JUN09. Nha Trang, Vietnam. (Sony Camera and Lens)
NHA TRANG, VIETNAM: “SWEET DREAMS”
Category: VIETNAM
HALONG BAY, VIETNAM: “SUNSET. THAT’S ALL.”
The Most Beautiful Sunset
JUN09. Halong Bay, Vietnam.
TAM COC & HOA LU, VIETNAM: “HALONG BAY ON THE RICE PADDIES”
TAM COC. Poetically penned ‘Halong Bay on the rice paddies.’
Tam Coc is named after the low caves through which the Ngo Dong River flows.
JUN09. Tam Coc, Hoa Lu, Vietnam.
NINH BINH, VIETNAM: “CATHOLIC”
Phat Diem. Important center for Catholicism during the French era. There was also a seminary here. The Bishop ruled his own private army here until 1951. The cathedral featured prominently in Graham Greene’s novel THE QUIET AMERICAN.
The 1954 division of VN caused Catholics to flee South, but it is now functional again and there are about 120,000 Catholics around here.
Vietnamese Catholics (worshipping their motorbikes, I mean)…in mass.
Covered bridge dating back to the 19th century.
As I was driving my rented motorbike back, I saw this complex behind the storefronts. A girl’s volleyball game. They were terrible. No recruiting possible. But, the rally went on forever. bump.bump.bump.set.bump.bump.bump….and when a girl finally bumped like the 324th contact into the net, everyone, including the coaches just laughed and clapped…oh, they have a lot to learn…(former player and coach, so I can judge)
Doubles. Just as bad. But great platform. Toes should be pointed inwards, though. I had to get outta there before I made everyone run laps.
JUN09. Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
DONG HOI, VIETNAM: ‘WENT TO THE NORTH”
The board says: “Get the F*** off drugs, live a healthy and lovely life! [including the weight lifting]…and stay away from prostitutes! (Ma Tuy)” — Vietnamese are VERY straightforward on their signage…love it!
Dong Hoi was the center of the country til 1954 and the North/South partition. After that it became a kind of frontier town. Dong Hoi went to the north and Dong Ha went to the south. Dong Hoi is working hard to rebuild and beautify.
The fishing boat picture is displayed on the wall of Com Coka, a Vietnamese Restaurant in Kobe, Japan.
JUN09. Dong Hoi, Vietnam.
SAPA, VIETNAM: “A GREEN DREAM”
View from my balcony. ‘Luong Thuy Family Guesthouse.’ VND90,000
Center Square
Church in center
Sapa town
My street food. Thit Bo. Roasted Sweet Potato.
H’Mong women
Sapa valley
Water Buffalo. Literally.
River rapids in the valley
Trekking through Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages
Village children
Rice fields
Village house
Two boys herding a buffalo up the mountain.
RapidsJune 2009. Sapa, Vietnam.
SAIGON, VIETNAM: “VIETNAMESE FOOTBALL FRENZY”
In December 2008, I was staying on Dong Khoi, the premier street in the center of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Looking out my window, I could gaze upon the historic Hotel Continental, a favorite haunt of author Graham Greene, and the Opera House. One night, I got to witness the streets of Saigon go crazy in celebration for beating Thailand in the Suzuki Football Cup: the first time-ever for the Vietnamese to be champions in Southeast Asia. Below are some photos depicting their insane pride.
DEC 2008, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
DONG HOI, VIETNAM: WHEN ONE FLAG’S NOT ENOUGH…
Patriotic fishing boat. Dong Hoi, Vietnam. JUNE09. (Sony Camera & Lens)
SAIGON, VIETNAM: NEIGHBOR
This woman was a neighbor of ours in District 3. Often she would sit with another elderly woman and place a conical hat in front of her face and gossip about the other neighbors. This day, she was on her own. Saigon, Vietnam. 09. (Sony Camera & Lens)
HOI AN, VIETNAM: WHERE’S MY HAT?
Where’s my hat? Hoi An, Vietnam. FEB09. (Sony Camera & Lens)