VIETNAM - Hoan Kiem Lake

Much of the Hanoi city center rests along Hoan Kiem Lake in the Old District, a place where locals and foreigners alike gather to enjoy the scenery. For me, Hanoi was my favorite city because it was unlike any other that I have visited. Vietnam is a country that exists on the cusp of modernity and antiquity; a place where major hotels and new apartment complexes are becoming increasingly commonplace, yet at the same time one can still see women in conical hats (called non quai thou) carrying quang ganh (bamboo poles with baskets at either end) filled with fresh fruits/vegetables; even people transporting baskets and bananas across town on their bicycles are also staples in Vietnamese scenery. As charming as these sights are however, living on such a threshold sometimes implies a lack of precaution. For instance, here is a picture of a young boy clinging to an electric pole as he adjusts the wiring; mind you, he is still wearing bedroom slippers and is not dressed in any protective gear.