Ron Ho, rontwho@yahoo.com • Peter Olsen, peterjolsen@gmail.com • (206) 324-0864 • Page 1 of 3

2013 Vietnam

Dear Friends, We’re excited about our upcoming trip to Vietnam! This is a rare and extraordinary opportunity to visit a vibrant culture with an exceptional itinerary. Ron has been to Vietnam, six times before and each time he discovers something new to appreciate about this wonderful country. The Vietnamese guides on the trip are very experienced and knowledgeable about Vietnamese history, culture, art and cuisine, and we’ve arranged an amazing trip. The dates of the trip are Jan 23-Feb 10, with 18 days and 17 nights in Vietnam. The tour is built around Vietnamese Tet celebrations on February 10. Colorful preparations for their festive new year will be seen everywhere. The city streets will be lined with vendors selling an abundance of fresh fruits and flowers and colorful decorative paraphernalia. Traditional Tet music, amazing food, and fine artisans will all be part of our Vietnamese experience. On this trip, we’ll see a great variety of cities, countryside and cultures. To whet your appetite, we’ve listed several of the highlights:

Crafts in and around HanoiMany artists practice old techniques and crafts, but there are also artists with bold new concepts and expressions. We’ll visit many artist studios to see textile embroidery, wood-fired pottery as well as jewelry making and bronze casting. We’ll visit Dong Ho village outside Hanoi to witness the acknowledged master woodblock folk art carver and printer, Mr. Nguyen Dang Che. As in other studios, you’ll have the opportunity to buy the work directly from the artists! We are going to make a special trip to visit Suzanne Lecht in her beautiful home in Hanoi. Susan is an American expert on contemporary Vietnamese art and she is opening her gallery and collection and home to our group. Suzanne has been working with Vietnamese arts since 1994 and her gallery has been featured in many journals, including the National Geographic Traveler magazine, the NY Times and Fodor’s Guide. Hanoi is surrounded by a large city lake and has many impressive temples, cultural buildings and an amazing old market, where one can procure everything from topiary trees to incense to automobile tires. Ron has purchased some really colorful ‘offering’ objects made of paper. These are really great. We’ll have plenty of time to peruse the market. Adjacent to the Old Town is the spectacular water puppet theatre, where we will enjoy a colorful and charming performance of folk-oriented stories, which originated in the rice paddies of the countryside. We’ll visit the world heritage site, Halong Bay, with its magnificent hillsides and amazing scenery from the comfort of our own private boat. The highlight will be a walk through wondrous underground caves.

Ron Ho, rontwho@yahoo.com • Peter Olsen, peterjolsen@gmail.com • (206) 324-0864 • Page 2 of 3

2013 Vietnam

Hill Tribe Villages in SapaFrom Hanoi we’ll take an overnight train in private sleeping cars to Sapa, where we will stroll through the colorful local market and make visits to hill tribal villages and buy folk handicrafts. This has often been the favorite part of the trip for many of our fellow travelers. We do have to bring warm clothes for this part of the journey, as the temperature can get quite chilly here. Tomb of Emperor Kahi Dinh in HueFrom Sapa we’ll head to Hue, where we visit the citadel, and also the tomb of Emperor Kahi Dinh, with life-sized horses and attendants. The interior walls are covered with extraordinary mosaics of blue and white pottery. We’ll also visit the beautifully restored ancient Vietnamese home of Vinh Tu, restored by Tha Ong, a retired architect. We’ll have an exquisite meal there, surrounded by the traditional gardens. The interiors of Tha Ong’s restoration will astound you. Industrious Craftsmen of Hoi AnWe’ll visit Hoi An and experience its rustic charm. Old wooden houses with open storefronts draw one into the atmosphere of this special town. Industrious craftsmen create colorful Vietnamese silk lanterns, bordered by numerous galleries of local artists. We’ll savor dishes served in restaurants with elegant minimalist interiors. We’ll walk along the river which borders the town and cross the ancient historical Japanese bridge which divides the town into two parts. Holiday Festivities in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon)Well end our trip in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), where we’ll experience the glorious festivities of Tet and the extraordinary sculptures created for this holiday. We’ll finish with a magnificent dinner at the Majestic Hotel, one of Saigon’s most prestigious, to witness the fireworks display from the river. This will be a great travel adventure, a trip of a lifetime! Please check the following page for all of the details. Don’t hesitate to contact us with your questions about our exceptional tour. We hope you decide to come with us.

Sincerely,

Ron Ho and Peter OlsenTour Escorts

Ron Ho, rontwho@yahoo.com • Peter Olsen, peterjolsen@gmail.com • (206) 324-0864 • Page 3 of 3

Jan 23 – Feb 10, 18 days and 17 nightsThis will be a great travel adventure, a trip of a lifetime. The visits to several UNESCO world heritage sites, the Fine Arts Museum, the Museum of Ethnology and various markets and temples make this quite an exceptional opportunity.

We have sought to make this an exceptional culinary trip, with visits to really exceptional restaurants. Vietnamese food has some wonderful fusions of French and Vietnamese cuisines; some of which you will not find in the USA. The people that we are inviting are all interesting people, and we look forward to a great community of fellow travelers.

ReservationsWe are limiting the trip to around 15 participants, so it is important to reserve a space as early as possible, with a deposit. We have a long list of interested people, and we’d like to include YOU. Please let us know of your interest.

ItineraryWe can send the complete itinerary to you, if you’d like to see more details. We list all the hotels, modes of transport, etc. on the itinerary. Our Vietnamese guides have found us the best hotels, restaurants and Vietnamese artists to visit. We’re confident that you will really enjoy being on this trip with us. Cost for the trip: $5152 per person

Includes: • Airfare with Korean Air from Seattle• Visa Fees• All Hotel and Transportation Costs in Vietnam• Guides• Hotels• Meals

Does not include:• Drinks at meals• Gratuities (tips) for Guides, Bus Drivers,/Bell Hops, etc.

Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar or ThailandWe are offering an extension at the end of the tour to Cambodia to view Ankor Wat in Cambodia. We also can help you extend your visit to Laos, Myanmar or Thailand, if you would like.

Make Your Reservation Today!Send us a note:Ron Ho, rontwho@yahoo.comPeter Olsen, peterjolsen@gmail.com

Questions? Give us a call: (206) 324-0864

We’d love to hear from you!Ron Ho and Peter Olsen, Tour Escorts

2013 Vietnam