My Top Ten Buildings in Hanoi

One of the things I love most about Hanoi is its architecture. It has a charm and character unlike anywhere else. Many cities in South East Asia have become all too generic, with the… Continue reading →

Looking forward to London

I know I should be more Hanoi focused, but while it seems to have finally stopped raining the weather remains a bit sticky and grey and I fear we have skipped straight into… Continue reading →

The last days in Yangon and Kalaw

One of the things I loved about our trip to Burma was always marvelling at the multitude of influences we saw in architecture, food, and religion. The Indian influence is particularly strong, presumably… Continue reading →

Tran Phu Street: A Vietnamese Neighborhood

Tran Phu St runs westwards from the edge of Hanoi’s old quarter for just under a mile. Although not a long street, it has much of the bustle and variety that makes Hanoi… Continue reading →

Running and Tourist Dodging at Angkor Wat

We travelled to Siem Reap just for the weekend to run in the 10k at the Angkor Wat International Half Marathon event. For the last seventeen years it has raised money for various charities… Continue reading →

Independence Day weekend in Hoi An, Vietnam

September 2nd is an important day in the Vietnamese Calendar as the anniversary of the declaration of independence in 1945. We took advantage of the three-day weekend and flew down to Danang and… Continue reading →

Hanoi in the Spring Sun

Various scenes around Hanoi – enjoying the finally sunny but rather sticky weather.

French Colonial Architecture in Hanoi

The French were in Vietnam from 1873 until 1954, with Hanoi becoming the capital of French Indochine in 1887. While the old quarter was left intact as a distinctly Vietnamese part of the… Continue reading →