Hanoi was my base for travels in Vietnam – from town of Sapa in the mountains to Halong Bay in the South China Sea. Being one of the most ancient capitals in the world, Hanoi got well-preserved French-colonial buildings, pagodas, unique historical museums, it is known for its multicultural community of Chinese and French influences, handicrafts, cuisine and nightlife.
The oldest district of the city is the Old Quarter. It’s a vibrant center of life in Hanoi with hotels, shops, massage salons, restaurants, bars, etc.Motorbikes. City is overflooded with them, since it’s the main transportation method. I would say that Hanoi has the most chaotic roads I’ve ever seen.Street markets are filled with local fruits, vegetables, flowers, meat. Streets are bustling with life and it took me about 15 minutes to make this shot possible without people in it.The vibe: buildings from the end of 19th century, colonial architecture, rusty balconies, countless shops, advertising posters and banners throughout.St. Joseph’s Cathedrale, dated from 1885, is the oldest church in Hanoi. It was built by French colonial government with an architectural style resembling Notre Dame de Paris.Located on Ba Dinh square, the Mausoleum for the the most iconic and popular leader of Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh, as seen after the sunset. On this square on September 2, 1945 he proclaimed the independence of Vietnam.Vietnamese National Assembly is located across the square from the Mausoleum.Have you heard about train street? There is a narrow residential street in Hanoi separated by the train track. There are only two trains a day passing through the street at exact same time, so locals know when it’s time to remove their laundry from the tracks and keep kids inside the house.By going down the track I reached the bridge overviewing banks of the Red River. This bridge is used only by trains and motorbikesOn the way to the airport crossing this modern “Vietnam-Japan Friendship” Bridge, constructed in 2015.
