Monthly Archives: June 2010

Pickpockets in Ho Chi Minh City and Tokyo?

We were warned by friends and advisors—in print, online and in person—about pickpocketing all across Ho Chi Minh City and on the crowded trains of Tokyo. While annoying if it happens, petty thievery normally consumes very little of our limited … Continue reading

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Replacing a Leaky Waterproof Camera in Vietnam

A few days ago in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam, our Olympus Stylus 720 SW leaked. Until now it has been wonderfully waterproof, as advertised, for two years. It gave up without warning—underwater for two minutes, … Continue reading

Posted in Photography, Vietnam | 1 Comment

Walking Japan Blind

A yellow stripe runs down the middle of many sidewalks in Japan. Slightly elevated from the surrounding surfaces, the line of tactile tiles marks a safe path for blind and visually impaired pedestrians walking the streets. Straight bars in the … Continue reading

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We trust the traffic when walking Saigon

A typical street in Ho Chi Minh City looks like this during the day… …and this at night… While some intersections and mid-street crosswalks have traffic lights, many do not. Moderately curious how you walk across while avoiding injury or … Continue reading

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Hauling sheet glass on a motorbike in Saigon

In Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, one of our favorite innovative uses of a motorbike was hauling sheet glass. It takes two—the driver and the passenger, with the glass standing upright between them. It was just one of several creative … Continue reading

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“Kumquat!” used to be an insult

When we were kids we’d sometimes yell, “Kumquat!” as a name-calling insult. This changed forever in Wakayama, Japan, when a Japanese couple stretched out picked some kumquats off a tree and handed them to us foreigners—part of the Japanese character.

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Arnold Invites You to California

Found in Tokyo Station in Tokyo, Japan

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