Việt Nam Visit: Miscellaneous Photos

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photography, postaday, Tự Lực Văn Đoàn, viet nam

Here are some miscellaneous photos I took during our visit to Việt Nam.

Aerial Tram to Fan Si Pan. Click on image to view in larger size and see the tram cables and cars in the middle of the picture.

Monochrome version of above photo.

Fansipan Legend is an aerial tram completed at the beginning of 2016. It allows people to go from the town of Sa Pa to the top of mount Fan Si Pan, without having to make an arduous and dangerous climb sometimes lasting several days.

Parakeet on a street of Hà Nội.

Turtle Tower at night.

Water Puppet Theater in Hà Nội.

The Water Puppet Theater is a tourist trap that some say is not worth going to. It is, however, housed in a building where the Tự Lực Văn Đoàn group used to meet. In the 1930’s Tự Lực Văn Đoàn (Self-Help Literary Group) started modern Vietnamese journalism and authored widely popular novels aimed at the mass market of Vietnamese thirsty for modern ideals and ideas.

Both the French colonial government and, after 1945, the Vietnamese communists tried to suppress and eliminate Tự Lực Văn Đoàn. The communists even imprisoned and killed one of the three leaders of the group. That is why you will never see any mention that the building pictured above was ever associated with Tự Lực Văn Đoàn.

Việt Nam Visit: Flowers

As we traveled in Việt Nam, I tried to take pictures of flowers whenever landscape and people were not dominating the scene. The following photos are arranged from South to North, starting from the top.

Yellow Orchids in Sài Gòn’s Botanical Gardens.

White Orchids in Sài Gòn’s Botanical Gardens.

Water lilly in Sài Gòn’s Tao Đàn park.

Orchids in Sài Gòn’s Botanical Gardens.

 

Unidentified flower in An Lộc.

Rain Lily (Fairy Lily) in Hội An. It was very common, growing along roadways in many places.

Orchids after rain in Hội An.

Orchids after rain in Hội An.

Unidentified flower in Hội An.

Flowers, some painted, in Hội An.

Flower beds at Hoàn Kiếm lake in Hà Nội.

Roses and Chrysanthemums in Sa Pa. The rose buds were wrapped in paper.

Fuchsias in Sa Pa.

Fuschsias in Sa Pa.

Việt Nam Visit: Sa Pa – People

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h'mong, kinh, photography, postaday, Sa Pa

Vietnamese lowlanders (called người Kinh by ethnic minorities) number about 15 percent of the Sa Pa region population. However, they control much of the local economy by building hotels, the infrastructure, and the services needed to support the influx of tourists, both national and international. People from inside Việt Nam now go to Sa Pa on vacations, and they are the majority of the tourists seen there.

Lowlander Vietnamese in Sa Pa.

Lowlanders (người Kinh) in Sa Pa.

In talking to some H’Mong and Red Dao people, I sensed resentment that the lowlanders have taken a disproportionate share of the economy, monopolizing hotels and travel services.

H’Mong woman and daughter selling vegetables at outdoor Sa Pa market.

Lowlanders serving barbecue chicken at a stand in Hàm Rồng park.

Group of H’Mong women in front of a hotel in Sa Pa.

H’Mong girl walking downhill.

H’Mong woman and child.

Highlander and Lowlander.

Young and old.

Việt Nam Visit: Sa Pa – Ethnic Minorities

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h'mong, photography, postaday, Sa Pa

There are several ehtnic minorities living in the Sa Pa region. The most numerous are the H’Mong and they can be seen everywhere in Sa Pa. There are also Red Dao, Tay, Zay, Xa Fo, and perhaps others as well. I only met and spoke to H’Mong and Red Dao individuals.

These ethnic minorities inhabit the Northwest corner of Việt Nam, and parts of Laos, Thailand, and China. The H’Mong are said to come all the way from Northern China and migrated South as they revolted and were chased by imperial forces during the Ming dynasty. In recent history, H’Mong in Laos allied themselves with America in the fight against communism. At the end of the war some fled to Thailand and most were eventually resettled in the United States.

H’Mong craftsman carving marble.

H’Mong children at play.

Tourism in Sa Pa has brought many changes to the ethnic minorities’ way of life. Planting rice is still the main occupation for many, but the influx of tourism money and demands may have opened new horizons for some. Our guide was a H’Mong who spoke some English. As I walked around town I saw that the new way of life has begun to influence and shape the old way.

H’Mong children sharing a candy bar.

H’Mong woman braiding a hemp rope. They grow marijuana plants but only to get hemp, not to smoke.

H’Mong elderly woman doing embroidery.

H’Mong grandmother selling vegetables. Her granddaughter was eating a hot dog.

Three H’Mong women walking in front of some tourists.

H’Mong girl waiting by her family’s motorbike.

H’Mong woman checking her smartphone.

H’Mong family on motorbike. H’Mong marry very young, at 16, for both men and women.

H’Mong woman selling clothes and hats at Hàm Rồng park.

Two H’Mong women, one in high heels.

Water wheels in H’Mong village.

Việt Nam Visit: Sa Pa – Scenery

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Fan Si Pan, Hàm Rồng, photography, postaday, Sa Pa

The final destination of our Việt Nam visit is a resort town named Sa Pa in the Northwest corner, at the foot of the highest mountain in the country, Fan Si Pan (3,143 m or 10,312 ft). Nestled in the mountains at 1,500 m (4,500 ft), Sa Pa benefits from cooler temperatures than in most of the country. Toward the end of the 19th century, the French discovered it and soon began building villas for French colonials to use to escape from the heat and humidity of the Red River delta. Today, both lowlander Vietnamese and foreign tourists from around the world come to Sa Pa for its beautiful scenery and to see the way of life of the ethnic minorities that inhabit the area.

I took the photo below from the window of our hotel room which faced Fan Si Pan. Clouds descended from Fan Si Pan to regularly shroud Sa Pa and the hamlets around it with a thick and fast moving fog. The scenery could actually change within seconds, and on many occasions, by the time I got set up to take a shot, fog had covered and hidden what I was aiming for.

View from hotel window. Most of the time Fan Si Pan, the highest mountain in Việt Nam was covered by clouds and fog.

Rainbow at the feet of Fan Si Pan.

Part of Sa Pa in the clouds.

A favorite for many are the rice terraces built over many centuries on mountain slopes by the ethnic minorities living in the area. The rice had been harvested when we were there, so most of the fields were brown and fallow, except where vegetables were grown.

Rice terraces on mountain slopes near Sa Pa.

Another view of rice terraces.

Closer view of rice terraces.

The day before we left, the sun finally came out and illuminated the whole valley. Fortunately, we had climbed up to the top of Hàm Rồng mountain (1,800 m or 5,200 ft) which offered a clear view of the town of Sa Pa below it.

View of Sa Pa from Hàm Rồng mountain.

View of Sa Pa from Hàm Rồng mountain.

View of Sapa and its lake from Hàm Rồng mountain.

Việt Nam Visit: Hạ Long Bay

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dau go cave, ha long bay, photograpy, postaday

Hạ Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site off the Northeast coast of Việt Nam. Consisting of thousands of oddly shaped islets of limestone karst, with some containing sizable caves, over an area of 600 mi² (1553 km²), Hạ Long, which means Descending Dragon, has been called one of the wonders of the world.

We only took a one-day tour to Hạ Long Bay: a 4-hour bus ride from Hà Nội to Tuần Châu island where we boarded a boat for a 4-hour cruise, then back to the capital. Given the circumstances, it was good enough, but Hạ Long Bay definitely requires a much longer visit. It has become more developed in recent years, and now boasts plush, a la Club Med facilities on remote islands while more bridges and docks are being built to accommodate the increasing road and maritime traffic. There is even a seaplane for those interested in getting a bird’s eye view of the bay.

The bus trip had a half-way rest stop in the province of Hải Dương at a giant store filled with gift merchandise. There was also a shop where workers, some disabled, were busy creating pieces of embroidery art.

Embroidery worker.

Below are two of their creations.

Embroidery art for sale.

Embroidery art for sale.

The weather was not cooperating that day, with thick clouds and an occasional drizzle. Yet the following shots will still give you an idea of what can be seen in Hạ Long Bay.

Karst rock formation near shore.

Fighting Roosters is the name of this formation.

Kayaks and boats were available rentals for exploring close to the islets.

Boaters and kayakers off to explore islets and caves.

Entire families live on boats like these.

Boat owner waiting for tourists.

A challenge to rock climbers?

Inside a cave named Đầu Gỗ discovered by the French in late 19th century. They called it Grotte des Merveilles (Cave of Marvels).

Inside Đầu Gỗ cave.

Cruise boats at Đầu Gỗ island.

Việt Nam Visit: Hà Nội – Around the Lake

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ao dai, ha noi, ngoc son, photography, postaday

A couple days ago, a reader wondered about the absence of turtles at Hoàn Kiếm lake. Here’s a shot of baby turtles at the bigger West Lake only a few kilometers away. The turtles were being sold so that they could be released and set free, a common practice called “life release” in Buddhism.

Baby turtles to be bought and released in West Lake. There were also a few larger turtles for sale.

Meanwhile, Hoàn Kiếm lake had many spots where people from all over the world came to take or have their pictures taken. In the following shot, the two young ladies were wearing the traditional long tunic (áo dài). The tunic is not often seen these days, except at weddings and other formal occasions. They are pretty, flattering, but not too convenient for riding motorbikes.

Posing for pictures at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

As we were sitting on a bench admiring the lake, a bridal party made its way to a photo shoot.

Bridesmaids at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

I think the bride was wearing a white áo dài, but I wasn’t fast enough to get a good shot of her.

Bridal party at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

After a few minutes, the following couple also showed up. The young soldier was apparently overdressed for the heat.

Young couple at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

A curious balloon vendor watched them for a short while.

Balloon vendor.

On a side street, a flower vendor nodded as she took a brief afternoon nap, but other vendors did not.

Flower vendor napping on street.

Fruit and vegetables vendor in Old Quarter. Perhaps she was thinking whether she would make enough money that day as she had hoped.

Fruit vendor at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

The sky, which had been cloudy for several days, cleared up a little allowing me to take a good shot of the red bridge leading to Jade Mountain (Ngọc Sơn) Temple.

Bridge to Ngọc Sơn temple on Hoàn Kiếm lake.

Mountain Jade (Ngọc Sơn) temple, to the right of the picture, at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

Finally I tried to take the following night shot of traffic around Hoàn Kiếm lake. I don’t know what happened, but it turned out much different from what I expected. Maybe it is an apt illustration of the chaotic traffic in Hà Nội, and in the larger cities of Việt Nam.

Traffic at night around Hoàn Kiếm lake.

Việt Nam Visit: Hà Nội

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ha noi, ho tay, hoan kiem, photography, postaday

In 1954, my family was among the one million North Vietnamese who left to go to South Việt Nam rather than live under communism. Sixty two years later, I flew back to Hà Nội, the capital of a unified country under a communist regime, with the ubiquitous red flag with one yellow star flying on government buildings, public monuments and even some temples of worship.

This year, the number of tourists visiting Việt Nam may reach 10 million, and the economic impact can be seen readily in Hà Nội. We stayed in the Old Quarter area, in a hotel only a block away from Hoàn Kiếm (Returned Sword) lake. According to legend, a turtle from the lake brought a sword to King Lê Lợi. He used it to liberate the country from Chinese rule, and when he was done with that task, returned the sword to the turtles in the lake.

Hoàn Kiếm lake was visible from the top floor of our hotel.

Hoàn Kiếm lake.

The Turtle Tower was on a small island at one end of the lake. Once in a while, turtles can still be seen climbing up on the island to sun themselves. I saw them at least once in the 50’s when I was small, but not this time.

Turtle Tower.

At night, the tower was brightly lit, the center of attraction for the lake area.

Turtle Tower at night.

As can be seen in the above pictures, there has been a lot of building around the lake. Even the Old Quarter with its narrow and winding streets has had a lot of new construction in the form of several storied and narrow hotels rising up where row houses used to be.

Street in Old Quarter. Every house has become either a hotel, a coffee shop, or a restaurant.

Tourists, especially backpackers, love the Old Quarter which has added some Western flavor to the old French colonial buildings.

Part of Old Quarter as seen from Hoàn Kiếm lake.

Traffic in Hà Nội, a city of almost 8 million people now, rivals that of Sài Gòn in congestion and common disregard for traffic laws, despite government billboards urging all to obey them.

Traffic scene in Old Quarter. Note the Western tourist enjoying a cyclo ride.

Street scene in Hà Nội. Old colonial buildings on the left, new high-rises in the background.

In the city northern area, another famous and much larger lake is Hồ Tây, where one can see some of the high-rise and villas built in more recent years. Real estate prices there are sky high.

Part of Hồ Tây (West Lake) which used to be on the city outskirts.

One important feature of Hồ Tây was Trấn Quốc pagoda built in the 6th century, and still quite well preserved

Trấn Quốc pagoda on West Lake.

Back at Hoàn Kiếm lake, I was able to capture some shots of daily life.

Early one morning, some ladies were practicing some form of Tai Chi with swords on the bank of Hoàn Kiếm lake.

A young girl preferred something more modern for exercise.

Ready to ride to work.

At 7 AM, this lady was going around selling fresh vegetables in the Old Quarter.

Weeding flower beds at Hoàn Kiếm lake.

Việt Nam Visit: Hội An 2

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hoi an, photography, postaday, rau muong, thu bon

While strolling through Hội An, I tried to capture images of daily life in a town which is almost picture perfect for a photographer.

Woman harvesting water spinach (rau muống), a very popular vegetable which grows near water.

Hội An, where non-tourists live.

The town is renowned for its tailor shops where a suit can be made to measure, or duplicated from an old one, in one day. On the plane I even read an article saying that high fashion has found a niche in Hội An.

Hội An tailor shop. This one will make Western dresses to order, from any kind of fabric, in a day or less.

Tour boats on the Thu Bồn river.

While I was taking pictures, a small girl waved to me. I saw her standing next to her grandmother and made her day with this picture.

Grandmother and girl in Hội An.

Three sampans on Thu Bồn river.

Modern ceramics on display near the Hội An art gallery.

Việt Nam Visit: Hội An

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hoi an, japanese covered bridge, photography, postaday

We flew to Đà Nẵng in Central Việt Nam, and from there went by road to Hội An, a small coastal city designated a World Heritage Site in 1999.

Hội An was a busy trading port until the end of the 18th century, with Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, and Indian traders establishing themselves in various parts of the city. Then two factors contributed to its decline: the Nguyễn dynasty which came to power in Việt Nam gave their French allies access to Đà Nẵng as a main trading port; and the Thu Bồn river passing through Hội An silted over, making it more difficult for ships to use the harbor.

Soon eclipsed by Đà Nẵng, Hội An languished until recently when international tourism discovered its charms. The old quarters along the river have been preserved much as they were originally. The pace of life is much more relaxed than in cities like Sài Gòn or Đà Nẵng, and it is possible to stroll leisurely along its streets without being bothered by cars or motorbikes. Walking is what we did over two days in Hội An from our homestay lodging to the old quarters, both during the day and at night.

Hội An old quarters at night.

A restaurant in Hội An old quarters.

Street of Hội An old quarters at night.

During the day, it was easier to see the old assembly halls or temples, some dating back to the 16th century.

Japanese covered bridge built in 1590.

Entrance (or exit) to Japanese covered bridge.

Triều Châu assembly hall.

Quan Công temple.

Hoi An Traditional Art Performance House.

Chinese Minh Hương ancestral worship house.

Hội An Art Gallery.

Việt Nam Visit: Sài Gòn at Night, Conical Hat Dance

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conical hat, photography, postaday, sai gon, tao dan park, viet nam

Perhaps nothing illustrates better how Sài Gòn has grown than the following pictures taken at night.

Sài Gòn at night, from Thôi Điền district (where many foreign expatriates live) looking back.

A good place to capture the city’s skylight is from the middle of Thủ Thiêm bridge, built in 2008. The city has grown by crossing the river toward the North, on the left side of the picture.

View of Sài Gòn at night from Thủ Thiêm bridge.

Traffic on the bridge was typical for the city. Thousands and thousands of cars and motorbikes going in both directions.

View from Thủ Thiêm bridge at night.

On our last day in Sài Gòn, we went to Tao Đàn park, a green oasis in the center of the city.

Flower beds in Tao Đàn park.

The park has added several attractions since the last time I saw it.

Replica of a Cham temple from central Việt Nam.

A temple to the Hùng Vương kings who ruled from 2879 BC to 258 BC.

The following photos are from a water lily pond in front of the Hùng Vương temple.

Water Lily.

Water Lily.

Water Lily.

I was surprised to see many young people in a corner of the park. Some were practicing a conical hat dance, with each dancer holding two hats. They got better with their practice as I kept shooting with my camera.

Conical hat dancers. The man with the hoody seemed to be their coach or choreographer.

Conical hat dancers.

Conical hat dancers.

Việt Nam Visit: Sài Gòn, by Any Other Name …

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ben thanh, our lady of peace, photography, postaday, regina pacis, sai gon, viet nam

When the North Vietnamese conquered Sài Gòn in 1975, they renamed it after their beloved leader, and changed many street names to those of luminaries in the communist pantheon. Still, after 41 years, people in the South as well as the North only refer to it as Sài Gòn, unless they have to make an official or public speech.

From the hazy airplane window, I saw that the city had grown vertically and had also spilled over to the north side of the Sài Gòn river, which was not renamed like the city was.

Sài Gòn from the air.

After we landed at the airport, I had trouble recognizing the old capital. It had grown both in size and in population, from 3 million in 1975 to well over 10 million inhabitants now. There were literally millions of motorbikes and cars competing for space on the narrow streets, and traffic was a nightmare day and night. It seemed impossible that people could ride or drive in such conditions, but they did, and traffic laws were constantly being violated by everyone including pedestrians who climbed over dividers to cross highways because there were no pedestrian overpasses.

Subways, light rail, overpasses exist only on paper in the planning stages. There was a tunnel running under the Sài Gòn river and several bridges were either built or expanded, but nothing seemed to help. Việt Nam has one of the highest highway fatality rates, and it is going to take well into the next decade, or even beyond, before things could get better.

Sài Gòn traffic scene. Note mother carrying young child crossing street.

Sài Gòn traffic scene in the rain.

We stayed at a hotel near the Bến Thành market in the center of the city, and from there we walked or sometimes called an Uber taxi to explore the city and find places that we used to know.

North side of Bến Thành market in the center of Sài Gòn.

There were restaurants and food stalls everywhere in and around the Bến Thành area, or in the rest of the city as well. You can find people eating and having coffee, soft drinks or beer at any time of the day and night.

Food cart selling sandwiches made to order.

Food cart selling food in the Huế (old 19th century royal capital) style.

Some buildings had not changed much.

Old city hall.

Opera house.

Nearby all the hotels and buildings had been rebuilt to be taller and more modern, so you won’t find the looks and atmosphere of Graham Greene’s The Quiet American any more.

Hotel on Tự Do street.

There were signs that not all had benefited from the economic boom.

Scene on Lê Lợi boulevard, the widest in the city.

On the other side of Lê Lợi boulevard, a poster on building wall praised the “pioneer [ruling] class of the Party”.

Some buildings hardly changed, at least from the outside.

Sài Gòn cathedral, built in 1880.

Regina Pacis, Our Lady of Peace, was added to the square in front of the cathedral in 1959.

In 2005, the statue was reported to be shedding tears on the right cheek. People flocked to the cathedral in great numbers. The tear shedding was not confirmed by any authority.

Việt Nam Visit: Night Scene and Floating Market

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cai rang floating market, photography, postaday, shrimp tail

That first night in Cần Thơ I went to the tenth floor of our hotel to photograph the night scene. The city had grown a lot since 1969, with many tall buildings in Ninh Kiều district, where we stayed, and in the neighboring areas. Pop music and singing could be heard from several spots. The district was popular with foreign tourists who dined, walked around, and some even danced here and there.

Cần Thơ downtown at night. The long string of lights in the upper half of the image is from the new Japanese bridge.

Cần Thơ at night.

At 6 AM the following morning, I took a small boat to go to the famous Cái Răng floating market about half an hour away. The hotel arranged for a boat, a driver, and a guide who came along with a new guide in training. The two guides and I sat on cushioned seats, while the driver stood and drove the boat with a small outboard motor called a “shrimp tail”.

Boats to take tourists to the Cái Răng floating market.

The photo below gives a general view of the floating market which only catered to wholesale customers. The larger boats were loaded with fruit or vegetables, with samples tied to long poles sticking out of each boat to advertise their goods. Smaller boats would approach the boats that had what they wanted to buy, did their haggling and then transferred what they negotiated into their boats.

Floating market seen from some distance.

These two poles advertised red and white sweet potatoes.

We weaved our way around all the boats several times to allow me to shoot as many pictures as I wanted.

Several smaller boats surrounding wholesaler boats loaded with sweet potatoes.

Wholesaler tossing pineapples to buyer on another boat.

Peeling outer leaves from cabbage before sale.

Buying and selling jicama.

There were smaller boats offering drinks or hot soup for breakfast.

Done with his shopping a boat driver walked toward his outboard shrimp tail.

Taking fruit and vegetables back to another market on land, or perhaps to a restaurant.

Her shopping done, a woman with a load of watermelons drove her boat home as she sat on the motor.

Việt Nam Visit: Cần Thơ, the Western Capital

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can tho, my thuan, photography, postaday, viet nam

For the last three weeks, we have been travelling in Việt Nam, from South to North. I took over 2,000 photos and will try to post some here to give you a flavor of what I saw and experienced.

Naturally the country has changed a lot since I left in 1975 at the end of the war. After wasting 15 years carrying out political retribution against the South, by the time the Berlin wall fell down, the communist regime in Hà Nội finally realized that free enterprise was the best antidote to economic stagnation and poverty caused by blind adherence to marxist-leninist-stalinist doctrine. Since then a virtual flood of foreign aid and investment, coupled with local initiative and hard work, has transformed the economy for the better. The South which has historically led the country in economic development and growth, found itself again at the forefront.

No city exemplifies it better than Cần Thơ, the fourth largest in the nation, located at the center of the Mekong delta. It used to be called Tây Đô, the Western capital, and has lived up to its ancient moniker. In my youth, one of my fist jobs was to travel from Sài Gòn to Cần Thơ, by car, a journey that took almost a day because one had to line up and wait for the only two ferries that allowed traffic to cross the Upper and Lower branches of the Mekong river.

The ferries are gone, replaced by two beautiful bridges. The first is Mỹ Thuận bridge spanning the Upper branch (Tiền Giang river). It was designed and built with Australian aid, and was completed in 2000.

Mỹ Thuận bridge crossing a branch of Mekong river between Vĩnh Long and Cần Thơ.

View from car crossing Mỹ Thuận bridge.

We also had to cross a longer and higher bridge, the Cần Thơ bridge over the Lower branch (Hậu Giang river). It was built with Japanese aid and was completed in 2010. During construction, in 2007 one of its ramps collapsed, killing 54 people and injuring 80 others.

Cần Thơ bridge.

The Mekong delta has always been an agricultural wonder, sending its rice and other agricultural products to feed the rest of the nation and the world. Its Southern cuisine appeals to many with its variety of dishes and flavor, no doubt due to the abundance of food and innate culinary talent. We stopped at a restaurant for lunch, one that was frequented more by the locals than by tourists. The kitchen was at the front of the restaurant for all to see and observe.

Open kitchen at a Cần Thơ restaurant.

Open kitchen at Cần Thơ restaurant.

Open kitchen at Cần Thơ restaurant.

A meal being assembled at restaurant’s open kitchen. The pot on the right was a typical South Vietnamese sour fish soup.

For dessert we had jackfruit, freshly extracted and peeled by this young lady.