First, some general thoughts and observations about Vietnam: Mrs Bear and I were in college during the central years of … Continue reading Hi Chi Minh City (AKA Saigon)

Malaysia is made up of two sectors: The first is on the Indochina Peninsula and includes the cities of Kuala … Continue reading The Borneo Region of Malaysia

I woke up this morning, looked out the window, and said to Mrs Bear, “ I don’t think we’re in … Continue reading Brunei

We cruised southeast to Cambodia, which is part of the Indochina Peninsula. This is our second visit to Cambodia…Mrs Bear … Continue reading Cambodia

We have safely docked in Cambodia so, of course, it’s time for more thoughts about Thailand.   First, Thailand is … Continue reading Thailand: Final Thoughts

We left Chiang Mai by flying south to Bangkok and then driving southeast to the Gulf of Thailand. There, we … Continue reading Koh Samui… Our Last Destination in Thailand

      Our guide, Peo, was an novice monk during his youth. He explained that families enrolled their sons … Continue reading Alms for the Monks

Our last group activity was to climb above the elephant camp to a cultural center that featured the Hamong and … Continue reading Cultural and Demonstration Center

Today we drove out of Chiang Mai, climbing up another mountain….On the way, our guide reviewed Thailand’s decision to eliminate … Continue reading Mae Sa Elephant Camp

    Wat Doi Suthep (for short – the name of the mountain) is 15 kilometers up a switchback road … Continue reading Wat Phra That Doi Suthep