Latest Passion

I suppose I've been hooked since I sat down to write my first blog back in 2011, and although I didn't know it at the time the decision to write the stories of my life for Zach and Sami have changed my life.

This past week marks a big milestone in my blogging career as I surpassed the 50,000 readers mark (a huge thank you to my loyal readership…yes, you know who you are!)   That’s a pretty crazy milestone, especially since my intention was just to write the stories of my life for my kids, so that they could always look back and have a sense of who I was and what was important to me during my life.  But that was more than a book ago, yeah, still shaking my head on that one as well… 

Love the photo of the drop chandelier that I took in Hanoi

As you can tell I've taken the “when in Rome” approach to my writing so it will come as no new surprise to you to learn that I've been dabbling in other writing ventures recently as well.

Upon my return from my adventures in Hong Kong and Vietnam I started writing a series of related micro story based on this part of the world but completely fictional.  It includes a cast of characters that have been in my life at one time or another. I used the names of people I know, street names and somewhat accurate historical settings but that’s about it, the actual events, locale, character traits and general story line are completely fictional. 

As well, the story is set in Hanoi in 1991 so a little distant from where we are today, you'll also remember that there was no internet, texting, cell phones or the like in those days…yes, this part was purposeful.  J

The structure of my daily writing has been focused on a single page, which equates to between 350 – 450 words, and is close to the length of a scene in a movie, but its more the discipline of daily writing, which has me completely hooked.  Surprisingly it’s far from onerous and something that I look forward to each day.  Most days I'll write, then mull over the general thread of the story to work out the potential scene for the next day but it’s far from planned out.  I sort of just let it flow to see what happens to the story and characters.

This seed pod looked like a red high heeled shoe when I got close up,
so couldn't resist taking a photo.

I also realize that this probably isn’t the normal approach to writing but for me it’s all about the creativity, the intrigue, the mix of personalities and emotions not to mention the twists and turns of the storyline that I'm enjoying writing most.  So far I have a caste of six characters, and about half a dozen scene locations but this will evolve I’m sure with time.

You'll also notice that they are a departure from my blogs in that the story, which I'm calling “Hanoi Posting”, as it has an adult theme to it, so not for kids.  More suggestive than graphic but I'll let you be the judge of that…

So, why now you ask?   Great question!   For some time now I've been feeling a tad itchy between my weekly blog writing sessions, to just sit and write.  Sounds strange that I have such a strong impulse to write, as you can tell its gotten under my skin to the point of when someone asks me what I do for a living I almost universally say “I'm a writer and travel photographer”.  Now, clearly the tricky bit is to make money at being both those things.  J

The other question I just know you're itching to ask is why Hanoi?   Well, it was the location where I first really put pen to paper to create this fictional story, and it just seemed like the right setting to begin a story.  Steamy and mysterious…

I think my biggest fear is that the storyline and/or characters are non-dimensional and hard to relate to, or worse… find it downright boring!

To illustrate the point, when I was choosing which stories to use in my book I re-read all of my blogs.  I evaluated each story against the readership of the particular blog and ranked them, and then looked at which stories were somehow related to these ones (if in fact, any were related) then I amalgamated and re-wrote the larger story from all the related blogs, this, then formed the stories that you see in the book. 

However the interesting part in all of this was that I had re-read all of my blogs.  This was extremely humbling because what I found was that the first blogs I wrote were pretty ordinary, even I was a little embarrassed with the style and structure of my writing in those early ones. Now, some may argue that nothings changed at all.  J

Although I guess you become your own worst critic and I even found them a tad painful to read…so you may have to bear with me as I find my feet with this type of fictional writing.

Early morning humidity in Hanoi - yep it was steamy!

It’s also extremely interesting that when I write I can see the city, feel its heat, sense the vibe and almost connect the smells…I said almost! 

Here is my the opening scene…

“It was very early and except for the ubiquitous scooters that still prowled these pre-dawn streets he was alone.  He stood on the step momentarily and as he surveyed the deserted street but all he could see was the reflection of streetlights and the gathering dawn.  Within seconds his shirt had begun to stick to the skin on his back, perspiration beads forming on his brow and tiny droplets of sweat appearing on the wrists.

The humidity and pungent smells of Hanoi’s Cát Linh Đống Đa has assailed him as soon as he stepped from the air-conditioned sanctuary that he now called home.  The life of a foreign correspondent wasn't all what it was cracked up to be he thought to himself as his mind wandered back to that fateful day in John’s office, when he had begged to be posted to Hanoi. Memories of that conversation still haunted him, but that was another lifetime ago and so disconnected with his current reality. 

It wasn't that he was a bad correspondent, no far from it.  He'd been both diligent and meticulous in his work, but soon after arriving he realized that it was far from the exotic location he'd expected.  He had literally thrust himself into a journalistic backwater.  

He closed his eyes momentarily and sighed deeply to himself, the lack of sleep and overall exhaustion weighing heavily.  God, how could I have been so naïve he chided himself as he groggily made his way along the street toward the Old Quarter.  He felt the pre-dawn doom wrap itself around him like a comfortable companion.

If only I had that moment over again, he thought…”

This week the photos include a selection from Hanoi that I haven't shared to date, but I wanted to connect you with the environment from which "Hanoi Posting" is being created.   Enjoy!

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Amazing colors and reflection in the bridge across the lake from my hotel - both day and night!

Overhead there are a birds nest of wires running every which way 

Accommodations are a little different in the Old Quarter

A confusion of color and neon everywhere you look

Over laden scooters were the norm...

Enterprising entrepreneurs all through the market

You definitely need to get comfortable with crowds pretty quickly, as you do with
crossing the roads against enormous odds of survival  J

Street vendors cooker - its seen some meals!

A family preparing the evening meal out front of
their home in an alley in the Old Quarter

Alleyway restaurants at dinner time - they were doing a roaring trade
and the food was delicious

The rail underpass between the two markets in the Old Quarter

A scooter rider navigating the garbage pile in the central square near Cho Dong Xuan market.
Clearly it was one of the locations to drop your refuse before being carted away
each evening

The "Keep" Rate

As you can tell by my photos I really loved my time in Hong Kong and Vietnam, not only were the people so extremely warm, generous and friendly but also I found it to be a perfect place to take photos.

Yep, in all over 3000 photos in my fifteen days away, quite incredible really but what was most exciting was the light.  There’s something about the light before dawn that is so perfect for photography, and given the local fishermen kept me in line with an early wake up call it just seemed to work out perfectly.  J

Its hard to nail down exactly what about the light was so amazing, was it the contrast of colors or vibrancy at that early hour, or perhaps what the light did to shapes and surfaces that changed the fabric of the object.  The softness of light provided a clarity and feeling of rebirth that I don't think I've felt before.

My trusty Canon 5D Mark III - it literally goes everywhere with me

So what do you do with 3000 photos?   For starters I had to curate them, as you know not all photos are created equal and so culling the ones that weren't up to scratch was an important and time consuming activity.   Interestingly, as I ploughed my way through the photos and tagged them they brought back memories and micro-stories from each photo.  Where was I when I took this?  What was happening around me at the time?  Was there something that prompted me to take this photo in the first place?  It became my daily ritual of reviewing, tagging and deleting the ones that didn't make the cut.

Surprisingly my 30% “keep rate” is pretty high considering many photographers have only a 10 – 15% rate.  Perhaps, its just that the stories are so rich and engaging that even though the photo isn't that great I kept it because it had a story associated with it…

Call me sentimental - guilty as charged I suppose.

Of course this all has consequences, as you’d expect with large Raw image files which are all 20 megabytes or larger I had to go procure a new 1 Terabyte hard drive which is a 1000 gigabytes with the capacity to store somewhere around 5000 photos with ease.

The other self-realization is that people have been enjoying my blog format especially with the weekly photo appended to the story. In addition, I've also had lots of great feedback about the photo content.  Thank you!

I find the tricky part is the photo-composition, literally I could photo everything I see, but why one particular thing over another is the question we need to ask.  For me it’s often the contrast of colors or shapes, other times it’s the subject matter that’s fascinating or the composition and makeup of the shot.  Yet other times it’s the way the light hits a certain thing that makes me stop in my tracks and want to take a photograph, sometimes the juxtaposition and extremes within the image that I see. 

I loved the way the ships in Hong Kong harbour were all moored at anchor, then add the light
across the harbour and I was hooked on the image

Since I embarked on my summer trip to Hong Kong and Vietnam I've gotten into the habit of taking my camera with me pretty much everywhere I go.  This is great in that I’ve been taking photos almost every day.  Certainly while I was away it became part of my daily routine, and although not quite as diligent its been almost every other day since I got back.

My friends on Facebook have been literally bombarded with albums both from my trip but also from days since.  Case in point, last night we had a storm late in the day so after it had finished and cleared I decided to take a walk down my back lane way and conduct an impromptu photo shoot.  There were a handful of photos that were amazing, but keeping to my 30% rate I created an album on FB with about 29 photos.

There is a little gift store around the corner from me here on the Danforth that I've always wanted to drop in and take a look at, but usually been in too much of a rush to actually make it over the threshold.  Well, fortunately for me last week I had a few extra minutes and popped by, after browsing I commented on the great inventory of items, especially the framed photography.  Unbeknownst to me I was speaking to the owner, I told her that I was also a photographer and she mentioned that the current work was ending at the end of the month and that if I had a portfolio of work that I could show her perhaps I could sell some of my work in the store on consignment.  

So this coming week I'm meeting with the owner and her husband to review my work from Hong Kong and Vietnam.  Its exciting to at least have the opportunity to show my work to the owners, as you never know what may come of it, but I'll keep you posted.

It’s a first step to putting myself out there as a photographer - exciting times ahead!   I can just feel it...  J

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Some recent images from recent, and often impromptu photo shoots - enjoy!

The store that I'm taking my photography portfolio into this coming week...

Peeling paint

Back lane graffiti

Puddle reflections

TW taking an early morning photo in Hong Kong

Rambutan for breakfast in Vietnam

The spent mosquito coil in Vietnam

Colorful gardens in Ottawa

Fish market in Kowloon

Rain droplets on a vine leaf in my back lane way

Old Hanoi

Upon arriving into Vietnam it was a tad confusing in that as a foreigner landing you're at a distinct disadvantage in terms of language.  Signage was minimal and there seemed to be a lot of flights all landing at once at Hanoi's Noi Bai international airport.

As I deplaned I followed the crowd to the immigration area, retrieving my pre-approved visa and the letter of entry from my backpack I joined a large crowd of people with no real sign of a line.  I quickly surmised that I had to submit my passport and paperwork, including photos and entry fee somewhere else.  Noticing people disappearing down a corridor I followed them to a back counter, where I was able to submit all of the requisite items, before heading back into the crowd to wait for my name and passport to be called.  It took about an hour to get through the process.  Patience is a virtue in situations like this, however not everyone around me had the same approach and there was frustration in the air as those less traveled fumed at the perceived inefficiencies...

Scooter traffic on the road from Noi Bai to downtown Hanoi...see what I mean  J

Once I had my passport I then retrieved my backpack, which had been sitting on, the now stopped carousel and headed out into the humid and sticky terminal to find my driver who'd been waiting so patiently for me to emerge.  I had pre-arranged a driver to take me downtown to my hotel (smart move), and so we exited the Noi Bai airport we ran into what I thought was an anomaly.

Yes, my first introduction to Hanoi and indeed Vietnam and I was struck by the sheer number of scooters that were everywhere.  Even in Italy, which I considered until this point as the “home of the scooter” paled in comparison to Vietnam.  J

The ubiquitous scooter isn't only found in the big cities but also in every village and hamlet throughout the entire country.  It’s clearly the mainstay of transportation in Vietnam, and if I were to hazard a guess I'd contend that there are more scooters than people in this country, crazy, as that seems.

My adventure in Vietnam was amazing!  Each day brought new sights, sounds, smells (yes, definitely this one) and experiences with the epicenter of these experiences being Hanoi.  A friend of mine said that when he was in Hanoi he “feared for his life” trying to cross the road however, I put his concern down to his relatively rural existence and the lack of traffic that he contends with on a daily basis.  As you know, I've traveled to some of the busiest cities in the world so I was completely unconcerned about Hanoi, until I actually got to Hanoi.  Wow, now I could see why he was nervous!

The concierge gave me this card to give to the taxi driver
for my trip back to the hotel

 So after getting to the hotel and securing a map from the concierge I jumped into a taxi and asked the doorman from the hotel to ask the driver to take me to the “Old Quarter”.  Hanoi itself celebrated its 1000 anniversary in 2010, and the old quarter is an area of about 36 streets and alleys that are divided by the artisans that have worked in these streets for hundreds of years and that sell specific goods. For example Hanoi’s silk or “lụa” merchants are found primarily on Hang Gai Street. As with many ancient cities there is no standard grid layout, but rather a jumble of streets that weave and wind their way around in no particular direction.  Pretty easy to get lost unless you have a map, although finding an actual street sign is another issue completely… J

The taxi driver dropped me by St Joseph’s Cathedral (oldest catholic church in Hanoi) just west of Hoan Kiếm Lake and was a perfect place to begin my exploration of the old city.

The interesting thing about Hanoi is that because the streets and alleys are so narrow and there is no place to park scooters, so the footpath (sidewalk to my North American friends) becomes the parking lane for scooters, and so now I was starting to understand why being a pedestrian in Hanoi was a little more tenuous than what I had originally imagined as you had to share the narrow streets and alleys along with every other person, vehicle and animal and trust me there were a multitude of all those things.

The afternoon was very humid and overcast, and I could see the thunderheads swirling above me and recognized the tell tale signs of a storm that was brewing so I quickly found shelter under a shop’s awning just before the street was inundated in a tropical downpour that you only find in this part of the world.  It was mere seconds before the road was completely awash and slick with water, however for the locals on scooters it was just another afternoon in Hanoi and being so adept and used to this type of weather quickly stopped, retrieved their poncho’s and continued on their way.  No big deal!

Scooter riders during the first downpour

 I loved observing how life continued on irrespective of the weather and found myself discovering photo opportunities wherever I looked, while at the same time trying to be vigilant as I navigated the edge of the busy streets. This was especially true when I needed to cross the street.  Yikes!

I soon realized that both patience and courage were required to wade out into the oncoming traffic and hope that they got around you; it certainly wasn’t an activity for the faint of heart.

Over the course of the afternoon I took close to 400 photos as I tried to capture the essence, vibe and innate beauty that was Hanoi.  And as the afternoon turned to dusk I found myself at the magnificent Hoan Kiếm Lake (so gorgeous!), but was caught in the open during another torrential downpour…bugger I missed seeing this one coming. Normally I would have been upset with myself for missing the obvious signs and getting soaking wet, but as I endeavoured to shelter under a large oak tree and keep my camera dry (all of which was to no avail) all I could do was smile to myself and think how fortunate I was to be here at this very moment experiencing Hanoi in all its splendour…

I'll be back!

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Here are a selection of photos from my afternoon in the Old Quarter of Hanoi - enjoy!

St Josephs Cathedral in Hanoi - my starting point

Bicycle caught in the rain storm

Yes there are two people on the scooter

Typical scooter rider...how to look tough and sexy at the same time!

Vendor in the market

Flower seller on her bike in the market

Tight squeeze through an alleyway on his scooter...

Overloaded scooter in the market

Chicken perched on a scooter in the market in Old Hanoi

Loading up the scooter for another beer and coca cola delivery in the Old Quarter of Hanoi

Alleyway restaurant in the market 

Even a hairdresser in the market...

Look who I found in the market - a new little mate

Typical street vista in Old Hanoi - note the French overtones in architecture

The Cho Dong Xuan is the main market in the Old Quarter - Hanoi

Lotus flowers in the market - so very pretty!

Tree roots in Hoan Kiem Lake - downtown Hanoi

Models on a photo shoot by the lake in the traditional Vietnamese Ao Dai 

Bridge in the Hoan Kiem Lake - downtown Hanoi

Street vendor after the rainstorm late in the day

Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake)

Cyclo drivers chatting and waiting for their next fare in the early evening in Old Quarter - Hanoi

Night time scooter traffic near the Old Quarter in Hanoi - day or night its crazy busy