Eat on the Street–

 KAPOWY!  Dis is how we roll in Hanoi. . .you gotta have a seat and eat on the street.  In this case I am enjoying a steaming bowl of Bun Oc–noodle soup with snails–and it is damn tasty.  The noodle soups of Vietnam are the perfect thing to gobble when the temperature is around 50 degrees and a light mist is falling all around you.  Bun Oc warms you in a soothing way from the inside out.  I can eat this stuff morning, noon and night, and so, I do. . .cuz dat’s how we roll here.  I love gobbling noodle soups in Hanoi, and you will too if you ever find yourself wandering around in the mist and lookin’ to put a feed on.

I send you deliciously satisfying vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they can put a smile on your face if you allow them to.

To see more delectable images from around our tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .there is so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Bile or blood?

MMM!  How about both?  Yes, this is part of the ritual of eating snake in Hanoi. . .the blood and bile are added to shots of rice likker and then the men at the table suck these babies down to give us strength and good luck.  And the guest of honor at the table–me, in this case–gets to ingest the still-beating heart of the snake with a shot of blood and likker.  Mmmm. . .aaaahh. . .this is much better for ‘low-T’ than Axiron or any of the other testosterone supplements on the market.  I love eating snake in Hanoi, and you will too if you ever find yourself dining with friends in the capital of Vietnam.

I send you potent vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they will make you big and strong.

To see more fun images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you deserve a virtual trip right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

I am here to help–

BAM!  It is an absolute honor to be invited to help members of the Vietnam Women’s Union become greater verbal communicators in business and beyond.  Everyone here is attentive, inquisitive, focused, and eager to improve. . .an ideal audience for our 3-hour Session together.  The Vietnamese ask me the same kinds of questions that I get asked by people with whom I work throughout Europe, North America, South America, and even in other parts of Asia.  They are different here yet we are ALL THE SAME when we get down to the things that really matter like being a productive worker, a helpful colleague, a good boss, a great friend, a great family member, etc. and so on.  I love helping people in Hanoi, and you will too if you ever have the opportunity make a difference over here.

I send you wonderfully human vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they are recognizable to us all.

To see more fabulous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Art and Cong–

YES!  Hanoi is evolving in wonderful ways. . .lots of art exhibitions popping up all over town. . .interesting nightlife options attempting to take hold. . .wonderful restaurants everywhere. . .cozy coffee shops on every other corner, etc.. . .and it is all happening under the ever-watchful eye of Cong, i.e., ‘the party.’  We are all being watched. . .jaaaa–fascinating!  I love Hanoi, and you will too if you ever find yourself hanging out in northern Vietnam.

I send you multi-dimensional vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they get you coming and going.

To see more fun images from around our tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you deserve a virtual trip right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 retro coffee…Hanoi–

BOOM!  Here we are enjoying coffee at a place called Cong in the center of Hanoi.  “Cong” means ‘party’ or ‘federal’ or ‘official political entity of Vietnam’ in Vietnamese. . .it essentially refers to the Communists.  So, to name a place ‘Cong’ here in Hanoi in 2014, to have a Dutch manager, and to pack the place with tons of young people sitting around chatting, smoking, and sipping delicious coffee drinks while killing time is a bit cheeky and certainly ironic.  And you know what?–I love it here. . .lots of people love it here. . .YOU will love it here if you ever find yourself needing a caffeine fix after a visit to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum, which is a block away, or after checking out one or two of the nearby art galleries that are popping up all over the place.  Hanoi is evolving in interesting ways. . .get over here and check it out.

I send you super-cool vibes from Cong in Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they are worthy of your attention.

To see more wonderful images from around our tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Road essentials–

Cash, flight booking, passport, beer. . .this is all you need when you are on the road. . .mmmm, aaaaahh!  What do you need?  Less than you think. . .discuss.

I have to leave Hanoi now, but I will return again and again. . .I hope.  I send you mobile vibes from somewhere between Hanoi and New York. . .feel them. . .they are full of energy and joy.

To see more fascinating images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .time is short and there is a lot to see.

It’s lovely out there.

Snake for lunch–

BAM!  Here we are at the Quoc Trieu Snake Restaurant in Hanoi enjoying. . .you guessed it. . .snake for lunch.  This is one of my favorite restaurants in all of Hanoi. . .the snake is sacrificed quickly and humanely, and the entire creature is cooked up and consumed by us.  We eat snake soup, snake spring rolls, grilled snake, snake salad, snake bones, and snake skin. . .nothing goes to waste here.  We even drink the blood and bile of this magnificent animal–good for man energy–if you know what I mean:-).  I love eating snake in Hanoi, and you will too if you ever find yourself wandering around over here looking for a good Sunday lunch.

I send you delicious vibes from the Quoc Trieu Snake Restaurant. . .feel them. . .they will make you big and strong.

To see more fun images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it, man. . .you know you want to.

It’s lovely out there.

#1 Bun Cha…Hanoi–

MMM!  Above you see the tastiest Bun Cha that I have ever had. . .this wonderful experience took place at a wonderful dining establishment called Ngon Restaurant in the Hoan Kiem District of Hanoi.  “Ngon” means ‘delicious’ in Vietnamese, and this place lives up to its name in a big way.

Bun Cha is simply small pieces of grilled pork served up with noodles in a tasty pork broth. . .if it is prepared well, then this dish can grab hold of you and make you “mmmm” and “aaaaahh” with sporadic joy.  Please note that I “mmmm-ed” and “aaaaaahh-ed” with great enthusiasm during this entire lunch, and as you can see above, my lunch mates survived to eat another lunch on another day with another visiting gringo on some future date.  Mmmmm. . .aaaaaahh. . .I love Bun Cha at the Ngon Restaurant, and you will too if you ever find yourself wandering around this neighborhood lookin’ to put a feed on.

I send you succulent vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they will make you salivate.

To see more fascinating images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the “About” page of this blog. . .do it. . .you deserve a virtual trip right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Pagoda on the lake–

BOOM!  Here we are visiting the Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake in Hanoi, Vietnam.  Vietnam is officially an atheist country as a communist/socialist republic, but pagodas and temples are allowed to exist and do their thing as long as they keep it low-key.  So, in contrast to Thailand, for example, where the wats are golden and shiny, here in Vietnam all spiritual structures are Earth-toned and noticeably un-shiny.  Nevertheless, many people in Hanoi visit pagodas and temples every day. . .though the real “king” of faith-based activity here comes in the form of ancestor worship with nearly every family in the country keeping small family shrines and altars within their homes.  I love the pagodas and temples of Hanoi, and you will too if you ever find yourself wandering around over here lookin’ to give thanks and praise.

I send you respectful vibes from Tran Quoc Pagoda. . .feel them. . .they are good for you.

To see more fun images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.

Pho Boooooo…Hanoi–

BOOM!  Here is the world champion of noodle soups–Pho Bo, aka beef noodle soup–served up with casual ease and no fanfare in Hanoi, Vietnam.  This stuff is tasty and satisfying to the two-thousandth power.  My Vietnamese friends often say to me, “we use only simple ingredients in our food, nothing really special, but the secret to the greatness is that we use these simple ingredients in the right combination to create maximum flavor.”  Yes. . .they. . .do. . .oh-so well!  I love Vietnamese food–especially Pho Bo–and you will too if you ever find yourself wandering around over here lookin’ to fill your pie hole with something good.

I send you delicious vibes from Hanoi. . .feel them. . .they are simple and good for you.

To see more amazing images from around our tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .you can go just about anywhere that you like right here, right NOW.

It’s lovely out there.