Travel in an Uncertain World – Part III

On August 10, 2020August 10, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Blogging, Virginia11 Comments

When the world first shut down in March, it definitely created a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. First and foremost, we’ve stayed healthy and followed all of the appropriate guidance. At the time we had just gotten back from a quick trip to Acapulco, Mexico the month earlier and had finalized our trip to Turkey for April. We were hoping that things would calm down quickly and our travel plans could resume.

Obviously we were wrong and then in June we started to think about the possibility of some sort of travel, even if within the United States. We took a road trip to Telluride, Colorado and have considered some other road trips. We discovered that even getting on the road was difficult as many of the places where we would have stopped to use the restroom were closed to the public. Facemasks have also become a routine way of life. At the time we rescheduled our trip to Turkey to October, but that is definitely still only a hope and not a plan.

We have gotten so desperate for some sort of travel that we are starting to look at possibilities for November/December and hoping to perhaps get to do the safari that we had planned for our 30th wedding anniversary, which took place in April. Since we can’t get to anyplace new, we are going through some of our photographs from many years ago and scanning them into our computer. We will be talking about some of those trips in the coming weeks, but clearly those places might look a lot different today than they did decades ago.

We look forward to being able to share something recent and exciting as soon as it is safe to do so. We really miss the feeling that travel provides and getting to know people from other cultures and learning about their lives and country.

Presidential Box in Ford Theater in Old Town Alexandria

Settlement Centre in Borgarnes, Iceland

On July 30, 2020July 30, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Iceland1 Comment

During our stay in Reykjavik in Iceland, we made the hour-long drive to Borgarnes, going through a five kilometer tunnel underneath one of the bays, and enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the restaurant of the Settlement Centre. We then took the tour through the museum, which consisted of two thirty-minute audio tours that covered the history of how the Vikings first came to populate Iceland as well as their turbulent history once they arrived. The early history of Iceland is told through Viking Sagas, one of which is the Eglis Saga. Egill Skalla-Grimsson was a famous Viking and poet whose story is used to provide an understanding of the first people to populate Iceland. It isn’t just a recanting of his poetry, but is the tale of his life, beliefs, fortunes, and misfortunes.

It is a bloody history filled with mythical tales of beasts, witches, and betrayal. The Settlement Centre does an excellent job of relating the relationship between Egill and his father, brothers, and mother and how that shaped his manhood. Most importantly, the Viking Sagas correlates the history of the individuals that shaped the creation of the nation and how the country and its culture grew and changed over time to what it is today.

We knew that the Vikings were great seamen and that they had conquered the oceans long before the rest of Europe had done so because of their invention of the keel. One interesting fact that we learned was that they didn’t use the stars to navigate, despite their ability to travel such long distances, eventually leading to the discovery of North America. The reason, once we learned it, was quite obvious. There are times of the year when there are no stars visible or not visible for very long due to the length of the days during the summer, so obviously they couldn’t rely on the stars. Instead, the Vikings learned to navigate by following the birds, the migration paths of the whales, and other patterns that allowed them to travel back and forth between Norway and Iceland with ease.

Buffet at the Settlement Centre Restaurant

Borgarnes is definitely worth visiting and the restaurant at the Settlement Centre is one of the best on the island. It is a beautiful drive along the coast with stunning views, even as you drive across the bridge that leads you into town. Even if you’re driving the ring road that goes around the entire island, stopping at Borgarnes is something that is well worth the time. We hadn’t originally planned on going to Borgarnes, it was one of those last-minute whim decisions and we couldn’t have been happier with the unexpected surprise and the history that we learned while we were there.

Top Things To Do When Visiting Vientiane in Laos

On July 28, 2020July 28, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Laos3 Comments

We spent a few days in Vientiane, which is the capital of Laos, during our trip to Southeast Asia. Although it was a short trip to the country, it was certainly full of fascinating sights and an opportunity to gain insight into the culture. We had a guide for the entire time that we spent in Vientiane, which was great since it allowed us to learn more than we would have just visiting on our own. It also gave us the opportunity to hear firsthand stories about the changes that the country is undergoing and how the citizens feel about those changes. We’ve listed here some of our top recommendations for anyone who gets a few days in Vientiane.

Two Reclining Buddhas in Laos (They are Farther Apart then It Looks)

Buddha Park – Also known as Xieng Kuan or Spirit City, Buddha Park is something that is truly amazing. With over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues of various sizes, the park will allow you to immerse yourself into various figures and the stories behind each of them. Even though the park is only a little over 60 years old, you will feel transported into something that could be centuries old.

Pha That Luang – Built in the 1500’s, Pha That Luang is a giant golden stupa that contains a holy relic that is believed to be the breastbone of the Lord Buddha, making it a great national treasure of the Laotian people. It is also the site of a Buddhist festival in November that attracts thousands of people to the city of Vientiane for the celebration. Walking around the golden architecture of the stupa, which is Buddhist shrine, is one of our favorite memories of visiting Vientiane.

View of the Temple Ceiling of Wat That Luang Neua

Taking a Walking Tour of the Wats (Temples) – To say that there is a different wat or temple on every corner of the streets of historic Vientiane would not be an exaggeration. The Airbnb where we stayed was even located across the street from a wat. Most of them are open to the public for at least part of the day and each of them was unique in its own way despite some similarities. Some of our favorite wats were Wat Ho Phra Keo, Wat That Luang Neua, and Wat Si Saket, which is also a museum.

Patuxai (Victory Gate) – In the heart of Vientiane is Patuxai, or Victory Gate, which is Laos’ version of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. Just like the arch in Paris, going to the top of Patuxai provides amazing views of the city of Vientiane, which is the capital of Laos. The arch is made up of five levels that represent both the principals representing the coexistence of nations as well as the five principals of Buddhism. Regardless of the meanings of the five levels, today there are markets on each level as you climb to the top offering you the opportunity to buy local items and tourist trinkets.

Watching the Sun Head Toward the Horizon

Walking Along the Mekong River – When visiting Vientiane in Laos, one thing that should be on your itinerary is spending time along the Mekong River. There are many restaurants on the road that sits along the river as well as Chao Anouvong Park, the main park in Vientiane. There are also a few rooftop restaurants that are only a block or two away from the river that offer great views of the city as well as the river. We had been told before visiting that we should be sure to see a sunset over the Mekong River and we were definitely glad that we did. At night, the area around Chao Anouvong Park that is near the inner city, turns into a night market with street food, family activities, and vendors selling locally produced items.

The COPE Visitor Center – Although we weren’t originally planning on visiting the COPE Visitor Center, it turned out to be an enlightening experience. Part museum and part informative on the work that the COPE project does to help people who have been injured by the unexploded bombs that litter the countryside of Laos. Like visiting holocaust museums, it contains both disturbing images as well as an acknowledgement of the ravages of war.

Mekong Fish in Coconut Sauce Served with Sticky Rice

Enjoy the Food of Vientiane – The food of Laos has been influenced by its neighboring countries as well as the French who once occupied the country. Fresh fish from the Mekong River can certainly be found on many of the restaurant menus as well as Laab, which is considered the national dish of Laos. We also enjoyed a couple of different styles of sticky rice and a variety of fried noodles with beef, chicken, and pork.

Although Laos and its capital, Vientiane, might not be on everyone’s typical itinerary for visiting Southeast Asia, it certainly worth spending time there. We definitely enjoyed seeing all of the fascinating sights that were in or around Vientiane. It was just a short flight from Hanoi, Vietnam where we were staying, and three days seemed like a perfect amount of time to spend there.