I met An at a hospital in Alexandria, Virginia of all places, at my son’s bedside during his stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. She was one of his nurses and, like most who are drawn to that profession, treated me with quiet compassion. It was only after weeks of occasional small talk, usually about […]
close encounters
Street Food in Hanoi: A Crab-leidoscope of Flavors
The crowded alleys behind Hanoi’s massive Dong Xuan market are a labyrinth of street stalls, tiny shops, and tinier walkways. Throngs of shoppers jostle salesmen, tourists, and the occasional daring motorcycle as it weaves in and out of the masses. In the dizzying heat of the early afternoon sun, two women sit curbside, a basket of steamed crabs between […]
Welcome to the Jungle: Silverback Gorilla Trekking in Uganda
I wasn’t prepared for the humidity, or for the sudden cloud bursts that, though brief, kept us perpetually damp. I definitely wasn’t prepared for the sections of swamp that bisected the trail. I say trail, but what I mean is the very narrow path hacked into the forest by two machete-wielding, uniformed men. They looked […]