Photographer Mate Valter traveled to Vietnam’s capital in February 2016 to document the unique energy of Hanoi's daily life.
Valter’s photograph collection frequently focuses on the scrum and scramble of activity that spills onto the streets of the Old Quarter. Motorbikes with precariously balanced machinery weave through warren-like alleyways alongside women shouldering fruit-laden baskets, residents on plastic chairs slurping phở, and merchants peddling everything from high-fashion shoes to traditional handmade thuốc lào pipes.
In Valter's opinion: "experiencing Hanoi means to accept a certain level of madness and chaos.” Looking at his photos, you can almost hear whinging car horns, barking dogs, the calls of food sellers and chatter of children.
The photos also reveal moments of serenity. A snapshot shows a man getting his hair cut at a street-side barber, old friends relaxing over cups of coffee, kids sharing a smart phone screen and people lounging beside a fog-shrouded West Lake. The quiet daily affairs reflect Valter’s understanding that despite the commotion, the “whole town is actually very comfortable.”
Take a closer look at the hustle and bustle of life on Hanoi's streets below:
[Photos by Mate Valter via Daily Mail]
