Hans-Peter Grumpe is a German teacher. With a great passion for photography and traveling, Hans spent most of his holidays discovering different corners of the world, including three trips to Vietnam in the 1990s.
The German photographer had taken thousands of pictures that captured the various Vietnamese landscapes, daily life, and the local people throughout his trips in the country. Among them, there are 10 stunning shots of the bustling life in Hoi An .
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A corner of Hoi An in 1991-1992, taken by Hans-Peter Grumpe
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“I had the chance to experience this beautiful old city at its most pristine state, I mean there was literally no other visitor like me. The arrival of a European tourist had stirred up the daily life in here even though Hoi An at that time was already an official tourist destination”, Hans told Vietnam Times.
“I had the impression that the time has stopped in one way or another”, he describes his photos.
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The Japan bridge in the 1990s
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An ancient house in Hoi An selling daily necessities, including petrol, bags of ice-tubes (as fridge at that time was not that ubiquitous in households as today, and so did filling stations).
The house was also a “bicycle park” where cyclers could park their bike for a while if they wanted to get around the town on foot.
It looks like the small store was welcoming many customers in the photo.
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A bustling market selling farming tools. Almost all locals traveled to the market on foot or by bicycle.
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A group of aluminum workers producing household products in Hoi An ancient town.
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Fukian Assembly Hall. According to Hans, the was the only foreign visitor in Hoi An town at that time.
The Fukian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien), Hoi An was established in the year 1697. It is a great example of the Chinese architecture. The Chinese merchants of the Fukian Province are believed to build this huge assembly hall. However, some changes have been made to this Fukian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien) in the course of time, Hoi An world heritage reported.
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Three young women cycling pass one ancient house.
Old houses in Hoi An are still well-preserved in modern days, creating a unique beauty for this World heritage site.
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Thu Bon river in the 1990s.
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Daily life in Thu Bon river – the iconic river of Hoi An.
The Fukian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien), Hoi An was established in the year 1697. It is a great example of the Chinese architecture. The Chinese merchants of the Fukian Province are believed to build this huge assembly hall. However, some changes have been made to this Fukian Assembly Hall (Phuc Kien) in the course of time.
Moreover, the Thu Bon River in Hoi An is not just the main culminating point for most festivals and events that are held at Hoi An but also the chief source of livelihood for many residents of the town, according to Hoi An world heritage.
