Around the World

A 22-day adventure by Doug Read more

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Around the World Doug Sampson
Independence Palace
November 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F
The Independence Palace or Reunification Palace. Many governmental meetings occur here.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Time for lunch
November 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F
Cooking some of our own lunch. Banh xeo, a savory Vietnamese pancake. At the PTi Saigon restaurant. Once cooked, you wrap it in lettuce and then dip it in the sauce. Bon appetite.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Unusual Temple
November 10, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F
A visit to Cao Dai temple to get in touch with southern Vietnam's spiritual side.
Traveler Our guide was very cute. She and Doug went to The Market together. Doug bought a duffle bag for our extra purchases. Chao’s slippers fell apart so she was barefoot until she could get some new shoes!
11/24/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Cu Chi Tunnels
November 11, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 86 °F
We visited a network of tunnels first created by the French but taken over and greatly expanded by the Viet Cong to fight in the Vietnam war. There are over 120 miles of tunnels, some barely large night to crawl through.Read more
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Flower Market
November 11, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
That afternoon we went on a culinary tour of Saigon. After our first stop for some pho, we headed to the flower market. There we found so many beautiful flowers with rose bouquets costing about USD $5.Read more
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Sam Bo Luong Drink
November 11, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
We started with sticky rice and then got our drink. Not sure what all was in the drink but it was good. We know it included seaweed, lotus flower seeds, and . . . ???? We also had very sweet mung bean cubes, very sweet. One last stop for lemon tea and fried tofu.Read more
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Street Food
November 11, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 90 °F
The next street over from the flower market were food vendors of all types serving interesting fare.
Traveler Something we definitely don’t see in the Warrensburg city market!
11/15/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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City Market
November 12, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F
Needing a duffle to help carry our purchases, I set off to the city market to see what I could find. Just about anything you need can be found at the market. Best to negotiate any purchase you make.
Traveler Anxious to see what you selected. Wish I had made one for you before you left on your trip.
11/15/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Red/Green light for Walkers
November 12, 2025 in Vietnam ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F
Saigon has installed red and green lights at the edge of streets at sidewalks for those that stare down at their phones while walking. Looking down as you approach the intersection you can tell if it is safe to cross.Read more
TravelerWe are sadly living in a time when people around the world don’t look up. Needed solution, though.
11/15/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Apopo Herorats
November 12, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 88 °F
Shortly after arriving in Siem Reap, we visited the Apopo Herorats. This is where rats are trained to find landmines. An area is gridded off and systematically it is reviewed by rats to find buried land mines so they can be safely removed. These rats, once trained, have their own passports and travel around the world to help find buried landmines.Read more
Traveler No, no, no!! 😱
11/16/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Ta Prohm Temple
November 13, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
The first temple we visited was Ta Prohm. Abandoned about 500 years ago, the jungle has slowly reclaimed it. All the housing, built of wood has disappeared. Trees are slowly eroding away the stone structures. Once a thriving city, it remains a memory today.Read more
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Angkor Thom & Bayon
November 13, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F
Angkor Thom is a large temple complex in Cambodia, built by King Jayavarman VII in the late 12th century. It was the last capital of the Khmer Empire and is famous for its walled city layout, which symbolically represents the universe, and for the central Bayon temple. The city includes numerous structures like the Terrace of the Elephants and features monumental gates with large, serene faces looking in the four cardinal directions

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom.Read more
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Scenic Sundowner Cruise
November 13, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 81 °F
Time for a quiet cruise around the moat of Angor Thom at sunset. We were serves wonderful snacks and drinks as we cruised around the manmade moat of Angkor Thom.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Night Walk
November 13, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 79 °F
Back at our hotel, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, we took a river walk along the Siem Reap River.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Angkor Wat
November 14, 2025 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 72 °F
Up at 4:30 am we set off for Angkor Wat to watch the sunrise over the temple. A massive, 12th-century temple complex near Siem Reap, built as a Hindu temple for the Khmer Empire and later transformed into a Buddhist one. It is the largest religious monument in the world, featuring stunning Khmer architecture, and is a major symbol of Cambodia, appearing on the national flag. The site is renowned for its intricate carvings, iconic towers.Read more
Traveler My goodness! That truly is massive.
11/16/25Reply
Traveler I understand now why we will never take a tour like this: up at 4:30!?!? Is it wrong that all I want to do is power wash the building?🤷🏼‍♀️
11/16/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Baci Ceremony
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F
We participated in a traditional Lao Baci Ceremony. It is performed in celebration of important events such as weddings, births, or to wish guests good luck on their journey ahead. The ceremony is performed by a Mor Phon, which is a respected elder, often a former Buddhist monk. The Mor Phon leads the ritual by chanting prayers and tying white blessings to the participants' wrists to ensure good fortune and well-being. The community's elder women often prepare the central offering, called a pah kwan.Read more
Traveler Your tour experience is allowing you to participate in so many activities that people traveling on their own would not have. Impressive!
11/17/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Ficus Tree
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
Interesting vines on some Ficus trees. They called them air roots.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Wat Xiang Thong
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F
Built between 1559 and 1560 by King Setthathirath, Wat Xieng Thong is one of the most important of Lao monasteries and remains a significant monument to the spirit of religion, royalty and traditional art. The name Vat Xieng Thong, means "Temple of the Golden City."Read more
Traveler Amazingly old, but so bright and shiny!
11/20/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Along the Mekong River
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F
Ten+ years ago, Drew was in Luang Prabang and had a favorite coffee shop call Utopia. We set off to see if we could find it. We found some signs leading to it and only after we arrived at the site did we learn it was closed due to the Corona virus in 2020. Well, we tried!Read more
Traveler Shucks!
11/20/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
City Street
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ 🌙 77 °F
This is a very typical street in Luang Prabang. Many small shops and eating establishments along each street. The city is NOT laid out in a grid. The streets bend and wind about.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Sunset Cruise
November 15, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F
We took a cruise down the Mekong River at sunset while in Luang Prabang.
Traveler Beautiful,
11/20/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Giving Alms
November 16, 2025 in Laos ⋅ 🌙 61 °F
One of the strange things we did on this trip was to partake in the daily ritual of ‘Tak Bat’ or giving alms to the monks. In order to participate, we had to leave the hotel at 5:30 am before the sun was up to get in the right spot. Chairs were set up for us where we were seated and took off our shoes. The ‘Tak Bat’ is a unique ritual still followed by the locals of Luang Prabang. The monks follow the same route each day where people provide rice for them. As a monk passes by, a small handful of rice is placed in their urn. You did not have to give every monk some rice as when they return to their monastery they equally share all they have received. Their procession by us probably lasted about 15 minutes and the streets were full of those giving alms to the monks. I am not sure I really felt good about this whole process.Read more
Traveler That looks like a very long procession of monks.
11/20/25Reply
Traveler Young monks too! Interesting.
11/20/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
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Fresh Market
November 16, 2025 in Laos ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F
Immediately after giving alms, we walked to the fresh market. This is the locals’ grocery store. In Luang Prabang there are three of these (population of about 24,000) that happen each day. The locals pass by, select what they need, and return home to prepare the food. Fresh meant fresh. The fish were still breathing as we walked by. The market lasted about 6 - 10 blocks and was packed with people.Read more
Traveler So colorful! I would be totally overwhelmed by the options.
11/20/25Reply
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Around the World Doug Sampson
Huge Billboards
November 16, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F
Bangkok, home of huge, oversized billboards. Some are electronic.
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Around the World Doug Sampson
The Grand Palace
November 17, 2025 in Thailand ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F
The Grand Palace is a complex of buildings at the heart of Bangkok, Thailand. The palace has been the official residence of the Kings of Siam (and later Thailand) since 1782. The king, his court, and his royal government were based on the grounds of the palace until 1925. The Grand Palace is still used for official events. Several royal ceremonies and state functions are held within the walls of the palace every year. The palace is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Thailand, with over eight million people visiting each year.

(All photos posted here are from my iPhone. Photos from my digital camera are not included.)Read more
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