Photos of Vietnam...

SILEBY Photographic Society welcomed guest speaker, John Loan-Clarke, to its meeting held on Monday, January 31, when he presented digital images under the title ‘ Vietnam and Cambodia’.

John had joined a group of tourists in January 2020 to spend 28 days exploring this fascinating part of the world, and whilst most of his compatriots were not photographers, he took any available opportunity to fill his camera with memorable snap-shot overview images, some of which formed his presentation.

He began the tour in busy Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Street sellers, cafés, grand buildings, temples, people everywhere, but crossing the road on foot when confronted with 6 lanes of oncoming motor-cyclists was quite an art, certainly not for the faint hearted, but John assured us the ‘system’ worked – if you knew what it was!

Sa Pa on the Chinese border evidenced a gentler existence and featured typical rural scenes, terraced rice fields and basic living accommodation. Images of Halong Bay were delightful portraying its floating villages and surrounded by its towering limestone islands. In contrast, images of the tunnel complex of Vinh Moc, dragon boats, temples and resident monks photographed well, as did the carvings and beautiful architecture en route to the mountains.

Ho Chi Minh City situated in the south of Vietnam appeared as bustling as Hanoi. Motor-cyclists were everywhere, the usual mode of transport, and used to carry their riders laden with goods to sell en route to the colourful street markets. Living accommodation appeared basic but functional, and a temple with a spectacular interior seemed almost out of place in the vicinity.

A trip on the busy Mekong River to Phnom Penh, highlighted floating markets, housing on stilts, temples and the grand architecture of the palace complex on the water’s edge.

His final trip was to Siem Reap, the gateway to the ruins of Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This vast complex of intricate stone buildings and spectacular carvings also contains many temples, the main one being Angkor Wat, an enormous Buddhist temple built in the 12th Century. Great images.

John was thanked by John Hoogerwerf, President, for presenting a fascinating talk at short notice, an evening which had been enjoyed by everyone attending.

The next meeting will be held on Monday, February 14, when guest, Robert Falconer, will present digital images entitled ‘Steam in the Wild West’.

Anyone wishing to become a member of Sileby Photographic Society should visit the contact page of the SPS website, when further details will be issued. The programme for the current photographic year is also available to view.