There are often surprising powers which propel us toward special directions in our life. It is like an unknown force gives us a nudge. The Island of Bali is such a serendipitous destination. In 1995 after over a year of brutal treatments for cancer (multiple surgeries, an experimental stemcell transfer…
Years ago my Mom would call me to ask…”Are you watching the Tour?” For her the Tour de France was not about bike racing, but a wonderful travelogue on France. She loved seeing the fabulous countryside, ancient chateaus and monasteries. I miss those conversations with her…
The magical island of Bali features many fascinating wonders of spiritual rituals, mystical temples, and a unique and beautiful culture. On our trip in May we scheduled a driver to take Marla, our daughter Lisa and husband Ray and me to visit some of our favorite temples. Our first stop…
After our superb AHI “Essence of Southeast Asia” tour ended in Siem Reap, Cambodia Marla, daughter Lisa and husband Ray, and I flew to Bali for the last leg of our trip. We’ve stayed at many Bali hotels over the years and wanted something new this time. We chose…
Our last day of exploring different temples was very exciting. The photo above is the “South Gate” leading to the ancient city of Angkor Thom. The gate is adorned with four faces, believed to represent Avalokiteshvara, a bodhisattva of compassion. The road to the South Gate is lined…
Our wonderful AHI “Treasures of Southeast Asia” tour took us from Bangkok to Siem Reap, Cambodia. We stayed at the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Resort. Our last visit to Siem Reap was in 2023 with two of our grandsons from Dallas. Our very first trip was in 1997 when…
Our Bangkok explorations continue with a simply superb lunch at the beautiful Blue Elephant Restaurant on Sathorn Road. It occupies a historically significant Thai-Chinese building, originally a department store. The building served as the Japanese Army’s Command Center during World War ll. The Blue Elephant Restaurant…
Bangkok is a truly amazing city and one of my favorites. After 25 visits we still make new discoveries on each visit. We are planning to take our twin granddaugters there next year. Our plane from Singapore was very extremely late arriiving in Bankok, but our fabulous guide, Victor had…
Our Malaysian adventure continues with a stop at the Taman Negara National Park. Children from a nearby school serenaded us. We were so lucky to experience this! We travelled on pickup trucks to start the ride to the park. What seatbelts??? The “Tree Top Walk” took us high…
Having a 3-night Belmond train excursion as a component of our AHI “Treasures of Southeast Asia” trip was a giant bonus and something I always wanted to do! Of course I was a huge fan of Agatha Christie’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”…