It's 4 a.m. in Hong Kong, and I'm awake ... why?

To say good morning to Vietnam, of course.

The mouth of the river!!

Soviet-style propaganda posters? In 2007? Really?

Okay, so I've sorted it out. No need to thank me.

In America, it's a known fact that Asian babies are considered the cutest of all babies. Way cuter than white babies, at least. Maybe it's the hair that passes as jet black strands of silk; maybe it's the natural tan; maybe it's the fact that their eyes are slanted -- which is different than ours!!

Awwwwwwwww!

Yeah, well, here is the question we all want to know the answer to, yet lack the means of finding out: What about in Asia? Do they realize they've got the world's cutest babies, or not?

I asked my Chinese friend Mabel, and her response blew me away.

"We think white babies are the cutest. Their blonde, curly hair, blue eyes."

"So you don't find Asian babies to be cuter than white ones?" I asked, blown away at this revelation.

"No."

Talk about exposure to new cultures and new ideas. Priceless -- yet pointless -- information like that is why I travel.