Arts and Entertainment

The towering limestone, forest-covered karst formations in Halong Bay are the iconic image of Vietnam. They are much-loved by the Vietnamese, have been featured in various movies and have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 10-day cruise John and I took on Pandaw’s Red River ended in Halong Bay. The perfect place to end an amazing trip. We learned there are two Halong Bays – one on land and one in the Gulf of Tonkin. Pandaw’s crew takes care of everything.

I have never taken a voyage aboard one of the popular big ship cruises. But I am a fan of small ship river cruises, especially in Asia. I love river travel. Asian rivers are dynamic. They transport people and goods plus many towns and cities grew up along waterways. At low water time, the fertile shore become gardens.

The Hoa Lo Prison is better known to Americans as the “Hanoi Hilton” and where John McCain and other American POWs were held during the Vietnam War. It is called the “American War” in Vietnam. Vietnam has been invaded by the Chinese, French, and Japanese. The “American War” was the most recent and the shortest except for the five-year control by the Japanese. The major portion of the prison depicts the incarcerations of prisoners other than Americans.

There are a plethora of statues of Buddha throughout Asia. Many people view Buddhism as a religion but technically it is a way of life or a philosophy. Buddhism began in northeastern India and is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama. Buddhism is 2,500 years old and is followed by 350 million worldwide. Like most religions and philosophies understanding Buddhism is difficult to understand completely.

People are often surprised when I say it is less expensive for us to spend the winter in Southeast Asia than it is to stay at home. And certainly less expensive than spending the time in Florida or somewhere else where it is warm and sunny. Part of the plan is to stay where the Americans do not. Places charge what the market will bear and one thing that raises the price is if it is a popular destination for foreigners especially Americans.