Last of the Vietnam Photos

So I went out tonight in Guanghzou search of some good photos. There were a couple of problems- first, I didn't go out until after dark. When it's dark out, you really need flash. When you use flash, people notice. Sometimes they get annoyed, sometimes they pose, sometimes they just turn around. You can't exactly take photos on the sly if it's dark out & your flash is going off. You lose the natural look when people know what's going on. So- I was not at all successful in getting any photos tonight- maybe one or two, but I will try again tomorrow in the daytime.

These are the last of the Vietnam photos. They were taken mostly "on the sly"- with my camera just held at my waist, snapping photos, keeping my fingers crossed there was actually someone there when I looked at it. I was truly surprised how many really hit their mark!
Vietnam follows China and Hong Kong in the idea of people living their lives out in the open. Houses are often small and crowded, so even though there are a lot of people outside on the street and in the markets, people still spend a good deal of their waking hours out of doors, in the open- usually on the street or in a Market. I saw many many meals being cooked right on the street, and not always meals for sale either.Lots of fresh coconut milk for sale in Vietnam. If you're lucky, you'll get a good spoon to go with your coconut so you can scrape out the tender young coconut meat as well.
Cooking stoves are in the eye of the beholder. This was a metal bucket turned cookstove. I'm not sure if he was selling what he was cooking or if it was for himself and his family or wife.
This was one of those just incredibly lucky shots. I love the look on this womans face. Worn but soft- not someone you want to cross, but probably laughs like a child when her grandchildren are around...

In China you see bikes everywhere, but the bikes in China in no way can compare to the motor scooters in Vietnam. There were seas of them, literally. Some people say that China is dangerous to your life- although normally they are referring to crossing the street. China looks like a pre-school environment next to Vietnam. In Vietnam you never know if the scooter is going to go on the street or behind you on the sidewalk! On the other hand- the drivers are VERY conscious of people there, so crossing the street is really not so hard. Same as in China- walk slow, no sudden movements, no running, no stopping- they gauge their speed around your speed- if you dart quickly ahead, they won't be expecting it & may hit you- having thought they'd just scoot in front of you. Same thing if you stop unexpectedly. So yes it's true, a scooter may speed up behind you on the sidewalk, but they are unlikely to hit you, since they are watching and know you are there.
I was surprised by how much ice I saw transferring hands in vietnam. The ice man is alive and well, and he uses a coarse toothed saw.

There was a Navy boat in from either India or Pakistan, I think India, while I was in Vietnam. They were everywhere, there must have been several hundred men at least.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to get more photos...now I know I should not wait so late in the evening to go out. I was a little sleepy today after a minimum of 2 hours walking every night after work, so I thought I was taking a bit of a break, but by the time I finally did go out to get some dinner, I still ended up walking about 1 1/2 hours...! It's hard not to walk in China- it's the only way to take it all in.