"Thần cây đa, ma cây gạo, cú cáo cây đề". Ancient Vietnamese saying: There are gods in the banyan trees, ghosts in the cotton trees, and spirits of owls and foxes in the fig trees. Haunted Trees Sometimes, a tree doesn't just witness huge numbers of death. Oh no. Sometimes, it is USED as part... Continue Reading →
There is an ancient saying in Vietnamese: "Thần cây đa, ma cây gạo, cú cáo cây đề". This is literally translated as: (There are) gods in the banyan trees, ghosts in the cotton trees, (and spirits of) owls and foxes in the fig trees. Obviously, the commonalities within this ancient saying are (1) otherworldly beings,... Continue Reading →
(Continued from Hungry Ghosts 6: Mentally Ill Ghouls) In an attempt to unveil that which is (mostly) invisible to us, I will delve into this subject in detail. This is not because I have a morbid fascination about the afterlife. OK, I do. But that's not the reason why I'm digging into this subject. In... Continue Reading →
You've probably figured this out by now, but I'm not ashamed to say that I'm one of those Taobabes who are easily spooked. I am actually scared of ghosts and ghouls and such–but I am also curious about them and what makes them 'tick'. As I have written in previous posts, Hungry Ghosts are not... Continue Reading →
Deep in the tropics of Southeast Asia, there is a colorful, bustling city that hugs the coast of central Vietnam. Its name is Hội An, and it is one of those mystical magical faraway places that you should visit at least once in your life. Hội An's colorful houses and temples and businesses sprawled along... Continue Reading →
On the banks of the Thu Bồn River in Hội An, Vietnam is a hidden gem of a place called Nghê Prana Villa & Spa. I accidentally stumbled across it when I needed to stay a couple of nights during a trip to Bà Nà Hills a few months ago (more on this site in a... Continue Reading →
Me at the Windsor Plaza Hotel in District 5, Saigon. On my last trip to Vietnam, I noticed something that I had actually never taken into consideration before. It wasn't because I had never seen it. It was because I'd seen it so often that it never registered in my mind how incongruous it was... Continue Reading →
I am writing this post on the plane, only hours after my departure from an area of the US known as Silicon Valley. Normally, it is within the zone that is considered Mediterranean and therefore quite mild; however, it's still smack dab in the middle of winter and still fairly cold. A heavy hailstorm hit... Continue Reading →
The Three-Boats Island is a rare jewel within a two-hour drive from the Pearl of the Orient. Located in the zone between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer, this area is a tropical paradise, mostly for the locals due to its close proximity to Sài Gòn. I've been wanting to write about this island... Continue Reading →
There is an ancient tale--more like a myth really--that has to do with two non-human entities called Sơn Tinh (the mountain god) and Thủy Tinh (the water god). My family told me of this tale (and other) myths and legends when I was a kid, so I knew the gist of this story which was quite... Continue Reading →
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