Hoi An, Vietnam

Market day functions and looks as it has for centuries - everything and more is for sale.

Dragonfruit - exotically colourful - is less flavourful than passionfruit or lychee nuts.

Ornately painted entrance door to a Chinese store on Nguyen Thai Hoc.

Hundreds of designs and colors - silk fabric lanterns on display outside a small shop.

Fishing nets hang above the An Hoi River - similar nets lie just below the surface.

Local boats provide transport along the river and across.

A man and woman exchange currencies - the man missing his left leg. Reportedly 40,000 Vietnamese have been killed or maimed by 150,000 tons of UXOs since the Americans fled Saigon in April1975.

Bicycle rickshaw driver in no hurry to find his next fare.

Private courtyard behind a small shop off from the main road.

Buddhist monk performing a prayer ceremony - one of the shop keeper's family members had recently passed away.

Insence and small offerings in front of the woman's shop.

Japanese Pagoda Bridge is over 500 years old.

Walking into the future.

Looking out for - number - one.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Good Morning Vietnam !  The war is over !

The city namesake - Ho Chi Minh - his photo proudly posted in government buildings.

Ben Thanh Market's main entry and clock tower has become a symbol of Ho Chi Minh City.

A vast abundance of fresh produce and local food stalls .....

..... to typical tourist souveniers - got to love the bamboo hat on the Starbucks logo.

Painting of the Vietnam War era in the Fine Arts Museum - approx size 2 meters x 1 meter.

Colorful manicured garden on the boulevard of Nguyen Hue.

Propaganda style street murals in downtown Ho Chi Minh City.

Main Post Office in French architectural style designed in the 1880s by Gustave Eiffel.

Sculptured detail above the main clock and entrance to the Post Office.

The interior of the functioning Post Office from where we sent parcels home.

Intricately cut colored paper pop-up cards sold by street vendors.

Cafe in the Hotel Majestic - served as a military barracks for the Japanese during WW II.

An elderly man counting his paper money - at a current exchange rate of 20,000 Dong per $1CDN - the 1000 Dong notes don't add up to much.

Traditional bamboo hats, primarily seen in rural areas, are worn by some women in the city.

People's Committee Building - here at dusk - is the most photographed building in Vietnam.

Boracay Island, Philippines

Somewhere over the South China Sea.

Boracay Island - Philippines.

Filipino boy in his small boat in the early morning.

Gin clear water and blue sky at one of the 7104 islands of the Philippines.

Sailboats constructed with bamboo masts, booms and outriggers.

Local fishing boats - fresh shrimp, lobster, squid, snapper and more.

Sizzling prawns in garlic butter and a side of rice washed down with soda water and lime.

Picture - postcard - perfect !

Standup paddling on the South China Sea.

Catching a bit of shade north of Station 1.

Looking back at White Beach - talcum powder white sand.

Mango, pineapple, banana and other fresh fruit smoothies made on the beach.

Shade umbrellas attached to tricycles - they're practical .....

..... and utilitarian.

Infrastructure in chaos - not surprising we had a few power outages and the internet was spotty.

Plenty of locally grown rice in the markets .....

..... at about a dollar CDN per kilo ..... but not affordable by all.


There is a much much sadder side .....

..... street children left to fend for themselves .....

                             
..... many are indigenous people that we have displaced in their beautiful land.

Tropical sunsets end each day for all of us.