Once the seat of government of republican South Vietnam, Independence Palace is now a “national cultural and historical relic” and a popular attraction for tourists in Ho Chi Minh city.
Category Archives: travel
20. Flying High in Mui Né
The Vietnamese beach town of Mui Ne is one of the best places in Southeast Asia to take up the sports of kite surfing and paragliding.
19. Crazy About DaLat
Visitors may marvel at the quirky Hang Nga Crazy House, but that’s not the only architectural oddity to stir interest in this Central Highlands city.
18. A Visit to DaLat
A holiday in the Central Highlands yields delightfully cool temperatures, great street food, year-round flowers and a beautiful town-center lake.
14. The Sacred and the Profane
A celebration of the Tet holiday, in a Mekong Delta village, is a magical mystery tour of Buddhist spirituality, drinking games, unthinkable foods and cockfights.
10. Hem Sweet Hem
The author finds a place to live in central Ho Chi Minh City. It may not be charming, but it’s definitely quaint. …
8. An Appetite for Chiang Mai
An all-day lesson at a northern Thai cooking school is followed by a late-night romp with the Midnight Ramblers, a regionally renowned cover band.
7. Chiang Mai, City of Temples
Ancient tradition collides with modern tourism on a “visa run” to northern Thailand. From temple to pagoda, the Buddhist shrines are ever fascinating.
5. Uncle Ho
Hô Chí Minh may be a villain in the Western world, but in Vietnam, he’s the greatest patriot in the nation’s history.
3. The Invisible Man
Ho Chi Minh City, especially the Go Vap district, made John’s first month in Vietnam a cultural challenge. And he was going back to school.
2. Making the Move
It wasn’t easy to make a major life change at 69. Perseverence, inspiration and the knowledge of Asian expats helped to make possible the jump to Vietnam.
1. A New Beginning
What in the world inspired this stunning, late-in-life adventure? The blog’s first installment explains what brought John to Vietnam.
Travels in Vietnam 