Tag Archives: pictures

DAILY PHOTO: Sunrise Over Bai Tu Long Bay

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on January 1, 2016 on Bai Tu Long Bay

Taken on January 1, 2016 on Bai Tu Long Bay

IMG_2589 IMG_2599

 

Bai Tu Long Bay is the lesser known–but geographically larger–sibling of Ha Long Bay. It’s name refers to baby dragons,  and it derives from the same myth from which Ha Long got its name (i.e. “Descending Dragon.”) Like Ha Long it’s considered a scenic wonder because of the skerries jutting up out of the sea.

 

We were told that we got a lucky break in getting a clean sunrise during our visit because it’s usually overcast. (Our tour straddled New Years.) It was overcast almost the whole time, but I tend to be skeptical of people selling an experience.

DAILY PHOTO: Vietnam Military History Museum

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 27, 2015 in Hanoi

Taken on December 27, 2015 in Hanoi

IMG_2114 IMG_2040 IMG_2078

DAILY PHOTO: Tháp Rùa by Night

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 26, 2015 in Hanoi

Taken on December 26, 2015 in Hanoi

 

Tháp Rùa is the Turtle Tower in the middle of Hoàn Kiếm Lake, which is the “Lake of the Returned Sword” or–more simply–“Sword Lake.” The lake is in the heart of modern-day Hanoi, and is sacred in Vietnamese folklore.

 

As the story goes, a Turtle god surfaced on this lake to ask a King named Lê Lợi to give up his sword. The sword was called “Heaven’s Will” (i.e. Thuận Thiên) and was said to have been given to the King by a local deity called the Dragon King (i.e. Long Vương.) Apparently, the Vietnamese King took a “the gods giveth, and the gods taketh away stance,” turning the sword over to the Turtle deity.

What it looks like in daylight

What it looks like in daylight

DAILY PHOTO: Thiên Mụ Pagoda

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 25, 2015 at Hue

Taken on December 25, 2015 at Hue

DAILY PHOTO: Saigon by Night

Posted on by
Reply

IMG_0419 IMG_0441 IMG_0359 IMG_0410

Taken in December of 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City (a.k.a. Saigon.)

DAILY PHOTO: Top 3 Things Hue Bike Rickshaws Carry

Posted on by
Reply
#3 Care packages; Taken December 24, 2015 in Hue

#3 Party Supplies; Taken December 24, 2015 in Hue

 

#2 Filing Cabinets; Taken December 25, 2015 in Hue

#2 Filing Cabinets; Taken December 25, 2015 in Hue

 

#1 Other Bicycles: Taken December 25, 2015

#1 Lesser Bicycles: Taken December 25, 2015

DAILY PHOTO: Hoi An by Night

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 23, 2015 in Hoi An

Taken on December 23, 2015 in Hoi An

 

Street food

Street food

 

Floating lanterns

Floating lanterns

DAILY PHOTO: How’d You Like to be a Crocodile Dentist?

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 21, 2015 in the Mekong Delta

Taken on December 21, 2015 in the Mekong Delta

 

Being able to see the color of a crocodile’s tongue, but not the color of its eyes, isn’t comforting.

But could someone get in there and floss the green gunk out of this fella’s teeth.

DAILY PHOTO: Saigon Central Post Office

Posted on by
Reply
Taken on December 20, 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City (i.e. Saigon)

Taken on December 20, 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City (i.e. Saigon)

 

I had concerns about the Main Branch of the Post Office being one of Saigon’s top 10 sights on TripAdvisor. I mean, what’s it say about a city whose post office is a tourist destination? (A field trip for ten-year olds, maybe, but a must-see tourist destination?) However, both the post office and Saigon wowed me.

 

IMG_0171 IMG_0170

DAILY PHOTO: Away in a Manger

Posted on by
Reply
Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

Taken in December of 2014 in Budapest

 

This will likely be my last post of the year. Tonight we leave to holiday in Vietnam. So, I figured I’d make it Christmasy.