Again, no Trump.  We're leaving in about a month to the Osaka Expo, then a cruise from Yokohama to Vancouver.  Thus, today, a look at travel, featuring  Condé Nast Traveler 's  Best Places to Go in Asia in 2025 , where Osaka is featured.  First,  Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City, which was known as Saigon during and before their war with the U.S. Has grown into one of the world's fastest growing tourism powerhouse. Have been there a couple of times.  Here are some  tidbits from 2009 . Interesting that I said the population is nearing 10 million, and expected to reach 20 million in 2020.   Well, this is 2025 and the population is 9.8 million. Located 1100 miles south of Hanoi. That population is for the metropolitan area.  For only the city itself. HCMCity  3.5 million Hanoi  1.4 million Da Nang  0.75 million This is surprising, for Vietnam is in the northern hemisphere, but HCMCity is cooler in September than January and Fe...

Cruise began in Seattle on October 13.  We arrive in Miami tomorrow.  However, while almost everyone else leaves the ship, we remain for another two weeks. About the presidential election in three days, I'm nervous.  The thought of Donald Trump winning and the USA losing Democracy is a feeling I've never had before.  Polls show a close race.  How close?   Go to 538  and also get concerned.  You can scroll down to track what is happening in the Senate and House races...and also moan, if you're a Democrat. Something new has been added this year, which might not be available in future years,   IT IS NOW LEGAL FOR U.S. CITIZENS TO GAMBLE ON WHO WILL WIN .   The odds seem to be set at 48-52, meaning no matter who you vote for, if you bet $50, you will win $48, plus get back the $50.  This could change. What happened? The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates financial contracts that bet on events, had consi...