Not that diary

It was December 2025. Most of Southeast Asia remained warm enough to continue with t-shirts. I still found the faux fir trees, tinsel and blow-up Santa Claus figures at odds with my usual Christmas experiences in colder climes. I had a sudden desire to be somewhere a bit cooler but not freezing. Delhi was smog-ridden. So I decided the next best thing was to go to Hanoi, another city that is also infamous for..... errr.......its winter smog. I was convinced that it could not be as bad as Delhi (it wasn't but it has its own mix of toxic fumes). Nonetheless, it was fascinating and fun. So much to describe. This post is about the streets, the scooters and the odd tri-shaw. The scene below is from Christmas Eve when several roads become pedestrian-only.  This small junction in the Old Quarter came to a stand still as bike-drivers tried to made their way to the nearest parking zone. Later in that week, this flower stall below caught my eye. This photo below is the beer delivery for Cafe ...

  Vietnam's Ancient Capital- Huế It was late October 2024. I was coming towards the end of my trip to Da Nang and my online meetings for the week were done. I decided to join a mini-bus tour heading to the ancient capital Huế  which is about 2.5 to 3 hours from Da Nang. My co-travellers were Japanese and non-local Vietnamese folk. The outward journey was relaxed, accompanied by some pleasant scenery. Mid-way our mini-bus stopped by the beautiful Lap An Lagoon.  We barely had time to admire the view before the tour guide whisked us into a large shop selling pearls. Everyone politely resisted this marketing ploy and we continued on our way. Finally we arrived at the outskirts of the city and spent some time at this impressive seven-storey Thien Mu pagoda. Soon it was time for lunch, which was included in the package. The restaurant had been informed of my dietary preference (vegetarian). Being the only one, I was assigned a separate table with a  massive  spr...

When visiting a country for the first time, it is usual to set foot in a large city first. Very occasionally one lands in a small town (Cork was my first visit in Ireland). Sometimes it can be an island (Kefalonia has been my one and only experience of Greece). Surprisingly my first two visits to Vietnam were also to small towns and an island. Vietnam had been on my absoluetly-must-visit list for over a decade. Finally, making a somewhat impetuous decision, I landed in Da Nang in October 2024.  This is the month when much of Europe and North America are in the thick of autumn. However, like many tropical regions, Central Vietnam has only two seasons - rainy and not rainy. When I arrived, the dry season was ending and the formidable wet season was expected to kick in any minute. A friend with local knowledge was supremely pessimistic about impending storms and submerged streets.  Fortune favours the brave. That can be the only explanation that allowed me to experience the twin...