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Sound Travels with Jeff von der Schmidt

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Sound Travels with Jeff von der Schmidt

Tag Archives: President Obama

Conquering the Darkness: The Festival of Lights in Luang Prabang

03 Saturday Dec 2016

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Buddhism, Diplomacy, Laos, Luang Prabang, Secret War in Laos, Travel, Uncategorized, UXO Removal, Wat Xieng Thong

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Asia, Buddhism, Festival of Lights in Luang Prabang, Hanuman, Luang Prabang, Mekong River, Mt. Phou Si, President Obama, Princess Sita, Ramayana, Secret War in Laos, Wat Xieng Thong

Twilight on the Mekong in Luang Prabang.

Twilight on the Mekong in Luang Prabang before the Festival of Lights.

Make no mistake about it. What Vatican City is to Roman Catholicism, Luang Prabang is to Theravada Buddhism in Laos. Consider Wat Xieng Thong akin to St. Peter’s. Because to approach this UNESCO World Heritage Site city, located on a peninsula at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers, without awareness of its spiritual life is to miss it entirely.

Jan and I knew that the Festival of Lights, or Boun Ok Phansa in Lao, was approaching in mid-October, marking the end of the rainy season. The late summer to early autumn time is a period of intense meditation for most Laotian Buddhist monks. We could enjoy a week off from our hectic schedule with the Hà Nội New Music Ensemble in Việt Nam and Luang Prabang, being only an hour flight away in Laos, beckoned to us again.

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The Obama Combo: Bún Chả Hương Liên in Hà Nội’s French Quarter

22 Thursday Sep 2016

Posted by Jeff von der Schmidt in Cong CaPhe, Contemporary Music, Diplomacy, Food, Hanoi, Hanoi New Music Ensemble, Travel, Uncategorized, Vietnam, Vu Nhat Tan

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Ambassador Ted Osius, Anthony Bourdain, Asia, Bun Cha Huong Lien, CNN Parts Unknown, Hanoi New Music Ensemble, Kim Ngoc Tran, Los Angeles International New Music Festival, Michelle Obama, Nguyen Minh Nhat, Nguyen Thien Dao, Pierre Boulez, President Obama, Ton That Tiet, Vietnam, Vietnam War, Vu Nhat Tan

Where to order the Obama Combo.

Where to find the Obama Combo in Hà Nội’s French Quarter.

“Jeff,” texted my friend Vũ Nhật Tân, “I want to take you and Jan for Obama bún chả in French Quarter, not far from where you stay. They are now so busy that we should meet at 10:30 AM for early early lunch or 5 PM for early early dinner. OK?”

That’s a text message that was easy to answer!

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