It has been a little while since I last posted. It appears monthly posts are most reasonable.
And I was back in Shaoxing - wondering if any of these fabrics on the road were heading to the US.
Well this month is not too busy - more business trips than fun.
But there is always coffee.
First business trip was to Shanghai. Getting there was a bit of a challenge, because it is summer, and the weather is unpredictable. A weather delay the previous day resulted in my flight being delayed 6 hours.
Non-work / fun photos:
Saw lots of pigs on a 4+ hour drive from one area to another
And I was back in Shaoxing - wondering if any of these fabrics on the road were heading to the US.
After a 41 hour layover in Hong Kong (2 breakfasts with Patrick) I was off on another business trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
This resulted in a lot of work photos I will not share or try to explain, but I did squeeze some exploration into the trip. I had not been to Vietnam before. If my counting is close - this is country #40 on my life list.
Vietnam is known for their coffee - and I did have a proper Vietnamese Coffee (but did not take a picture. Here are some of my breakfast lattes with a fresh coconut.
And my evenings did include some local beer tasting (can't say I would come here for the beer).
Here are some views of the HCMC skyline taken from my hotel.
I stayed at The Caravelle hotel - which sounded fun - this was one of 2 primary hotels where the press corp "created the news" during the Vietnam War. The rooftop bar/restaurant paid tribute to this with lots of photos. My dinner one night was the "reporters sampler platter" with popular local dishes.
I took Saturday to see what else there was to see in HCMC (still known as Saigon by the locals).
The lush tropical greenery was everywhere (being in HK makes me appreciate this even more). Here is a Banyan Tree:
I checked out the local market (Ben Thanh) - and it was my first experience with the French influence - instead of "Hey Lady" I got "Madam" as everyone was trying to entice me to buy their goods. I did get one embroidered bag.
On a large pedestrian mall has a statue of Ho Chi Man himself in front of City Hall.
Right in front of my hotel was the Opera house - which was beautiful on the outside - and I read was as beautiful on the inside.
Mid day break was a pedicure. I found it amusing since most of my pedicures in the US are by Vietnamese women. Chit chat in the salon was not like the US.
Later in the day, I was off to see more French Colonial architecture. On my way to see the post office was Notre Dame - A french built Catholic cathedral - again beautiful from the outside - did not go in.
I did go into the post office, and as beautiful as it is - it is a true working post office. Unfortunately I had nothing to post.
On my way back to the hotel, I took another shot of the Opera house with my hotel behind it.
Only other news from Hong Kong - was an impulse market buy one night after dinner - a fidget spinner. I understand why they are so popular.
Things to look forward to in July - Hong Kong's 20th anniversary of it's turnover to China and more work travel (to Beijing, but very little fun time built in).
Vietnam is known for their coffee - and I did have a proper Vietnamese Coffee (but did not take a picture. Here are some of my breakfast lattes with a fresh coconut.
And my evenings did include some local beer tasting (can't say I would come here for the beer).
I stayed at The Caravelle hotel - which sounded fun - this was one of 2 primary hotels where the press corp "created the news" during the Vietnam War. The rooftop bar/restaurant paid tribute to this with lots of photos. My dinner one night was the "reporters sampler platter" with popular local dishes.
I took Saturday to see what else there was to see in HCMC (still known as Saigon by the locals).
The lush tropical greenery was everywhere (being in HK makes me appreciate this even more). Here is a Banyan Tree:
I checked out the local market (Ben Thanh) - and it was my first experience with the French influence - instead of "Hey Lady" I got "Madam" as everyone was trying to entice me to buy their goods. I did get one embroidered bag.
On a large pedestrian mall has a statue of Ho Chi Man himself in front of City Hall.
Right in front of my hotel was the Opera house - which was beautiful on the outside - and I read was as beautiful on the inside.
Mid day break was a pedicure. I found it amusing since most of my pedicures in the US are by Vietnamese women. Chit chat in the salon was not like the US.
Later in the day, I was off to see more French Colonial architecture. On my way to see the post office was Notre Dame - A french built Catholic cathedral - again beautiful from the outside - did not go in.
I did go into the post office, and as beautiful as it is - it is a true working post office. Unfortunately I had nothing to post.
On my way back to the hotel, I took another shot of the Opera house with my hotel behind it.
Only other news from Hong Kong - was an impulse market buy one night after dinner - a fidget spinner. I understand why they are so popular.
Things to look forward to in July - Hong Kong's 20th anniversary of it's turnover to China and more work travel (to Beijing, but very little fun time built in).
