People often ask me about my favourite country.
Now that’s a question I really dislike as it’s so difficult to answer.
I mean favourite for what? To party? To be a beach bum? City life? Explore Nature? To dive? To hike? To eat? Where can you get the best massages? Or the one with the best weather? (whatever that means..!!?!)
I have enjoyed most countries I have visited and for the most different reasons.
But recently someone asked me to tell about the favourite moment of my trip. And now that was thought-provoking.
How could I choose one moment and one moment only as the favourite of the entire trip that lasted years?
I thought and thought and thought and realize I couldn’t really choose one. So then I decided to time travelling by visiting my photo gallery hoping to be reminded of THAT special moment, but instead, that brought me so many wonderful memories and so many moments.
From little things and happenings to what is considered big deals, my journey had so many wonderful situations. That also made me reflect on how lucky I was, in saving some of those wonderful moments into ‘frames”, so I have decided to share some with you.
So for the next few posts, I will be choosing a picture and tell the story about it and what it meant to me that moment and today.
So I will start by telling you about this picture:
Old Vietnamese
I love this photo for several reasons.
I took it at one of my favourite little towns in the entire world: Hoi An.
This graceful and historic city is Vietnam most atmospheric and delightful town to me and like my hometown, Hoi An Ancient Town has been awarded as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hoi An is situated on the central Vietnamese coast and is a well-preserved example of the important Southeast Asian trading port it was from the 15th-19th centuries. This once a major port, boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage.
And speaking of heritage, back in 1535, Portuguese explorer and sea captain António de Faria, tried to establish a major trading centre at the port village. The river system was used for the transport of goods between the highlands, inland countries of Laos and Thailand and the low lands. The Thu Bon River is still essential to the region more than 500 years after António de Faria first navigated it and it remains an essential form of food production and transport.
Due to the increased number of tourists visiting Hoi An a variety of activities are emerging which allow guests to get out of the old quarter and explore by motorbike, bicycle, Kayak or motorboat.
And it was during one of those explorations by the river that I spotted him. I spot the old Vietnamese Fisherman.
He was very serious and was concentrated on getting his fish.
I decided to sit down and for over 10min I observed him, his movements, his attempts to fish and his interactions with the kids playing close by.
I am always quite reticent about taking pictures of people, especially when they are not aware, but I remember to think that I really wanted to immortalize that moment, the one as the old men interact with the kids while trying to fish, so took my camera, and as I am about to photograph, one of the kids said something that the old men started to laugh, and luckily, I pressed the button and saved that beautiful moment at the right time.
He will never see the picture, and I will never know what the kid said to make him laugh so much, but I am so grateful I could collect that moment, save it and share it with you.
It might sound and seem insignificant to most, but I can guarantee that that moment and that picture made my day, and still think of it with fondness.
Oh, and if you ever in Hoi An, which I highly advise you to, apart from trying to stalk old fisherman like I did, make sure you also visit the Japanese Covered Bridge which is stunning, get lost in the small narrow alleys, get charmed by all the lanterns that are lit up along the streets and floating on the river in the evening, and of course, get some tailored clothes. There are literally hundreds of tailor shops in Hoi An, and is one of the best (and cheapest) places to get that dress or suit you always wanted or just let the town’s expert tailors make you some bespoke bikinis like I did 😀
Visit Vietnam,
Much Love,
Emma
