The city of Hue is located approximately in the middle of Vietnam and was the seat of royal power from the 19th and into the 20th centuries. There were thirteen kings who reigned from Hue. Many of the ancient structures were destroyed during the Vietnam-American War, which have since been restored. The photos show scenes from the Imperial Palace as well as the three hundred-year-old Buddhist pagoda.
The city of Hue is located approximately in the middle of Vietnam and was the seat of royal power from the 19th and into the 20th centuries. There were thirteen kings who reigned from Hue. Many of the ancient structures were destroyed during the Vietnam-American War, which have since been restored. The photos show scenes from the Imperial Palace as well as the three hundred-year-old Buddhist pagoda.
The extensive Zen Buddhist temples in Kyoto were financed by the Shogun, the warrior leader who represented the real power behind the emperor. The Shogun also created the first extensive Zen garden, placing the trees, rocks, flowers, and water pools into a special meditative design which became the art of Zen gardens.
Hiroshima is a beautiful city. Its present beauty hides the hideous past, in which Hiroshima was the first target of a nuclear weapon. Its Nuclear Memorial and Museum preserve the disturbing images which every current leader of a nuclear power should be obliged to visit.
Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a unique location, famous for its thousands of scenic islands in the bay. Our tour took us to a magnificent cave inside one of the islands. The photos from this area will tell the story better than my words.
Ha Long Bay Vietnam is a unique location, famous for its thousands of scenic islands in the bay. Our tour took us to a magnificent cave inside one of the islands. The photos from this area will tell the story better than my words.
After a long transit from Reno via Los Angeles to Tokyo, we boarded the Viking Orion and enjoyed our first excursion in Japan.
Mount Fuji was an impressive site as our ship approached the Shimizu harbor. Mount Fuji is Japan's highest mountain, an active volcano in a perfect conical form.
Welcome Blog Readers Old and New
My blogs are intended to share my international travel experiences for readers who might never visit the places I describe. I try to include historical, political, and cultural observations when I am able to do so without too much background research. Photos are included in the associated gallery.
