I’m decidedly out of ‘flying overseas’ practice – 10 hours to Hanoi was exhausting (and worsened by having to pick up one’s checked baggage in Ho Chi Minh, walk between international and domestic terminals and check in again to fly to Hanoi). Anyway, I’m here !!
Last night my taxi from the airport, took me over the Red River using the mesmerisingly illuminated, multi-spanned Nhat Tan Bridge (a mere 16.7 million colourful lights changing shade) – quite an entrance into the city.
Spent a cloudy and drizzly Friday roaming around historical sites…as you do. Firstly though a coffee, and discovered Dream Beans Coffee Roastery on my walk. Family-run, passionate about coffee, and have choosen a Son La (north west region of Vietnam) bean, as the shop’s signature bean – delicious brew.
Sauntered by Lenin Park on my way to the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a UNESCO World Heritage site – home to the Ly, Tran, Le and Nguyen dynasties between the 11th and early 20th C, the centre of political power for more than 1300 years. I took a range of photos – of the remaining buildings, decorative features onsite, but also of locals who were celebrating graduations, using the old backdrop of buildings to enhance their modelling portfolios or cycling past with their goods to sell.
I decided to grab a taxi to the next historical site…and accessed the “Grab App” :), (the equivalent of Uber in Vietnam), its really efficient and cheap!
The Temple of Literature was delightful – sweeping gardens, ornamental lake, bonsai’d trees, pavilions, statutes and temple – built in the 11C by the Ly dynasty, in dedication to Confucius, sages and scholars. It was also the first site of the national University.
October 30, 2022
by Lids Comments Off on 19/10 – 22/10/22 Shark Bay photography, WA
I met fellow photography tragics, Janene and Jacqui, at Perth airport, and we boarded our Rex Airlines flight to Shark Bay. Our photography tutor, “Tom Putt, the Legend” booked us into the Royal Automobile Club’s Monkey Mia Resort, superior water front units. Dolphins swim past and frolick every day and you could watch them from our patios.
Swaying palms and crystal azure blue waters beckoned. We were there for photography…so the next morning, we gathered @ 4.45 am to travel to a beach overlooking Redcliff Bay for a sunrise shoot of cliffs. Brekkie, a brief rest and off to our first aerial flight, on a Cessna 172 and 206.
Each craft has their rear door removed and allow for 2 photographers per craft. We each climbed into a safety harness that was then attached to the plane. Life vests were also strapped to each person, in case we needed to ditch into the water. Headsets applied for noise-cancelling and communication purposes….and Nick our pilot, took off!
I have to admit that for the first 15 minutes – flying at 1000 to 2000 feet, tilting at a 45-60 degree angle to orbit around and photograph a particular landscape feature….made for some sphincter-clenching on my part!! But as you develop confidence in the technique, it is really an exhilarating experience! Haha, thank goodness.
We flew around the Big Lagoon and the red sand-hills of the Francois Peron National Park. Wowser, the colours and patterns in the landscape and water were fabulous.
Big Lagoon
Back to the resort to look at and process some of the images and lunch.
Another flight in the afternoon over the salt works at Useless Loop (named so because a large sandbar blocked off any boat from entering). The Japanese-owned salt mine produces the purest grade of salt in the world.
Saltworks
Then to Bellafin Prong Sand Dunes and the spectacular Zuytdorp cliffs (rise 170 metres) which stretch for some 200 kms of the Indian Ocean coast between Kalbarri and Steep Point in Shark Bay. Amazeballs!!
Early to bed as we were getting up for another sunrise shoot, this time at the resort pier. Nice sunrise colour and lots of pelicans landed, preening and waiting in anticipation for the feeding of the dolphins at 7.45.
Fabulous shot of striations in water/sand close to Monkey Mia, one of my fave shots over the few days.
Then off to the east of Shark Bay, around Faure Island – silver sands, ‘The Tree’, a small estuary system that looks like a painting and the Wooramel seagrasses, within which sediments are trapped, affecting salinity, tidal flow and ecosystems.
AbstractTree
Such incredible colours, shapes, textures!!!
Our last stop Denham for lunch, loved the water hues….
Then Cape Peron cliffs for sunset…a 58 kms drive over sand. Well we got bogged half way…all our digging and under-wheel bolstering with wood effort proved useless. We were thus very grateful for the assistance provided by 2 young campers who stopped, supplied and placed tyre recovery mats under the wheels – phew!! We also lowered the tyre pressure and then continued. The wind was very strong at the Cape. We managed to walk to the cliffs, take a few photos and then escape back to the car, as the sand was starting to sting our faces.
We beat a hasty retreat to Denham and had dinner at the small, 9 tables only, BYO Old Pearler restaurant. The only restaurant in the world built entirely from coquina shell carved from Shell Beach. Fresh seafood a specialty. Yummy, yum yum!!
A fabulous end to a brief, but absolutely spectacular journey to WA.
October 30, 2022
by Lids Comments Off on 30/8/22 – 3/9/22 Sydney to Sale
Leaving the hustle and bustle of Sydney, we travelled to Cottage Point in the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park, just in time for the kiosk to be closing and boats being moored – too funny!
Next, the Wattamolla picnic area in the Royal National Park the next morning – a popular spot for fishing, swimming, snorkelling and bushwalking – we walked to the lookout …..
Otford lookout provided lovely ocean views
Bald Hill lookout is internationally known as a major hang-gliding point and overlooks the iconic Sea Cliff Bridge, which extends along Grand Pacific Drive for an award winning 140 km coastal drive!
We drove to the 1 km long Mollymook beach just as a storm was developing – with lovely threatening cloud formation over Thirroul as well…
Batemans Bay’s Pebbly Beach didn’t disappoint with kangas munching grasses on the foreshore, with joeys in their pouches
Bermagui Blue Pool – one of the prettiest ocean-fed rock pools along the NSW coast. This gem has opaline hues – think azure fading to turquoise to blush, then canary yellow. Whale spotting in Winter and Spring from the viewing platform.
Shell Harbour “rocks”…over summer months, there is often a concert at the marina and Shell Cove.
Sale Botanical Gardens…our last stop before heading for Melbourne, rewarded with a sighting of a white peacock. White peafowl have a genetic mutation called leucism, an inability of pigment to stick to their feathers. However their trains tend to be longer than their blue counterparts, with about 150 mesmerising feathers.
You must be logged in to post a comment.