All posts by: Marisol
Kompong Phluk: The Village of Stilted Houses and Flooded Forest
If you’re visiting Cambodia’s Angkor temples and crave for a change of scene, we discovered a village in Tonle Sap Lake that may sooth your “templed out” soul. No, it’s not the heavily touristed and more accessible floating village of Chong Kneas but a more fascinating village about 25 kms further east. Located within the floodplains of... Read more
Memories of Buenos Aires
We are not close Vatican watchers, but what we have seen in the news and read about the new Pope, so far, truly charmed us. When we learned that he was from Buenos Aires, we were instantly reminded of our memorable visit to his home city in 2008. Memories came flooding back – lovely people, impressive architectures, sophisticated café and dining culture, colorful neighborhoods, people dancing tango everywhere, ghost of Evita,... Read more
A Saturday Stroll in Sunny Saigon
We were so excited to see a sunny blue sky when we looked out of our hotel window in our first morning in Saigon. We missed the sunshine. We just came from northern Vietnam where the clouds didn’t allow the sun to peek almost the whole time we were there. We decided to spend the day strolling... Read more
Cu Chi Tunnels: Viet Cong’s Underground Fortress
If you’re traveling in Vietnam and you’re a war history buff like Keith, a visit to Cu Chi Tunnel is a must. Cu Chi Tunnels are complex network of underground fortress dug beneath the jungles of South Vietnam. The tunnels were initially dug by Viet Minh guerillas as a safe haven during their battle with the... Read more
Cruising Halong Bay: Still Beautiful, But….
After trekking in the northern highlands of Vietnam and exploring the buzzing streets of Hanoi, Keith and I thought that an overnight cruise on Halong Bay would be a perfect romantic and relaxing getaway for us. Read more
The Beautiful Sunset on Manila Bay
It has been 22 years since I left the Philippines for New York City. A lot of things has changed since then. But I’m thankful that some of the things that I cherished most remain unchanged and are always there to make me feel at home every time I return, like the uplifting smile and warmth... Read more
The Streets of Hanoi’s Old Quarter
Have you been to a place where if you want to purchase a certain item, say shoes, all you have to do is go to Shoe Street and you will find an array of shops selling only shoes? Sounds convenient, isn’t it. We found such a place in the Old Quarter of Hanoi. The Old Quarter is the historic soul of Hanoi... Read more
Vietnam: Trekking in the Off-The-Beaten-Path Hilltribe Villages (Day 2)
The grandma of our host family. The first day of our trek from Bac Ha to its surrounding villages provided us with deeply rewarding cultural experiences. We woke up the next day feeling energized and excited for the new experiences that lie ahead on our trek back to Ba Cha. But we were also bit sad knowing... Read more