To Iberia and beyond...: Postcards from... Hà Nội

It was late spring 2010 and I had just retrained as an EFL teacher. Now all I had to do was find a job. But, thanks to some very poor timing on my part, Europe was not forthcoming. In desperation I widened my search and thus I came across a job in Hà Nội. Truth be told I wasn't entirely sure where Vietnam was, but I figured I'd apply anyway. Long story short, three weeks later I was on a flight bound for Hà Nội.

Nineteen hours after I left London, I landed in the city that was to be my home for the next three months. Unbeknownst to me, Hà Nội was about to experience the longest heatwave in its history, with temperatures reaching a scorching 46°C (115°F). The intense humidity would make it feel like a sauna. Thunderstorms would be frequent, but the rain, though torrential, would be a welcome change from the incessant heat. But I didn't know any of this. In fact, I didn't really know anything about life in one of Asia's fastest-growing cities. But I learned. And quickly.

Navigating my way along Hanoian 'pavements'

For someone like me who had never been out of Europe before, Hà Nội was eye-opening! I couldn't get my head round the 'pavements' or the incessant traffic. The pushy xe ôms (motorcycle taxis) were the bane of my life. On spotting foreigners (and their perceived wealth), they would call hopefully, "Moto, moto!", or, as happened to me on more than one occasion, simply grab you and try and force you onto their bike!

The one xe ôm I can honestly say never bothered me – he was always asleep!

Same guy, different day. Still asleep!

When I got my head around crossing roads, I found my way to Hoàn Kiếm Lake (Lake of the Restored Sword), an oasis of calm in the urban chaos. A friend and I used to spend our evenings sitting on benches by the lake watching the world go by. As darkness fell the Tortoise Tower would be lit up and together with the passing cars and nearby buildings it would cast neon-bright reflections onto the still, dark waters...

The Tortoise Tower on Hoàn Kiếm Lake

The lake at dusk

Pretty despite the lack of a tripod

Without doubt, one of the must-sees in Hà Nội is the Old Quarter, a maze of streets dating back centuries. I braved it a couple of times, but truth be told, it was far too manic for me, far too claustrophobic. I couldn't bear the hustle and the bustle, the crowds and the endless stream of motorbikes coming from directions. Nonetheless, it was a (wannabe) photographer's dream...

Woman taking an afternoon nap in the Old Quarter

Wares for sale in the Old Quarter

Traffic confusion

Tea-sets for sale in Hàng Bè Market

More tea-sets for sale in Hàng Bè Market

A chained-up child (he was hastily unchained when I was seen taking his photo)

Away from the chaos of the Old Quarter and its immediate surroundings, life was calmer than I might have expected. One day I went in search of Văn Miếu, (The Temple of Literature) – a Confucian temple dating from 1070 and also the site of Vietnam's first university. It was so quiet and peaceful, you would hardly have known it was in Hà Nội!

One of the buildings in the complex

The entrance to the Temple of Literature

The stone steles at the Temple of Literature

A stone stele at the Temple of Literature with money left by visitors

Incense

Bags of dye – my favourite picture from my walk to the Temple of Literature

The thing I loved most about my time in Hà Nội was being privy to the street life. I loved seeing the street sellers at work, and I never ceased to be amazed by the people cooking street food! I also enjoyed watching people load their bikes or themselves up with incredible amounts of paper, cloth, plastic or whatever, and go about their daily business. Below are some of my favourite photos.