As it turned out, Susan and I had different travel agendas, but we travelled together for about a week in Laos. I spent a total of about 11 days in north-central Laos, 8 days in Vietnam (in the Hanoi region), and a couple of days in Cambodia (exclusively at Angkor Wat) with the remainder of time in Thailand or in transit. This, of course, was far too little time to do an adaquate job exploring each country. I always like to leave something as an excuse for returning. The following are some emails I sent while traveling... (Hit the back key after each one).
Email from Luang Prabang, Laos
Email from Siem Reap, Cambodia
...and here are some photos from my travels in Southeast
Asia:
(Hit the back key after each one).
Vietnam:
1.
Grocery in a boat, Halong Bay
2.
Cat Ba Island, Halong Bay
3.
Boat ride to mountains, west of Hanoi
4.
Tricycle rickshaw, Hanoi
5.
Balancing chickens, Hanoi
Laos:
1.
Monk haircut, Vientiane
2.
Laos landscape, Vang Vieng
3.
Laotian children, Vang Vieng
4.
Plowing the fields, Luang Prabang
5.
Buddhist temple, Luang Prabang
Cambodia (Siem Reap):
1.
Killing Fields Memorial
2.
Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple (12th Century) ruins
3.
Angkor Wat (14th Century)
4.
Plowing the field
5.
Strangling fig tree
Back in the States:
Oman Family Reunion -- In early August, I headed to Minnesota for nine days to visit family, friends and to attend an Oman Family Reunion. The reunion was a pleasurable but somewhat odd event held in a small park in Oakdale, Minnesota under a picnic shelter on a day of nearly perfect weather. What made the event rather odd, first of all, was the fact that such an event has almost never occurred before. We've gathered before for weddings, funerals, grandparent's birthdays and other such occasions, but this is the first time I am aware of something billed as as an Oman Family Reunion, at least one with broad participation. Secondly, although the event was well attended by perhaps 80 or 90 people, I would estimate that there wasn't a single person there who knew more than one third of the people in attendance. Most of us were strangers to each other, and most of us remained so even after the event. We tended to gather in two or three cliques and interact with only those whom we knew. I guess this wasn't really so odd, since the common denominators between us, two or more generations older than I am, have long since died. We all gathered together for a family photo, but I don't believe I'll be able to put names to most of the folks in the photo.
One funny meeting occurred when my brother Dale discovered somebody he had known for years by first name, Andy, but until seeing him at the reunion, didn't know he was related. The two had even discussed things about me (my global travels, guitar playing, etc.) that Andy had heard discussed by his parents, but he never put two and two together.
Other tidbits -- Hanging out in DC, I did the normal summertime things, bicycling around, heading out to restaurants and movies with friends, taking in events such as demonstrations, local concerts (from rock to classical) and July 4th fireworks and other activities on the Capitol Mall. "Screen on the Green", a showing of classic movies under the Washington Monument is always fun for Monday nights.
Here's also a short story about a local bar and a talented musician I met one Saturday evening. It's a story I call A Three-Piece Band and a One-Piece Audience. (Hit the back key after you're finished reading it).
COMING UP NEXT QUARTER: A trip to Boston.
Check in and let me know what's up with you.
You can contact me by clicking on this E-mail address:
doman@purespeed.com.
Review previous newsletters:
Spring
01 -- Dean's News Vol 4, No. 4, 06/01/01 -- Baltic Nations, Poland and
Czech Republic
Winter
01 -- Dean's News Vol 4, No. 3, 03/01/01 -- Boston and Arizona
Fall
00 -- Dean's News Vol 4, No. 2, 12/01/00 -- Colorado, Minnesota and Gettysburg
Summer
00 -- Dean's News Vol 4, No. 1, 09/01/00 -- Minnesota and Washington
Spring
00 -- Dean's News Vol 3, No. 4, 06/01/00 -- Eurailing in Europe, and Minnesota
Winter
00 -- Dean's News Vol 3, No. 3, 03/01/00 -- Jamaica, Arizona and the Millennium
Fall
99 -- Dean's News Vol 3, No. 2, 12/01/99 -- The Middle East and Minnesota
Summer
99 -- Dean's News Vol 3, No. 1, 09/01/99 -- Minnesota
Spring
99 -- Dean's News Vol 2, No. 4, 06/01/99 -- Pacific Northwest
Winter
99 -- Dean's News Vol. 2, No. 3, 03/01/99 -- Haiti and the Dominican Republic
Fall
98 -- Dean's News Vol. 2, No. 2, 12/01/98 -- Germany, Poland and Czech
Republic
Summer
98 -- Dean's News Vol. 2, No. 1, 09/01/98 -- A summer romance
Spring
98 -- Dean's News Vol. 1, No. 4, 06/01/98 -- New York City and Minnesota
trips
Winter
98 -- Dean's News Vol. 1, No. 3, 03/01/98 -- Arizona and Colorado trip
Fall
97 -- Dean's News Vol. 1, No. 2, 12/01/97 -- Venezuela and Trinidad
Summer
97 -- Dean's News Vol. 1, No. 1, 09/01/97 -- Toronto and Niagara Falls
Best wishes to all,
Deano
