Archive | February, 2011
The Belly of the Beast

The Belly of the Beast

(Greg) India is sensory explosion: the colors, smells and sounds smash together in a whirling chaos that is hypnotic, magnetic and, at times, frightening. A few of us were frightened yesterday. On our way to visit the great Muslim mosque in Old Delhi, we passed the Sunday Market. It was a mass of mostly men […]

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Even Facebook

Even Facebook

(Dana) Unsure of whether outgoing media is controlled in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, I opt to delay this post until we leave the country.  The people of Viet Nam are very kind.  The one-party government is far less warm-and-fuzzy. In Hanoi, the imposing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a stark reminder that Viet […]

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Walking Away a Winner

Walking Away a Winner

(Alex) “How much is this?” I ask as I step into the shop selling the dress I want. The shopkeeper then smiles at me, since I am a vulnerable American kid. “$25 US Dolla” says the happy shopkeeper. Now, I know that there are three prices: the tourist price – usually about a 300% markup […]

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Dude, I am NOT Frogger

Dude, I am NOT Frogger

(Andrew) In Vietnam, crossing the street isn’t as easy as the green man saying go, it is a skill mastered by experience. Here there are more motorbikes than cars. That means more vehicles can fit in the space given. At a stoplight there might be 50 or more motorbikes waiting for the timer to run […]

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The American War

The American War

(Emma w/ Dana) “The merciless American bombs ruthlessly destroyed the countryside… Like a crazy bunch of devils, they fired into women, children, chickens, schools and pots & pans.” These are some quotes from today’s movie at the Cu Chi tunnels outside of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Yes, it is one-sided, but we are learning […]

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Ode to Pho

Ode to Pho

Pho, you are my favorite noodle soup I shall eat you scoop by scoop Whenever I shall sag and droop Your good flavor helps me to recoup My favorite soup, your name is Pho I wish I’d met you long ago When I’m not with thee, you cause me woe When I slurp you, you […]

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A Great Birthday Peasant

A Great Birthday Peasant

(Alex) The 14th of February 1997, 1:20 PM. I was born. “Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday Dear Alex, Happy Birthday to you!” is what I hear to wake me up. I jump out of bed excited for the day ahead of me. Today, we are learning how to be Vietnamese […]

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Fish Eyeball Funky Foods

Andrew steps up in a little restaurant on an island off the coast of Da Nang, Viet Nam:

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Organic Play-Doh

Organic Play-Doh

(Reis) Today we went to a village called Xuan La. In Xuan La there is a couple who specialize in making Tohe, a toy puppet-like sculpture made out of colored rice powder dough. On the way to this couple’s house, we walked through the village market. It was filled with fruits like dragon fruit, mango […]

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Favorite Countries (So Far)

Favorite Countries (So Far)

Since we left Greece, we have been keeping a ranked running tally of our Top 3 favorite countries. We are now 7 months and 23 countries into our adventure and think it might be time to give an update.  Remarkably consistent. The six countries that made our list all offered either extraordinary natural beauty or […]

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