Welcome to my parlor, said the spider to the fly. I hope you enjoy the stories and links here.

  • About Me

    Travel, food and lifestyle journalist Richard Sterling is the author of more than a dozen books and scores of magazine articles. He has been the travel editor for a food magazine and the food editor for a travel magazine, as well as a newspaper and magazine columnist.The New York Times book page dubbed him “Indiana Jones of Gastronomy” for his willingness to go anywhere and court any danger for the sake of a good meal and a good story.

    His books include World Food: Vietnam; The Fire Never Dies; Eyewitness Guide to Vietnam.He has been honored by the James Beard Foundation for his food writing, and he holds the Lowell Thomas Award and the ForeWord Award for travel literature.

Stories

Turn the Tables

Turn the Tables

Saigon has always been a lady, and a beautiful one, but a lady with a touch of sin. There is a game you can play here, when you are tired of more mundane pastimes and hanker after a contest of wits and nerve. It is not inherently dangerous, but neither is it a game for the faint of heart. Much is at stake. For in this game the hunted becomes the hunter, and the predator turns prey. I should say that there is currently an Englishwoman residing at the 333 Hotel with her left leg... 

Good Taters

Good Taters

The south facing balcony is my favorite feature of Apartment 608 here on “No Tattoo Street” in HCMC, Vietnam. It’s at the perfect height to observe both street life below, and such things as new year’s fireworks above. And it provides me a front row seat for the “fireworks” of the magnificent lightening and thunder shows of the rainy season, now underway. When that starts, I drop whatever I’m doing, pour a glass of wine and settle in to watch the pas... 

The King & I

The King & I

SIX DEGREES Damned funny, the things that can connect people. Well, junk food has come to Vietnam. I knew it would. It started with fast food. Colonel Sanders came to town a few years ago and has become firmly rooted. And it’s a mark of higher status here to dine with the Colonel. Yes, you read that right. In a country whose annual per capita income is less than a thousand dollars it’s a feather in your cap to have your birthday party at, or catered by, “KFC Food...