As the capital of Vietnam, Hanoi is often overlooked and eclipsed by its more popular cousin Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). It’s dustier, hotter, and less accessible in some respects, but Hanoi is the gateway to awesome destinations such as, the Perfume Pagoda, Sapa, and of course the famous HaLong Bay.

With its effortless chaos and distinct subculture from the rest of Vietnam, Hanoi has a style uniquely its own. Locals still go about their daily lives as they have for decades while a cosmopolitan city develops around them. Modern cars mingle with waves of scooters, as an urban skyline rises around the old quarter and its mysterious Hoan Kiem Lake. Hanoi is so unique, that aficionados will even notice differences in its preparation of Pho (Vietnamese soup noodles).

Perhaps these cultural differences are due in part to its long history of occupation from the Chinese, Japanese and French, or perhaps it’s merely a result of its geographical distance from the south. Whatever the reason, what remains is a fluid juxtaposition of French and Asian, old and modern.

Hanoi is a Hidden Jewel!

Enjoy these photos, as I choose them in hopes to capture and embody the everyday of Hanoi Vietnam and compel you to give it a more intimate look:

• In Hanoi’s old quarter, where you’ll likely end up, the locals have embraced tourism effortlessly

• Old meets new. Amongst autos and cyclos, a Vietnamese woman wearing a conical hat still carries her wares by way of a shoulder pole

• The Vietnamese people are incredibly enterprising. In Hanoi, you’ll find small businesses in the most innocuous places providing an eclectic range of products from cigarettes, simcards, to pastries

• A vestige of French colonialism, St. Joseph’s Cathedral serves as the cathedral for the huge presence of practicing Catholics in the country

• A local in peach slippers gets off her bicycle in order to reposition her shipment of pomelos

• Bicycles and scooters are often the lifeblood of many Vietnamese families, often used for both transportation and business

• In most western cultures, roads are generally dominated by cars, in Hanoi and most parts of Vietnam, you’ll find that cyclos are far more prevalent

• You can’t see it, but in this image the woman is using a charcoal smoker in a narrow corridor to prepare dishes for the adjacent restaurant. To put this in perspective, it was easily 100˚F that day

• Turtle Tower located in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake), within Hanoi’s old quarter

• A delicious bowl of Hanoi Pho!

Have you been to Hanoi Vietnam? What are some of your favorite things?

The post Hanoi Vietnam, The Photoscape! #Hanoi #Vietnam #Southeastasia appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

Recently, I put together my list of the top 5 best buffets in Las Vegas, but realized I was giving a peak into paradise without the keys to enter. And so I just had to follow up with a Hack: specifically how to eat your weight and conquer all you can eat Las Vegas Buffets! Nope, I’m not talking about Tupperware and hidden zip locks (Come on people, lets keep it classy!); I’m talking about proven buffet hacks!

In case you’re wondering, this week’s hack is about how to overeat and how to push the limits of the belly and keep it coming!   For the squeamish, the healthy, and the dieters, sorry, this one ain’t for you.

All you can eat Las Vegas buffets are awesome! There are very few institutions as famous as the Las Vegas buffets. Sure, Vegas has gambling, 24-hour festivities and clubs that bring it home to the break of dawn, but the desert oasis is also a buffet lovers dream come true!

They’re not cheap though, and certainly not a budget endeavor. Over the years, all you can eat Las Vegas buffets have gone from two for ones to a wallet blasting $50+.   But with the right techniques it’s still possible to walk out a winner!

So, like Kobayashi – flex the stomach and get ready:

12 Tricks to Conquer all You Can Eat Las Vegas Buffets!

1. Get the lay of the land: Do a quick pass and refrain from filling your plate first go around. Going in hungry will cause you to impulsively grab the first items you see, and by the time you discover the lobster tails, you’re already full on rice and pasta
2. Less is more: Take small portions of everything. A buffet is about variety, not just wolfing down 3 plates of spaghetti and calling it a day. As well, not all dishes are created equal, it may look better than it tastes, and you’ll be stuck wasting food, or stomach space with fillers:
3. Don’t starve yourself: your stomach will naturally contract in the absence of food. Like Kobayashi, exercise the stomach by eating, and take some sugar to prime the metabolism
4. Pre-funk with Water: If you’re really serious about breaking some world records, drink lots of water days before in order to stretch out the stomach to increase capacity
5. Time your visit: The best time to visit Las Vegas buffets is during the crossovers between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner. Not only does this save money, but also it has the added benefit of more food selections.
6. Be comfortable: Don’t bother dressing up with the heels and bowtie. Wear non-restrictive comfortable clothing and avoid the finery. You’re here to eat, and you certainly can’t do that if you’re trying to maintain some decorum of civility and class!
7. Avoid empty calories: Stay away from the rice, breads, and pasta as these are just fillers that are meant to trick you. Go straight for the proteins like meat and seafood
8. Take your time: It’s a marathon not sprint. Eat with a purpose and not speed
9. Go in empty: Eat a lot of fiber along with a big meal the night before your big day. The idea is to flush the body out in preparation. No one goes to a gas station with a full tank, nah mean?
10. Prime the appetite: Get a good workout in before the buffet. I know, you’re in Las Vegas, and smashing weights is the last thing on your mind, but if you want to OWN that buffet, then you go do a few sets of squats!
11. Watch the liquids: Stay away from the fluids, especially the carbonated ones. It may not seem like it, but gas and even water takes up valuable stomach space.
12. Watch out for the salt: Salty foods will invariably make you want to drink more.   Stay away from the overly salted dishes, and try cleansing the palate with a piece of fruit.

My order is always protein, fats and then sweets. From a value standpoint, proteins always cost more and sweets, well, we always got room for sweets! Master the above, and even if you can’t beat the one armed bandits, you can still come out a winner! Good luck!

The post 12 Tricks To Conquer All You Can Eat Las Vegas Buffets appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

However your strategy to tackle Las Vegas, self-restraint or moderation is probably not going to be one of them. True to form, Las Vegas does everything big!   None more so than the legendary buffets the hotels offer to entice the sins of gluttony.

Whenever we find ourselves in Las Vegas, hitting a buffet for a perfectly seared rib eye, or for the piles of gigantic crab legs, is guaranteed to be on our list of to-dos. To be clear, these are not you regular hometown or 5$ all you can eat Chinese buffets. It may seem oxymoronic, but the best buffets in Las Vegas dish out some serious cuisine.  Best of all, you can gorge yourself on cuisines from all over the world without ever having to leave the Las Vegas strip.

But with all the options, which are the best buffets in Las Vegas? Unfortunately many of the buffets, like anything in Las Vegas can be a gamble, leaving you bloated and unsatisfied on nothing but grease and filler.

So to save you time, money and to make each calorie count here’s my top 5 best buffets in Las Vegas:

Bacchanal, Caesars Palace – the flagship buffet that all, before and after, aspire to be like. You’ll be hard pressed to find a buffet lover who doesn’t have Bacchanal as one of their best buffets in Las Vegas. With mountains of crab legs, ginseng chicken soup, and honey dripping off honeycombs, each section is compartmentalized and helmed by a specialized chef to maintain quality and authenticity. The food here, tastes as good as it looks. There’s no skimping on style and quality at Bacchanal. For those interested in making a buffet the highlight of your trip or perhaps wish to indulge in 9 separate restaurants at once, Bacchanal is a must.

Be forewarned though, this type of quality certainly does not come cheap, as the price is the on the high end of buffets, but once you get past the sticker shock, heaven is just beyond the cashier!

Wicked spoon, The Cosmopolitan – A real contender for the top spot as one of the best buffets in Las Vegas, Wicked Spoon is huge on creativity and presentation. Unlike most trough style buffets, dishes here are pre-portioned on smaller plates stimulating “tastings” rather than an all out gorging. For most, it’s a departure from the stigma of buffets creating a classier experience. You’ll avoid overdoing it on their designer spicy mac-and-cheese, and be able to take advantage of the wide range of ethnic cuisines.

Probably the only think lacking is the seafood selection. Not to say they don’t have seafood, but it’s just not as ample of a selection as many of the other Las Vegas buffets on the list. But then again, it might be because they had to make room for their full sized gelato bar!

The Village Seafood Buffet, RIO All Suite Hotel and Casino- The RIO has two buffets.  But the one that you should invest your winnings in is the Village Seafood Buffet. One of the originals that once commanded massive waits and lines, the Village Seafood Buffet has gone through a bit of a renaissance over the years restyling itself as the THE premier Las Vegas seafood buffet. Although the buffet has since fallen out of favor in the wake of more upscale competition, make no mistake this is a solid buffet.  If seafood is your sin, you’ll have an endless stream of Lobster, crab legs, oysters on the half, shrimp, clams, mussels and much more.

Studio B, The M Resort – A newer edition and a bit of trek from the main strip, Studio B understands that, if you bothered to make the trip to their buffet, they better not disappoint.   With most standard offerings typical of Las Vegas buffets, Studio B rises above the competition by including beer and wine into the cost – making Studio B a great deal and a great start to your Las Vegas adventure. The alcohol selection is limited, but with mimosas on tap, who’s complaining!

Also worth mentioning, Studio B at the time that we went had quite a lot of vegetarian and meatless options – A welcome break for those on meat overload.

Le Village Buffet, Paris – If you have an awesome crepe bar, you’re going to make my list.  With a pretty impressive menu of sweet and savory crepes, Le Village Buffet brings a taste of France to Las Vegas.   I’m not going to say it’s as good as the ones you get from an authentic French creperie, but it certainly satisfies the Jones. In addition to the crepes, you’ll also find Parisian staples like macarons, crème brulee, and truffled pastas!

It’s an older option on the strip, and does lack the bells and whistles of the newer buffets, but it is quite a bit cheaper than say Bacchanal or Wicked Spoon and definitely deserves a spot as one of the best buffets in Las Vegas.

Where once Las Vegas was all about gambling, it has since become synonymous with its buffets. Regardless of what your plans are in Las Vegas, I bet you’ll end up, at a minimum, at one of the many buffets.   Hit up any of the top 5 Las Vegas Buffets listed above and you’ll walk away happy and satisfied knowing you finally beat the House!

The post You Can’t lose! The 5 Best Buffets In Las Vegas appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

Thailand, especially Bangkok, is one of the most popular travel destinations for its cost and ease of travel. Tourists from all walks of life, backpackers to families, will at one point find their way traveling through famous Bangkok, or the very least, have plans to visit one day in the future.

The truth is though, what most see of Bangkok, is merely the tip of the iceberg. The gorgeously chaotic Southeast Asian metropolis does have a seedy underbelly that, fortunately, most will never be exposed to but definitely does exist. Don’t get me wrong, the biggest city in the Land of Smiles is an amazing place. Whether you’re being sized up as prey by voracious lady boys or facing intimidating bouncers at local sex clubs, Bangkok is a never-ending adventure. However, Bangkok tourist scams can make a good time go south quickly. Generally speaking, most Bangkok tourist scams are just variants of some form of theft ranging from pickpockets to the ingenious long con (think Grand Palace Scam).

As a continuation to our previous 4 Thailand Scams to Avoid, here are 4 more Bangkok tourist scams to be aware of:

Related post:  4 Bangkok Tourist Scams

The $1000 dollar Beer

In a previous article I introduced Bangkok’s Red Light Districts. Walking through, or perhaps getting a quick Singha while watching the lady boys working a pole, is often a fun, and uniquely Thai experience, but the Red Light Districts can be rife with shadiness.  In a setting similar to the Mos Eisley Cantina in Return of the Jedi, Bangkok’s Red Light Districts can be a dizzying ordeal: You got the villains, the shakedowns, and the odd absence of police officers.

One of the most grievous of the Bangkok tourist scams, is the shake downs that occur while partaking in the many theatrical offerings, like a Ping Pong show.  And as wild as that show can be, it’s what potentially can happen afterwards that will leave its indelible mark.

More than one curious tourist has been fleeced upon leaving a bar or strip club by being hit with a 1000 Baht tab from just a couple of Singhas. To top it off, the Bouncers and sometimes even the Manager, will surely accost you until you pay up; and many terrified tourists do, in fact, pay up.

Ladyboy Pickpockets

Pickpockets are rampant everywhere, not just Bangkok. But in Bangkok, it’s sometimes the desperate lady boy prostitutes who will work in tandem to relieve the unsuspecting of their wallets.  One will ply all the tricks of their trade to captivate your attention while the other works your pockets. Be wary when approached by more than one individual as one of them, not so surprisingly, will attempt to move out of eyesight.

The Grand Palace – Khlong Scam

This is actually a combination of two well-known scams. An incredibly creative and prolific long con, the Grand Palace Scam or Khlong Scam, as it’s now known, involves multiple players over a large distance. Often starting near Khao San road, you’ll first be intercepted by a “friendly” local who’ll recommend The Grand Palace as a great place to visit in order to set you off in the right direction.  Along the way, a few more “friendly” locals will approach you (depending how far off track you’ve wandered) who will claim to be either security, or some type of official, and will regrettably inform you that the Grand Place is closed.  Noticing your obvious disappointment, the helpful local, will invariably suggest a great deal on a floating market tour, one that’s even better than the famous Damnoen Saduak – and all you would have to do is drop his name. To gain further trust, he’ll even negotiate a great Tuk Tuk rate on your behalf, going so far as to having a “heated” exchange with a seemingly “random” Tuk Tuk driver. If you take them up on this offer, prepare to lose a quite a few bahts on an unimaginative boat tour of Bangkok’s canals.

Forged Certifications

Asia is renowned for their counterfeiting skills. However, the ingenious buggers have evolved their skills beyond just copying the Louis Vuttons and Pradas. On a recent trip through Thailand I saw fake licenses being offered on Khao San Road for PADI certifications, teacher certifications, and even licenses for airline employees. Give these guys a wide berth. If you plan to go diving in Koh Toh with a “Khao San Road certified” dive instructor you may want to brace yourself for a few shattered eardrums.

Bangkok is a fun, entertaining city to visit. Most of the time you won’t have an issue, but just by being aware of some of the seedier elements, you’ll be that much more prepared in the event something does happen. Be a smart, safe and informed traveler and always listen to your gut.

If you do happen to be caught in the web, don’t fret; just consider it the cost of a story you can tell over and over. Without some of the craziness, Bangkok would be pretty bland and lifeless, and who’d like that?

BONUS:

Not really a scam, but interesting nonetheless.

The Ducks Are Hungry

Call it seedy or outright shocking but Bangkok seems to have an inordinate number of eunuchs created at the hands of jilted lovers.  In Thailand, saving face is key. If you’re a Thai woman dealing with a cheating husband for months or years of infidelity, eventually it may be too much to take. Reading local papers over the course of a year reveals way too many of these horror stories.

If a wife has caught her husband cheating she may note this in the face saving way of speaking a Thai phrase, which means: “The ducks are hungry.”  In rural areas of Northern Thailand ducks are plentiful and from past horrors, ducks seem to be fond of male genitalia tossed out of the window.  Either she follows up on the threat or the husband gets the hint.

What Bangkok tourist scams have you seen and can add to the list?

The post 4 MORE Bangkok Tourist Scams, Plus a Hungry Duck appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.

I couldn’t believe my eyes. “Ping pong show, you go to ping pong show,” the Thai hawker screamed at both the parents and their 2 small children. An innocent-looking, and somewhat confused Farang (foreigner) family was being offered a trip to the ping pong shows in the infamous Bangkok Red Light District!

Related Post: 4 Notorious Thailand Scams to Avoid

Just in case you’re not aware,  this isn’t an homage to the wildly popular game of ping pong in neighboring Malaysia. This show involves women showing off their skills by delicately – or not so delicately – manipulating ping pong balls, to perform seemingly impossible feats. I will let you connect the dots.

Only in Bangkok baby, only in Bangkok. Anything goes there…really!

Bangkok has 3 distinct Red Light Districts: Patpong, Nana and Soi Cowboy. Both prostitute seekers and curious passersby frequent the Bangkok Red Light Districts for various reasons: companionship, a night of fun or maybe, a shock and awe session.

Whatever your motivations, I promise you’ll never look at a ping pong the same way after a visit to Bangkok’s seedier and more salacious side.

The Bangkok Red Light District to Visit:

Soi Cowboy

This little strip is quite popular with locals and tourists alike. When most ex-pats think “Red Light” they are likely thinking “Soi Cowboy.” There are of course the customary strip joints, along with bars to get a Singha while taking in the entertaining sights. Take a few minutes to stroll the full strip for a more colorful taste of BKK.

Nana Entertainment Plaza

This district centers on a multi-story building in Bangkok. Look out for endless hawkers pawing at you to check out the “prettiest ladies in Bangkok.” Note; ladies, also means, “lady boys”, a lady who was once a boy, or man, in case you were wondering. Some farangs actually prefer the lady boys to ladies. A little more on the risqué side than Soi Cowboy, Nana Entertainment Plaza is a fun onslaught of Bangkok nightlife.

Patpong

By day, this area is more of a commercial district. By night, things get a little juicier. Patpong has more of a dual purpose where you can pick up silly souvenirs or a cold beer from the many night market or bar stands in the district, while also picking up a partner for the evening.

Bangkok Scam Alert: Patpong bars are notorious for boosting your drink bills. The three, 50 Baht Singhas you purchased can become a 1,000 Baht final tab when it comes time to settle. Since saving face is critical in Thailand simply politely decline to pay the bill with a smile. Stand your ground. Or, if you feel things going south since the Thai bouncer you’re dealing with is so big that he can blot out the sun, suck it up and pay the Baht.

Colorful Characters of the Red Light Districts

Lady boy prostitutes may stalk you until you’re forced to sprint from them to save life and limb, or perhaps you’ll be hounded by aggressive touts who will, inappropriately, bug you and your family to visit the all too “family friendly” ping pong shows. Whether you’re entertained by a bar girl cat fight, with each woman slapping each other to win over a Farang husband, or you’re simply entertained by the endless flow of super portly, bloated Westerners who are coming to town to score, you’ll never run out of intriguing, horrifying or flat out hilarious things to see in the famous (or infamous) Bangkok Red Light District.

Also if you want to enjoy a gripping, thrilling read, which does a fabulous job re-creating what the Red Light Districts are really like, pick up Private Dancer by Stephen Leather. It’s fiction, but it’s not really fiction as Leather has a handle on how things work in this part of town.

Have you ever been to any of the Bangkok Red Light Districts?

What stories do you have to share?

The post The Crazy (& Fun) Bangkok Red Light District! appeared first on Blaze Your Adventure.