RTgty8uc9qhyphenhyphenHAr8qgZ9L0G-OgSHKERLGb6hi_LGtLva/s640/P1050231.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Moo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVKpJJdKCbZkFIIMzxEMr4kD42x5-NLDcHP3rbeVeiLO1faxf9XgWvNeFO4kw17ojoCLxEG_gd0xKkyW1w8hYgV92d8RZxXaOGQSxIMRIexJCCbUgpVzTXIYarOLi1y2Bhq29Uy0gjo0s/s1600/P1050232.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTVKpJJdKCbZkFIIMzxEMr4kD42x5-NLDcHP3rbeVeiLO1faxf9XgWvNeFO4kw17ojoCLxEG_gd0xKkyW1w8hYgV92d8RZxXaOGQSxIMRIexJCCbUgpVzTXIYarOLi1y2Bhq29Uy0gjo0s/s640/P1050232.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ox</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnPpmIQgNUEwmva7mF1IGHs_7X7Ird9PsII765skCoeWCRvDbSOzaUjbZyirSaSoM3U33hCHbWEFuxTSl3uq4_9S_DMKzZIlVvr1xRksdz_n05h4di_09Zy0DuuDjA9rL2d3cuJMu2iTB/s1600/P1050237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLnPpmIQgNUEwmva7mF1IGHs_7X7Ird9PsII765skCoeWCRvDbSOzaUjbZyirSaSoM3U33hCHbWEFuxTSl3uq4_9S_DMKzZIlVvr1xRksdz_n05h4di_09Zy0DuuDjA9rL2d3cuJMu2iTB/s640/P1050237.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Albino water buffalo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HX7IG07X0VPNKB9dGetcgAtmhDnHf1B6ZHUW3QALWkdKN5r03uhgi9hG2mLCcTdDa6-9ENTReulkmYvEv_a6WuZGkkpdtL20n2ocAlyoo-UocZTjzRQPzhabbra-hKZ0DObbaR4Y__Ag/s1600/P1050272.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2HX7IG07X0VPNKB9dGetcgAtmhDnHf1B6ZHUW3QALWkdKN5r03uhgi9hG2mLCcTdDa6-9ENTReulkmYvEv_a6WuZGkkpdtL20n2ocAlyoo-UocZTjzRQPzhabbra-hKZ0DObbaR4Y__Ag/s640/P1050272.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Animal kingdom in action -- billy goat gruff fight</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
<div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Before the first day was over, we hiked back down the mountain, across a river, and straight back up the other side of the mountain through a bamboo forest. I’m gonna be honest -- I was not a happy hiker at this point. I made feeble attempts to mask my need for frequent breathing stops as we scaled hundreds of feet in less than an hour by pretending to stop to look out at the views. I really did look at the views, but mostly I was just trying to take in adequate amounts of oxygen.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><br /></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22UO8y_BS3hZBYb9ePSWBmMkLRWorUmszO1u4FcHHQLyd-3PPbaVDLljmq9j_q8NLi8hFb3FDdCaKb_lrBhtu8a7jBvyENK99lncpiZv2TC9MgSu5G7IGqeAc4SdOcnzvjyhUwEEPBBmk/s1600/P1050282.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi22UO8y_BS3hZBYb9ePSWBmMkLRWorUmszO1u4FcHHQLyd-3PPbaVDLljmq9j_q8NLi8hFb3FDdCaKb_lrBhtu8a7jBvyENK99lncpiZv2TC9MgSu5G7IGqeAc4SdOcnzvjyhUwEEPBBmk/s640/P1050282.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We hiked down to that river and back up the other side!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We arrived to our homestay in an odd mix of complete exhaustion and total exhilaration. The overnight stay was scheduled in a Red Dzao village, in a home of a local family. They offered us access to their shower (a bucket inside a wooden shack), toilet (a <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2011/10/potty-training.html">squatter outhouse</a> that “flushed” out over the ridge), and their home (a large lofted home -- with satellite TV!). </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiir4WAbESdPCpbejiz7nK9nHshg4HkJeM8rrJw3xwIybJhgyd8UjE-jISTnGH-ZfBcDRlLpytkdwV3Q7BzQSntlw6O17-iujGaVmR5HY0l531TW_f6GrPhZLMfJ09drW1J1kNav2CBW5go/s1600/P1050290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiir4WAbESdPCpbejiz7nK9nHshg4HkJeM8rrJw3xwIybJhgyd8UjE-jISTnGH-ZfBcDRlLpytkdwV3Q7BzQSntlw6O17-iujGaVmR5HY0l531TW_f6GrPhZLMfJ09drW1J1kNav2CBW5go/s640/P1050290.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our home for the night. We bunked upstairs in the loft.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VHL47_kWu5GBNdwGMYMDBfMUHzWaoIYD9x_rZdmgGJ75e3xRySntwlTjats41LvI-LFoiAuA9ZKixndjUyCW-hRWbiotSps4Nz72NWe5Ycd-HKw5rQ4FXCkka2EHUVM4I7LAg5rAZrxl/s1600/P1050289.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VHL47_kWu5GBNdwGMYMDBfMUHzWaoIYD9x_rZdmgGJ75e3xRySntwlTjats41LvI-LFoiAuA9ZKixndjUyCW-hRWbiotSps4Nz72NWe5Ycd-HKw5rQ4FXCkka2EHUVM4I7LAg5rAZrxl/s640/P1050289.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homestay driveway</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzLOm5_uk9_KT6JYao5opwpZng97k-liEZ37X1n79Vyhrm07VZtYzKDGiJHuV_iUy8NPibM6kqpxGb1qZIEk1vReTp_Q1DJdUapahCZ3k8DjVw7FnoWEjrwPGNoxJoppC2IjexR-68rSF/s1600/P1050287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZzLOm5_uk9_KT6JYao5opwpZng97k-liEZ37X1n79Vyhrm07VZtYzKDGiJHuV_iUy8NPibM6kqpxGb1qZIEk1vReTp_Q1DJdUapahCZ3k8DjVw7FnoWEjrwPGNoxJoppC2IjexR-68rSF/s640/P1050287.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guard dog</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJl7WHxOShaw_dYlzXzM4ZgN_6wuc5YpXZJioQuLjTsxR-jGmtgf3yZIoLTBET6AFZ0-ZPvlqmZVq3WAvpJ-a3t45UMCajbr09u99e3A5YBAkn4r9eNKbkiDcsUUhvLv1HdEM7mXq-I-g/s1600/P1050288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgJl7WHxOShaw_dYlzXzM4ZgN_6wuc5YpXZJioQuLjTsxR-jGmtgf3yZIoLTBET6AFZ0-ZPvlqmZVq3WAvpJ-a3t45UMCajbr09u99e3A5YBAkn4r9eNKbkiDcsUUhvLv1HdEM7mXq-I-g/s640/P1050288.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water tank, "shower", and the outhouse down the hill</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDFpFORnDSlp9-5-78fFilwtBj60cC24LJ-LASXnefjMJwtVKljlnfJA52b8DHHWESlg7SDX8voZQ5RKdgl7N67t7ggciQdWZGjS5IQFWomufyY3t7o_oTlT4lJcHRp-V0Zo5_SXpH9yX/s1600/P1050293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinDFpFORnDSlp9-5-78fFilwtBj60cC24LJ-LASXnefjMJwtVKljlnfJA52b8DHHWESlg7SDX8voZQ5RKdgl7N67t7ggciQdWZGjS5IQFWomufyY3t7o_oTlT4lJcHRp-V0Zo5_SXpH9yX/s640/P1050293.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grandkids at the homestay<br />
The little guy in front cried nonstop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vSqH8AZuagx_ZJfojpuvfwX0VYR3F77vDTEAhmZH4qGlM2RP6Pk4Y2cOx_r_yWlKnzHd2zAXGDtBtItuv7h7uon5zs9C-m-N1qLIy9E4QWXrko9BqERhsaa_tra9Y1ZAU8jvVkjiWNss/s1600/P1050294.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0vSqH8AZuagx_ZJfojpuvfwX0VYR3F77vDTEAhmZH4qGlM2RP6Pk4Y2cOx_r_yWlKnzHd2zAXGDtBtItuv7h7uon5zs9C-m-N1qLIy9E4QWXrko9BqERhsaa_tra9Y1ZAU8jvVkjiWNss/s640/P1050294.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our gracious host<br />
(little guy still crying)</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hao and our porters helped cook us a delicious dinner with far too much food. And of course, our Red Dzao host grandpa came around with the rice wine to top off the night. Then it was off to bed early, to sleep in the loft beneath a mosquito net.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next morning we set off in a light rain that turned into a fairly constant drizzle throughout the day. Aside from the obvious drawbacks of a rainy mountain hike, the precipitation also provided me with several monster blisters. Good thing we got to see all this to make up for it!!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd6Z70dt-7jzHJpj_vnGZYY0pXeAV8zi1ONdxuC5lTMkiq56nE8qmJTakToCOVbGTbPuu8PCAWBMQEMWtslHABwFu2aP0wrgscZgsBfip4GYllxFiMFXXlVzywaKg_eu6O2Q2PLeE457c/s1600/P1050298.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd6Z70dt-7jzHJpj_vnGZYY0pXeAV8zi1ONdxuC5lTMkiq56nE8qmJTakToCOVbGTbPuu8PCAWBMQEMWtslHABwFu2aP0wrgscZgsBfip4GYllxFiMFXXlVzywaKg_eu6O2Q2PLeE457c/s640/P1050298.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountain village</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMP-eU5C92cxJD7TwUqgAOxILwasrTnhSkhR_YBc1w53nR04z8fDX7muUaCoWMkpzFzDQWIvDoE6OYkEopavB6ZMwUazDfMRHLKc_d5Yfc5aLPTVdJNS2PbrkNzAFYKMCsff6rC_xxFDw/s1600/P1050303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbMP-eU5C92cxJD7TwUqgAOxILwasrTnhSkhR_YBc1w53nR04z8fDX7muUaCoWMkpzFzDQWIvDoE6OYkEopavB6ZMwUazDfMRHLKc_d5Yfc5aLPTVdJNS2PbrkNzAFYKMCsff6rC_xxFDw/s640/P1050303.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Halfway through day 2.... still so far to go!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-VHH2chGWQijh0-FNuyICMN5PkiU5xbJgBGyXVIpsdV58ggl7cowjkK4lXapOdVMf9z1r8P2ulGnH2mxq43UXl8AP3ItsgxpebaNYlGTdEKEu8tQkT7-F0YISzesUh3W9oKy9f3IvRjM/s1600/P1050304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-VHH2chGWQijh0-FNuyICMN5PkiU5xbJgBGyXVIpsdV58ggl7cowjkK4lXapOdVMf9z1r8P2ulGnH2mxq43UXl8AP3ItsgxpebaNYlGTdEKEu8tQkT7-F0YISzesUh3W9oKy9f3IvRjM/s640/P1050304.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breathtaking<br />
(and not just because we hiked all the way up there)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVH_aE0c0aTbXVtm8TjoWU0iWb7239_bRjm8hgJpmjpCMupKe68i7IT4xuwJ-7hkNIbYcP4ZF0N5GwH8Pbs-DhqhtTP5S9MnFPeqaY4un3XJKBRpqMws5SCu71gqAkBRzGgdeHdPz2Seti/s1600/P1050308.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVH_aE0c0aTbXVtm8TjoWU0iWb7239_bRjm8hgJpmjpCMupKe68i7IT4xuwJ-7hkNIbYcP4ZF0N5GwH8Pbs-DhqhtTP5S9MnFPeqaY4un3XJKBRpqMws5SCu71gqAkBRzGgdeHdPz2Seti/s640/P1050308.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice fields </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHm45RHcSGxKUVkPoPY0mvIYdghu7Rn_7UUVSi7fI3gXUa640emUdeqXJ0ycxwp6ZQfL3Q523JBREt9vkF5Z0g6SLkwpDLtC2Z3et8L63xGjlipNLHxnEBB2Aw1I7FSQkMWXVdvAzU_JR/s1600/P1050312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVHm45RHcSGxKUVkPoPY0mvIYdghu7Rn_7UUVSi7fI3gXUa640emUdeqXJ0ycxwp6ZQfL3Q523JBREt9vkF5Z0g6SLkwpDLtC2Z3et8L63xGjlipNLHxnEBB2Aw1I7FSQkMWXVdvAzU_JR/s640/P1050312.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sa Pa pals!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowYt8rueGwfTLEHBY2puT_ykvtNXFpb830SEE5tHtMF9nir37Cbzt_S6-PTNEu3WxEMY9jr6J_4PlIKCBk_0-VjRua_TrAldlhOGkpk7d3A57CWBg51TuErJ9MTqAL9eyi8b4QDAhYaqg/s1600/P1050313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhowYt8rueGwfTLEHBY2puT_ykvtNXFpb830SEE5tHtMF9nir37Cbzt_S6-PTNEu3WxEMY9jr6J_4PlIKCBk_0-VjRua_TrAldlhOGkpk7d3A57CWBg51TuErJ9MTqAL9eyi8b4QDAhYaqg/s640/P1050313.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stilt house</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF03XA4b-rTGmruLGBti0DHZgNsXlOURY4vMP8O50I4xCwFU5s0HhlsYXqWxo0dAhedKVQxwhmPsjH6ewmba7A7ix0UMvds5ovPbwzE3IkuSYy4N7nQCa4G-a3fYxegokyUgQrzfNoT9_/s1600/P1050279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizF03XA4b-rTGmruLGBti0DHZgNsXlOURY4vMP8O50I4xCwFU5s0HhlsYXqWxo0dAhedKVQxwhmPsjH6ewmba7A7ix0UMvds5ovPbwzE3IkuSYy4N7nQCa4G-a3fYxegokyUgQrzfNoT9_/s640/P1050279.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Should have asked for a ride</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Hao negotiated us another invitation inside a minority home, this time the house of a Sapho family. The husband told us the village was so remote that they often went hungry due to lack of supplies. He also reported that their most valuable possession was a scrawny ox tied up out back.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaMAnyBZmIAlh4lg9tyT1jMPgDI0YOxuRh8LGt49c76ywuXjWjIpFKEwUQ2FFTb1mBC2PKljc8pc_uC4X-UTlYjddU1aiKemmdGmDH-PCYR9SEAbd5azBeTadtWE41_TVJMdVUJv-PQ3h/s1600/P1050301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaMAnyBZmIAlh4lg9tyT1jMPgDI0YOxuRh8LGt49c76ywuXjWjIpFKEwUQ2FFTb1mBC2PKljc8pc_uC4X-UTlYjddU1aiKemmdGmDH-PCYR9SEAbd5azBeTadtWE41_TVJMdVUJv-PQ3h/s640/P1050301.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sapho woman outside her home</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U4ukzakjz4Hv1VWYDVhl2UKtKcO6ew0rWrRaIJeFSs6MbsJT6bof4MXFweBTFegr6e-WEu0lRdJnkHrsZCmSgr-qQe8VqPJB1NFfK5kdiKEoRq2ME2_BDUDmsogxASf-eUr2R2XJ6wEn/s1600/P1050302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4U4ukzakjz4Hv1VWYDVhl2UKtKcO6ew0rWrRaIJeFSs6MbsJT6bof4MXFweBTFegr6e-WEu0lRdJnkHrsZCmSgr-qQe8VqPJB1NFfK5kdiKEoRq2ME2_BDUDmsogxASf-eUr2R2XJ6wEn/s640/P1050302.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sapho village house</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Before our trekking adventure came to an end, we spent a couple hours hiking through the terraced rice fields. And I truly mean we hiked <i>through</i> them. Of course we didn’t want to walk in the pools of water, damaging the rice, so we teetered along the built-up edges of the terraces, using our best balancing skills (and my best foul language skills). I’m not very coordinated. And I don’t like getting dirty. Ha, should have thought about that before signing up for this trip!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVptwMgS72eB3ucEv1WI0pP6ufrYZl9C8c2a2wLDFIjv6EJVoKLjNbwR8fkrWrYWkZ8L9Pq7ethBiuIUhLhMeQjMqUDftap69kMdX9SWoTfZF3NVDPq-58ik0kZJR7oTFRTft1-HigBT7h/s1600/P1050315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVptwMgS72eB3ucEv1WI0pP6ufrYZl9C8c2a2wLDFIjv6EJVoKLjNbwR8fkrWrYWkZ8L9Pq7ethBiuIUhLhMeQjMqUDftap69kMdX9SWoTfZF3NVDPq-58ik0kZJR7oTFRTft1-HigBT7h/s640/P1050315.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking through the terraces</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After Hao guided us across the most terrifying bridge ever half-way built over a gushing river, we wandered into a local Tay village, where we stopped for lunch, followed by a ride to the <a href="http://www.topasecolodge.com/">EcoLodge</a>. A well-deserved indulgence, the EcoLodge provided hot showers and super-fluffy beds. And air conditioning!! </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEUoPh9TJLsY0wOUPlD_nDnT99OlqT-4VVl_oYOxtTDFboFnhtoOtDhQTP1J6udhZXvA4BeB5XHNER1u1t45hGOYUNaql0IEbDYgI1FTZ8fcEPoeMtUpdh6jOarVNpoSVRDfPN6xcB3O4/s1600/P1050316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidEUoPh9TJLsY0wOUPlD_nDnT99OlqT-4VVl_oYOxtTDFboFnhtoOtDhQTP1J6udhZXvA4BeB5XHNER1u1t45hGOYUNaql0IEbDYgI1FTZ8fcEPoeMtUpdh6jOarVNpoSVRDfPN6xcB3O4/s640/P1050316.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A most delicious lunch of beef noodle soup</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3s8Ly69vfwsUPFyu0yl9d9Ugw48K70V_Lx8pnpdeOfqU0_5wXfuMMkn0Xuck_LIkDpQwEeoP8cq6yBZjl0AxU05VcP6wMcW-vP7-YyzYivMMZWt4OE81YrMiATmE6ui2pn9_VNb4_zjh/s1600/P1050324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia3s8Ly69vfwsUPFyu0yl9d9Ugw48K70V_Lx8pnpdeOfqU0_5wXfuMMkn0Xuck_LIkDpQwEeoP8cq6yBZjl0AxU05VcP6wMcW-vP7-YyzYivMMZWt4OE81YrMiATmE6ui2pn9_VNb4_zjh/s640/P1050324.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pathway to our cabins at the EcoLodge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimNhE6uzCXY1GqvvevDjUugtimwgOvm7CSgnKptTSgSs6XgqSwci3EnF3ocbG4fK3GTdn2mO338HL6I6mo6qlDb7iDpfDHwku5eGmfizxVL7ABLtSiGliDIqTeLZRjq4_L33J1OgwmbI5/s1600/P1050325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhimNhE6uzCXY1GqvvevDjUugtimwgOvm7CSgnKptTSgSs6XgqSwci3EnF3ocbG4fK3GTdn2mO338HL6I6mo6qlDb7iDpfDHwku5eGmfizxVL7ABLtSiGliDIqTeLZRjq4_L33J1OgwmbI5/s640/P1050325.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EcoLodge</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AXdAAfR5D9gjt7QXLsMOPiK_aVHu5SIOfl7B9Uw0JCNzMqokYZHNEmdIZGVrxqTIIBj8PE9KQl52yrz3zKQUR3xmbGAV8KFGfNo4zoG-6vEHeHRgy2KXQnfuMUSHXNKfaKaAtUYtRVms/s1600/P1050322.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2AXdAAfR5D9gjt7QXLsMOPiK_aVHu5SIOfl7B9Uw0JCNzMqokYZHNEmdIZGVrxqTIIBj8PE9KQl52yrz3zKQUR3xmbGAV8KFGfNo4zoG-6vEHeHRgy2KXQnfuMUSHXNKfaKaAtUYtRVms/s640/P1050322.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our back porch</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFtIvwZurLu75kbffoQLy0GWW-dblXT-F8NLAyTRmaYOx3WRtu3TRzJaFPy55Uuy08alaVtAxD5av6EU73W798r-nZGe4yOoQDrkE3KC82MrUjmrFB_1qDvlbz2PQXkrz5EEzZbCJFenq/s1600/P1050319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFtIvwZurLu75kbffoQLy0GWW-dblXT-F8NLAyTRmaYOx3WRtu3TRzJaFPy55Uuy08alaVtAxD5av6EU73W798r-nZGe4yOoQDrkE3KC82MrUjmrFB_1qDvlbz2PQXkrz5EEzZbCJFenq/s640/P1050319.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More back porch views</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR39wnt5VyqSd6rg5LIRz2qeg3OWTEklFY8y5Vhsgb0vwnv4rPoi4YqLdynJiLP43xfFP5gEvjIRy_BnPRHmxTbaTiWoRwOqmGZzRHLscPDq2TUws2_IUJqHh4vxtiQzN6AjBUZBz0neo/s1600/P1050320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwR39wnt5VyqSd6rg5LIRz2qeg3OWTEklFY8y5Vhsgb0vwnv4rPoi4YqLdynJiLP43xfFP5gEvjIRy_BnPRHmxTbaTiWoRwOqmGZzRHLscPDq2TUws2_IUJqHh4vxtiQzN6AjBUZBz0neo/s640/P1050320.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Much-needed relaxation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpLgal7FnBYZAwHdzxNI3o3sGq2Vs3Nd6KljoLfWCnvuoeHMUtx04kC0CdcS74QE9wAwT4acuw4-omW_yS5fi7J7RaqT6hJeU4q1M9MgevQEtZmmC80AB3jdnzu-ZC78qwsxxI0FLU-XT/s1600/P1050327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYpLgal7FnBYZAwHdzxNI3o3sGq2Vs3Nd6KljoLfWCnvuoeHMUtx04kC0CdcS74QE9wAwT4acuw4-omW_yS5fi7J7RaqT6hJeU4q1M9MgevQEtZmmC80AB3jdnzu-ZC78qwsxxI0FLU-XT/s640/P1050327.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Dzao women outside the EcoLodge<br />
Very aggressive salespeople! </td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">The next day, well-rested, freshly scrubbed, and feet covered in Band Aids, we took a shuttle into town to explore Sa Pa proper. The town is overrun with tourists, and it made me so happy we’d opted for the private trek through remote areas. While it’s convenient to have English menus at coffee shops, not encountering other non-Vietnamese people for 48 hours was a welcome escape.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMSHMa82vG3ET2MhbXV2B2l4tdH9VFTbcPi_7gish-dPyNG6mWQfhW-nAjuN0sqKOhTxRLt9ZO1ieotSxMsLVBfF0Jsvd-80f3k7GDwCss28LavjT5fnpdJ01wqeSUuUQ_g29ETeQN1T5/s1600/P1050329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheMSHMa82vG3ET2MhbXV2B2l4tdH9VFTbcPi_7gish-dPyNG6mWQfhW-nAjuN0sqKOhTxRLt9ZO1ieotSxMsLVBfF0Jsvd-80f3k7GDwCss28LavjT5fnpdJ01wqeSUuUQ_g29ETeQN1T5/s640/P1050329.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roadside market, Sa Pa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uYmvDx23NuAus6iv01lkLND8KgEbYAraNyckR7lKIcQ6-6QGt1GUBbSvU0qXMMEiZulgNJXgCZADN7N-WL8U477BuydD5aI4BD14JxVQYQdVQxzWRXQil2m2S5VRutYNYwuj11hM_ZSn/s1600/P1050331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uYmvDx23NuAus6iv01lkLND8KgEbYAraNyckR7lKIcQ6-6QGt1GUBbSvU0qXMMEiZulgNJXgCZADN7N-WL8U477BuydD5aI4BD14JxVQYQdVQxzWRXQil2m2S5VRutYNYwuj11hM_ZSn/s640/P1050331.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Minority women selling wares in Sa Pa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ulvMZGGbv3hoF1WVwQ_oZJK8QfTL2C3EFeY14Mm7ipxWXizKvsxNfOI-Iru5-4lva8w-RyaTvkpcjgcz01zzcTbBz9Cyoa3VMEaP_p8oYwhOSswdzn5r7mfjGvD9reymrUTPBhEPmwY4/s1600/P1050332.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4ulvMZGGbv3hoF1WVwQ_oZJK8QfTL2C3EFeY14Mm7ipxWXizKvsxNfOI-Iru5-4lva8w-RyaTvkpcjgcz01zzcTbBz9Cyoa3VMEaP_p8oYwhOSswdzn5r7mfjGvD9reymrUTPBhEPmwY4/s640/P1050332.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outside the market</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlVe1hmoPUHsuIziMEQOZrWcUUGHu-F095oGzPJMizitxeNb8ZLi1g-Zvl2vwT4uKHM0SWkI3atwUYVXwNLiS89OoGqOVMSngytC7Bq_d-HiUarg20VDzvzSW5QdJ4ONBB6juT6eExrMn/s1600/P1050333.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdlVe1hmoPUHsuIziMEQOZrWcUUGHu-F095oGzPJMizitxeNb8ZLi1g-Zvl2vwT4uKHM0SWkI3atwUYVXwNLiS89OoGqOVMSngytC7Bq_d-HiUarg20VDzvzSW5QdJ4ONBB6juT6eExrMn/s640/P1050333.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Dzao women</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvaNV66KsHycGnO1n0secRYv5OvqbnyGnbS93m7UFPTcCwXb7hJD5wRw0dF_sYW0eiwprKQK_IPenD0-1dWtrfzIuPhzNxB-q45rfVr8j_xH4exSfQcmdtY6zEEPgSxGdUkTgVDaUJKeC/s1600/P1050334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzvaNV66KsHycGnO1n0secRYv5OvqbnyGnbS93m7UFPTcCwXb7hJD5wRw0dF_sYW0eiwprKQK_IPenD0-1dWtrfzIuPhzNxB-q45rfVr8j_xH4exSfQcmdtY6zEEPgSxGdUkTgVDaUJKeC/s640/P1050334.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sa Pa</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw94_3O5BcZdlsPqrJAGaxg-ecLzKdQTFbdx6Joptq98ROTRHxRntuegXHWS4_v98k6kZ9JK6iFk1UuTm7sy0yBjVJ8fl8EaZGZ3N1wjsLV5fNhXwSel4DsSY8_L6F1_jrEozsU708a8Sg/s1600/P1050336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw94_3O5BcZdlsPqrJAGaxg-ecLzKdQTFbdx6Joptq98ROTRHxRntuegXHWS4_v98k6kZ9JK6iFk1UuTm7sy0yBjVJ8fl8EaZGZ3N1wjsLV5fNhXwSel4DsSY8_L6F1_jrEozsU708a8Sg/s640/P1050336.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Black Dzao woman and baby</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">And I can’t end this tale without one more food pic. This scrumptious meal was served to us from a street stand in Lao Cai before we boarded the night train back to Hanoi. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1k8rHj9fSCzyCqQvNf8fTh2p6plWeWKwkvCwHMyHQ_HvTDqardJJzzxhzjZZunYeGek1JQDj2KyMYCXVhRBkGl19ukimrtdRk4gtpPx3Tr0vMoTKtrppCRU3t87KIxg5WtWjZ6RkiZC1/s1600/P1050338.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis1k8rHj9fSCzyCqQvNf8fTh2p6plWeWKwkvCwHMyHQ_HvTDqardJJzzxhzjZZunYeGek1JQDj2KyMYCXVhRBkGl19ukimrtdRk4gtpPx3Tr0vMoTKtrppCRU3t87KIxg5WtWjZ6RkiZC1/s640/P1050338.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Mini' ban xeo and nem chua dinner</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-21965583718188358532013-09-03T08:42:00.000-07:002013-10-26T21:27:36.082-07:00How Living Abroad Can Make You A Better Person<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><i style="font-style: italic; line-height: 18px;">Today’s post is written for the Reach To Teach<b style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"> Teach Abroad Blog Carnival</b>, a monthly series that focuses on providing helpful tips and advice to ESL teachers around the globe. I'll be posting a new ESL-related article on my blog on the 10th of every month. Check back for more articles, and if you'd like to contribute to next month's Blog Carnival, please get in touch with me, and I'll let you know how you can start participating! To read other blogs from this month's Carnival, <a href="http://www.reachtoteachrecruiting.com/living-abroad-better-teachers">click here</a>!</i></span><br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Living abroad definitely wasn’t on my radar. I was more than content living in America, teaching at a fabulous public school in Milwaukee, being surrounded by English speakers, eating real cheese and Mexican food, and driving my car. But then a hefty round of education budget cuts caused me to lose my job. I was devastated; I would not have left that job by choice -- like I said, it was a fabulous school. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">But the silver lining was that it gave me a big push to take the opportunity to do something completely new. Within a few months of being told I was SOL about trying to keep my beloved job, I had packed my entire apartment into my stepmom’s basement, bought an incredibly expensive one-way plane ticket to a tiny island in the Far East, and said “see you later” to my friends and family.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It’s now been two years since I moved abroad. I lived for over a year in Taiwan, and now here I am living in Vietnam. Looking back at the time I’ve spent living in foreign lands, I wouldn’t trade my experiences for anything. I know I’ve changed and grown as a person, even if just in small ways. How could you move across the globe and <i>not</i> change?</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I would encourage anyone to consider taking the opportunity to live abroad. It’s a great lifestyle, getting to travel the world, experience different cultures, eat exotic foods, and learn new languages. But beyond all the fun, it can also make you a better person.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Friend Request</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Even if you move abroad with a friend or partner, you’re going to have to make new friends. Not having a group of buddies to call up and hang out with is an unsettling feeling, but a highly motivating one as well. Making the effort to be friendly and striking up conversations with people you’ve never met are necessary for building a friend base. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Luckily, most of the people you meet abroad are like-minded, open people who know exactly what you’re going through being in a new country. And you’ll make life-long connections with people from across the globe. No matter what, you’ll always share a very unique experience. And just think -- if you can make all these new friends because you <i>had</i> to do it, you can make new friends any time you like, just because you <i>want</i> to!</span></div>
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<b>Liquid Courage</b></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">When I starting telling people about my upcoming big move, above all others, the most common response I got was some variation of, “Wow! You’re so brave!”</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">There’s a reason that less than 40% of Americans are passport holders, and even fewer actually use them beyond Mexican beach resorts and Caribbean cruises: it’s a big, scary world out there. Living squarely inside your comfort zone is just fine, but you won’t grow. Facing challenges and jumping headlong towards new experiences are the best ways to see what you’re really made of. And maybe you’ll discover something incredible about yourself. Or perhaps you’ll recognize an area in your life you want to change, improve, or develop.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">If you never felt like a brave person before living abroad, take the new label and wear it proudly like a badge of honor. If you can step off a plane in a distant country knowing little to nothing about the culture, local language, job you’ll have, apartment where you’ll live, or even how you’ll hail a cab from the airport to the hotel -- all after enduring 24 hours of transoceanic travel -- if you can do this, you can do ANYTHING!</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"><b>Bloom Where You’re Planted</b></span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Like I said before, I was crushed when I found out I was losing my job teaching in Milwaukee Public Schools. But I discovered something about two months into my teaching gig in Taiwan: I love <i>teaching</i>. Period. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">It was a big realization for me that my happiness depended far less on my location than I previously thought. I found that all the things that made me a happy little clam in my life in the US were available on the other side of the world, just in foreign packaging. My friends were new, but just as amazing and loyal. My job title changed, but still provided me with purpose and fulfillment. My family was different, but now I had a home away from home.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I think this has been my biggest area of growth in my time living abroad: accepting that my plans may not always come to fruition, and that’s okay. I kind of hate all those inspirational quotes about “letting go” and “enjoying the journey” but I must admit, there’s some truth there. It’s been a hard lesson for me, as I’m a bit of a control freak. But it’s also somewhat freeing, not being able to control everything. It takes away some of the pressure to have a plan at all times. Plus, plans gone astray -- that’s the whole reason I’m living abroad anyway!</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-6677871445077900592013-08-17T23:46:00.000-07:002013-10-26T21:47:14.545-07:00Oi! Hanoi!<br />
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">With only 10 days to see ALL of Vietnam, <a href="http://samanthainsaigon.blogspot.com/2013/08/lauren-and-john-in-saigon.html">Lauren, John, and I</a> set off early in the morning on a flight to Hanoi. A few days in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanoi">the capital city</a> served as our starting off point for adventures in the north.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Following all safety regulations</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After dropping our luggage at the <a href="http://www.hanoicharminghotel.com/">Charming Hotel</a>, which by the way was truly charming, we began the day with a massive meal of <i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bun_cha">bun cha</a>,</i> a Hanoi specialty and official favorite of our group. The shop only serves bun cha, so we didn’t have to worry about the language barrier hindering our order. And lucky for us, the restaurant was just around the corner from Charming Hotel, at Hang Manh and Yen Thai.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanoi specialty - bun cha</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Completely stuffed with rice noodles, grilled pork, and fresh herbs, we walked off our food comas around Hoan Kiem Lake. Sittin’ pretty in the middle of the lake is Thap Rua (Turtle Tower), in honor of the brave golden turtle who did the work of the gods by returning Emperor Le Thai To’s magical sword to the bottom of the lake. True story.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoutltw9-rizLlA9VaeSweBDmNPf9KRFyvQbdwk9W2a1q3X7qTisISIp-_2KY5x8HMVKK6cJbWDNnatIzpDSihwYZSn07v2aQZ4tkX9is_qT5wGWLO7pkaLqhJP72o6G6fmRSniWHQEkG/s1600/P1050164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoutltw9-rizLlA9VaeSweBDmNPf9KRFyvQbdwk9W2a1q3X7qTisISIp-_2KY5x8HMVKK6cJbWDNnatIzpDSihwYZSn07v2aQZ4tkX9is_qT5wGWLO7pkaLqhJP72o6G6fmRSniWHQEkG/s640/P1050164.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle Tower</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj86y9lFjVtg5ER1YOeEQyZWbWW9PfQMLF3xvf6_C6KYm-hF_qaBIH5qYD949e2C3S1WW3TTa6eqC6Lsg3u92bnJMSA51xAANAdBZmypx9l-bF_RbrrZXbBHs2uTWw1g1A4tPhXkrDq6sA/s1600/P1050400.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj86y9lFjVtg5ER1YOeEQyZWbWW9PfQMLF3xvf6_C6KYm-hF_qaBIH5qYD949e2C3S1WW3TTa6eqC6Lsg3u92bnJMSA51xAANAdBZmypx9l-bF_RbrrZXbBHs2uTWw1g1A4tPhXkrDq6sA/s640/P1050400.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoan Kiem Lake</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our next stop was the National Museum of Vietnamese History, where we pieced together what we THOUGHT we knew about Vietnam with the sometimes-translated plaques detailing the historical events of the country. Mostly though, we relished in the welcome air conditioning.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cyclo drivers wait outside the National History Museum</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering around the Old Quarter of Hanoi in search of <i><a href="http://www.travelfish.org/blogs/vietnam/2011/11/06/bia-hoi-in-hanoi/">bia hoi</a></i>. (We found it. A couple times.)</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanoi Old Quarter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanoi</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Power lines</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanoi turned 1,000 years old in 2010!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our second day in Hanoi began bright and early with a trip to see a dead guy. We waited in line for over an hour in the blazing heat to see the embalmed body of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ho_Chi_Minh">Ho Chi Minh, the beloved liberator of Vietnam</a>. There are strict rules about dress code and behavior inside the mausoleum, and of course you’re not allowed to bring your camera. But I must say, this was the strangest, and one of my favorite, experience from the entire trip. Inside the mausoleum, Uncle Ho lies in formaldehyde immortality, encased in a glass sarcophagus. His hair is white and whispy, and his fingernails are impeccably clean. Overall, pretty creepy, but I liked it.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWzhbSDNoUzgIX2pygExpaCpuz82KX-uPZyrrXjIKRB6wVZaLozc5K7cryeYX7SKuUwGFbVeSo9QyGPUF2i3jKxuNfqE7ol9njinlM6LJy_Bl-ZnGO70ULs7_WOugmUTJPeUdg4Mc0r8/s1600/P1050355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4lWzhbSDNoUzgIX2pygExpaCpuz82KX-uPZyrrXjIKRB6wVZaLozc5K7cryeYX7SKuUwGFbVeSo9QyGPUF2i3jKxuNfqE7ol9njinlM6LJy_Bl-ZnGO70ULs7_WOugmUTJPeUdg4Mc0r8/s640/P1050355.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ho's eternal home</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Next we spent some time wandering the grounds of the Mausoleum Complex, taking in views of the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Inside the Ho Chi Minh Museum, the building was filled with mementos from the leader’s life. The best piece was a clock from HCM’s room, which was stopped at the moment when he died in 1969.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUIrAoene8MvM73iGU6c6fds69wQRxOPOjNptZRr3yWcsO9ejiF3_vFiFK5gM3n3hMXywcytyqPhKJ9axmy2yGQ6ojHIsGHaUbFqbdu4HDlhK5oKKbRYaMZMIt1wnwwnSndGJGy3_UR79/s1600/P1050339.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZUIrAoene8MvM73iGU6c6fds69wQRxOPOjNptZRr3yWcsO9ejiF3_vFiFK5gM3n3hMXywcytyqPhKJ9axmy2yGQ6ojHIsGHaUbFqbdu4HDlhK5oKKbRYaMZMIt1wnwwnSndGJGy3_UR79/s640/P1050339.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presidential Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8v0OmGraaQtbVI722BePjHium_FoXz7uTv2DYdL1Oc-ltRdPYqB8ghVwLrLXpLJFzEDrL0mHQuLrF9hE-Aw6IgrcpdlAU8_8kmv2CCaefIen37TDGKD63x0Wk05FkaV4FAG2Nq_kzYn7/s1600/P1050351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb8v0OmGraaQtbVI722BePjHium_FoXz7uTv2DYdL1Oc-ltRdPYqB8ghVwLrLXpLJFzEDrL0mHQuLrF9hE-Aw6IgrcpdlAU8_8kmv2CCaefIen37TDGKD63x0Wk05FkaV4FAG2Nq_kzYn7/s640/P1050351.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Chi Minh's Stilt House</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5PntI2C6V1iaxk9LIj5PG_bKdWMlWwmttakAL129TtmZE1744dtcYYUrR3QhZnyyLWFJOnIV2Ek4icd5z1QEpGi192P6nbrU76Tch_K4iaxjCwFH8bReR8I84XCanUPtkC5l_Qy1GTor/s1600/P1050361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5PntI2C6V1iaxk9LIj5PG_bKdWMlWwmttakAL129TtmZE1744dtcYYUrR3QhZnyyLWFJOnIV2Ek4icd5z1QEpGi192P6nbrU76Tch_K4iaxjCwFH8bReR8I84XCanUPtkC5l_Qy1GTor/s640/P1050361.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One Pillar Pagoda / Lotus</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmdHplkkNszDDD5T75uMGBt8wz5LSA9_rX-yotJPx1D4ub5SF_0GTBWzA6yIpB4_2S1DY-jmF_iInt2viu5B4Y3TAOladobZA3ysIKzSteIwiDs1MJH5pJwCWA_95CuEomCJhas7Nt9Kz/s1600/P1050363.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibmdHplkkNszDDD5T75uMGBt8wz5LSA9_rX-yotJPx1D4ub5SF_0GTBWzA6yIpB4_2S1DY-jmF_iInt2viu5B4Y3TAOladobZA3ysIKzSteIwiDs1MJH5pJwCWA_95CuEomCJhas7Nt9Kz/s640/P1050363.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ho Chi Minh Museum</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">A steamy walk to the south brought us to the Temple of Literature. Dedicated to Confucius, the Temple was the sight of Vietnam’s first University in 1076. It reminded me of the millions of temples I visited in Taiwan, a nice blast from the past.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5Kh6mlQ6NU3T-MwCnbBi10SRtZf8x4VwEunuwOIAX0W-KFAZA5pnTdZ6BDrmN1PuPc6wSGNLAVnF2oP8ryoPVhHXDpBIEu7Qu4g09guE6urjxu6RuyBLAcTxn71BuAbbbGByHRPdAZNK/s1600/P1050371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb5Kh6mlQ6NU3T-MwCnbBi10SRtZf8x4VwEunuwOIAX0W-KFAZA5pnTdZ6BDrmN1PuPc6wSGNLAVnF2oP8ryoPVhHXDpBIEu7Qu4g09guE6urjxu6RuyBLAcTxn71BuAbbbGByHRPdAZNK/s640/P1050371.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the grounds of the Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mJ80M-9FtWHIhZu4DTHv0IQKb9KF3lwneM-SPauxaGM2KK2Fzw-oQRby_ngnl8P1BYCVUnfb3zJRqB5Np-h4S2gUULLzkrzqX-4XQGFDQSV0L090OPNoSmvOrK7q4BzqVgSmrLndXq7W/s1600/P1050372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3mJ80M-9FtWHIhZu4DTHv0IQKb9KF3lwneM-SPauxaGM2KK2Fzw-oQRby_ngnl8P1BYCVUnfb3zJRqB5Np-h4S2gUULLzkrzqX-4XQGFDQSV0L090OPNoSmvOrK7q4BzqVgSmrLndXq7W/s640/P1050372.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plaques with the names, birth places, and achievements of exceptional scholars<br />
My info is on the third from the end :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6FZkDYsu0OxSdQI9_yix3zXKydkeazJiL4LBxNhUhVEhBcvTdMuGLXgiwW3HHNeSteR_H3gjDR1FFwU52rlUDgLJXpbJiRPIdvt0EHxPWAE90DEV6rx1B2HnEYCzWxJjB8-ayavqLY5f/s1600/P1050378.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz6FZkDYsu0OxSdQI9_yix3zXKydkeazJiL4LBxNhUhVEhBcvTdMuGLXgiwW3HHNeSteR_H3gjDR1FFwU52rlUDgLJXpbJiRPIdvt0EHxPWAE90DEV6rx1B2HnEYCzWxJjB8-ayavqLY5f/s640/P1050378.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roof of the Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanSqp_vytaalq6elJSULD_Ab9wScyag3t5fGPYj8QETQ6XUQ6JUzpLQ94WAzlm7epqAnvSYGwt0ZNkOc9TLMmmgZHWqe4d7CVupP7aBQ0eMZYdQvixsZqEYsp2Sms6imfNL11M32ReOE/s1600/P1050386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyanSqp_vytaalq6elJSULD_Ab9wScyag3t5fGPYj8QETQ6XUQ6JUzpLQ94WAzlm7epqAnvSYGwt0ZNkOc9TLMmmgZHWqe4d7CVupP7aBQ0eMZYdQvixsZqEYsp2Sms6imfNL11M32ReOE/s640/P1050386.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">We deserved a coffee break after a full day of history and stuff, so we trekked (in a cab) back to the Old Quarter to enjoy a potent brew from the terrace at the City View Cafe. If I haven’t said it before, Vietnamese coffee is like diesel fuel, and it’s possibly the best thing in the entire nation. The view from the table wasn’t half-bad, either.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UlpWB_32VyQfpwi5cb7Xuy5a4Ze-BHD-jNYOzQi1P7nRE5e-fVU5dYW9yGSPyut7mRmRAnB-Kio8zJgo-uZerMrgGwTJunao63VF3Gch7O7HAv2gX_mMvUB5hst0CNIRYIJKfq5ETCkl/s1600/P1050398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UlpWB_32VyQfpwi5cb7Xuy5a4Ze-BHD-jNYOzQi1P7nRE5e-fVU5dYW9yGSPyut7mRmRAnB-Kio8zJgo-uZerMrgGwTJunao63VF3Gch7O7HAv2gX_mMvUB5hst0CNIRYIJKfq5ETCkl/s640/P1050398.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cafe da - my favorite</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hKmv6eMKwbvt3vFFy9jZvuGAJLczd-zm0QZ9MDcM6wHgFEZ3MEFDVvhCzn6LASHofSW3pfmK5U1XVGrfe-LBq-3uV_frFkGBmWqCCGeZqoOHb1V4oy0mVPxsoLbeLKUQNM_owjwB4hJ7/s1600/P1050397.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6hKmv6eMKwbvt3vFFy9jZvuGAJLczd-zm0QZ9MDcM6wHgFEZ3MEFDVvhCzn6LASHofSW3pfmK5U1XVGrfe-LBq-3uV_frFkGBmWqCCGeZqoOHb1V4oy0mVPxsoLbeLKUQNM_owjwB4hJ7/s640/P1050397.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John reflects on the day</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Because my brain was so filled with knowledge and history and travel plans, I forgot the tickets for the <a href="http://www.thanglongwaterpuppet.org/?/en/Home/">Water Puppet Show</a> back at the hotel (oops). So we flew back to grab them and settled in to the most uncomfortable theater on Earth for the most bizarre cultural performance I’ve had the pleasure to experience. I’m not sure any explanation I give would truly do the show justice. Imagine: ten puppeteers standing in two feet of water behind a bamboo screen, guiding hand-crafted wooden puppets through tales of Vietnamese history and customs. Oh, and a dragon and a fairy making sweet, sweet, mythical love.</span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Without question, we needed this after:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_qURgNNou73Le86qW1TbkWPJHmPa5xRyErTuJ4LCVpeCtOBOuxRyTEKsVrCv8lMkZB-_9-Jdw8RI32SHLCDnKfcL8DTAYldGcYMQNQ2LWLjQVZu10sQOZ1w_VRlTCN309G8BDNPuRnyY/s1600/P1050407.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH_qURgNNou73Le86qW1TbkWPJHmPa5xRyErTuJ4LCVpeCtOBOuxRyTEKsVrCv8lMkZB-_9-Jdw8RI32SHLCDnKfcL8DTAYldGcYMQNQ2LWLjQVZu10sQOZ1w_VRlTCN309G8BDNPuRnyY/s640/P1050407.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selection of local brews</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbcJpx0QrGXlZssGQpvbMGT8nkSIT_8FL7qUd8V8eypxcsOw97gVxvXi3hFEIISFAvUEUk3ngzkzjOaRzWVU5QESGc8bRFj7QWqFkS8RxxcSsc9VcfXC5GQ4ziIsxhUnNbNFnGkz6_fju/s1600/P1050406.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCbcJpx0QrGXlZssGQpvbMGT8nkSIT_8FL7qUd8V8eypxcsOw97gVxvXi3hFEIISFAvUEUk3ngzkzjOaRzWVU5QESGc8bRFj7QWqFkS8RxxcSsc9VcfXC5GQ4ziIsxhUnNbNFnGkz6_fju/s640/P1050406.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren is right at home with her bia hoi and knock-off Ray-Bans</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8027418415367865004.post-36995552944822855922013-08-15T05:32:00.000-07:002013-10-26T21:38:14.309-07:00Lauren and John in Saigon<i>My lovely friends Lauren Boyd and John Radke came to visit me in Vietnam and lived to tell about it! I've asked them to write guest blog entries sharing their favorite moments and memories. Thanks for your posts, and thanks MORE for visiting me! Love you long time.</i><br />
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July 16th, 1am local time: Lauren and I get through customs and walk into the damp Saigon air to find Sam and her friend Janet waiting with our names on a sign. Success! We jumped into our first of many Vinasun cabs for a 30 minute ride to Sam's apartment where we promptly fell asleep.</div>
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Lauren, Sam, and I spent the next day with Janet and Sam's roommate Nick, gallivanting aroun<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">d Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon): shopping, eating, and a bit of sightseeing. That evening we sat down for probably my favorite part of Vietnamese culture: bia hoi. Meaning "fresh beer", it's kind of like happy hour back home. Overly attentive waitstaff brings you cheap beer (about 35 cents to a dollar per glass), often with an ice cube to cool it down. Afterward we ate </span><a class="" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pho" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-style: normal; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">pho</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> (perhaps the best-known Vietnamese dish) and capped off the night at a rooftop bar.</span></div>
<div style="font-style: normal; line-height: 21px;">
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Xi6v6g9TVb1HEVAsAiX3fk5ynw5Cy5pTYU957ACZgfECXEJLLPI00rMe1KGdlRWSHmi-Kz8mCtnFkVUzygi1Riu1ziGklwGEqwVOIn9uBoJTmATMN7P3-Vc3WG-HTuSriAsrDOn8DUU/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7Xi6v6g9TVb1HEVAsAiX3fk5ynw5Cy5pTYU957ACZgfECXEJLLPI00rMe1KGdlRWSHmi-Kz8mCtnFkVUzygi1Riu1ziGklwGEqwVOIn9uBoJTmATMN7P3-Vc3WG-HTuSriAsrDOn8DUU/s400/1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam's street from top floor balcony</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSZF1bumjAM9Cb7AvCf92TrlrVrR7DsB3me8aKFDK-4ZDG-xs7a5R-5afUngDoEtRMj3iZE5zJDVc4yjrCa4Fm_nYMfhydsF-TQJpGxzXr_Twyir9MbsI7y6tscNglYTg_zASCUnySl1S/s1600/2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidSZF1bumjAM9Cb7AvCf92TrlrVrR7DsB3me8aKFDK-4ZDG-xs7a5R-5afUngDoEtRMj3iZE5zJDVc4yjrCa4Fm_nYMfhydsF-TQJpGxzXr_Twyir9MbsI7y6tscNglYTg_zASCUnySl1S/s400/2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weird fruit at the stand where we got smoothies</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80owHsl-2txCBP0Oq3yxZJ-lQ3MtEYvrZ6ZgpGPQQ_iJug3S1c1laCSrEfnCcITEpwqSLXLbhOQihG6p8tXsvFnNvxpJDqNhhwM3eD_LKpN0eSrP3IDxZSpTyZGvKA9AXn4p32dxL2785/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh80owHsl-2txCBP0Oq3yxZJ-lQ3MtEYvrZ6ZgpGPQQ_iJug3S1c1laCSrEfnCcITEpwqSLXLbhOQihG6p8tXsvFnNvxpJDqNhhwM3eD_LKpN0eSrP3IDxZSpTyZGvKA9AXn4p32dxL2785/s400/3.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Saigon street</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1F0SmtNMdhSXqAJvK9Wm_QY0hehfaTHUC3if1zj8ZY5Bzxs2X2JK9eAoD42-v0SMrnF68DYC0UcKaZTPASydQCZZ0GFCtVTBsaUteSh-MlAqPnIWmYJUogocy7j6D_PRtEjnb69YVcry/s1600/4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip1F0SmtNMdhSXqAJvK9Wm_QY0hehfaTHUC3if1zj8ZY5Bzxs2X2JK9eAoD42-v0SMrnF68DYC0UcKaZTPASydQCZZ0GFCtVTBsaUteSh-MlAqPnIWmYJUogocy7j6D_PRtEjnb69YVcry/s400/4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ho watches over the post office</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj1l4muZxa-XGP7ovKA6fbNjiTBiHt_07WBA5EYqF42g0BHeTf0ZfkkgBBqtdFqaLa5RCboP32OwpHVG1cYGovFBT3CmxRm3N6IFe5iS7X0E4-tvRNGAZn3eE1ITCd02YCOT4Pz6DoqYi/s1600/5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoj1l4muZxa-XGP7ovKA6fbNjiTBiHt_07WBA5EYqF42g0BHeTf0ZfkkgBBqtdFqaLa5RCboP32OwpHVG1cYGovFBT3CmxRm3N6IFe5iS7X0E4-tvRNGAZn3eE1ITCd02YCOT4Pz6DoqYi/s400/5.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dudes play da cau (like badminton except you kick the shuttlecock)<br />
They were really good at it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">The next day we said goodbye to Janet (who was headed to Da Nang and Hoi An) and Nick, and Sam, Lauren, and I jumped on a plane to Hanoi. Once there, we walked around Hoan Kiem Lake, browsed the sidewalk shops, ate <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bun_cha" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">bun cha</a>, and then boarded an overnight train headed for points north.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9peZCmQZFFWh-3mL5BEWgl0aFWDR5dUqnXas73b8qdRrehUHx2n-1hqZrl4lPLxMfw97sRMGklShlOX7KIAcdGjAk_SNMDMnnZ2vfoNZUXT5fYFXFdjCWdXu2ay7Xl0t4OezxwTDlFgM/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr9peZCmQZFFWh-3mL5BEWgl0aFWDR5dUqnXas73b8qdRrehUHx2n-1hqZrl4lPLxMfw97sRMGklShlOX7KIAcdGjAk_SNMDMnnZ2vfoNZUXT5fYFXFdjCWdXu2ay7Xl0t4OezxwTDlFgM/s400/6.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bun cha!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqMfO9Z57KAQCP4gsBcj4bWUHl7htRts3rlV1bW63NheTlCCs-F7jAq_C8AH9_dndH0T36WUEQdsIg98MIQzQV_3-t-hDIPwvi5Luq94RjC_Wk00vuN8mSkl-DRsw8URDXLrwJygY_CYj/s1600/7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvqMfO9Z57KAQCP4gsBcj4bWUHl7htRts3rlV1bW63NheTlCCs-F7jAq_C8AH9_dndH0T36WUEQdsIg98MIQzQV_3-t-hDIPwvi5Luq94RjC_Wk00vuN8mSkl-DRsw8URDXLrwJygY_CYj/s400/7.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWLT795IWP3-Bl2lF4ZxJ7mr9CnLpUTLC9l1NPzn4ET_THu4K06hBUS7GAjmAWiit9U3dnA2eW6H_JzAKNuNnIuQlRBlyVtuefyTzYsOVJ9AlSkJ-r9mIGHwtQKL90cWIwK_FapHmwQ4E/s1600/8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikWLT795IWP3-Bl2lF4ZxJ7mr9CnLpUTLC9l1NPzn4ET_THu4K06hBUS7GAjmAWiit9U3dnA2eW6H_JzAKNuNnIuQlRBlyVtuefyTzYsOVJ9AlSkJ-r9mIGHwtQKL90cWIwK_FapHmwQ4E/s400/8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bia hoi!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Next morning, we said goodbye to our friendly French bunkmate, and disembarked in the city of Lao Cai (on the border with China). Some of the memories of the three days we spent there: 30km of hiking with our guide Hao, emerald green rice paddies, fickle mountain mist, water buffalo, fighting goats, bamboo forests, deafening cicadas, wading across a cold river on sore feet, going about 48 hours without seeing any other foreigners, Lauren sharing candy with some shy and curious local kids, dragging my exhausted body up the steep hill to our Red Dao village homestay, "showering" out of a bucket, tiptoeing across a narrow rusty bridge, tightrope-walking on the tiny ridges between rice paddies, Sam getting mobbed by aggressive Black Hmong merchants in Sapa, and, mercifully, a $7 massage after all that hiking.</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi156vpTCdNVzNKyLVzbC5DXopwKqBoc60rP_8x-EUUSm8uJU4LoV0lFiPSTMpijasjEj_77O2dzjDDanpKveeUXHiT5wHF9Trr_CNVPqLvX6PbI4vjOdxJK-29FnyjH_pRHGVJ44B-JPyC/s1600/9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi156vpTCdNVzNKyLVzbC5DXopwKqBoc60rP_8x-EUUSm8uJU4LoV0lFiPSTMpijasjEj_77O2dzjDDanpKveeUXHiT5wHF9Trr_CNVPqLvX6PbI4vjOdxJK-29FnyjH_pRHGVJ44B-JPyC/s400/9.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view across the border:<br />
the bridge on the left connects Vietnam to China</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-6sRFW0O3xJaHu75aaOXXL85nTKFPuECrq_zNX_nXF5pMW1nejDjK_KU6ZGLhtcbung-ibuNTYfGpF2Og4TuShtr7yQZntXNWDDMtJciGR3iZqN7M6Vxh9kVqhsa289eudHmK2xxxm4z/s1600/10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-6sRFW0O3xJaHu75aaOXXL85nTKFPuECrq_zNX_nXF5pMW1nejDjK_KU6ZGLhtcbung-ibuNTYfGpF2Og4TuShtr7yQZntXNWDDMtJciGR3iZqN7M6Vxh9kVqhsa289eudHmK2xxxm4z/s400/10.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We start our hike!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAE8Eet1OMFU_WFvpbFqTlf3pwtBNWonyROuM5T-07ZEFnwQn1a9ytem0qW6Czb5AHRrIT5xMJ2_x5BxQN6fqgD7_Ua_6Qd9zSQO6vycAMSDhnxp-qyiOZGeEnuZQw1HwLuWc0a_S88Ohd/s1600/11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAE8Eet1OMFU_WFvpbFqTlf3pwtBNWonyROuM5T-07ZEFnwQn1a9ytem0qW6Czb5AHRrIT5xMJ2_x5BxQN6fqgD7_Ua_6Qd9zSQO6vycAMSDhnxp-qyiOZGeEnuZQw1HwLuWc0a_S88Ohd/s400/11.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flooded rice paddy tiers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv6aytX6qN_cfJx9C3P2efhWkhTrIM42xxrELhe60mwHgbuo6wjU7AGTdDU7njYZWtTe0SE2AngVpqREb_Elcx3If4rgfFflccn9HdqkSgQfKj8wrM0uLgRlsnVb2HdWfYlWV6Vtcynom/s1600/12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtv6aytX6qN_cfJx9C3P2efhWkhTrIM42xxrELhe60mwHgbuo6wjU7AGTdDU7njYZWtTe0SE2AngVpqREb_Elcx3If4rgfFflccn9HdqkSgQfKj8wrM0uLgRlsnVb2HdWfYlWV6Vtcynom/s400/12.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the porters shoots the breeze with our guide Hao.<br />
Probably making fun of us.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNMDG0RK3fNJTWIgB_CFqyWkaxdrLcm2SPJ1ZmiWU6SQeq6rY_Xa3IGEcHxikZ27xHQgPMFsutgIksTXLl3Zod1Mz2741h5OKamFNBNRi1NvrZVIYslIvqSlNodXTedMY5cw_Yyznuodr/s1600/13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDNMDG0RK3fNJTWIgB_CFqyWkaxdrLcm2SPJ1ZmiWU6SQeq6rY_Xa3IGEcHxikZ27xHQgPMFsutgIksTXLl3Zod1Mz2741h5OKamFNBNRi1NvrZVIYslIvqSlNodXTedMY5cw_Yyznuodr/s400/13.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Red Dao woman taking a break</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-tby7UFM9xTkS82p5OWIyDdf6-Bni-HRyuGBWGDsaBz8AM3YUVCj44QHdqNEPXTAPypd_2OlXnM1FmhsXypc1KojLHkU1L61ioqo_Z3v7v5C0uPKz_uCuWyxao5R_h7JEj7yQ0czqid1/s1600/14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO-tby7UFM9xTkS82p5OWIyDdf6-Bni-HRyuGBWGDsaBz8AM3YUVCj44QHdqNEPXTAPypd_2OlXnM1FmhsXypc1KojLHkU1L61ioqo_Z3v7v5C0uPKz_uCuWyxao5R_h7JEj7yQ0czqid1/s400/14.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Switchback</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjYOfQPXmyDdQ6IX4Am7Ln1v91baMwXbrdAXagSAI3kOfSg88mf7wdGwxmGwkIreJOyLLxtYOFyQdJZV1FCM1VqChADjKSit8gLi-w5oKRxephTiJ62KfyxV0_3jbhvf8W8hNuRgqJAap/s1600/15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjYOfQPXmyDdQ6IX4Am7Ln1v91baMwXbrdAXagSAI3kOfSg88mf7wdGwxmGwkIreJOyLLxtYOFyQdJZV1FCM1VqChADjKSit8gLi-w5oKRxephTiJ62KfyxV0_3jbhvf8W8hNuRgqJAap/s400/15.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A school or government building nestled in the mountains</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSy5IfyVK-jMJWOM4sDnep_pai6XCuwfLdG6FLuTukN8QtX4R2wjoyY-hZCm6fHggUgUapIOtoqqBYiBLUdjM9-ANdVfLEpRW_MqGWN0BBj9Wm4EsYHjQpaDHX4bhN3dZg_Qlef2SBYnv/s1600/16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSy5IfyVK-jMJWOM4sDnep_pai6XCuwfLdG6FLuTukN8QtX4R2wjoyY-hZCm6fHggUgUapIOtoqqBYiBLUdjM9-ANdVfLEpRW_MqGWN0BBj9Wm4EsYHjQpaDHX4bhN3dZg_Qlef2SBYnv/s400/16.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, you guys.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkLC_MCTX1QbAExGEQuTZEV7yL_sHYjqrBbpGVwqxoB6uAmvbteYLUCFxusUXvmvA-aMXljV6RZWHtfO9XpIChWp4wfkBUrpyXhpqaESegZgX29FovlfCPnqJF5SBivtUkfia9J7JH_54/s1600/17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfkLC_MCTX1QbAExGEQuTZEV7yL_sHYjqrBbpGVwqxoB6uAmvbteYLUCFxusUXvmvA-aMXljV6RZWHtfO9XpIChWp4wfkBUrpyXhpqaESegZgX29FovlfCPnqJF5SBivtUkfia9J7JH_54/s400/17.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Water buffalo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15OM19vxOu59pIPfy99njjFVDRZh_TpLg-Kx2DmoOZP3ZeOzl00rPMDBZk7W3HorB6MK9btDU2eh7JIXppAhDO9bBprhyYxFSTFgwCjJgGQbuH4iDWnErj11eyG5qF2QqxxFBbG5YdlV5/s1600/18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15OM19vxOu59pIPfy99njjFVDRZh_TpLg-Kx2DmoOZP3ZeOzl00rPMDBZk7W3HorB6MK9btDU2eh7JIXppAhDO9bBprhyYxFSTFgwCjJgGQbuH4iDWnErj11eyG5qF2QqxxFBbG5YdlV5/s400/18.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Schoolhouse where we stopped to eat lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7X1u1l-Kr_cuN4_p026hM47epizO5g01uAFPjaJSA7xd0pruoOWot9o91uIsScy1_hlhRgwAHYefPpEHRl7unWp231OQgJNaK9UKXAjdwg8CHJmrOmsKlKjunVZ0bkEWWPf1jpcJXv4QT/s1600/19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7X1u1l-Kr_cuN4_p026hM47epizO5g01uAFPjaJSA7xd0pruoOWot9o91uIsScy1_hlhRgwAHYefPpEHRl7unWp231OQgJNaK9UKXAjdwg8CHJmrOmsKlKjunVZ0bkEWWPf1jpcJXv4QT/s400/19.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Making friends</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7JN09fK9CStqy8IymDGbuhPPZBsosj23ytLqoqAY71WplJlZewcmD7-S3pPXsGemJoWjKzWsOarUErsmg1G3xLlYbRY090_l1RTlwcRBsZ3BpB5P7sInyNUTymV6pLU5ePuiatJWR2cE/s1600/20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY7JN09fK9CStqy8IymDGbuhPPZBsosj23ytLqoqAY71WplJlZewcmD7-S3pPXsGemJoWjKzWsOarUErsmg1G3xLlYbRY090_l1RTlwcRBsZ3BpB5P7sInyNUTymV6pLU5ePuiatJWR2cE/s400/20.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hao walks under some rice paddy irrigation</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMHN0HhlKC86JEtrBlcXuzggqlDt944fSONDveZqr6GXmdDqHl0-BYd7VktE-mQAFYrX2-2o7u85or7_c3pVsg5hk63L3RD1KPJ3ssByABCO_jkgSsDi2Rd8ie66cjJwEwVjofrRUAeDw/s1600/21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMHN0HhlKC86JEtrBlcXuzggqlDt944fSONDveZqr6GXmdDqHl0-BYd7VktE-mQAFYrX2-2o7u85or7_c3pVsg5hk63L3RD1KPJ3ssByABCO_jkgSsDi2Rd8ie66cjJwEwVjofrRUAeDw/s400/21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SERIOUSLY.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5fA7Nr1BloN31LunUvuK38LNDL8FOg0jo0hP5pZ5xldROWGPuLDZh7hTSJ9pEUgLiVRogqVRsv0yyvVwgLWdjtleWOneFgO-0JaRVtRnE3NyN79wkbNrJl-N3UVdhTggsSGKZSMABfLV/s1600/22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv5fA7Nr1BloN31LunUvuK38LNDL8FOg0jo0hP5pZ5xldROWGPuLDZh7hTSJ9pEUgLiVRogqVRsv0yyvVwgLWdjtleWOneFgO-0JaRVtRnE3NyN79wkbNrJl-N3UVdhTggsSGKZSMABfLV/s400/22.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">THIS IS RIDICULOUS, SERIOUSLY.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXa2COCvtPZKnGrkkwYfydtCWKs5KmfuTjySAXvOklWUYTKP7mv4bKgZGXg6MMACOAp7o49FKj5FeCpQ4ao-ltO5nFqBqMWTh16wPox5un06cpFdA_AdvZqprtAGrxXk_U8_ieybmqFWe/s1600/23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXXa2COCvtPZKnGrkkwYfydtCWKs5KmfuTjySAXvOklWUYTKP7mv4bKgZGXg6MMACOAp7o49FKj5FeCpQ4ao-ltO5nFqBqMWTh16wPox5un06cpFdA_AdvZqprtAGrxXk_U8_ieybmqFWe/s400/23.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our homestay after 16km of hiking.<br />
Best beer I ever tasted!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKvi7M_MMq14TUeFROTlvujDEcJ7FucJ4If8S96EI5jqmCC3l1Se9EG958vqUzwAJi9ASPb-aOr3b_fhw9bnmKF32pSOHIbB7bSdBzrfCxlrqF7UPYCFiTH81GkdqT5Cx-nr2QXC5OiYP/s1600/24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXKvi7M_MMq14TUeFROTlvujDEcJ7FucJ4If8S96EI5jqmCC3l1Se9EG958vqUzwAJi9ASPb-aOr3b_fhw9bnmKF32pSOHIbB7bSdBzrfCxlrqF7UPYCFiTH81GkdqT5Cx-nr2QXC5OiYP/s400/24.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front to back: concrete water tank, shower stall, outhouse</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbLxS6UMzbgSMeYXUBesk3ZKmgxO62rH7NGgdwLe-q4Ifo-lmousKWSRJrVIeYf8X9b4ttWznvciRgFz5_IETX1ULoV1LWa9K0xEYFMHZoEtTl8RB93cX799EdF8mnm6Qlqn-Kvpuavpd/s1600/25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbLxS6UMzbgSMeYXUBesk3ZKmgxO62rH7NGgdwLe-q4Ifo-lmousKWSRJrVIeYf8X9b4ttWznvciRgFz5_IETX1ULoV1LWa9K0xEYFMHZoEtTl8RB93cX799EdF8mnm6Qlqn-Kvpuavpd/s400/25.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front of the homestay house (outhouse is behind you from this view)</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">*(Our second day of hiking was really rainy, so I didn't have my camera out till we got to our hotel. Hopefully Sam got some good stuff!)*</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXQ56_2UdaZEbhpiKiIBaBnKhLKTxNu0hbt7H1JzZjRx0qIK_iwp5uC9rGrf6RalGppsTTSv2W8sSSzdDUqr0ieCigwn0WOCY543aQ6npT5ZKvqWwWTH3a_eMFOussOrsKxxkqtXtLKuF/s1600/26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrXQ56_2UdaZEbhpiKiIBaBnKhLKTxNu0hbt7H1JzZjRx0qIK_iwp5uC9rGrf6RalGppsTTSv2W8sSSzdDUqr0ieCigwn0WOCY543aQ6npT5ZKvqWwWTH3a_eMFOussOrsKxxkqtXtLKuF/s400/26.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Accommodations after the second day of hiking<br />
(Sam and Lauren's bungalow)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVuN7Uu0lS2VdqA9NEwaA27s5v6OrULJRVNr0eFrUPOIQj1-Pbn_V9-2c_Ig-CuJrK4eZgh9wDykqq03O6UxjB9lajYnlHRidJXaj1zoBepA3vQGl6FsP7v_Oyyy-DSY3GuFnO2ABZEyL/s1600/27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVuN7Uu0lS2VdqA9NEwaA27s5v6OrULJRVNr0eFrUPOIQj1-Pbn_V9-2c_Ig-CuJrK4eZgh9wDykqq03O6UxjB9lajYnlHRidJXaj1zoBepA3vQGl6FsP7v_Oyyy-DSY3GuFnO2ABZEyL/s400/27.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the balcony in my bungalow</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuwSMLCny2BQYAaCr0wgO5JuLmOhvcuBU0FEHD7G99iRVswWjoc3iRe4mHsUzNLQDDna54RrxSbe6J25aqqjIHPAyg9FFL1KX_Qr3CDyv9t2wPzXeb9VVra5XEh4bHi9ygHtq7fmOVN5_/s1600/28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPuwSMLCny2BQYAaCr0wgO5JuLmOhvcuBU0FEHD7G99iRVswWjoc3iRe4mHsUzNLQDDna54RrxSbe6J25aqqjIHPAyg9FFL1KX_Qr3CDyv9t2wPzXeb9VVra5XEh4bHi9ygHtq7fmOVN5_/s400/28.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rainy day in Sapa</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKazfItK1oUCzhwNcxs2OYOBFsH9KRT3OeXbMYXLOs8iXpqqd6vdsSwrWimMxGfCEusMWcxjRqnk5Pu7A_oIVvrWAmdusiv4RWgwx_geP1OL4GzhQCf7L33j4FH0oUWXvOe2Nk9KPYuoD_/s1600/29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKazfItK1oUCzhwNcxs2OYOBFsH9KRT3OeXbMYXLOs8iXpqqd6vdsSwrWimMxGfCEusMWcxjRqnk5Pu7A_oIVvrWAmdusiv4RWgwx_geP1OL4GzhQCf7L33j4FH0oUWXvOe2Nk9KPYuoD_/s400/29.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam gets surrounded by Hmong merchant ladies</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">Once back in Hanoi, we spent the day learning about Vietnam's national hero, Ho Chi Minh. We visited the mausoleum of Uncle Ho (as he's known to his people), explored the grounds of his former estate, and walked around the rather uninformative (at least for English speakers) museum about his life. Also visited the very cool Temple of Literature. We spent the night at the aptly-named Charming Hotel, and early the next morning we were on a shuttle down to Ha Long Bay.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOBm8ewNxRNSSa0kWN-k9rVFry7WCG8vsSxUrW_LM9cShOuxma3XdSMa5tLJu3VlVrbMEA8spIYe9ICQNnJT8mNMsvuGqE9ATFQE9DlISfxn1UdLabWGPQqlZziF_sERPDcBDrIeMrhvr/s1600/30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOBm8ewNxRNSSa0kWN-k9rVFry7WCG8vsSxUrW_LM9cShOuxma3XdSMa5tLJu3VlVrbMEA8spIYe9ICQNnJT8mNMsvuGqE9ATFQE9DlISfxn1UdLabWGPQqlZziF_sERPDcBDrIeMrhvr/s400/30.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ho's palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Ho's mausoleum (from the back)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xcCDeMfoMN5SfeYaOgfavHB9n0tgYZ-ou7hq3grQEfa1GvBu-QDg1-F-mpyqlP1HCR2Y6sMH2Zo2drGNYnGCInrvdkEeAYLs3B3XbCQ2RJtlOp0_5mY7h1pSabGgqSDAc4EVgdLg-6QX/s1600/32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xcCDeMfoMN5SfeYaOgfavHB9n0tgYZ-ou7hq3grQEfa1GvBu-QDg1-F-mpyqlP1HCR2Y6sMH2Zo2drGNYnGCInrvdkEeAYLs3B3XbCQ2RJtlOp0_5mY7h1pSabGgqSDAc4EVgdLg-6QX/s400/32.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bun cha-style <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A1nh_cu%E1%BB%91n">banh cuon</a></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy old tree at the Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanterns at the Temple of Literature</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">We spent the next three days on a private <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junk_%28ship%29" style="color: #0068cf; cursor: pointer; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 21px; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">junk</a>-style boat in Ha Long Bay. The bay is strewn with incredible limestone formations - again some of the most beautiful vistas I've ever seen in my life. It rained on and off the entire time we were on the water, but it didn't screw up our plans too much, and gave us more time to nap. The most disappointing part of our entire trip was all the trash in the water - we literally paddled past a hypodermic needle while kayaking. It's rather jarring to watch the sun setting behind a lush green islet, and then look down at see all plastic flotsam in the water. But this trip was still incredible: the ship's cook overfed us at every meal, we saw monkeys on Monkey Island (clever name), biked with our guide Lu to a local farming village nestled in a valley on Cat Ba Island, and saw a little government-owned floating fishery.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">COME ON.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a dump</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shot of our junk boat (the brown one in the back) from the fish farm</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;">After our boat trip, we made our way back to Saigon, where we had a mellow day of shopping, coffee, and a couple rooftop beers. We topped off our unforgettable trip with some amazing vegan food.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rice at the weird food market by Sam's house.<br />
These are all different, I guess?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pagoda near Sam's house</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bonsai garden by the shore in Saigon</td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 21px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 21px;">Overall trip: total success. Amazing sights, good food, new experiences, and most importantly, good friends!</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Another Asian adventure with Samantha Baker! I, Lauren Boyd, am guest-blogging to relate to you the amazing trip I took in July with John Radke to visit Sam. While I was constantly making comparisons to <a href="http://samanthainformosa.blogspot.com/2012/07/lauren-in-formosa.html">Taiwan from my trip there last summer</a>, the two countries were very distinct. Vietnam had a edgier, more hectic feel to me, compared to the loveable, slower-paced Taiwan. Don’t get me wrong- I loved the hurried Vietnamese bustle of motor bike traffic, markets with haggling vendors, and streets full of people drinking bia hoi (more on that later).</span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bui Vien, the main backpacker/tourist street in HCMC</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After one day sightseeing in Ho Chi Minh City, the three of us boarded a plane northbound for Hanoi. From Hanoi we embarked on an overnight train trip to Lao Cai, where our tour guide was to pick us up for our 3-day trek through the mountains around Sa Pa. Sa Pa is a touristy small town atop mountains with terraced rice fields and indigenous villages. We arrived at 5am into Lao Cai, and bid au revoir to our cabinmate Jacques. Well, maybe we weren’t sure his name was Jacques, but he was French- so that was the obvious name we chose for him as we recounted our daily adventures. </span></div>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Our trek began with an introduction to Hao, our guide, and the two porters who would be hiking alongside us while carrying our stuff for an overnight stay in the villages. As I was huffing it up hill after hill along our 10-mile route on the first day, those porters were speeding past me in their cheap plastic sandals. The beauty of the rice fields was so incredible and serene. Every so often I would stop dead in my tracks and look around me thinking, ‘Wow! I cannot believe I’m here right now’. What made it feel even more special is that we were experiencing this trek alone, not in a massive tour group with twenty other foreigners. We hiked through many villages along the way, and we met some of the indigenous people who live in these mountainous regions. My favorite were the Red Zhao people; they are a matriarchal society, meaning the women are boss. And these are not women to mess with- they have a striking physical appearance with their traditional shaved eyebrows and foreheads, and could be seen doing physical labor in the fields right alongside the men. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hao and the porters</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mountains and rice fields in Sapa</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">After hiking 18 miles in two days, it was time to slow down the pace. We bid farewell to Hao, and took the night train back to Hanoi where we were picked up for our next adventure. We took a van to Hai Phoung, then a hydrafoil boat to CatBa island. In CatBa, we met Lou- he would be the guide for our private boat, home for the next 3 days and 2 nights. Accompanied by the boat captain and cook, we embarked on a cruise through Halong Bay. Halong means descending dragon in Vietnamese; the bay got this name for the nearly 2,000 islands there that look like the back of a dragon diving into the sea. We ate like royalty on the boat, went kayaking through a cave, and explored a government-run fish farm in the bay.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ha Long Bay!</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">Food! I cannot say enough good things about the delicious Vietnamese food. Delicious seafood along the coast, fresh exotic fruit, pho, spring rolls…..the list goes on. My favorite meal experience was when we had bun cha for the first time. We walked into this packed restaurant, and were led up two flights of a winding staircase where we were then seated elbow-to-elbow with two other groups of Vietnamese people. I figured they were there because they know how awesome the food was, and I was right! Heaping piles of rice noodles, a mounded plate of fresh greens, and a bowl of garlic and chillies were brought to the table, and then each of us were given a bowl of meat and broth. Put those things together in whatever way makes its way best into your mouth, and you’ve got pure Vietnamese bliss. As previously mentioned, bia (beer), washes down any and every great meal. Now, don’t go expecting some craft beer, or anything other than an Asian Miller Lite. Maybe an Asian High Life, but let’s not go crazy. The best way to drink your 50 cent beers though is called bia hoi, also known as drinking beer while sitting on a sidewalk in a kiddie-sized plastic chair. When I call it kiddie-sized, then you know it must be a SMALL-ass chair. What better place to take in the buzz of the streets, and people watch.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Elbow-to-elbow and up to our elbows in bun cha</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bia hoi in small-ass chairs</td></tr>
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<span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;">I’d be remiss if I did not mention our dear friend, Samantha A. Baker. She was a fabulous hostess and tour guide while we were in Vietnam, and showed us a truly awesome time in her new country of residence. I am inspired by the ease in which she has moved to yet another foreign country, and has figured her way around language/culture barriers to establish a life full of adventures. She makes friends, and drinking buddies, wherever she goes- thanks for doing your part to improve the world’s opinion of Americans. </span><span style="font: 14.0px Wingdings; letter-spacing: 0.0px;"></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.0px;"> I can’t wait to see where Samantha’s next adventures take her!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nFt9Y7LaaNa0pYurt3y9BFJ9ZDhaxQ0Vj-CVWAmBEBiuDnO2DNfzvNAaMipkq4N8G7WvJL4ClU_Hf96hO2Rdw6Z3RIp4EXbjbcvrJ4WfFA4SIuKow0-CkOsdbTpQBcdxkfKS4QGK0KcI/s1600/998868_10102339860487707_1542319695_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6nFt9Y7LaaNa0pYurt3y9BFJ9ZDhaxQ0Vj-CVWAmBEBiuDnO2DNfzvNAaMipkq4N8G7WvJL4ClU_Hf96hO2Rdw6Z3RIp4EXbjbcvrJ4WfFA4SIuKow0-CkOsdbTpQBcdxkfKS4QGK0KcI/s400/998868_10102339860487707_1542319695_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy hour / happy days</td></tr>
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<i>--Lauren Boyd</i></div>
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17024409516593190678noreply@blogger.com0