Colours of South East Asia

24 August 12

Posted at 9:26

Over the last three weeks we took a trip from Bangkok to Hanoi. Crossing Cambodia and following the Vietnam coast from Saigon to Hanoi. We travelled by public bus and overnight trains. I will no doubt post a number of photoblogs from the trip, in fact this is the second. Today I won't have a specific theme but will just pick out some colourful images we saw along the way. It's interesting that I choose colour as a topic because when I was in Nha Trang (Vietnam) I met photographer Long Thanh and visited his gallery. Long works only in monochrome. His work is incredible, check out his website here  .

But for me today it's colour. To kick off a shot taken from a boat on the waterways of Bangkok

Contortionist

Subtle colours in flat overcast light. The shutters and shells first caught my eye and then the impression that the mans left arm was on backwards!

Mobile

Throughout Cambodia and Vietnam motorcycles and scooters outnumber cars. It appears there is nothing that they cannot transport on a motorbike. This s typical the whole family out shopping on a bike. Dad and Mum are both on the phone a toddler wedged between them - no wonder the young lad looks a little concerned!

Honest Mum

This is a typical scene, shot from the bus. I'll admit I didn't notice the discarded cigarette at first. I like to think the little lad has been caught smoking and is trying to convince his Mum that the chicken brought it in!

Nha Trang

A view of Nha Trang looking back from the Cham Tower.

Dancer Cham Towers

This is a dancer at Cham Towers. Only four of the original ten towers remain (the others being destroyed in the 'American War" as the locals refer to it). The Po Nagar Cham Towers are Nha Trang's most iconic attraction although I much preferred meeting locals in the back streets of the fishing village and spending some time with Long Thanh.

Anchor Up

Late in the afternnon sun a fisherman lifts anchor ready to set off for a nights fishing. Nha Trang

Below a different type of fishing off the beach also at Nha Trang

Beach Fishing Nha Trang

Now a move south to the Mekong Delta

Mekong

It was great exploring the waterways of the Mekong and meeting the local people who live on and near the river.

Peekaboo

It appears that this boat lady is either playing peekaboo or hiding her face from the camera. 

Last image for today going south again (the opposite direction to which I actually travelled!) Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it was formally known and still referred to most of the time. The shard like building to the left is the Bitexo Financial Tower. It is the 124th tallest building in the world and for a brief period of about a year was the tallest in Vietnam until in 2011 it was pipped by the Keangnam Landmark Tower in Hanoi. The Bitexo is supposedly shaped like a lotus flower, mmm I can't see it from this angle!

Saigon - Bitexo Financial Tower

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