Sunday, January 24, 2010

Lost in Hanoi 2







These pictures of Hanoi were taken at the Old Quarter and Temple of Literature. The latter is a little too touristy for my liking. Visit only if you’re into traditional architecture.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Lost in Hanoi













I travelled to Hanoi recently for some R&R, but ended up more stressed! The city is crowded, chaotic and CRAZY! I hate to say this, but to me Hanoi is a very uninspiring city. Traffic is a killer (Hanoians don’t seem to know what traffic lights are for or they just don’t give a damn?), everything looks very old and dated (many buildings desperately need a new coat of paint) and Hoan Kiem Lake, what can I say? It’s OVERRATED! You definitely can’t find peace and quiet here. But if you’re into outdoor aerobics (with Vietnamese techno music) and cheesy wedding shoots, then you’ll have a field day here. I must admit it’s quite an eye opener.

Anyway, Hanoi can be quite photogenic if you know where to look. Caveat #1 – exploring the city on foot is not an option. You have to brave speeding motorcycles, flying spits and potholes. Caveat #2 – Hanoi is not as pretty as my pictures look. It took a lot of patience and luck to get these shots.