Cruising the Mekong River
(20 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Gwynne Chafer
La Crosse, WI
Italy Extravagant Escapes
Visiting Italy is a feast for your senses … from the scent of lemons in Capri, to the delicious flavors of the many pastas and sauces which is known for, to viewing the crumbling ruins of the Roman Empire. Did you know that Italy has the most UNES...
Visiting Italy is a feast for your senses … from the scent of lemons in Capri, to the delicious flavors of the many pastas and sauces which is known for, to viewing the crumbling ruins of the Roman Empire. Did you know that Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites of any country in the world? 58 sites have been designated for either their natural beauty or historic significance!
I love selling Italy, from the archaic ruins of Rome to the hidden beauty of Venice. Roam the ancient streets of Pompeii and explore the medieval walls of Assisi. It is hard to describe the feeling of standing in the Colosseum, where so many years ago the gladiators fought for their lives. Wake up to the sound of a Venetian gondolier, warming up his voice as he meanders through the cobbled sidewalks of the island. These are all things I highly suggest you experience for yourself.
If you have been to Italy before and would like to go back, I can suggest visiting some lesser-known areas of the country, like Matera and Alberobello. I recently visited these areas myself and would highly recommend. There are countless destinations to travel to in Italy and I still have more to check off my bucket list.
For all of my foodie travelers, I had two of my favorite meals in Italy. They were both on this last trip in Matera! My taste buds rejoiced when taking the first bite of Pistachio Pasta at Baccus in Matera and Panzerotti. I am still dreaming of these meals 4 months after eating it!
I have over 30 years of experience as a travel professional. I have visited Italy numerous times. I have traveled from north to south and from east to west. I really enjoy selling the different areas of the country. Let's start planning your Italian dream vacation.
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River Cruising… it does bring to mind castle lined slopes and picturesque villages, doesn’t it? These are some of the sights you will see on a European River Cruise. Now, picture farmers bathing their cattle along the river banks, women working in the rice fields, and beautiful sunsets on the horizon….these are the sights you will see on a Southeast Asia River Cruise along the Mekong.
Our river cruise adventure began as we arrived into Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, a few days prior to the cruise. This is a city mixed with history, tradition and modern technology. It was a shoppers dream at Ben Tanh Market, where you could buy anything….local handicrafts, scarves, jewelry and even the infamous Kopi Luwak or Civit coffee, which in case you didn't know....is the most expensive coffee in the world. It is made from coffee beans eaten, digested and excreted by a civit cat. The beans are then collected, cleaned, and ground - then sold as Kopi Luwak....and no, we didn't try it!
We shopped so much, we had to buy 3 extra suitcases just to get it all home! Vietnam is known for having local tailors make custom clothing for you, in just a matter of days. Visit the shop, discuss your idea, get measured, return once for a fitting, and your beautiful, tailor made clothes are delivered straight to your hotel! Between the two of us, we had 5 shirts made, one pair of pants, and two beautiful, silk cocktail dresses!
With all that shopping and running around, we made sure to get several full body massages and a few foot massages. Another highlight of our visit to Ho Chi Minh City was a cooking class where we learned to make Pho. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup eaten throughout the day, but it is especially popular at breakfast. We also made Spring Rolls to go along with our Pho, as well as a salad made with Lotus stems.
No visit to Vietnam would be complete without an excursion to the Cu Chi Tunnels. These tunnels are an intricate network of connecting underground tunnels. Viet Cong soldiers used these tunnels during the war for hiding spots, supply routes, hospitals, and for food and weapon reserves.
As we left Ho-Chi Minh City behind, we instantly felt at home on the river boat. The staff was extremely personable, and after the first night, knew us all by first name. Our cabin was cozy, yet spacious, with all the comforts we needed for our upcoming adventure! Our ship made several stops in Vietnam before entering Cambodia. Along the way, we sampled snake wine, held a python, visited local markets and temples, and did a bit more shopping!
We entered Cambodia on a rainy, hot day, not knowing what to expect of this little know country. Will it be like Vietnam? Will it be less developed? We were pleasantly surprised to find it one of the most lush and beautiful countries we had ever been to. It is not as developed as Vietnam, but that is one of the reasons we found it so charming. We marveled at the amazing archeological sites of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm. Angkor was the capital of the Khmer empire from the 9th to the 15th century and Angkor Wat is the most well known temple complex built in the 12th century. Ta Prohm is famously known as the temple where Angelina Jolie’s movie, Tomb Raider was filmed.
We visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum located near Phnom Penh, which allows you to walk through one of the infamous Killing Fields. We also visited a prison in Phnom Penh that was once a high school, and learned about all the prisoners who were once housed there. On the day of our visit, we were able to meet one of the last living survivors of the prison.
We experienced many modes of transportation while in Cambodia. We rode in Ox carts, Tuk Tuk’s and even a Cyclo! A Cyclo has two wheels in the front and one wheel in the back. You sit in a front seat, and the driver sits behind you, pedaling. It was a fun and fast way to get from place to place!
Our river cruise ended in Siem Riep, Cambodia, where we spent a few extra nights prior to our return home. We did a bit more shopping and had several more massages! Cambodia was by far, the most inexpensive place for eating, shopping and massages. We treated ourselves to 30 minute foot massages for $1, 60 minute foot massages for $2, and 60 minute full body massages for $7!
We decided we wanted to end our trip by doing something really crazy, so we went to a gourmet “bug” restaurant. We ordered the “Discovery Platter, ” which included spring rolls with ants, an insect skewer with grasshoppers, tarantula and scorpion, a tarantula samosa (this is a triangular pastry), and a cricket and silk worm stir fry. In all honesty, it wasn’t bad and we were pretty proud of ourselves!
I have a special place in my heart for these countries, and hope to visit again someday!