I wanna go back!

I just re-read my own blog and I wanna go back to all of those amazing places! Anyone wanna join me?

Pictures and Stories I missed along the way: Hanoi.

Scooting along on Richard's new scooter.
(Richard, does it have a name yet?)





The Water Puppets.



I think my favourite part was that the performers giving the puppets music and voice were visible. There were several parts with a call and response that just cracked me up because the voices along with the puppets...I guess you just have to experience it.

The puppeteers. I won't divulge the secret of how they do it...you will just have to go to Hanoi!

Pictures and Stories I missed along the way: The Chocolate Buffet.

In Hanoi at the Sofitel Metropole there is a chocolate buffet with over 20 kinds of chocolate desserts. I went with my sister Juliemarie and Charlotte.


This was hysterical. We were like giddy little school children. It felt like I was doing something wrong.



It was so fun to see everyone's reaction when they walked into the place. It was the same as ours. Everyone suddenly became a ten year old in the land of Willy Wonka.

We finally composed ourselves long enough to take a picture. This is one place I wish I could have experienced with my sister in law...that would have been good!

Pictures and Stories I missed along the way: Hue

Here are some shots of Hue.








Here are some pics of the motorbike trip. A correction from the earlier post. I was on a Xe Om, not a Xe May. Apparently Xe May is motorbike repair and Xe Om is the motorbike taxi.

Here's my stinky driver.

Bahn My! Pronounced Bun Me. (Is is just me or is it smiling at me?)

Huda Beer. Easily the best label on the trip!

Pictures and Stories I missed along the way: Hoi An.

Here are the pictures to accompany the fantastic stories from Hoi An.
Here is the original post.
http://jeffreygoupil.blogspot.com/2007/07/holy-hoi.html


The iconic fishing village.



The Japanese Bridge with some local fishermen.

This is the amazing food at Ba Le Well.
You don't order. They just keep bringing you food until you say stop. Super tasty!

This is me cooking Cao Lao.

And here I am at the karaoke place! What a riot!

The end of an adventure, The start of something new!

Hey all.

Thanks to all of you who have been reading my blog and posting comments. The thought of getting new comments kept me gong through some lonely times on the road.

I am in the Hong Kong airport now waiting for my flight back to the US. This feeling is bittersweet. I am quite sad to be leaving my Asia travels behind, but I am really looking forward to a bit of familiarity in everyday life.

Replaying the memories of the last couple months feels like I am watching a Travel Channel Marathon rather than remembering experiences from my own life. I feel so lucky to have been able to collect those memories on my own. (Again, thank you to any of you who had a part in making it happen!)

I will post some more pics when I get back to Seattle.



Capping off a journey full of wonderful new experiences and rewards, I was fortunate enough to be in Hanoi for the first few days of my beautiful niece Ruby's life. My sister Julie had a little girl on the 13th of July. This was the BEST experience of my whole trip. Holding a newborn that is just hours old is a feeling to rival any other I have had in life.

Here she is with her proud Uncle Jeff!


I have been fortunate enough to meet my two nieces when they were just hours old. This is a trend I hope continues ans my family grows.


Congratulations Julie, Richard and Ruby!!


Ruby Louise Vander Burg 13 July, 2007

Angkor Pictures

Sunrise at Angkor Wat




The SUPER STEEP stairs.


Entry Gate to Angkor Thom

Bayon


The giant faces of Bayon


The amazing trees of Ta Prohm




Miscellaneous Temple Parts.










A sleepy Tuk-tuk driver.


Bobble head on the move.

Feeding the Monkeys.

Yummy Khmer Food.
Amok.

Khmer Curry.

Local Angkor Beer.

Some Cafes in Siem Reap.