Category: travel
Athens, Ohio…What to do in a college town?
November 8, 2019
Athens, Ohio
Athens, Ohio is a college town in the SE corner of Ohio, nestled against the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. No one knows the population of the permanent residents, but there are over 20 000 students who join them each school year to attend Ohio University. A college town is different from other places of comparable size.
My daughter is a professor at Ohio University so I have had the opportunity to visit this area a couple of times so far. The culture of a college town is quite new to me as a Canadian. I felt like I was visiting a different country. Not all American locations are so different from home.
HIstorical signage 
Entrance to College Green 
Court Street, Athens
Homecoming
Our first weekend in Athens happened to be Homecoming. Several special events were planned for the alumni who came to town. We started the day at a catered breakfast hosted by the business school. Cakes, croissants, hot apple cider, mimosas, and Bloody Mary’s were available. Faculty, students, alumni, and their families mingled on the lawn outside the Business School. Everyone had layers of Ohio University and Bobcats gear to keep them warm on an unusually cold October day in Ohio.
Homecoming Parade
Everyone gathered along the sidewalk to watch the Homecoming Parade. The Marching 110 band led the parade. The ROTC marched close behind, although a few straggled behind to hand out candy to the children along the route. The sororities marched with banners and cheering members. Local groups in town advertised their events and activities. The “Men Who Sing” group added more music to the event.
Community turnout at Homecoming 
Ohio University gear 
ROTC marching in parade 
Not everyone marched 
Marching Band 110
My favourite group of performers was the Marching 110 Alumni Band. They are former members of the marching band who gather for the Homecoming Parade. They carried their instruments wearing their Ohio University jackets and marched along the route. The drums played. They demonstrated some of their marching band moves, although it was difficult for some of the class of ’69 to get down and back up again.
Drummers kept the beat 
Alumni band members 
Doing the old moves 
Band member 1967-70 
Alumni Band Ohio University
Tailgating
My football experience is primarily Canadian, small-town high school. Tailgating before a college game was a new opportunity. We were lucky enough to have acquaintances with a parking pass for the football stadium. Tents set up along our walk provided places for alumni to gather as well as to sell beer as fundraisers for some college groups.
Our hosts provided snacks, drinks, and good conversation. Some people came and went while others stayed until the game began. Police were monitoring this event and one suggested that he didn’t want to notice an actual beer can. Drinks in cups were not his concern. I quickly emptied my fundraiser beer into a cup.
Bobcats Football
Ohio University is a Division I school. Their team played the Northern Illinois Huskies from DeKalb, Illinois. Fans were all adorned in their team gear. We had faculty tickets that were opposite the free student seats. Attendance for the game was 18019.
It was fun to watch. The commercial time outs provided an opportunity for the university to recognize different groups and alumnus. The Bobcat mascot and cheering squad kept the crowd entertained, especially after each point scored the team when they would drop down in the end zone and do the number of pushups that represented the total score for the team. The band was sitting in the stands opposite our seats and played during pauses in the game.
Halftime
Halftime was my favourite. The marching band took to the field and did several songs and interesting maneuvers. Some songs had the band making formations of OHIO. Other times they played and did dance moves on the spot. The musicianship and overall performance were impressive.
The final number included the Alumni band on the field with the current marching band. They performed Best of Both Worlds by Van Halen. The 2 bands numbered over 200 and were very entertaining.
We were cold after sitting on the shady side of the stadium and left at halftime. Unfortunately, the Bobcats lost 39-36.
Athens, Ohio Activities
Golf
Our golf course closed due to snow at the beginning of October. It was wonderful to get to play in the sun and changing leaves in Mid-October in the midwestern USA. Ohio University has a 9 hole course on campus, along the Hocking River. If you booked certain times on-line, you could golf for $10 per person with a cart. The holes had lots of variety. There was some water, sand, and challenging greens, although the course was not as well maintained as our course at home. That did not surprise us for it being late in the year. We played there a few times during our stay.
Athens also has a 9 hole course at the Athens Country Club. It is a private club and you must play with a member.
Ready to play Ohio University Golf Course 
Bridge to hole 3, Ohio University 
Tee box #3
Other Activities
A bike/running trail runs along the Hocking River. The trail allows you to visit several Craft Breweries in the area. Little Fish Brewing Company is one of these. I drove there on a Sunday morning for a yoga class. Classes are offered on a donation basis and held outside or inside the brewery when the weather dictates. You can stay for brunch or a beer afterward.
Athens, Ohio is in an agricultural area and there is a large variety of local food products and produce available at the Farmer’s Market held Saturday morning and Wednesday evening on State St. We bought a delicious raspberry Salsa where you could taste each recipe to find the one you liked best.
Restaurants and Bars
The advantage of having a large number of temporary residents is the number of bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. There are several chains like Texas Roadhouse, Buffalo Wild Wings and Applebee’s.
There were also many local restaurants. Casa Nuevo is very popular for Mexican food. We ate there on a Monday night and could only get into the bar as the restaurant was full. Jackie O’s has a taproom with a food truck as well as a restaurant.
Little Fish Brewing Company has a family-friendly outdoor space for food and drink. I loved their Beet Repeat beer with a splash of homemade ginger ale. Their cheese platter was not only beautiful but delicious.
The West End Cider House had a nice atmosphere. Their staff were knowledgeable about the different ciders and cocktails. They make their own ciders from Ohio apples. We tasted a flight where the samples were all different, but delicious. Cocktails are a specialty and their homemade ginger drink was non-alcoholic and really good. This location had a nice little patio that felt European and cozy.
Several of these local gathering places provide live music as well. There are many places that cater to students with smaller budgets where the ambiance and service are not as important. Court Street has lots of these.
Little Fish Brewery offerings 
Outside beer garden 
Family friendly 
Local cheese. Beet beer in the center 
Casa Nuevo 
Flight of Cider 
West Side Cider House patio
Outside of Athens, Ohio
We visited a couple of State Parks within 30 minutes of Athens. The countryside consists of rolling hills covered in forests.
Stroud Run State Park
This park is about 15 minutes from downtown Athens. There is a man-made lake where you can paddle a rented kayak. Many walking and hiking trails can be found in the park. Camping space is also available.
We were there late afternoon in October. It was almost empty. The water was still and the leaves on the trees were beginning to turn colour. It was such a quiet and serene place to getaway. I’m sure a hot summer day would be different, but it is a nice natural area.
Fall colours 
More fall reflections, Stroud’s Run 
Stoud’s Run view
Hocking Hills State Park
This park is about 50 minutes from Athens, Ohio. We drove there on the freeway but returned on the backroad, #56, which was very scenic and not too busy.
The area around Old Man’s Cave so impressed me. A deep gorge is the main feature, with naturally formed caves within the cliffs. Only In Your State says, “Hocking State Forest surrounds the state park and nature preserves. Its large boulders, giant tree roots, and abundance of greenery make you feel like you’re traveling to Middle Earth. “
Old Man’s Cave Visitor’s Center has some interesting displays of the history and geography of the area. Washrooms were available as well as maps and information.
We discovered a Sunday afternoon in late October to be extremely busy. The parking lot was full of drivers waiting for others to leave. The trail to the main caves was full of families, singles and couples all enjoying the views, unusual geological formations, and waterfalls. There are other places to visit in the area, but there was a lot to see packed into this small area. I would like to visit again on a weekday when there was more water flowing.
Old Man’s Cave 
“Middle Earth” bridge 
Bottom of the Old Man’s Cave gorge 
Interesting bridge over dry creek bed. 
Cool and moist at the bottom 
A bridge above the waterfall 
A reflective pool seen from the bridge above the gorge. 
View on route 56 
View on route 56 
Fall archway on route 56
What to do in a college town?
I have visited Athens, Ohio twice, once in the summer before the students arrived, and once in October. We found lots to do there. I know there are family events and activities as well as several music, art, and beer festivals planned throughout the year. Hallowe’en is a big event in this town.
In conclusion, Athens is in a beautiful part of Ohio. It is a regular small town except for the services that provide for 20 000 extra citizens each school year. There are many ways to stay active, natural areas to visit and places to eat/drink. Add the sporting events, the arts and academic opportunities at Ohio University and you will always find lots to do in this college town.
Road trip Atlanta to Blue Ridge Mountains, NC
June 21, 2019
Road Trip in April
Spring is a beautiful time for a road trip. The first leg of a trip with my sister was from Atlanta to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and lasted 5 days. We stayed with friends for 2 nights, in Air BnB for 2 nights and a hotel for 1 night.
For our road trip, we rented a car that we booked ahead with the Alberta Motor Association (part of CAA). Their prices include up to 2 free additional drivers as a standard option. We picked up the car at the Atlanta Airport.
A non-stop WestJet flight took us from Calgary to Atlanta, Georgia. Check the prices carefully when you book. We discovered that the premiere seats at the front of the plane (WestJet’s equivalent of first class) were actually noticeably cheaper than the economy seats for our flight.
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is a hub for Delta Airlines and is a busy airport. We were surprised to arrive at the luggage carousel and find only 2 other passengers from our flight. They were driving to Chattanooga for a conference so my sister and I were the only people from Calgary who were actually staying in Atlanta and not travelling on to some other destination.
Ponce de Leon
I met a resident of Atlanta during my previous visits to North Carolina. She welcomed us to her home for a couple of nights. Her condo building maintains a small suite on the roof that they can book for guests. The roof had 2 large structures that looked like belfries, without the bells. The suites were under these towers and were surrounded by statues of lions looking out over the city. Constructed in 1913, the building has a lobby with stain glass windows and a beautiful circular staircase.
Old stone church 
Stone tower with an apartment in the base. 
Old and new 
Lions guard the rooftop
We were located on Ponce de Leon St. in Midtown, Atlanta. It is a mix of old and new with many historical buildings scattered among new builds. There were trees and wide sidewalks that made this a very walkable area. Much of Atlanta was destroyed by General Sherman during the civil war but is a city of about 450 000 today, although the metropolitan area has over 5 million.
Eateries
Bon Ton
We had a delicious meal at Bon Ton. They describe themselves as Louisiana meets Vietnam. The boiled peanuts were a good starter but the smoked snow crab was exceptional. We had charbroiled oysters then finished with a jicama and papaya salad. What a feast to introduce us to the south!
Poor Calvin’s
Poor Calvin’s was within walking distance of our rooftop suite and recommended by our host. They describe themselves as Asian Fusion with Southern Influences. We sat at the bar, which is a great place to meet people, watch the bartenders entertain and get seated quickly without a reservation.
The cocktail list included charring fresh ginger, cardamom and star anise before shaking with gin, lime juice and culantro (a relative of cilantro). An orange rind run through a flame was used to rim a Manhattan. My Curried Seafood was spectacular and my sister’s duck was gluten free. The garnish was not, however, but the kitchen staff came personally to check her meal and make sure it was corrected.
Heating an orange rind to rim the glass. 
Seafood curry.
Bab’s
We met a couple of local women at Bab’s, a nearby breakfast/lunch cafe. I asked them what we should do if we only had one day in Atlanta. I was surprised when they replied that there is not really much to see or do in the city. The zoo was mentioned but that was it. It’s hard for visitors to get excited about getting off the plane in Atlanta, when the locals don’t think very highly of their city. My Moroccan Stew with eggs was worth going to Atlanta for brunch.
Mercedes Benz Stadium
I wanted to tour the Mercedes Benz Stadium. I watched a program on the construction of this building while living in Cambodia last year and was excited to visit it in person. Although we had a car, we chose Uber to take us. A $7 cost was better than worrying about navigating and parking at our destination.
The tour was $26. We had a guide and 2 more who were in training. There were only 6 of us visiting the building. I really enjoyed it. There is lots of information on the Internet about the stadium, but a couple of things stood out for me. The amount of solar energy they produce from the panels on the grounds is impressive. The building employs 1500 staff on non-game days and 5-6000 people on NFL game days. Concession prices are intentionally affordable and the WiFi capability is unbelievable. There is also an abundance of art decorating the building, including a metal Falcon outside where individual feathers can be seen.
Model of the building without the roof. 
Reflection in the giant soccer ball 
Reminded me of the “bean” in Chicago. 
Giant metal Falcon outside the stadium 
Falcons locker room 
Tour guide with giant screen encircling the stadium 
View of the field with curtains covering the upper decks for soccer games.
Martin Luther King Jr. Historic Site
As Canadians, we have been less impacted by the Civil Rights movement of the United States. Most of what I know of this struggle has come from books and movies. This is not to say that there is no racism in Canada, but it has not been as visible or organized as in the USA.
We took another Uber to the Martin Luther King Jr National Historic Site. It was difficult to pin the entrance to the Stadium on the Uber map and the driver had difficulty finding us. The driver was also not sure where to drop us off. Atlanta could improve interest in their city by making obvious tourist locations a priority for Uber drivers.
It was getting late in the afternoon so we only had time to visit the main information building, and not the other sites in the neighborhood. I was so engaged by the displays that I didn’t take many pictures. They included lots of photographs of Martin Luther King and his family as well as video recordings of his speeches. The descriptions and commentary covered his life and the many encounters he had with angry citizens. His visit to India and meetings with Gandhi were the foundation for his non-violent protests.
It is a solemn and thoughtful exhibit telling about Martin Luther King Jr.’s life and accomplishments during an era of massive social change.
There was also an exhibit in the building on the accomplishments of Jimmy Carter. His goals for the people of Georgia and Martin Luther King Jr.’s hopes and dreams have many parallels.
North to the Mountains
Our host in Atlanta gave us a road trip itinerary to get from Atlanta to Brevard, NC. After a delicious southern breakfast at Flying Biscuit Cafe we left the city on I-85. The highway was good and not too busy. The scenery was mostly forest to begin, but soon felt more like the foothills of Alberta.
Table Top State Park
It was about 150 km to the South Carolina Visitor Center. We stopped to pick up a couple of maps and suggestions then carried on another 85 km to Table Top State Park. We travelled on Highway 11, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Hwy. The road was good but single lane each way. It was secluded and beautiful. We had clear skies and moderate temperatures.
We checked in at the visitors center and studied the maps of the area. This park was built by the Conservation Corps in the 1930’s and several cabins used by the Corps still exist here. It is popular for hikes to the top of Table Top Mountain. It also has several campgrounds and lakes.
We took a short walk to one of the waterfalls. It was so green and quiet as we were the only ones there for most of our visit.
Cherokee Foothills Hwy 
So much green 
Great photo location
Bald Rock Heritage Preserve
We turned left off the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Hwy on Geer Highway, also called Highway 276. Bald Rock Heritage Preserve was an easy pull off. We walked out onto a big slab of granite. It was covered in prohibited graffiti that included invitations to prom and declarations of love. The view was a 180 degree vista over the foothills, complete with blue skies and a few clouds. How impressive!
Caesars Head State Park
Geer Highway 276 led us up higher into the foothills below the Blue Ridge Mountains. Just before the pass was Caesar Head State Park. This escarpment viewpoint had massive vistas. Wow!
At the end of the parking lot is Devil’s Kitchen where a set of stairs are built down a narrow crack in the rock to a trail below the cliff. The views from here are also impressive. You can see all the way down to Table Top Rock.
Stairs inside the crack 
View back to Table Top Rock
Drive into North Carolina
The road trip continued with many switchbacks through the trees until we started down into North Carolina. We arrived in Brevard, NC which is at about 2400 ft. After a quick stop at a grocery store for a supper salad, we checked into our AirBnb. Jennifer was a fantastic host and treated us like family. We spent the evening watching the mountains from the front porch and were offered lots of suggestions of how to spend our next couple of days in the area.
Front porch evening 
View from the porch
A land of waterfalls
Dupont State Park
We checked out the local farmer’s market in Brevard and wandered down main street where there was a Porsche Show and Shine. The sky was clear and blue at a perfect 20 degrees.
It was a short drive on Cascade Lake Road to Dupont State Park. We found parking at High Falls Access and hiked for about 5 km along smooth trails with some ups and downs. For a Saturday, the trails weren’t too busy. There were many families and lots of dogs. The waterfalls were large and well worth the walk.
The host at our AirBnB made the kitchen and grill available to guests so we picked up a steak, potatoes for baking, mushrooms and some wine. Our dinner was perfect and another night on the front porch ended a wonderful day.
Brevard Farmer’s Market 
Porsche Show and Shine 
Hiking Trail 
High Falls 
Triple Falls
Pisgah Forest
We left the AirBnB after breakfast and travelled into the Pisgah Forest with our first stop at the Visitor’s Center. Although it was Sunday, the park didn’t seem as busy as I expected. The Visitor’s Center had just opened for the season but the staff were very helpful. We collected maps to see several more waterfalls. Some, like Looking Glass Falls, were just off the road, and others required a bit of a hike in and out.
The trail to Moose Cove Falls was about 1 km each way on a well managed trail. There were boardwalks and a stream controlled by rocks directing it across the path without causing unnecessary erosion. A few families and couples were also in the area admiring the wildflowers and the 50 ft falls.
Looking Glass Falls 
Moose Cove Falls 
water diversion 
It was so green in the forest 
Dwarf Iris
Sliding Rock
It was a warm day for April at 19 degrees C but the river water was only 13 degrees C. The idea of sliding along the granite slabs and landing in 2 1/2 m of water was not that appealing. There were some hardy souls who tried it but we were happy enough to just sit with our feet in the water and watch.
I imagine that in the heat of the summer, this place must be very popular. A life guard was working weekends and life jackets could be rented from a booth in the parking lot. Our rivers are either gravel or limestone which would not be suitable at all for sliding so this opportunity for a natural water slide was appealing. The cost to enter was $3/person.
Sliding Rock 
Sliding Rock
Cradle of Forestry
Our last visit in the Pisgah National Forest was to the Cradle of Forestry. We watched a movie and toured the museum displays inside. This is where the first school of foresty in the United States began. Sustainable forests were a new idea in the early 1900’s and foresters came here to learn how to manage forests that had previously been seen as a never ending resource during the industrial revolution.
There was a very interesting display where you had a view of a forest fire from inside a simulated helicopter. There was also a movie related to the building of the Vanderbilt home in Asheville and the landscaper who designed the grounds.
Blueridge Parkway
Pisgah Inn
The road from the Cradle of Forestry meets the Blue Ridge Parkway so we headed north through arches of trees and switchbacks to the peak of the parkway. We had booked a night at the Pisgah Inn which sits at about 5000 feet of elevation.
All the rooms, including the restaurant, face the view of the mountains and foothills. You can drive to viewpoints to see sunset, but the balcony of each room is a perfect place to see the sunrise.
I got up early and took several photos of sunrise sneaking over the peaks of the hills. It was pretty chilly so I crawled back into bed to warm up. A couple of hours later I awoke and opened the curtains to check out the views. There were none! We were in the clouds and there was zero visibility. I was so glad that I got up to catch the early views. Although the roads were clear a couple of km on either side of the Inn, the sky didn’t clear until nearly 11.
dav 
Balcony view 
Evening views 
Sunrise 
In the clouds 
Breakfast view
Asheville or Oriental
We considered visiting Asheville and the Biltmore House before heading east to a Girl’s Retreat. The entrance fee was $65 US, which was almost $100 Canadian. We decided that was more than we wanted to spend so got on the interstate, turned on a road trip audio book and drove to Oriental, North Carolina.
This part of our trip was easy and quiet in April. It would be spectacular in October when the leaves turn red and orange. I understand it would be considerably busier on the roads and at all the viewpoints.
Stay tuned for the next installment of the road trip from Oriental to Savannah, Georgia. It was less about nature and more about history, although equally enjoyable.
Hoi An… Well worth a few days in Viet Nam
April 14, 2019
Our trip to Viet Nam had several stops, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Hoi An. As it was very close to the border between the former North and South Vietnam, it did not sustain much damage from the war. Hoi An is well worth a few days when in Viet Nam to see all that it has to offer.
Lodging…Gia Vien Homestay
Looking back, the real highlight of our visit was our homestay, Gia Vien and especially our host, Linh. I booked it on Booking.com after a recommendation from some friends. It was easy to make contact with the host to arrange pick up from the airport, as well as add some extra days and order daily breakfast for $2 each. We paid for our stay when we checked out.
Linh and her family live in this home and rent out 5 rooms to guests. She spoke English well, her smile lit up the room and she liked chatting with us as a way to improve her language skills. We had a room with 2 queens which was cozy and clean for the three of us. We were served breakfast at our convenience, which included a bacon and eggs option or traditional Vietnamese soups such as Quang noodle or Cau Lau. Chewy Vietnamese buns and a plate of wonderful tropical fruit were served every morning. The banana pancakes served on our final morning were exquisite!
Our host also arranged our excursions. We visited Me Son, the Eco Coconutt Cooking School and a spa. She suggested a local restaurant for lunch and sent us in a taxi through the rain to visit her tailoring shop. She also did a load of laundry for us . Our 4 night stay with breakfast, excursions, laundry and transportation to the airport cost $260. We felt like we were in a 5 star hotel.
Welcome sign 
Outdoor space 
Breakfast 
Nice to see Christmas decorations 
Linh and her husband in the kitchen 
Banana pancakes 
Double room 
Lots of light
Location
Gia Vien was within walking distance to the old historic city. We could have used available bicycles to ride to the beach, but we found enough to do along the river in the old streets. Taxis are inexpensive but are not allowed to drive into the old city. Keep in mind that Hoi An does not have its own airport so you will need transportation from Da Nang, which is about 40 minutes away, although Uber is an option if your hotel doesn’t provide transportation.
Hoi An old city
Hoi An used to be a port city. There are many old buildings that represent the Chinese, Japanese and Dutch sailors that originally settled here. A ticket allows you to visit 5 of these structures. Check out Travelfish.org for detailed information on what might pique your interest, as well as more about the history and activities in Hoi An. This site is very comprehensive and is my primary information source on South East Asia travel.
We visited Chinese medicine shops, newspaper offices, assembly halls and warehouses for shipping goods. The arches represented earth/man/heaven. Most buildings had rooms in the front and an open courtyard in the center for light and air circulation. The kitchen and bathroom were located in the back. One that we visited had a 6th generation family member still living in the house. He gave us a tour of the building.
The hand carved furniture, screens and trim were spectacular. The dark wood was beautiful. They used pulleys to lift supplies to the upper level. The back of many of these buildings opened to the river to access supplies, which were then sold from the front. There continues to be water issues as the river regularly floods due to rain, or dams opened upstream without warning. We could see old flood levels up to the 2nd story floor.
Blue and white ceramic discs covered the Japanese bridge that was built in the 1600’s. The bridge must be very sturdy to hold all the people we saw.
Courtyard fountain 
Carving in old Chinese house 
Ornate woodwork 
Japanese Bridge from 1600’s
Pottery Museum
The Hoi An Pottery Museum provided a helpful audio tour. The building was beautiful and the pottery samples very interesting. This local pottery from the 1600’s was found in Japan, Syria and Egypt. It’s hard to believe that travel was so widespread in those times.
Vietnamese coffee
We found a rooftop coffee shop that gave us a good overview of the old part of the city near the Thu Bon River. It was our first taste of Vietnamese coffee. The lower cup contains sweetened condensed milk. Locally grown coffee is ground quite fine and water is filtered through the grounds into the milk. It has a chocolate undertone. It was sweet and rich, although we preferred it diluted with a little more water. This coffee is consumed hot or over ice. These little coffee filters made a good souvenir to bring home.
Many tourists were enjoying the coffee and the view of the walking streets below. Many others were talking selfies and ignoring the wonderful coffee and the interesting views. Late in the afternoon was a very busy time and the street below was filled with tour groups and cyclo tours trying to weave between the crowds.
Rooftop Coffee shop 
Vietnamese coffee 
Lots of visitors 
Sharing the walking street 
Cyclo tour 
Cyclo tour
After wandering the streets and admiring the fantastic light on the river at sunset, we went to the White Marble Wine Bar to celebrate a family accomplishment. They served celebratory Prosecco and a sample platter of Vietnamese finger foods. They also had a delicious cheese tray. You can find most any food you want in this city, or most Asian cities, in my experience.
Chilled Prosecco 
Vietnamese sampler platter 
Cheese board
Full Moon Festival
The French colonized Vietnam in 1887 when they won the Sino-French against China. That explains the french bread, good wine and many French-Colonial buildings in Vietnam. It also explains the Catholic churches we saw in Hoi An.
The most popular religions in Vietnam, however, are Vietnamese Folk Religion and Buddhism. We had the opportunity to observe these beliefs in action at the Full Moon Festival since the full moon is a time to meditate, observe rituals, reflect on life and honor deceased relatives and ancestors.
Lanterns decorate the streets every day. The city turns off electric lights for a time during the full moon to create a special atmosphere. Sellers along the river sell paper “boats” with candles. The boats are released into the river by locals and tourists alike, hoping to bring good fortune and hope for health and happiness. I’m not sure what good fortune it brings to the environment further downstream.
This evening is a big draw for tourists who can arrange boat rides down the river. The restaurants and bars along the river are full of visitors. We did see some locals offering their own prayers and treating the full moon festival as a real spiritual event and not just an event for visitors.
Lanterns and French buildings 
Sunset 
Hoi An sunset 
Beautiful light by the river 
Lots of women paddling 
Local woman in prayer 
Lantern seller 
Lantern seller with her daughter 
Another lantern seller 
A river full of lanterns 
Street lanterns 
Selfie stick to the extreme
My Son
We took a day excursion to My Son-(Me Sawn). It is an area of Cham temples near the mountains from the 4th to 13th centuries. Instead of mortar, plant resin was used to connect the bricks together. Areas of the temples damaged in the war were restored with cement. It is not as strong and moss and plants are growing in between. Restoration is done now with a kind of tree resin, but it is not as good as the original from centuries ago.
There is evidence of bombing craters amongst the temples, which celebrate the Hindu Gods of Brahma-the Creator and Vishnu-the Preserver, and Shiva-the Destroyer. Brahma, the Creator. Some of these temples were only discovered 10 years ago. UNESCO designated these temples a World Heritage Site in 1999. The fee provides pathways, clean bathrooms ad restoration. Japanese and India are paying to restore this area as well.
Itinerary
My Son is on a smaller scale than Angkor Wat, but the views at the top were beautiful. We were up in the mountains with jungle views. A bus took us from Hoi An to the main parking area at the temple site. An electric cart took small groups to the temple site. The area was clean and well maintained. We had a guide for the day who did know quite a lot about the area but his phone kept ringing and he would just stop the tour and talk in Vietnamese for awhile, then continue with us. He also explained about the “American bombs” many times throughout the day. The couple from Virginia decided they would be Canadians for the day. Most of the people in our group were Europeans.
We took a bus from our homestay to the site, then took a bus partway back. There were lots of rice paddies and villages along the way. We travelled the rest of the way on a boat which included lunch. This was a pretty lackluster meal by Vietnamese standards, but there was lots of soya or hot sauce to add flavor to the vegetables and rice.
Scooter to the top 
My Son 
Carved temple 
Views through the temples. 
Old and new brick 
Temple building with restoration 
Temples still be be unearthed. 
HIlls and jungles 
Tour guide often on the phone 
Bomb crater from the “American War” 
Lunch on the boat
Tailoring
One of the popular activities in Hoi An is to visit a tailor shop and have clothing made to measure. Since our host ran a tailoring shop with her sister, we wanted to check it out. Lihn sent us to the shop in a taxi, which was on the way to the historic city. Her sister helped my daughter choose a suit design from a catalogue. She then chose a fabric and lining material. After all the measurements were taken, she was told that she could try the suit on that evening! The cost for the suit was about $120 US.
She also had a fancy dress and 2 summer dresses made, based on examples already made up in the shop. Everything was sewn to order. The casual dresses were closer to $20. My husband had 3 short sleeve shirts made for about the same amount. I chose a top from the catalogue, then fabric and matching trim. Lining and buttons were added. The tailor added darts to the back and adjusted the sleeves so it fit really well.
Linh has 10 tailors working for her and the quality of the fabric and the stitching was top quality. They made changes until we were happy with the results. A tailor on a moto even stopped by our room one evening to check the fit on the suit pants. Being in Hoi An for 5 days meant we had time to get everything right, and still spend our time seeing everything that we wanted.
Shoes
I also had a pair of shoes made to order but they were too loose in the heel when I went to pick them up. They had been remade and were perfect when I returned the next day.
Linh’s tailoring shop 
Choosing suit fabric 
custom shoes 
My top idea and fabric
Hoi An…Well worth a few days
Since we had 4 nights in Hoi An, we had time to discover a few more fun things to do. Linh booked us into a nearby spa for a mani-pedi that started with a luxurious soak in water infused with lemongrass and flowers. We snacked on Vietnamese coconut crackers that were delicious. The spa offered to sell a box of them to a Korean woman and her 3 daughters who had just finished having massages. She bought 10 boxes! Such good customer service. I bought my own at the airport. They were great gifts for my gluten-free family members.
We also discovered the T Room Gin Bar a block from our homestay.The seating was outside in a lovely green garden space. A local woman owns it , but our server was a British woman who teaches hotels how to do proper customer service. She was excellent.
The locally infused gin were all half price because it was winter. I had cucumber, black pepper and fennel while my daughter had rose and cardamom. They also had pomello and vanilla, or longan with lime.
Pre-pedicure soak 
Infused gin-cucumber/black pepper/fennel, rose and cardamom
Take time to relax
Hoi An is an old city with modern surprises. It is clean and calm. You cannot smoke in the old city and Baroque music played softly from the loudspeakers scattered throughout the area.
Sometimes it is nice to just sit and watch the world go by after touring old buildings and temples, getting new clothes made or eating and drinking delicious local foods. It is a city well worth a few days visit while in Viet Nam.
I’ll describe our day cooking at Eco Coconutt Cooking School in another post. Here is another post on cooking in Thailand.
Matching couple selfie 
Restaurant with great views of the sunset 
Sunglasses salesman 
Lychee and bananas 
Travel in style 
Fruit for sale 
Banana seller
A week at Emerald Isle, NC…hanging out with the girls
March 22, 2019
One great thing about travel is that you get to meet so many interesting people. The nice thing about retirement is that you get to take advantage of opportunities to reunite with people you meet when you travel. That’s how I ended up spending a week at Emerald Isle, NC, just hanging out with the girls.
Jeanne
I met Jeanne in Chiang Mai, Thailand in 2017 when she spent a month living in our building as part of a 3 month tour through SE Asia. I admired her spirit and her bravery for travelling mostly on her own at 68. She didn’t sit around waiting for things to happen, but went out in search of adventure and made her own if she couldn’t find any.
We went looking for temples that we could only see the tops of from our rooftop pool. We walked to the zoo and aquarium then stopped at a little authentic Thai restaurant on our way back for duck. I helped her move her pictures off her phone to her computer to make room for the rest of her travel pictures. We showed up late for Christmas morning service at one of the only Christian churches in town and we drank champagne in a stairwell with a view and watched paper lanterns float up above the city on New Year’s Eve.
After she carried on to Malaysia, I didn’t think I would see her again, but I should have known better. I travelled to North Carolina in May of that year to attend her famous “Girls Retreat” where she invites many of the people she has met on the road, as well as women from her community, for a few days to share stories and try new things.
Once in a lifetime event
Jeanne was celebrating a once in a lifetime event. She was turning 70 in February and wanted to share her birthday with her friends from near and far. Last summer she booked a house right on the water of the outer banks of North Carolina on Emerald Isle. It had 8 bedrooms, 12 bathrooms, an enormous kitchen and views of the water almost everywhere you looked.
3 Palms 
Sunrise over the pool 
Best spot to relax 
Best spot to reflect 
Even better spot to nap 
Different views in the evening
I blocked off my calendar and arranged for my sister to attend as well. It was a perfect spot for hanging out with the girls. We arrived at the house on Sunday and stayed until Saturday afternoon. Others came for a day, a couple of days, a few days… They came from South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Chicago, all parts of North Carolina, and Canada of course. There were between 7 and 17 for dinner each night.
Hurricane Florence
The women who came from nearby communities really needed a week of fun and quiet. They are still recovering from Hurricane Florence and the devastation caused by this storm. Everyone in the town of Oriental, NC has had to clean up and attempt to restore their properties after 8 foot waves roared down their streets.
Houses and garages were inundated with water and debris from the water left sea grass, tree branches and ladders from riverside docks in people’s yards. Everyone in town is dealing with their own loss and there hasn’t really been anyone available to help out with this overwhelming job. It has been an emotionally trying time in Oriental.
What to do?
I wondered how we would spend our time. Would there be opportunities for quiet time or would everyone want to be active? Fortunately the weather was unusually nice. We had a day of some rain and cloud at the beginning, and a cooler day at the end, but the middle days were sunny and breezy with highs around 19. That’s a pretty nice February day, in my experience.
Shelling
The beaches I go to are not very interesting in terms of shells. I had a great opportunity to learn from 2 great “shellers” and a master sheller who came for a quick visit. A small group went down to the windswept point the first day to look around when the tide was out and there were lots of shells left behind. Pat and Jeanne described what animals had lived there.
I learned that North Carolina has a state shell called the Scotch Bonnet, which I always thought was a hot pepper. I even found part of a black one, which are not as common as the white ones. It amazes me the energy that these animals put into building a shell, only to have it wash up on the shore for me to find. Some had holes and grooves caused by other animals trying to get at the food inside. The ocean is a tough place to survive.
It enticed many of us to walk on the beach with our heads down. I did find a perfect Scotch Bonnet later in the week. I brought home some large scallop shells to use for serving seafood.
Shell Authority
On Thursday, we were pleased to spend some time listening to Bean. She is a shelling expert and all of her free time is spent travelling to beaches and islands looking for unusual shells. She puts these collections together for her friends and attaches them to a backing with a nautical theme. Her knowledge was more than impressive. She brought a pail of shells so we could each take one home.
Shelling on the point 
Jeanne at the Point 
Going shelling 
More shellers 
A chilly morning at the beach 
Bean with her shells 
A gift for Jeanne 
A seahorse of shells 
Black and white Scotch Bonnet
Real Estate Tour
We had an opportunity to visit another beach house that had been a possibility for our stay. It was 10 000 sq ft and rents for $15 000 a week in high season. It was built by a doctor who had his main living quarters in one part of the house, and a separate wing for his extended family in another part. The 4 car garage is built of concrete and was used in the past by the police during hurricanes.
Although opulent, it was not very cosy and we would not have been able to spend so much time together in a common area. I understand it gets rented out quite often for weddings. The whole family can stay in the same building. There is a platform near the beach for the ceremony and a large grassy area for a reception.
Main living area. 
View from the beach to the mansion
Sunsets and sunrises
At this time of year, the sun rises and sets over the water. It came up just before 7 am and set about 5:45 pm so was perfect for capturing the beautiful colors over the waves. It was a good excuse to go for a walk along the beach.
Barb at sunrise 
Sunrise 
Sunset by the pier 
Great place for a walk 
Damaged pier from Hurricane Florence 
Golden light
Whales and dolphins
We saw dolphins almost every day, swimming quite close to the beach. Fishermen set up poles in the beach, but I didn’t see what they caught. One afternoon, we even saw whales breaching a little farther out. The locals were impressed as they had never seen whales along this part of the coast before.
Late day fishing 
Surfer with dolphin watching 
Breaching whale 
More whales
Evening Entertainment
The evenings usually started with everyone enjoying dinner together with lots of storytelling and even more laughter. Although the group tended to be early risers, there was time every night for some singing and dancing. Luckily the DJ of Oriental was part of the group and she had brought along a great playlist of songs that were from the era we were familiar with. The living room was a perfect karaoke bar. Still can’t get “Red Solo Cup” and “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” out of my head.
Jeanne singing her heart out 
Too much fun 
Some truck driving song 
Great song 
More singers 
More fun
One evening we were treated to the Witch’s Crawl. Several women from Oriental, NC learned some moves to the Witch’s Crawl and performed at a few dining venues on Hallowe’en night in fantastic witch’s costumes. They did it as a fundraiser to maintain the cemetery. There weren’t enough brooms at our guest house, but mops and vacuums did the trick for the excellent reenactment.
Carol in position 
Witch’s Crawl leader 
Great moves!
Late night hot tub soaks and even a brave ocean swimmer filled out the evenings.
Food
I have no idea how we managed to feed so many people so many meals without a plan. Jeanne had bought some fresh oysters, shrimp and a huge prime rib roast. Everything else just arrived with the guests. Italian meatballs for the Superbowl. A ham was picked up from the store one afternoon, fresh fish and crab appeared another day to be transformed into fried fish and crab cakes. Shrimp and grits started our day, except for the eggs and custom hand smoked bacon that came from Atlanta. One morning I just indulged in rum cake for breakfast!
These are just leftovers. 
crab cakes in the making 
crab cakes 
fish chef 
Chef and Baker 
Fish fry 
Everyone helps 
Great kitchen space 
Shrimp ‘n Grits with Mimosa 
Jeanne cooking grits with red eye gravy 
Ham with Mac ‘n Cheese 
Prime rib 
Service!
Oysters
I knew next to nothing about oysters, but they were the highlight food of this week. I learned that if you buy them fresh and keep them cool, they will last a week to 10 days. We only cleaned the mud off as many as we were going to eat each day. They can be eaten raw, right out of the shell or lightly warmed on a low barbecue just until the shell is hot. That was my favorite. They tasted of the ocean, salty and succulent. We also prepared them in the oven with ham, cheese and spinach as Oysters Rockefeller for a dinner appetizer.
I also got to experience an Oyster Shooter. One of the guests had a seafood sauce named after her. Mother Shucker was poured into a shot glass with a small chunk of oyster, a splash of V8 and topped off with vodka. Wow! What a treat for a prairie girl.
A cooler of oyster 
Fresh oysters 
steamed oysters 
Heated until they were just warm. 
Fresh from the sea 
Oyster shuckers 
The best Bloody Mary 
Oyster shooters. Who knew? 
Needs a steady hand. 
Oyster team 
Photo op for Mother Shucker 
Oyster shucking
The Birthday
Gifts
The best part about a birthday are the presents, the cake and those you get to spend your time with. There were some presents, several cakes and many people who made an effort to celebrate Jeanne’s “Once in a Lifetime Event.” The proclamation by the mayor of Oriental was a way to acknowledge her contribution to the community. An anchor covered in shells as well as a perfect shell from the beach, complete with a thoughtful message certainly fit the occasion. There were gag gifts as well as lots of cards and well wishes.
Cakes
We had cakes every night, besides the rum cake for breakfast. Nancy made a gluten-free chocolate cake trimmed with skor bar chips and whipped cream. Jeanne’s cousin Gail brought a lemon and blueberry cake made by a friend. Penny brought by an Amaretto pound cake.
We even had a King’s Cake which is usually eaten on Fat Tuesday. It’s filled with cream cheese, jelly and topped with purple, green and gold sprinkles. There is a little plastic baby hidden inside. The person who gets it in their piece has prosperity for the year, but has to host the part and/or buy the cake for next year.
Baker 
Chocolate cake 
Lots of cakes 
35 X 2 
Proclamation by the Mayor 
Whereas… 
Birthday girl 
The People
It’s always about the people on special days. I’ve included some photos to try and catch everyone who attended for a day or for a week or anything in between. Comment if I missed you and I’ll add a photo if I can.
Any luck? 
Can’t miss the game! 
Looks like a fish story 
Time to relax Everyone helps 
The Dining room 
Jeanne and Ruby 
Mimosas 
Southern food master 
Sisters 
A drive along the beach turned into an $ adventure 
Beach buddies
To sum up, if you had told me when I retired that I would be spending a week on the beach of North Carolina hanging out with a group of amazing, interesting women, I wouldn’t have believed it. Be open to opportunities whenever they arrive. Life is short. Don’t have regrets. I heard today that one of the guests at the party passed away from cancer this week. She hadn’t told anyone she was sick, but didn’t let it keep her away. Live your life however you can. Don’t wait for it to happen.