If I have a major gripe about the churches back home - besides all the molesting of kids and the clergy’s sluggish response to the horrific scandal - it’s that the music in most Catholic churches borders on funereal.
All tagged Vietnam
AOC is a Ditz
Millennials aren’t badass. Not when compared with the World War II generation that survived a Depression and saved the world from Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan.
Stash Your Phone. Save Your Heart.
Like other digital mouth-breathers, I instinctively pull out my phone if I’m in line at the supermarket or in a doctor’s waiting room. I even grab my phone and start scrolling when I’m stopped at a red light.
The Hard Parts of Hanoi
There were two places I wasn’t sure I wanted to visit while in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and Hỏa Lò Prison - the Hanoi Hilton. In the end I went to both.
Verdant. Vibrant. Vietnam.
I know the International Dateline exists to avoid confusion, but flying back in time has muddled my jet-lagged brain.
Hitting The Hanoi Street-Food Stalls
Vietnam is famous for its sidewalk cuisine, thanks in part to the late Anthony Bourdain who pronounced it some of his favorite food in the world and did an episode of “Parts Unknown” from Hanoi.
Heat, Humidity And Hard Work
As we pedaled toward the boat launch after five hours on bikes, I remarked to one of our guides that the Vietnamese people seem very industrious.
“Yes,” he agreed, “They work very hard.”
There are roughly 7.8 million people living in Vietnam’s capital and it seems every single one of them is roaring around town on a motor scooter. (Actually, the best estimate is that there are 4 million scooters in the city. That seems low to me.)
Halfway Around The World
We all complain about the state of commercial air travel. But it beats a slow boat to China. Or Vietnam.
And We’re Off
As I sat in that church pew, in my black dress, I resolved to accept every wedding invitation.
Millennials and Stress
Sorry, dear millennials, but when “washing dishes” makes your top 20 list of anxiety triggers, you’ve got nothing to stress about. Historically, speaking.