Vietnam

i went walking today.

across the busy street bordering the old quarter to the east. i crossed the five lanes of motorbikes and cars like a fish traversing a stream, the vehicles organically flowing around me. i walked through untouristed areas of hanoi, stepping across puddles of rain and oils and other effluvia collected in the downpour this morning.

i found my way to a clearing near the river where an expanse of jungle-like gardens were growing. the long bien bridge, an early 20th century French monstrosity, was several hundred meters north, stretching into the distance with vehicles and pedestrians hurrying across. from there i turned toward the bridge and found my way into a small alley way. just before turning the corner, i came across a worn mural advertising treatment for heroin addicts. i took a photo as a train rumbled across the bridge overhead.

and then i continued on. down streets lined with vendors selling various parts of animals or cell phones. the diversity of goods for sale on the same block is impressive - you can get your hair cut, pick up your market vegetables, and get some metal work done from the arc-welder shooting sparks from his one-square-meter sidewalk workspace beside the banh mi cart.

-jbk