There are dozens of places in Shanghai that offer afternoon tea – from ice cream parlors to historic hotels – and I intend to try as many of them as I can. So I recently took advantage of a rare blue-sky day to enjoy afternoon tea in the Living Room, the elegant lounge found on the 87th […]
Destinations
A Luxurious Junk Boat Cruise of Halong Bay
Towards the end of our stay in Vietnam we took a 2 day/1 night cruise around the Bai Tu Long area of Halong Bay. While still part of the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, this north-eastern section is less visited by tourists and proved to be the enchanting hideaway that we’d hoped for. We cruised aboard the Indochina […]
The Breathtaking Beauty of Halong Bay, in Photos
Amazing, beautiful, gorgeous, incredible, magnificent, stunning – every superlative you can think of applies when describing the scenery of Halong Bay. The UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated along Vietnam’s northern coast, comprises an area of 1,553 square kilometers and is dotted with thousands of towering karst peaks. Rising majestically from the water, these limestone islets […]
The Best Meals We Ate in Hanoi
There is no shortage of places to eat in Hanoi. Outdoor cafes line the streets and restaurants are available in every price point. We had great luck with street food while in Ho Chi Minh City, but without in-the-know Hanoi locals to guide us, we felt more comfortable checking out the city’s restaurant scene. One […]
The Temple of Literature, Hanoi
Constructed in 1070, the well-preserved Temple of Literature is dedicated to Confucius and is a fine example of traditional Vietnamese architecture. The first national university was established at the temple in 1076 and a curriculum of Confucian principles, literature and poetry would be taught there for the next 800 years. Originally open just to children […]