Tag: Southeast Asia

  • Photo du Jour: Dirt Roads & Sunbrellas in the Laotian Countryside

    While having a traditional noodle soup lunch in the Laotian province of Xieng Khouang, these ladies strolled past us. Laotian ladies – like those we met in Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam –  go to great lengths to protect their skin from the sun’s vibrant rays.

  • The remnants of two smiling faces adorn the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia.

    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…

  • Motorcycles and cars drive past Udud's Royal Palace at night.

    Photo du Jour: Ubud, Bali’s Royal Residence By Night

    Cars and motorbikes motor past Ubud’s Palace at night. Only their light trails are visible.

  • Tourists walk toward Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

    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,…

  • Two cyclists walk their bikes through a natural area in Vietnam's Ben Tre province.

    Photo du Jour: Pedaling the Backroads of Vietnam’s Ben Tre Province

    On a Sunday afternoon on which many celebrated the first day of the western New Year, these two Vietnamese ladies pedaled the lush, green backroads of Vietnam’s Ben Tre Province. Ben Tre is situated in the Mekong Delta.

  • A black and white image of dog tags for sale at an outdoor market in Hue, Vietnam. They supposedly date to the Vietnam War.

    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,…