Vietnam

or should I say "star" trek guide as this woman helped bring up our motley crew with patience and good humor.

this is a real dog and restaurant owner's pride. She saw me drooling over him and brought him over for a closer look which more than satisfied my cuddles fix.

The Red River Delta scurries through mossy pagodas and limestone mountains best seen by rowboat which you can get at Trang An River

boats zig zag a river of curves through incredible foliage and beautiful lotus

there are mile long caves ( or maybe it only feels like that when your head is buried in your lap because the cave ceilings are so low ) that…

these randomly pop up on the river contributing to a magical atmosphere

best way to experience these watery pathways is by canoe with an expert rower - men and women who have learned the craft of navigation for generations. And with four…

colorful lanterns hang from trees to direct you to the dock where you board a canoe to travel the river. The dock has so many lanterns hanging from the ceilings…

he was Vietnam's first emperor and made Ninh Binh valley the location of its earliest capital

temples, ancient residences, and gardens are sheltered and protected by limestone mountains and a large river  making the surrounding landscape as picturesque as its manmade structures