Welcome to - JO-MAXMILLION !

2007-09-13T02:36:00.000-07:00

Max and I would like to share our special moments and thoughts via the photos taken during our recent oversea visits to Vietnam; Hanoi and Hochiminh City:

July 2007 - Halong Bay
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Our very first trip to Vietnam, trying out our first self learning photography skills on the Canon A5 , 12 megapixel camera. Max and I enjoyed mostly the Halong Bay visit in Hanoi. A very much spectacular, picturesque place one must visit when in Hanoi.

We arrived Hanoi at wee hours in the morning after 4hrs AirAsia Flt and Max took charged of getting us settled in at Sheraton Hotel.... photographed some Hanoians fishing at the lake infront of the hotel.

I wanted very much to visit HaLong Bay but we heard the bad storm just hit Halong Bay a day before and it is deemed unsafe for tourist. I was disappointed but not for long... the perserverance spirit of Darling Max pays off... while I was asleep Max was on the phone and I was woken up with good news that he has booked us on the 5star Emerald Cruise and we are definitely heading for Halong Bay the next day. I learned so much about "getting lost" and the"keep trying" spirit from Max. My loving thoughts of Max will stays for the longest time for making Halong Bay so possible and memorable. Max just makes things so beautiful with pure simplicity. Wondering at times, why I am so complicated when I can be so simple!

Our hired driver took us on a 3 hrs drive to Halong City, passing by beautiful landscape of padi fields. It's a scenic drive amidst nothing but padi fields, we stopped over for the local little minature pineapples.... very sweet indeed! Oops.... forgotten to take picture of the little fruit.

OUR BEST SHOTS AT HALONG CITY:

Max's favourite shot ...becomes his MSN icon !

Max spotted the 2 guys on the self-made raft with planks and tyres....
an interesting shot for my album!

Max enjoying the traditional smoking with the locals in Halong City. Max tipped the mummy & 2 sons 50k DON (S$5) for the tobacco,drinks and steamed peanuts. Max said happily,"at least they gonna have fish or chicken for dinner tonite." A true generosity with an admirable thoughtfulness for the poor.... A true description of Max Heng's empathy for the poor indeed. Max rather saved the tips that I intended for the hotel conceige for the "poor locals" on the street. We mingled casually with the locals for the afternoon at HaLong City, enjoying the sun and the warmth of the smally city.

We have had dinner at an authentic Vietnamese Restaurant about few hundred metres from the hotel.. didn't really enjoyed the food except the Vietnamese Koropok! Costly dinner with no satisfaction to the stomach...! Max will always prefer the food stalls along the street or so...but for my sake, he compromised.

HALONG BAY - OUR PHOTO SHOTS FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE:

Happiness on our face as we embarked onto the lighterage
to the EMERALD CRUISE STEAMER.. behind Max.

A quick relaxation in the Cabin onboard Emerald Steamer
before photography session !

Over 3,000 limestone mountains encompasses the sea at HaLong Bay.

Drinks! Chocolates! Water! Nuts ! Anyone?
Making a living on the water is truly a tough job!
So Office Workers.. be contented that you r in aircon
room all the time.

Max chatting happily with the two sisters who
pleaded with him for US$5 for her sea-shell.
Max informed me that he find the two sisters very
pretty... "wow! with makeup they will win the Ms
Natural Beautiful!" I couldn't agree more..!

One would wonder how the natural limestone mountains
can be so spectacular beautiful ! God's Great Creation...
is simply so majestic and awesome!

The Channel where the Junkboats and Steamers
get through for tourist to visit the limestone caves
and the challenge to take the 265 steps for the aerial view
of HaLong Bay. Did I make it? Of course, I did!
>> with Max...everything is possible. One must
do the climb .. a spectacular panoramic view of
HaLong Bay rewards you when you reached the peak.

Max soaking wet in perspiration from the Climb!
Look behind him... the view is simply awesome.

For those who are not gamed enough to do the climb,
can enjoy a good swim at the best shore in HaLong Bay

Visit to the Limestone Caves.. a brief walk thru' of over 2000 steps
GOOD EXERCISE !

JoMaxMillion

Welcome to - JO-MAXMILLION !