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Enchanted forests

Belgium is full of enchanted forests. On this particular day we are driving through one in order to reach the Benedictine abbey at Maredsous. Century old trees and dewy sapplings alike hug the narrow roads, their branches swaying back and forth as if to welcome us into the pages of a fairy tale. It does feel like a fairy tale …

4×4

Sometimes transportation takes on a new meaning when you are on the road. But I find the definition for a 4×4 to be all relative. Same same, but different. For example, before getting on any 4wd you’d want to kick the tires around a little: And you may need to put up with the sales pitch (Good Lord, did I …

1

I live in cute town!

Have I whetted your appetite a bit with the sounds and colors from Sapa? Before I continue that story though, I’m going to first try to finish my European adventures these next few days. Over time you may see that not only am I a poster child for O.C.D., but I also dabble in A.D.D. and am therefore easily distracted. So …

3

Color me Sapa

The day gets greyer and greyer as we leave Bac Ha Market. I still have to journey another couple of hours to reach my destination, a reportedly upscale eco paradise/lodge (operated by a Danish hotelier keen on preservation projects around the globe) that relies completely on solar technology for energy and hot water. As we climb the mountain, the clouds …

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You buy from me?

Let’s take a break from Europe and gab about textiles today. Late last year I was in Asia for a few weeks. One of the highlights of this trip was trekking through North Vietnam. In this mountainous area near the Chinese border, there are numerous ethnic minority tribes (the H’mong, Tay, Thai, Hoa, and Dao to name a few) identifiable …