Tiger Leaping Gorge is a scenic canyon on the Jinsha River, a primary tributary of the upper Yangtze River. It is located 37 miles north of Lijiang City, Yunnan in southwestern China. It is part of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas World Heritage Site. This first batch is just the very beginning of a two-day exploration…

Before going in further for our trekking, we visit the tourist viewpoint which included a four-flight escalator down to the river’s edge…

We came at the end of the dry season, so the river is at it’s lowest, and the landscape is rather brownish…

After the tourist spot, we drove to another lunch spot, after which we started the hike to our accommodation (which did turn out to be Judy’s)…

In addition to the magnificent views across the gorge, we saw some goats, various concessionaires, including a guy who sold me a crystal, and some nice plants at Judy’s…

That evening, took an extra stroll, visited the “Half Way,” and saw some refracted sunset light on the mountains…

The next morning, caught some sunrise glow, and continued trekking to the next village (via a waterfall, etc…)…

Some last views of Tiger Leaping Gorge before arriving at another lunch spot and our bus to Lijiang…

All the pix in this last batch in this post were taken by others, fellow travelers, and especially our tour leader Langer Wong…

Next up, Lijiang, etc…

First night in Kunming after a long day crossing the border from Vietnam, and a number of bus & train rides. First full day’s train ride to Shangri-La, more realistically known as Shangri-La: a clean & quiet city, “crossing the bridge” noodle soup, then train station & train, a nuke factory, farm fields & graves, stuff sold on the train, views out the window, and our arrival…

Walking into the “old town” of Shangri-La, our charming hotel, edible insects, statuary, yak skull, new lil’ buddy…

More of the “old town” Shangri-La…

The Big Buddha Temple in the old town of Shangri-La, a surreptitious picture of a 3D mandala, the giant Tibetan prayer wheel, and snippets of loveliness – flowering trees, prayer flags, and people posing…

Every evening in the main square in the Shangrila old town there is dancing! Also, discovered a lovely little coffee house and an interesting restaurant – the Green Island and the Karma Kafé – both serendipitous gems…

Next, we went to the Ganden Sumtseling Monastery, patterned after Lhasa…

The area surrounding the monastery – a few old relics and a few old cats…

Getting dressed up in the local garb is a thing! This batch also has some bling from the gift shop…

Back on the bus and heading to a traditional Tibetan lunch at local home – of rich people…!

The local market in Shangrila. Yak meat is awesome, bought some bells, and it’s good to see kids doing their homework…

Random shots outside the old town…

Yak meat hot pot at Langer’s favorite restaurant, plus a custom tour of the Thangka painting studio in old town…

Sorry I’m not adding more commentary, detailed information, and more links to sources, but the internet sitch is dodgy and time is of the essence. Thanks for checking it out…

Actually, this last stretch of Vietnam takes us into the first stretch of China! One Intrepid tour ended in Hanoi and another one began, this one starting with two days in Sapa, then the rest in Yunnan and Tibet. First up, our walk around Sapa, which seemed to have changed quite a bit in the ten years since I was here the last time, in a good way…

This batch focuses on the market place in Sapa, and ends with a BBQ dinner…

Too sick to go on the five hour hike, I did manage to go to the Sun World funicular and cable car rides up to Fansipan – the “roof of Indochina” and the highest mountain in the region – a spectacular new attraction that was not operational back in 2016. With a model village, Buddhist shrines, and other features of a theme park, it hold records for the longest/highest cable car in the area, and features a fantastic view from the summit – notwithstanding the crowds of tourists, etc…

Here are views from the top of Fansipan, etc…

Here are some of the shrines, views, and features of the Fansipan funicular & cable cars…

Some video clips of Fansipan, etc…

This last batch is a final dinner in Sapa followed by the next morning’s drive to the Vietnam/China border, including some first views of China from both a bus and the train, border crossing features, and our new guide Langer Wong…

That’s all of Vietnam ’26. I’m now in China with more connectivity than expected.

So, I hope you can expect more posts from the Middle Kingdom…!

More of Hanoi, the 12A&B Dien Bien Phu Hotel, breaking up a piano, art galleries, the Koto restaurant started by Jimmy Pham to help the street kids of Vietnam, and a pop-up barber…

A lot from the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Art in Hanoi…!

More of the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Art…

Yet more of the Vietnam National Museum of Fine Art…

The Hanoi Hilton, better known as the Hỏa Lò Prison, used by the French until they gave up, then the Vietnamese, and made more famous to Americans thanks to survivor John McCain…

More of the Hỏa Lò Prison. Note McCain’s photo as a young prisoner near the end of this batch…

Yet more of the Hỏa Lò Prison…

For simplicity’s sake, I’m putting some video clips at the end of this post…

First up, more than one showing the sitch along Train Street…

Next, tuk-bike back to the hotel…

Finally, cruising in Halong Bay…

Thanks for coming along (to Halong and beyond)…!

From Hué, we went to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, and first to the center of the government, Ho Chi Minh‘s mausoleum and thereabouts…

More about Ho Chi Minh, and some of the many school groups visiting at the same time…

Ho Chi Minh did not want to live in the presidential palace, and had a more humble house built nearby. Here it is, etc…

Perhaps some Buddhist advice about how to live? The eightfold path unpacked? More of many shrines, etc…

More officialdom of downtown Hanoi, etc. Note the cute kids who were filmed running into the arms of their parents (teachers?)…

My new favorite place in Hanoi (after the lake): the Museum of Literature – a shrine to learning – which includes a tribute to the great Confucius. I bought a scroll from one of the calligraphers – “Perspicacious” as I aspire to be always…

More of the Temple of Literature…

Back on the streets of Hanoi.

Train Street! And the cathedral, etc…

On the way to Halong Bay we stopped at a place that makes art out of recycled materials (lots of scooter tires)…!

I was sick, so did not attend the various activities, climbing, kayaking, and caving – and Halong Bay seemed dirtier and more overrun from 10 years ago…

On the way back to Hanoi, we stopped at a tourist factory featuring embroidery done by disabled Vietnamese…

Here’s a last batch of pix taken by other fellow travelers on our tour…

Next…?

Hué to go!

Yes-Hué!

Hué not?

HuéMo?

Some Hué over the rainbow…?

Hué oh Hué…

AnyHué…?

Hué are you?

HuHuHué?

Sorry to be so Hanoiing. See you there next…

After five days in HCMC, including two with Intrepid, our tour flew to Hoi An to take in Hội An Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For hundreds of years, Hoi An has been a center of Asian culture, with representatives of Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese groups. First up, the home. of a wealthy old family in town and a Chinese cultural center…

More of the Chinese communal center, and the famous Japanese bridge…

Walking around the old town of Hoi An, including dinner, a taste of the colorful water activities at night, and instructions on how to pee (and not pee). Note Mark, a fellow traveler and doppelganger of my buddy Josh Crockett…

The next day was all about bikes. An early morning ride in the neighboring rice paddies, a later morning ride to the old town, and an afternoon ride, again into the ride paddies, etc. This first batch includes some of the local market and a particular shirt vendor.

More of Hoi An, including the Museum of Traditional Medicine…

Neat buildings, nice pool! The afternoon bike ride included some farm & garden explorations…

Some clips from the bike ride…

After the bike ride, we took a boat ride to dinner, then back to the old town…

Some clips from the boat ride…

After breakfast, our tour left Hoi An for Hué. Here’s a stop over at a famous pass over a mountain range, and another at place with a cultured pearl industry…

Next: which Hué…

More of HCMC. Thanks to Mai, got some laundry done! Food, the Saigon Opera House, and a walk to Book Street…

More from a walk along Book Street, including an English teacher and his class having a photo shoot, plus the paleta man…

Back of the Opera, then more Saigon at night, and the next morning’s breakfast. Family cemetery in a farm field…

Trip on the Mekong Delta…

Coconut candy packaging…!

Coconut candy factory, delicious snake juice, various tropical flowers, and local crocodile apparel…

Tuktuk ride to lunch…

Tuktuk, lunch, more Mekong River Delta & islands therein, then back to HCMC…

HCMC stroll zone from the high rise food court…

Cam Un!

Ten years ago, with my family on our world trip, we traveled the length of Vietnam from the north to the south. It was epic, as was that entire year, and was of course the reason for starting this blog. You can check out my first impression of Vietnam from there (Hanoi) to here (Ho Chi Minh City), and several posts in between through my Contents page.

Now, in 2026, I’ve returned to go from south to north in Vietnam, then continue into China on yet another Intrepid tour. As with other trips, I’ve arrived early to spend a few days in Ho Chi Minh City – Saigon before the tour starts. Hangin’ in District 1, AKA Ben Thanh, I had to check out the famous Ben Thanh Market. This batch starts with the crib just off Ham Nghi street…

Here’s a couple clips of walking through the market…

Some random shots walking around town…

When you visit HCMC, ya gotta check out the alley ways…!

Last time, I did not go the famous Independence Palace. This time I did, eheck it out…

More of Independence Palace. This batch includes the bunkers underneath…

Unfortunately, the famous Notre Dame of Saigon is under construction, but I went to the Post Office and sent a couple letters to my children. Next time, I’ll get a motorbike to go fully local. It’s really an image of much of this part of the world…

In fact, not a motorbike, nor a tuktuk, but an actual bicycle, sort of…

Here’s the man with the pedal power! The rest of the post is the rather loud and sleazy Bui Vien Walking Street. Certainly, and interesting place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there more than an hour or so…

Here ya go: get more of an idea about Bui Vien Walking Street…

Next day, had to go back to the War Remnants Museum, one of the most difficult to visit, but important. Any person interested in the military or American History needs to spend some time here…!

More random shots around Saigon, including a recommended Buddhist Temple that seemed to be closed – even tho’ it was open…

From more closed religious buildings to rooftop bars, to random stuff…

Wow, three days can go fast. More soon, as the tour starts today…

Should I call this Betwixt, the Movie? Nah, these are just videos clips depicting some of the same content in my previous post.

Here are some riding in the newly opened Cotoni-Coast Dairies…

Here’s the UC Santa Cruz production of The Magic Flute with Charlie as Sarastro (and two other exceptional performances)…!!!

One night I caught this ethereal duo at The Crepe Place, and had dinner with N&J. Then, I went to The Vessel to watch Charlie and Empire Grade – slammin’ show, quite literally!

Here’s Bruno, Dan’s doggie, enjoying some doggie entertainmentat his place in Santa Monica..

A walk along Steve & Christina’s street in Oceanside…

Next, Steve Whalen’s 60th birthday party at the annual Neil Young tribute concert with Andy, Renee, and Hard Rain…

Just a random moment in Uncle Jimmy’s Village Green apartment before going to El Cholo for a 97th birthday dinner…

ooo

One last ride on my home turf before flying off again. When I come back, the grass will be brown…

Hey friend, thanks for checkin’ it out!

Time is so precious…