Category: Travelogues
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Little Ones, Big Smiles
Laos is a land of beautiful smiles, sported by those big and small! We encountered these little ones at play in their village, just before sunset. The boys played with slingshots; they also engaged in a bocce ball or pétanque-like game. Instead of a silvery ball, the resourceful kids tossed flip flops. They were as…
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The Enduring Buddha at War-Ravaged Wat Phia Wat, Laos
Wat Phia Wat and its focal point — a war-scarred Buddha statue — are located in Muang Khoun, only 30 kilometers from Phonsavan, Laos. Muang Khoun was previously the region’s capital city, but all that remains of the capital today are the fragments of Wat Phia Wat, as well as a few stupas. Given rugged…
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A Return to Angkor: Exploring Breathtaking Bayon Temple
As you wander through Bayon Temple’s wedding cake-like levels, it’s likely you’ll feel as though you’re being watched — and indeed you are — by the 216 immense faces that adorn the 54 towers of this Angkorian jewel. Built in the late 12th century, Bayon was established as the temple for King Jayavarman VII. It is…
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An Afternoon at Angkor Wat
During my maiden (and solo) visit to Angkor Wat, I glimpsed the majestic Cambodian structure at sunrise. Seeing the inky sky gradually awaken over the site and then illuminate it with a shrimp-colored hue was a magical experience. But in the years since, I’d read that the sunrise experience had lost some of its luster,…
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Dog Tags and Medals for Sale in a Vietnamese Market
“All wars are civil wars, because all men are brothers.” François Fénelon On a bustling road leading to Hué’s once-grand Imperial City are sidewalk plots where vendors sell antique blue and white china, happy Buddha statues, and items reminding passersby of tragic chapters in Vietnam’s history. The items are harmoniously intermingled: North Vietnamese battle awards,…
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Sunset Sledding on Sand Dunes in Mui Ne, Vietnam
Mui Ne, Vietnam’s sand dune landscape is like something out of The Arabian Nights, but with an Alpine twist. Gusts of wind pick up sand from the cinnamon-colored dunes, causing the grains to dance in the air, all while adventure-seeking travelers gleefully sled — and wipe out — on plastic toboggans.
