Vietnam

I paid a visit to Vietnam in December and I was really inspired by their culture, their beliefs, their vibrant costumes made in silk fabrics, sculptures, laquer work, their architecture of historical places like the emperor’s grave, the palaces, temples, the beautiful sceneries etc. and not forgetting the war torn areas oh, and also the amazingly beautiful Halong bay. Sigh! After hanging out in city areas like Ho chi Minh and Hanoi I saw many young girls amidst their dynamic lifestyles getting on their cute scooters off to work, all dressed up for their evening plans I supposed. It was like a trend in Vietnam to own your own scooter I felt, apart from the fact that only the rich could afford a car of their own, and also a bigger percentage of their population being young people it felt like the whole ‘owning a scooter’ had actually turned in to a trend.

Me! The poser! I dug the weaved background really.

Vietnamese girls on their graduation day! 

This was when we came out of a temple and we saw these Vietnamese girls all dressed up in their traditional clothes ready for their graduation ceremony. They had such vivid expressions on their faces and they all looked amazingly beautiful. I loved what they were wearing. I even tried looking for something similar in the shops but unfortunately they didn't come in my sizes and also I was unable to find prints like what they are wearing. We had limited time to go shopping anyway. Oh and they all traveled in their scooters dressed like this, for their graduation. Cool ha?

Scooters and scooters!

The water puppet show

 Well to be honest the water puppet show was a bit boring to me, but it was my first water puppet show so maybe I did enjoy the beginning part of it until it got a bit too monotonous. 

Costume time! :D

King and Queen of Vietnam :P
 

This lady in a restaurant dressed us in different Vietnamese costumes. It was really fun and I was going crazy trying out all of it even when some of it was supposed to be worn by the men. 

Couldn't even believe I could actually get in to one of these.

Doorway to the hidden tunnels made by the Vietnamese people during the war. Awesome stuff!

Another deceptive trap for the Americans

This is how they make rice paper in Vietnam.

The weirdly cute little pooch with bizarre teeth

The beautiful Halong Bay

Tour guide Tuan teaching us our first word in Vietnamese- Xin Chao!

My messenger bag from Vietnam. How much I love it! :)

Inside the cave of Halong bay

At my favourite pose

Pearls!

Busy scooting

Me admiring the environment :)

 Couldn't resist but take a pic with them! :P

Outside view of the emperor's grave which was built using french influenced architecture

Close up of a ceramic carving

The ceramic carvings inside the building

This was a painting on the ceiling of the grave. Loved the pastal shades and the dragons.


Next we visited a place where they produce and sell artistic handicrafts and lacquer ware. Below is an image of a woman working on one of her products with crushed egg shells.

 The busy lacquer men polishing

 Final outcome. Impressive ha? :D

Stuffed crab dish! Yummy!

Me at a different pose! :P

The massive laughing Buddha statue

The gawdy dragon boats somewhat beautiful in it's own way! :D