Archive for the 'Communist' Category
Tomorrow Evening , June 10,2019, TotalAdventure Boards Turkish Airlines From Miami To Istanbul – After 3 days in Istanbul, we fly to Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. We will then tour Turkmenistan – the fabulous desert capital city and the Dharvaza Gas Crater. We move into Uzbekistan and follow the Silk Road – from Khiva to Samarkand and Bukhara. We’ll most likely stop in Almaty, Kazakhstan and finally up into the Tien Shan mountain range in Kyrgyzstan. TotalAdventure should be posting most days, except from areas with no electricity or telecommunications.
TotalAdventure Presents “Long Lost Laos” A Video Narrative Of Last Summer’s Voyage.
Vietnam Voyage Is A 23 minute excursion from Saigon to DaNang by air, from DaNang to Hue by train and then from Hue to Hanoi by air. TotalAdventure explores the main sites of the 4 historic cities with culinary adventures ,such as cobra snake in Hanoi.
TotalAdventure is getting all caught up today in Bangkok, before we leave for Qatar tonight. Here’s a few more from Hanoi in June. Above, the Ho Chi Minh Tomb. Unfortunately Uncle Ho was off to Moscow to ” have a little work done ” , so we could not see him.
In the brutal Hanoi Hilton.
An injured John McCain.
The exterior.
Like everywhere else in Vietnam , Da Nang has changed immensely since TotalAdventure’s first trip in 1993. 50 story buildings, many of them luxury hotels, dot the skyline in a city known as a large US Army base in a major combat zone, especially in the late 60s.
We climbed to the top of the Marble Mountains ,where we took in the view of China Beach , an R&R spot for the US Troops, and the South China Sea.
While the Marble Mountains were surrounded by US Troops, the caves within them were major operating bases for the Viet Cong. This large cave was a hospital for the wounded. The Americans could not penetrate. Instead, they bombed the mountain from above, finally opening these holes after months of round the clock raids. By that time it had been vacated. The cave is now a Holy Shrine.
Da Nang restaurants have excellent seafood. This is apparently stonefish, which if stepped on means immediate death or loss of a leg.
On Sunday, June 10th, 12 hours ahead of US East coast time TotalAdventure explored the streets of Saigon. Above, is my langoustine lunch fighting, before being grilled.
Historical Museum.
US Army bulldozers, War Crimes Museum.
Utilized Often By France.
At Jade Emperor Temple.
Peaceful and Holy.
Mother and Baby.
TotalAdventure Returned to Vietnam for the first time since 1993, The younger member of our team was not born till 8 years later. Needless to say, Vietnam has transformed from a poor, war-torn agrarian country to a leading Asian Tiger.
Our First Meal – Bahn Mi and 333 Beer !
We started out our first full day, Saturday,June 9, visiting the Reunification palace, where NVA tanks smashed thought the gates on April 30,1975, ending the American puppet South Vietnamese regime.
Elaborate meeting lounges paid for and built by American taxpayers.
The more phones, the more important the official.
Benevolent Uncle Ho Oversees All.
In The Cao Dai Temple.
While 70% of US Citizens favor dropping all restrictions for traveling to Cuba, President Trump , delivering on a campaign promise to a vocal minority in Miami, has reimposed restrictions on most individual travel to Cuba. These will likely take effect in the coming months. The purpose of the restrictions is to help individual Cubans in the tourism sector. Thankfully, TotalAdventure trips fall into that category. We have amazing trips that see the real Cuba, working and visiting with local people.
There are 3 places left on Cuba Explorer – 9 Days in August for $ 2199.
Also in August Cuba Rhythms – Only $ 944 !
The Cuba Colonial trip is also in August. 6 Places left at $ 2499.
On January 12 TotalAdventure returned to Cuba – the first of a few explorations this year. The following posts provide a great visualization of a slowly transitioning Cuba.
TotalAdventure returned to Cuba from January 12th to 19th . Havana has changed quite a bit – due to the relaxed US business and tourism policies. Many new businesses have started – and following in the footsteps of China in the 1980s – a dual system is taking hold. There are more cars – Havana may see it’s first traffic jam in 60 years, about 5 years from now. The weather this year was calmer and warmer, with daytime highs about 78 (26 C) and lows about 62. (16C) Above is the Malecón in the mid afternoon, taken from El Morro.
The Fathom – Bound For Miami.
A reminder of less peaceful times – 1961.
On Avenida Galiano.
Art Deco -style pharmacy.
Avenue Galiano.
Revolution Square.
1937 Chevy.
Near Downtown.
Local Block Committee.
One of the newer American cars – the 1960 Ford Fairlane.
In memory of the recently departed leader.
At The Museum of the Revolution.