San Francisco, CA - April 2026

 A beautiful, clear day exploring San Francisco's main attractions. 

The Presidio and the Golen Gate Bridge:

The Golden Gate Bridge from Presidio National Park.

Taking the scenic route on the bridge.

View of the city from the bridge.

Leaving the Presidio on a clear day.

The San Francisco Bay, its iconic piers and Fisherman's Wharf :

Pier 43 with the Coit Tower in the background.

Fisherman's Wharf.

Yep! You can't visit SF without getting the famous clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl!

Making it to Pier 39.

Pier 39.

Leaving the waterfront, we continue to the next stop: "Palace of Fine Arts"

Palace of Fine Arts, a massive Greco-Roman-style landmark with open rotunda and colonade.

The "Palace" sitting right next to a beautiful and peaceful lagoon, was built for Panama-Pacific International Exposition in 1915 to exhibit works of art.

We also made a stop at the historic Ghirardelli Square, test-drove the legendary curves of Lombard Street, and finished the day taking in the breathtaking, panoramic views of the skyline from Twin Peaks.  

The iconic Columbus Tower (Sentinel Building) and Transamerica Pyramid on Columbus Avenue dominate the San Francisco skyline.

Looking up from the bottom of Lombard Street.

Houses on Lombard Street.


Cars coming down Lombard Street.

View from Lombard Street.


Twin Peaks overlook.


View from Twin Peaks.


Panoramic view of San Francisco skyline.

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Chinatown - San Francisco, CA - April 2026

 In April, we headed out to California for Paul's niece, Eileen's wedding in French Camp, a suburb of Stockton. We flew into San Francisco a few days before the wedding and stayed near Chinatown. It was wonderful to revisit San Francisco after our last trip there about 30 years ago. 

Our first top was a self-guided walking tour through Chinatown, since our hotel was only a few blocks away. 

The Dragon Gate/Chinatown Gateway. 

St. Mary's Square.

Old St. Mary Cathedral.

Grant Avenue, main throroughfare of Chinatown.

A mural on ourwalk through Chinatown.

Waverly Place/Alley.

Tin How Temple - oldest temple in Chinatown.

Ross Alley, one block pedestrian alleyway located in the heart of Chinatown. As the oldest alleyway in San Francisco, it's famously home to the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

Fortune Cookie Factory.

Freshly baked "fortune cookie".

Paul, the factory owner and the cookie baker.

The iconic Transamerica Pyramid from the heart of Chinatown.

Wrapping up the evening at Fusion Dumpling!

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The Ngo's Family Reunion - Saigon, Durham, - March 2026

 Our Vietnam trip was coming to an end as we returned to Saigon from Nha Trang. Although Phuong was on the same flight, she stayed at a different hotel in Saigon. We checked into the Bong Sen Hotel for a final three-nights stay before our departure back to the US. By this point, a wave of homesickness and exhaustion had set in. It has been an incredibly long journey, and we were tired. Since some family members had already made it home, the rest of us who were still in Saigon gathered for a goodbye dinner one evening at Central Market, accross the street from Phuong's hotel.

 

A bittersweet farewell dinner at Central Market.

The day before our flight home, Paul experienced an unexpected medical issue that needed to be checked out. Fortunately, we were able to get an appointment at an international multi specialty clinic in District 1, just a short distance from Ben Thanh Market. We were impressed by the clinic's expertise and professionalsm. After a quick visit which included an x-ray, and a diagnosis from Dr. Van, Paul was equiped with the necessary medicine for our journey home. By the end of the visit, Dr. Van felt like an old friend! 

  

With Dr. Van at the international clinic in Saigon.

X-Ray included.

We departed Tan Son Nhut Airport on March 26. It was a long journey with layovers in Singapore, San Francisco, and Charlotte before we finally made it home.

Jasmine Halal Lounge at Tan Son Nhut Airport.

Our favorite stop was definitely Singapore, where the airport's breathtaking indoor forest and lush plantscaping made us completely forget we were in a transit hub!

Just a casual stroll through an airport botanical garden.

Yes, this is actually inside an airport!

Changi Airport is a destination in itself!.

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 Home Sweet Home 🏡!! Walking through our own front door at last brought an overwhelming wave of relief. There is truly no feeling quite like being back home after such an intensive adventure. The trip was unforgettable, but sleeping in our own bed is going to be the best part of the journey! Everything else can wait untill tomorrow...💫..

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The Ngo's Family Reunion - Nha Trang - March 20th - 22nd, 2026

 We said goodbyes to the Nha Trang group this morning. Oanh and Chin left early, and Amy, Peter and Angeline headed out to the airport soon after. 

Saying goodbye to Oanh and Chin.

The final three sisters before Amy left.

Two sisters, two days left in Nha Trang.

Over those two days, we visited Cho Dam a few times, caught a stunning sunrise over Nha Trang Bay, and checked off more of the city's coastal landmarks.

Spotted across the street from Cho Dam: A shophouse full of Corgis! 🐶

One of the must-visit places early in the morning in Nha Trang is the beach along the popular Tran Phu Street and promenade. The early hours offer a beautiful, magical time to wander and watch locals go about their morning routine before the workday begins - enjoying activities like sand bathing, swimming, exercising, and stretching...

Catching sunrise.

The rising sun over Nha Trang Bay.

The ocean and me.

Swimmers and stretchers!🏊🤸

The day was still young when we returned from the beach. After a hearty hotel breakfast, we headed out to explore more of the city's landmarks.

Thai Nguyen Six-Way Intersection (Nga Sau), a busy roundabout in the city center.

Christ the King Cathedral, also known as the Stone Church, is an impressive French Gothic Catholic Church built in the 1930s. It stands on top of Hoang Lan Hill, overlooking the Six-way intersection. 

Christ the King Cathedral - Outdoor stone alcove with statue of Ave Maria.

The church sanctuary with beautiful stained glass windows.

Statue of Jesus Christ located in the public square just outside the church main building.

Leaving Christ the King Cathedral in Nha Trang city center, we walked down Le Thanh Ton Street all the way to the beach.

Bac Thanh Church on Le Thanh Ton Street a Neo-Gothic style church, known for its peaceful courtyard garden. The name "Bac Thanh" (North Citadel) comes from the Catholic Parish established in 1954 by a massive wave of migrant Catholic families moving from north to south.

Tram Huong Tower on Tran Phu Street seaside promenade, marking the city center of Nha Trang.

Nha Trang Beach and the oceanfront promenade along Tran Phu Street.

                       April 2nd Square, adjacent to Tram Huong Tower in Nha Trang. 

Nha Trang City Hall, viewed  from April 2nd Square.

Phuong, Paul and I wrapped up our last night with a fine dinner at Stockholm Restaurant, just a short block from Nga Sau Thai Nguyen. 

Stockholm Restaurant.

An excellent restaurant to enjoy European cuisine. 

Good night and goodbye to Nga Sau as we stepped outside the Stockholm restaurant!

It was a beautiful day and a wonderful final evening here. We enjoyed a perfect three days in Nha Trang. Although our initial reunion trip feels like a lifetime ago, we are so glad we chose Nha Trang to relax and enjoy this beautiful coastal city in Vietnam. It has been over fifty years since my last visit, so Nha Trang feels like a brand new city to me!. We leave with fond memories of this trip and hope to come back this way again...soon.

                                                                  💗💙💚💛