Asahi Pentax K1000, 35mm SLR, images of Viet Nam

All the images here were taken with our Pentax K1000, body No.7612104. Vietnam, or more correctly Viet Nam is a name that still conjures up images of an ill advised and ultimately futile war. I have been extremely fortunate to drag both the museum Pentaxes around this country that, whilst filling me with ambivalence, never fails to saturate the emotions and senses. Modern Viet Nam is a communist state following what might be best described as market Leninism. On my first visit in 2002, the capital, Hanoi, was festooned with these hand painted public notice posters as it was the lead up to Tet (new year). Very typical of the genre of communist social 'feel good' artwork. The cities are crowded and heave with the hustle and bustle of literally millions of small motorbikes, bicycles and increasingly, cars. The country must have been built on the back of the ubiquitous Honda Cub, for I've witnessed this motorized zebu carry all manner of grossly oversized loads including, bizarrely, a coffin!

Modern Vietnam relies heavily on the Honda Cub/Wave. Crossing the busy city streets is an art, requiring a certain amount of trust from all parties.... The accepted norm is simply to walk out into the traffic at a predictable constant rate, the traffic will pass around you harmlessly. No one seems to mind as it's almost expected.
Fishing figures heavily in the coastal towns using wooden boats and traditional wicker type round boats, above left, occupied by these local children - keen to perform to the camera..... for a price. All fishing boats have an 'eye' painted on the bow, even the wreck drawn up on the beach near Phan Thiet in 2006 from the K1000 Vietnam Gallery

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