I’ve crossed this bridge just about everyday for the last 6 months, which in some tiny way has led to its rather dilapidated condition, that and the fact that it is over 100 years old, has been bombed over the course of several wars, doubles as a market place, wedding photo venue and has to withstand litres of urine a day as people often feel the need to relieve themselves over this 2.5km stretch.

I am once again uprooting for possibly the last time in Hanoi  and moving back to civilisation as some might call it. This side of Long Bien bridge, i.e the east is considered by “true” Hanoians as not really Hanoi, it’s the wrong side of the tracks, if the tracks happened to be running in a north-south direction which is not true in this case, so perhaps a more appropriate phrase would be the wrong side of the river. The mention that i live out here is usually met with gasps and occasional fainting at how far away from everything it is, but in reality it’s only a short often potty-mouthed motorbike ride over an iconic bridge from Hanoi’s old quarter.

The city end of Long Bien Bridge is actually one of the poorest areas of Hanoi, with many practically homeless and lotsa heroin use. For slightly more real life around Long Bien bridge pics, this is a good album.