‘The Best Motorcycle Guide in Vietnam’, Vietnam, Dalat
A good friend back in New York wrote me an email a few weeks back and said take it slow, get to know Asia. Almost four weeks later, I now know exactly what he means. It was by chance that my world pass airline ticket got a bit mixed up on my Southeast Asia leg of my journey and I had to postpone leaving the area for a couple of weeks. My delay in Asia caused me to stay longer in Phnom Penh. It was during my stay in Phnom Penh that I... Read The Rest →
‘Not Shy’, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
One of the first differences I noticed between Cambodia and Vietnam is the general nature of the people. Vietnamese, or at least those who reside in Saigon, are a bit more ’street’ than their neighbors to the west. By ‘street’, I don’t mean rude or unpleasant but rather more outgoing and not hesitant to approach you. For instance, bargaining with Cambodians in Phnom Penh’s Russian Market is much more relaxing than bargaining with a Vietnamese in the Ben Thanh Marketplace. Maybe it’s Saigon. This city has over 5 million people and has some... Read The Rest →
‘Ho Chi Minh’, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
Ho Chi Minh stands proud in the center of Saigon. I read a quote in the Vietnamese War Museum from him : ‘The war may last five, ten, twenty or more years. Ha Noi, Hai Phong and other cities and enterprises may be destroyed; but the Vietnamese people will not be intimidated. Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom. Once victory is ours, our people will rebuild our country and make it more prosperous and beautiful.’ The museum is filled with quotes, photos and stories such as this. People from... Read The Rest →
‘Chaos and Confusion’, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
I use the following analogy to describe the street scene in Southeast Asia: imagine stepping on an anthill and in an instant the hill breaks out in sheer chaos with ants going in every direction and all at their own speed. The best way in my opinion to get around is by motorbike. You pay someone $1 most of the time, hop on the back of a motorbike and they zip you around the city. I took my camera with me on a number of occasions and you can see... Read The Rest →
‘I wear a size 11′, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Chinatown Market
This candid photo was snapped while walking through the Chinatown market on the outskirts of Saigon. Every large city in Southeast Asia has a large market where they sell cheap clothing. Most of the cheap clothes sold there are knockoffs or extras taken from the ‘sweat shops’ from around the area. Ralph Lauren Polo t-shirts cost around $8. They’re actually real Ralph Lauren shirts if you go to the right stands in the marketplace. They cost more than the $3 knock offs but well worth it. I’m going to have a... Read The Rest →
‘The Bustle of Saigon’, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City
I arrived in Saigon, Vietnam yesterday after a long bus ride from Phnom Penh. Upon crossing the border, one of the first images I encountered was the face of Ho Chi Minh and the five pointed star which was and still is a symbol of communism. The border is confusing and not very welcoming. You must get off the bus and go through what looks like a 1960′s fan-cooled building with military personnel running around. One person was assigned to checking all the bus passengers; all non-Southeast Asian residents were shuffled... Read The Rest →
‘Water Everywhere You Look’, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Boeung Kak Lake
The rainy season has started in Southeast Asia. Everywhere you look there is standing water. Whether it be a rice field, lake, river or flooded street this area receives more rain than any other place I’ve ever been. The ironic part is that for most of the day the sun is shining and there’s no sign of impending rain. However, around 3 PM every day the clouds begin to build up and rain follows shortly after. This rain is not a little storm either. The fury that some of these... Read The Rest →
‘Bon Appetit’ Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Countryside
You’ll have to excuse my photography at the wedding I attended in Cambodia. It’s not my best. I was having way too much fun and really wasn’t focused on capturing the moment as well as I had hoped to. How I ended up at a Cambodian wedding after a week’s stay in Phnom Penh, I’m not really sure. It was quite an experience however and one that I won’t forget. This traditional wedding was an hour and a half into the countryside from Phnom Penh. Arida, the owner of Rory’s... Read The Rest →
‘Arida’, Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Countryside Wedding
This shot is of Arida and me. Arida, who is making a funny face, has quite the personality. Most Cambodian women are very quiet and reserved. Arida is one exception. She has the personality of an Irish woman. That probably explains why she’s married to an Irish man and they run a pub together. It was extremely nice of her to invite me to the wedding. Music, food, drinking and enjoying other’s company is what a Cambodian wedding is all about. It’s really not all that different than a wedding... Read The Rest →
‘Cool Ocean Breeze’, Cambodia, Sihanoukville
‘Cambodia is merely a dream with no meaning’, shouted a lawyer over a beer from across the bar. The lawyer, a bit of a spitfire, has been in the country for over 20 years and has no intention of leaving. ’A dream with no meaning’, that quote resonated with me for quite some time. As a result, I began to understand why I have enjoyed Cambodia so much. A dream without a meaning is a wonderful thought. I look for meaning in my dreams. I find it hard to actually sit back and enjoy a... Read The Rest →