Invisible Buses in Hong Kong

One thing everyone must do at least once while in Hong Kong is ride a double decker bus through Hong Kong Island. They're slow, don't have air conditioning, and might not be as convenient as the MTR... but it's quite an experience cruising through the metropolis as you glide by on electric tracks.

These photos were taken in Times Square at the intersection of Percival St and Hennessey Rd. It's a maddening intersection... buses rushing by, taxis, massive amounts of pedestrians, overpasses, and giant buildings. I found a railing to rest my camera on and did a few long exposure shots to try and portray the madness as best I could. Enjoy!

Bamboo Structures

Walking around the city of Hong Kong, it's always to look at construction projects (specifically on buildings)... as you will see lots of bamboo being used. Bamboo has long been used as an assembly material in china, particularly hong kong, because of its versatility. One of the most interesting applications of the wood is its structural function for scaffolding. It is also extremely eco-friendly and cost-effective resource, it continues to be used for this purpose because it is durable enough to support the weight of builders, their equipment and materials, but is lightweight itself. Unlike typical metal scaffolding, bamboo can also be cut and tailor-made to suit any contour of construction - it can be configured into a variety of shapes and follow irregular architectural features of a building, and takes very little time to build-up. It is light and easily transportable to other sites and no machinery is required to assemble the scaffold and put it in place. When one job draws to a close, bamboo can easily be recycled and used for another project.

These are a few photos I took of the bamboo scaffolds.

The Flower Hat Canopy

Just outside the giant Times Square building in Hong Kong was a hat display. Upon first glance, it looked like you were walking under a canopy of flowers... however, upon closer inspection, I realized that it was all hats.

The "Mean" Streets of HK Island

Yes, there are lots of stairs and levels in Hong Kong (probably one of the reasons why there not many overweight people there). Here you see an outdoor market on one of the many hills.

I've decided to dedicate the weekend to posting images I took while visiting Hong Kong earlier this month. The first four images here represent some of the typical street scenes you see while walking around the city during the daytime.

Looking down.

One of the many winding roads making its way down the mountainside. 

Yes, there is lots of amazing shopping in Hong Kong. Here we are looking at 3 awesome shops (none of which I can afford to actually buy anything on the inside)

Portraits of a Footwear Developer - Vietnam

Mary - one of the most knowledgeable footwear developers I've ever met.

Portraits of a few of the great people I worked with in Vietnam.

James - super hard worker and quite ambitious.

Louie - great developer with an equally great personality.

Motorbike Life - Ho Chi Minh City

Motorbikes are the primary mode of transportation for the majority of Ho Chi Minh City's population. Even if someone had the financial means to purchase a car, it's more likely than not that they also own a motorbike. The city's infrastructure & roads just do not support cars... It is much too crowded and poorly maintained. I keep hearing about a highway and a subway system that are supposed to be built, but I haven't seen any sort of construction in the works.

Anyways, when I visited Vietnam, I was lucky enough to be stuck in a car for 2+ hours per day (sarcasm). Instead of sleeping or listening to music, I decided to challenge myself and take photos of the most ridiculous motorbike situations I saw. Since the motorbike is the main (or only) form of transportation for most people, they find ways to transport what they need to transport... whether it be families of 5, giant tires, steel beams, or propane tanks. The skills of these drivers was quite impressive. What amazed me even more was that I failed to see an accident my entire trip.

Next time I go, I should either rent a motorbike or helicopter...

Bright Lights and Motorbikes

My hotel room (at New World Hotel) had a beautiful view of the city lights (this hotel is where Bill Clinton stayed when he visited Vietnam). However, what you can't hear in this picture are all the motorbikes buzzing and honking on the street below. I guess it would have annoyed me more had I stayed there for an extended period of time... however, having to listen to it for only 2 days added to the ambiance of Ho Chi Minh City (actually kind of enjoyed it).

In these 4 images, I messed around with different shutter speeds and ISO settings... I think the fourth image in this series is my favorite (on the bottom)

Winter Nights in Vietnam

Street market in Ho Chi Minh City

When I first got to Vietnam, I was exhausted... it took me two hours to get through customs, I was still jet lagged, and I didn't have a moment to rest since I had been in Asia. Nonetheless, Ho Chi Minh is an awesome city... and when I got there, I wanted to walk around and explore (plus, it's a bit difficult to sleep with the constant motorbike traffic all night). These are a few pictures I took while wandering around the streets by myself that first night. The majority of the photos came out poorly because I was too jet lagged to pay attention to the camera settings. What made the evening even more interesting was that I got completely lost and had to figure out how to ask for directions without knowing Vietnamese. The area I was at was relatively safe though... so didn't feel too bad walking around. Plus, I was coming from a much colder climate... and the warm weather felt amazing!

Street food in Ho Chi Minh City... delicious, but not the most sanitary

Street market in Ho Chi Minh City 

Neon Lights in Ho Chi Minh City