Drinking From The Ganges

Link to photos:

http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj159/Rbalthazar/Ha%20Long%20Bay%20Vietnam/?action=view&current=6da31262.pbr

Vang Vieng, Laos is a small, small town of about thirty-thousand…..but has a big, big reputation for the best tubing experience, EVER!

Drunken debauchery is a side effect of tubing in Vang Vieng, it cannot be avoided, if you want the ‘true’ tubing experience.  And here is the recipe:  1 part- tube, 1 part- river and 2 parts- Lao Lao Whiskey!

‘Tubing, Vang Vieng Style’:  First you put on your swimsuit, load your pockets with ‘kip’ (Lao money)- lots of ‘kip’, because you will definitely be consuming, many, many, buckets of ‘fine’ Lao Lao Whiskey, various types of mixers, shots and of course BEERLAO.  Once the suit is on and the pockets are loaded….you are ready!  Keep in mind, whatever else you bring for a day of tubing could be lost in transit, while inebriated…..therefore it is not recommended to bring anything else ( common lost articles are; cameras and ATM cards). [read on]

Imagine a country where all the retirees go to retire in their 'golden years'.  A country who's capital city (Vientiane) only has a population of about two-hundred thousand (the largest populated city in Laos).  A country that is landlocked by Thailand and Vietnam, but ... [Continue reading this entry]

Photo Link: http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj159/Rbalthazar/Sapa-Vietnam/?action=view&current=19db814d.pbr

After spending three-plus weeks in China:  visiting Beijing to see The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, The Great Wall (and much more); Shanghai for the city & food; Xi' An for the Terracotta Soldiers; Chengdu (in the Sichuan Province) ... [Continue reading this entry]

The smell and flavor of The Shanghai Dumpling will stay with me for the rest of my days on earth.  Yes, i know, I am being dramatic, but really these little morsels of heaven have left a lasting impression on ... [Continue reading this entry]

Beijing, China population...about twenty-million, give or take a few (does it really matter, after a certain point, why count).  A city the size of some small countries. And my first sightseeing day made me quite aware of just how populated ... [Continue reading this entry]

Photo Link: http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj159/Rbalthazar/Leshan%20China/Leaping%20Tiger%20Gorge-Dali-Shagria%20La/?action=view&current=afcb3b44.pbr

Photo Link: http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj159/Rbalthazar/Leshan%20China/?action=view&current=44e82c49.pbr

Photo Link: http://s271.photobucket.com/albums/jj159/Rbalthazar/Chengdu%20China/?action=view&current=b1980bc3.pbr