Today was a heavy day for our small Avalon Siem Reap family as we visited the memorial site of the S-21 prison in Phnom Penh before heading out to the Khmer Rouge genocide center 8 miles out of town. Words are hard to come by when faced with this scale of masterminded and deliberate destruction… Continue reading Cambodia – looking genocide in the eye

A sunny and warm morning greeted us in Phnom Penh after sailing upriver all night. Traveling by cyclo (single pushed seat by a biker) we made our way to the Royal Palace and the National Museum to learn about Khmer culture and art. Run as a kingdom, Cambodia is still the poorest of the 4… Continue reading Cambodia – complicated history

For millennia Mekong delta peoples have learned to live with the water and the abundance as well as occasional destruction it brings. Nothing goes to waste. Rice is the king of crops grown in three harvests a year. Once harvested, the field becomes a goose or duck farm (fattening them up on the leftover rice)… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – making a living

Comfortably settled in on board, our first night came to an end with a gorgeous sunrise at 630am which we could enjoy from our comfy bed facing the water. It was as idyllic as it looks. Then it was off to our first of two shore excursions to learn how rice wrappers and coconut candy… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – life along the Mekong

Our adventure continues for the next 7 nights aboard the 36 passenger pandaw style boat MS Avalon Siem Reap. We boarded with 22 fellow guests at noon time on Thursday February 14th and began our sailing through the maze of waterways toward the right-most arm of the Mekong called the Vinh long stretch. Our accommodations… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – MSAvalon Siem Reap

You have heard me allude to the amazing meals we've had so far. As promised here is a bit more detail to the flavors to discover - all in their own right palate-expanding. From pipi clams in lemongrass infused coconut water broth (top picture) to scallops on the half shell with toasted peanuts and spring… Continue reading Vietnam – a foodie paradise

Another day, another plane - this time though it was a special twist. Our guide told us at breakfast in Hoi An that our flight would be delayed till 9pm due to mechanical issues. That meant shuffling our day around and extend our stay in Hoi An. Flexible as we both are, we said ok… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Saigon here we come

It is still TET festival time in Vietnam even though the lunar new year celebration was over a week ago. What that means for us is a plethora of street fairs, gatherings and joyous parties seemingly designed to extend the holidays for as long as possible. It is now officially the year of the pig… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Hoi An

After our amazing discovery of Hanoi and a solid night sleep it was time to hit the road across the north eastern portion of Vietnam to the port city of cat hai where we boarded our junket boat Ginger. Mystical landscapes arose out of the water to form an eternal garden of majestic limestone formations… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Lan Ha Bay

Every country has its skeletons buried somewhere and Vietnam is no different. Centuries of occupation and dominance by the Chinese, then the French during colonialism, followed by a brief stint of Japanese domination before Russia's sphere of communism spread across the north of Vietnam, left this tiny Asian country indelibly changed. It is in the… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Hanoi Hilton

We made it! After almost 24 hours of air travel, we landed in Hanoi. Our private guide and driver managed immigration for us quickly and after a refreshing shower, we hit the streets. Lunch consisted of our first street lunch - a tasty Pho with beef and all the fixings (above). Our Hanoi discovery continued… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – Hanoi

My excitement is rapidly rising this Friday morning as we are about to embark on a great adventure. With it my rather silent period of the past few weeks is coming to an end. Documents ready (see pic above), we are putting last minute items in our luggage before we depart tonight. Why Vietnam and… Continue reading Vietnam & Cambodia – adventures await

Sometimes the best travel adventure is just outside your window. So today, instead of far-away lands, my very own side yard serves as inspiration and exploration. It is with annual punctuality that our tangerine tree bursts in bright orange with a bumper crop of juicy fruit. We have learned over the years that eating them… Continue reading Tangerini’s for the Award Season… adventure to my backyard

For all the years I have been in the travel industry, I have to admit that until today, I had never set foot on a Silversea ship.  This and the fact that I would be hosted by Silversea' Managing Director for the Americas, Mark Conroy himself raised my excitement and anticipation for my short time… Continue reading Aboard Silver Whisper for a day – World Cruise anyone?

A rainy weekend at home was the inspiration for me to perfume the house with aromas from freshly baked cinnamon stars. This traditional German cookie is a staple at every Christmas market and rather easy to make. Here they are fresh out of the oven! Golden brown and partially glazed. Note that half of the… Continue reading Resting from travel – baking instead