Fall in Love with Indochina: Hanoi in B/W, Vietnam 2015

B/W photo collection of my three-day stay in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Hanoi is lovely.

In our brief time in Hanoi, we have had the privilege of sharing conversations with the locals about life, happiness and many other things. Vietnamese hospitality is always welcoming, always smiling and brimming with warmth from the inside. Every little detail drips with sincerity and effort. Vietnamese hospitality is unmistakeable.

Life is simple in Vietnam and every day is a visual treat with interesting sights to behold. A pillion rider on a motorbike holding a 1-metre wide (exposed) mirror as he and the rider steer past the Hanoi Opera House. Another one transports a dinner table chair atop her head (the chair is overturned and rested comfortably on the lady's head).

Traffic is like a cauldron of soup: Cars, motorbikes and pedestrians share the roads. Just as how you would cook a soup: large pig bones (cars), carrots and potatoes (motorbikes) and stringy shredded cabbage (pedestrians). Everything is stirred together, but each still holds its unique taste.

In the Old Quarter, there are traffic lights but no one observes them. So we adapt. Jaywalking and daringly traipsing across busy roads is a way of life, and every successful road crossing definitely makes you feel a little more badass than before. As most TripAdvisor comments would write, everyday road-crossing should be practiced with a focus on the words, "Try not to get killed".

This is a country that has endured decades of fighting and war. There is a heaviness and a darkness in the history of Vietnam. This trip reawakened my 1.5 years of Vietnam War study and as a result, there was an undeniable connection to the people, their stories, the architecture and the historical landmarks.

Until next time, tạm biệt Hà Nội.