Hoi An - City of Colours

Hello! I thought I'd do a photo post today, partly as proof that I am indeed taking photos, despite the practical and emotional setback of dropping my Panasonic Lumix in the sand at Sihanoukville two weeks ago (sob). Thankfully I have my Canon 500D as backup (haha, 'backup' I say, even though it's the far superior camera :P). Maybe one of the highlights of this trip will be me actually learning how to use it?! We'll see.

These photos are from Hoi An. The Old Town of Hoi An is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It offers a welcome respite from the noise and traffic of the bigger cities and is a beautiful place to wile away the hours, full of narrow lanes lined with elegant, Chinese-styled shophouses with dark wooden shutters.

Aesthetically, I think Hoi An is my favourite place we've visited so far. It's full of vibrant colours: ornate temples, multi-coloured silk and paper lanterns, shoe shops, silk shops, handicrafts and art shops, tropical flowers, plants winding their way up the bright yellow walls, verdant rice paddy fields, bamboo mats drying in the sun... A visual feast!

All in all, I took 796 photos while I was here, but here's 30 to show off some of the amazing colours. I hereby dedicate this album to my friend Helena Maratheftis, a fellow colour fiend - Helena, I often thought of you when taking these! :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/echoingbronze/sets/72157629493018845/with/6945542871/