Halong Bay, Vietnam

'Halong' means 'descending dragon' in Vietnamese and once you set your eyes on Halong Bay, you'll understand how the place got its name. Not only do the limestone islands resemble the back of a dragon (or what people imagine a dragon would look like), legend has it that the gods sent down a family of dragons to protect Vietnam from invaders. As the dragons descended from the heavens, they spat out jewels and chunks of jade, which turned into the islands we now see.

There are a total of 3,000 limestone islands in Halong Bay. The size of the islands vary - some are mere rocks jutting out of the sea while some are large with thick vegetation, bird colonies and caves.The larger ones like Cat Ba island are inhabited, with a population of about 13,000.  

We set out from Hanoi early in the morning. Our van took us to a port called Haiphong, which was the start of our Halong cruise. The weather was perfect.

The communities around Halong Bay are mostly fishermen. This lady and her baby turned up from nowhere and entered my viewfinder just as I was about to click. 

 The view from Cat Ba island.

 The water in Halong Bay has a greenish tinge from the limestone. That shade looks absolutely lovely matched with the light green of this boathouse.

 A fishing village in one of the lagoons

 Another fisherman's boat. 

Sunsets over Halong Bay are magnificent. This was taken from the top of our boat

If you like water, kayaking and lovely fresh seafood, then Halong Bay is the place for you. A lot of Hanoi-based companies offer cruises but the best are the overnight ones. You board a boat, sleep on board for one or two nights and go to sleep lulled by the gentle rocking of the water. Don't worry about meals because they'll be taken care of. Did I mention delicious fresh seafood?

If all this sounds good to you, click here, here and here for more information. Shop around for tours when you get to Hanoi, though- prices seem to be cheaper when you book in person as opposed to online. 

Photo essay: Hanoi

If you've ever tried crossing the road in Hanoi, you'll probably say that the words 'peace' and 'quiet' don't apply to the Vietnamese capital.

But Hanoi isn't all that bad- the city has some lovely spots where you can take a breather and enjoy a quiet moment.

The Vietnamese are early risers- you'll wake up to the sound of cars honking by 6am, maybe even earlier. Not a problem - get yourself out of bed, head for the nearest bakery and enjoy a nice warm baguette by Hoan Kiem Lake. It's a great place to just sit and enjoy the scenery.

Hanoi has some lovely pagodas. This is the One Pillar Pagoda, so named because it stands on one pillar. The original was built in 1049 (what's there now is a replica) under the orders of Emperor Ly Thai Tong after his wife gave birth to a son. 

In May 1958, Ho Chi Minh, then President of North Vietnam, moved into this modest stilt house which he stayed in until his death in 1969. It's a nice place to visit if you're interested in seeing where Ho Chi Minh planned his strategies for the Vietnam War and how he apparently lived- his study and bedroom are both sparely furnished.

Attractive shopfronts in Hanoi 

Finally, if you're in need of of a break, do stop by Lam Cafe for some great Vietnamese coffee. Only after leaving it did I find out that it used to be the hangout for Hanoi's painters and artists, which explains the collection of paintings on the walls. This cafe is located in the Old Quarter, on Nguyen Huu Huan near Hoan Kiem Lake. 

How to cross the road in Hanoi

Be brave, be resolute- for that's exactly what's needed for you to get to the other side. If you think that traffic will stop for you to cross like it does everywhere else, you're mistaken. Traffic never stops in Hanoi, it simply avoids you.

I'm not exaggerating- anyone who's ever been to Hanoi is likely to tell you what a crazy experience it is trying to cross the street. Lorries, buses, rickshaws, cars and bicycles will come at you from every direction, and all at once. You've got a truck on your right, a swaying school bus full of children on your left and three motorbikes on the road facing you. 

Road rules? The last time I checked, there didn't seem to be any. Here are my pointers on how to get to the other side:

1- Before you step forward, stand by the roadside and make it clear that you're about to cross. Do this by looking directly at passing motorists, whether they be in a car, bus or rickshaw. This is important because the irony is that motorists in Hanoi will actually look out for pedestrians who are crossing and will swerve to avoid you. They'll swerve, but they won't stop.

2- Look right, left and right again, still making sure you look directly at motorists coming at you. Wait for a lull and get ready to move.

3- Take one step forward, still looking left and right.

4- Walk straight ahead. Do not pause or stop in the middle of the road- the Vietnamese never do this, because if you do, the car or truck nearest to you will brake suddenly and cause those behind to crash into it. I hesitated once while crossing the street and incurred the wrath of a whole group of motorcyclists and it wasn't pretty. Just walk and trust that they will avoid you, which they did every time.

5- Say "Thank You" and look to the heavens when you reach the other side.

6- Repeat as necessary.

This week's photo- Sunset over Halong Bay

This was taken on a cool evening in September. Strangely enough, there weren't very many mosquitoes that night so we slept on the top deck of the boat, under the stars. Nothing quite like sleeping outdoors!

People at work

One of the best things about travelling is that we get to see how the rest of the world lives. People fascinate me; even when I'm at home, I love sitting in cafes just to check people out. 

People-watching becomes even more interesting when you're travelling but after some time you realise one thing: that although you expect someone from the other side of the world to be different, the reality is that we're pretty much the same.

Trishaw driver in Hanoi, Vietnam. First thing I wondered was how old he was.

Fruit vendor in Hanoi. The dragon fruits look gorgeous

We met this guy, who calls himself RaRa Superstar, on Venice Beach, LA. He told us he divides his time between Italy and the US depending on the time of the year. What a life! 

Ooh, don't they look pissed off! This was in Bali.
These three, especially the women, are the grumpiest Balinese I've ever seen.

Hotdog seller in New Orleans

A woman selling bananas at the Tonle Sap near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Yum. Just in time for the New York City Marathon!