Autumn Leaves Strewn Across the Paths and Sidewalks

On August 14, 2020August 14, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Photo Challenge2 Comments

We may still be the heat of summer, but Autumn is certainly coming as this year seems to be going by fast and slow all at the same time. Whenever we travel during the Fall season, we often take photographs of the leaves either spread across the ground or across the paths and trails that we’re walking along. Regardless of whether it is in the mountains or in the cities, the leaves tend to fall everywhere all around you as walk amongst the trees. There is something very soothing and relaxing about looking at the leaves strewn across the ground.

Stairs to the Castle in Heidelberg, Germany

Interacting with History in Williamsburg, Virginia

On August 11, 2020August 11, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Virginia4 Comments

When we visited Williamsburg in Virginia back in June of 2001, it was a fascinating experience with many different reenactments and interactive activities. From what we have read, it seems to still be the case today as well. Williamsburg was once the capital of Virginia and was also one of the wealthiest colonies in America. Many of the historical buildings remain in tact such as the governor’s palace while some have been rebuilt like the original Capital building. There are also plenty of recreations to represent what life would have been like hundreds of years ago.

Hall Where Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Others Met and Debated Independence

It was the delegation from Williamsburg that first introduced the resolution for independence from British rule. You can even visit the room where it was signed by some of the founding fathers of the nation. There are plenty of activities for people of all ages as well as places to eat and have a local ale. Expect to enjoy hands-on experiences involving some of the many actors and historians that are there to inform and entertain people who visit.

We have gone to many different locations with actors dressed in historic clothing meant to represent the people of the time, but we have to admit that the people who work in Williamsburg are some of the best we’ve encountered. Considering that our trip was well before cell phones and digital cameras, our photographs might seem as antiquated as the period being reenacted. Be sure to enjoy seeing the militia marching and don’t be surprised if you aren’t conscripted to join in.

Visiting Williamsburg is a wonderful experience, especially for families, with an incredible history and an opportunity to immerse yourself into the culture of the era. It can be quite hot and humid during the summer months and you can expect there to be plenty of visitors during the tourist season. We found that a full day there, including eating and shopping, was enough to do and see everything that we wanted.

Making the Most of a Trip to Hanoi, Vietnam

On August 3, 2020August 3, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Vietnam5 Comments

Visiting Hanoi in northern Vietnam is truly an amazing experience. We spent a little over a week exploring Hanoi and taking excursions into the countryside. We also did an overnight cruise in Halong Bay, which was certainly one of the highlights of our trip. We stayed in Hanoi’s old quarter, which has a variety of restaurants, street food, and many different boutique hotels. With so many options of things to do when visiting Hanoi, these are some of our favorite memories of our trip.

Halong Bay – One of the most popular tours to take when visiting Hanoi, Vietnam is to go to Halong Bay. It is certainly one of the most recognizable places in all of Vietnam with the mountains jutting up from the bay, which according to myth is the result of a dragons descending to earth. Halong Bay actually means “descending dragon” and even though the mountains are the result of natural forces over centuries of time, the result is still incredibly beautiful. Halong Bay was recently named one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1994. Some of the key sights from the tour were Titop Island with the amazing views, Surprise Cave (Sung Sot Cave), and Luan Cave.

Rice Paddies at the Base of the Mountain

Boats Going One After Another Through the Caves

Ninh Binh Province – Known as the “Inland Halong Bay”, visiting Ninh Binh Province makes for a perfect day trip from Hanoi, Vietnam. There are several potential locations to visit when doing a tour of Ninh Binh Province and, unless you are planning to spend more than one day, you are going to have to choose which sights you want to see. One of the tours included the Bai Dinh Pagoda, which is the largest pagoda in Vietnam, as well as the caves of Trang An where the movie Kong: Skull Island was filmed. We chose to do what seemed to be the more popular tour that included Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam, the caves of Tam Coc, and the incredible views from the mountains above Mua Cave. It was a full day tour that include lunch with a meal that is representative of the Ninh Binh Province.

Hanoi’s Old Quarter – When visiting Hanoi in Vietnam, most of the hotels and rental properties are located in Hanoi’s old quarter. It is a very busy district with plenty of shops and restaurants making it a perfect location to explore the best of Hanoi. Some of the highlights of the old quarter are “Sword Lake”, Hoan Kiem Lake, the night market, and St. Joseph’s Cathedral. You will find plenty of street food and vendors walking with sweets and fruit for sale. Regardless of the time of day, the old quarter in Hanoi is extremely busy and the streets are packed with motorcycles, cars, and rickshaws. In fact there are so many motorcycles parked on the sidewalks that it is often easier to walk in the street than on the sidewalks.

View as You Pass Through the Gate to Thien Tru Pagoda

Perfume Pagoda – The final tour that we took in Vietnam from Hanoi was the Perfume Pagoda tour. It is a day trip that takes you along a river with beautiful scenery to a complex of several different pagodas as well as the actual Perfume Pagoda, which is located in a cave called Huong Tich Cave that is at the top of Perfume Mountain. The tour started with a visit to the Thien Tru Pagoda, which is at the heart of the temple complex. The Thien Tru Pagoda is over 500 years old and is truly spectacular with wonderful architecture, artwork, and cultural features.

Cooking Pork Meatballs and Barbequed Pork

Cooking Class in Hanoi – One of our favorite memories of our trip to Vietnam was taking a cooking class in Hanoi. This was a true cooking class, not a demonstration, where we purchased the food from a local market, prepped all of the ingredients, and did the cooking ourselves with our chef’s instruction. There were only five of us in the class, making it very intimate and interactive. We created a four course meal, which we enjoyed eating family-style after cooking everything.