Kristian Ruggieri
A traveler of the less traveled roads, I often take volunteer vacations building houses with Habitat for Humanity.Miss K
The upcoming adventure takes me to Vietnam with my friend, Mary Kay, who has raised enough money to build a school for the blind!
Travel Blog Posts
Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Vietnam anymore.
Published: July 19th 2005North America » United States » California » San Francisco
July 18th 2005
Hey All, Techincally I'm in Tokyo while writing the first part of this (or just outside of it) and I just dropped $13 on noodles and a ginger ale... good bye Vietnam discount, hello Japan! I could not bring myself to schlep into Tokyo at 7:00am after two hours of plane sleep so I've been kickin' it here at the airport. Crashed out in a day room for some horizontal sleep and am now updating the blog. I can't save pictures from here so will add those when I'm back home. On to our last two days in Hoi An. Saturday, we took a tour of My Son, a sacred place of the Champa people back in the 1st through, oh, did he say 6th? century. It's a bit like Macchu Pichu, in that it is ruins that ... read more
July 15th 2005
said the seamstress in the cloth market as she patted my ass and we watched a rat scurry across the floor. Getting clothing made in Hoi An is apparently "the" thing to do and because I am in Hoi An (and easily get caught up in the fray) I am doing it. Mary Kay and I arrived in Hoi An Wednesday afternoon after a 3.5 hour ride on a "tourist bus" with ever gabbing (and Australian mocking) spice girls and none of the promised AC. Our driver wouldn't pass a cement truck on a flat straightaway, yet became Mario Andretti passing people as we drove up a curvy mountain road. One passenger was getting sick... no problem... barf in the stairwell and then they'll open the door (while we still drive up said curvy mountain road) ... read more
July 13th 2005
Hey All, Let's wish me better luck with this today than last night when I spent the better part of an hour typing only to have the save not save. Lordy! As we wait to catch a bus to Hoi An, let me get you caught up on the last few days. On Sunday, back in Ninh Binh, we went to Cuc Phuong to see the Endangered Primate Rescue Center. Filled with langurs specific to Vietnam and gibbons rescued from the animal markets, they are kept in cages (suspiciously like a zoo) while they are nursed back to health. Afterwards, they are released into the surrounding area then separated from their caged breatheren by an electric fence. (What?) You take a 20 minute tour with a guide, make you donation, snap some photos and are on ... read more
July 9th 2005
Hey All, (Warning: this is a long one) You will be thrilled to know that Mary Kay and I have taken a ride on the bus with the loudest horn in all of Vietnam, perhaps even all of Southeast Asia (I will consult with Mr. Guiness upon my return). We have spent the past few days on a triangle tour, up to Hanoi, over to Halong Bay and then back to Ninh Binh via a local bus we picked up in Hai Phoung. I now know what the soundtrack of my nightmares will sound like. Coming from the tv on the bus, very, very loud Vietnamese music featuring a particularly disonant riff on the Vietnamese version of the sitar. I think we were watching Vietnamese Lawrence Welk show... a little schmoozing with the host, a lot ... read more
July 4th 2005
Hey All, Happy 4th of July to you on the 5th of July in Vietnam! Since arriving in Ninh Binh Sunday night, we have been the responsibility of Mr. Le (the man working on the project with Mary Kay) and his entourage of family, friends and curious onlookers. On the 4th of July, he wanted to celebrate the independence of his 2nd country, so Mary Kay and I sang the Star Spangled Banner before lunch. Everyone in the room clapped along in time. I've never thought of the SSB as a clapping song, but it does help you keep it moving. After lunch we were told to go upstairs and take a nap. They were arranging for two ladies from the blind massage school to come over and give us massages. A one hour massage costs ... read more
July 1st 2005
Hey All, Can you believe it's 9:08pm in San Francisco the night before I leave and I'm almost packed? Frankly, neither can I. The other thrilling news is that I have learned how to pronounce words that start with "ng"! This is a huge step in my crash Vietnamese lessons that started a few days ago. Thankfully, my coworker Huyen has spoken some phrases on my digital recorder. Either I will listen to them all the way over, mastering the pronunciation OR I will play it for people instead of speaking... only time will tell. Tomorrow John is giving me a ride to the airport in the morning where I will meet Mary Kay. We basically spend all weekend flying and arrive late tomorrow night: San Francisco - Los Angeles - Osaka, Japan - Hanoi, Vietnam. ... read more
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