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Sweet Home Saigon Vietnam

Read ’em and….Cheer!

When we were getting ready to move to Saigon, I told Mark we would likely need to invest in e-readers. We love to read and I wasn’t sure that we’d be able to find many English-language books. Once again, I’m happy to say that Saigon surprised me. There are many …

Waiting for Fireworks with Mt Fuji in background
SE Asia

Japan: Chasing Fireworks

After reading about elaborate fireworks that happen in late summer all around Japan, we planned a trip to the country to coincide with three of them: One in Tokyo, one in Chiba, and one near Mt. Fuji. When we read that each of the shows launch up to 20,000 shells, …

Sweet Home Saigon

Got It Covered

When I was preparing to move from Minnesota to Vietnam, my dermatologist reminded me that I was going to be in a place with year-round hot, sunny weather. She was worried that I would be exposed to much more sun in, what she thought was going to be, a culture …

SE Asia

Laos: Hidden Gem

Hi to all my followers. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I haven’t written much in the last few weeks. A trip and fall at our swimming pool in mid-April left me with a broken wrist. Luckily it was my left wrist (I’m right-handed) but it still made typing a bit …

Celebration of cultural dress in Vietnam The Ao Dai
Saigon Vietnam

Vietnam: Ao Dai

One of the things that I love about Saigon is that fashion seems to be governed by the individual. No perceptible rules. In any given group of people I see everything from shorts with T-shirts and spiked heels, to skirts, business suits, or frilly dresses with flip flops or gym …

Perth skyline at sunset
Australia Perth

Australia: Perth

One of the reasons we chose Saigon, Vietnam, for our SE Asia home base for the next year, is that there are so many places we can explore within a four-hour (or less) flight. However, realizing we are as close to Australia as we’re ever likely to be, we decided …

Sunflowers in park in Saigon
Saigon Vietnam

Saigon: A Floral Tết Treat

The 2024 Lunar New Year, known as “Tết  in Vietnam, began on Saturday, February 10. Tết is short for  Tết Nguyên Đán” which, translates as, “Festival of the First Day” One of the prettiest traditions for celebrating the Lunar New Year in Saigon is the proliferation of flower markets. All over …

Dragons on Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Walkway in Saigon for Lunar New Year Celebration
Saigon Vietnam

Vietnam: The Year of the Dragon

At midnight on February 10, 2024, countries celebrating the Lunar New Year said goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and hello to the Year of the Dragon. The sign of the Dragon is considered auspicious. Birthrates spike in dragon years, as babies born in these years are said to …

Entrance to Traditional Vietnamese Medicine Museum
Saigon Vietnam

Vietnam: Museum of Traditional Medicine

We set aside at least one day a week (usually Friday) to find and explore new neighborhoods in our adopted hometown of Saigon. Some of our favorite finds are the museums, temples, street fairs, shops, and other sites that wouldn’t have been on our radar if not digging a bit. …