Why We Love Saigon

Free Pass for the Elderly...

2011-01-16T07:07:00.000-08:00

One thing I really like about Saigon is the ability some people, in this case the elderly, have to make me smile about things that under other circumstances would annoy me, greatly.

How can you not smile looking at this dignified, chic man on his motorbike, in his PJs & slippers in the middle of the day, on one of the busiest streets in the city? (parked right in front of the recently opened Chanel boutique).

The father of the man who owns our building also stays in his PJs all day long! He walks around the neighborhood and down the block to have his phổ in the morning, sitting outside, without a care in the world that most people walking or driving by him are in their suits for work. We've even seen him attending community meetings in his PJs! I think if saw a bunch of middle aged people walking around from 7am until 11pm in their pajamas everyday, I wouldn't have the same reaction but the elderly get a free pass.

His wife often grabs my arm when I walk in or out of the building and says nice things like "you should go and rest", "you're a good wife because you work hard" or "you should go and eat". I really, really, really don't like it when people other than my family or close friends touch me (unless its an air hug). But elderly people here tend to grab, lean or push on me frequently and I think it's kind of funny, so again, free pass in my book.

The biggest free pass which older people here enjoy is cutting to the front of the line. This happens everywhere- the market, the airport, the bank or anywhere else there is a line. Many people try to cut to the front of the line here, another major pet peeve, but if it's a much older person, I just let them go because I know they aren't going to stop pressing into me or others unless I let them. I can't help but laugh and shake my head at their persistence and what they can get away with because of their age :)

Cyclos aka Xích Lô!

2010-06-27T01:48:00.000-07:00

Riding a cyclo is the best way to see a city in Vietnam; buses, motor-
bikes and taxis are too fast and if cycling on your own you must focus 110% on the insane traffic. Also, most people, after walking for about 10 minutes in south Vietnam start sweating profusely, with the exception of 1-2.5 months out of the year; the same is true for the summer months in the north and central regions. Unlike the motorized tuk tuk or rickshaws & trishaws in Asia, cyclo drivers sit on a high seat behind the passenger(s), rather than in front. So, to see a good part of the city with a nice breeze at a leisurely pace yet without expending energy in the brutal heat, cyclos are the way to go (if you can live with the guilt of the, often tiny, person behind you sweating for two+). The amount of weight- of people and/or products- I’ve seen small much older men pedaling around the city is truly incredible! (see last photo) A ride usually costs about $1.50 for a 10-20 minute ride in the city center. Many cyclo drivers in Saigon fought alongside the South Vietnamese & Americans during the war which made it impossible for them to find any other type of work. Several of them speak English quite well and love to joke around, especially when it comes time to pay them the set fee agreed upon at the beginning of the ride. Unfortunately, there is a push to rid Saigon of cyclos and the number of streets they are allowed to drive on is diminishing. So visit soon to ride one in Saigon or if you can’t visit then see the Vietnamese film “Xích Lô” - not really a substitute but it's a good film!

cyclo driver carrying a man and a motorbike. Photo by: http://www.cs.uiowa.edu/~cremer/VietPics/SaigonDay3BikeMoto.jpg

Serious Siestas

2010-04-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

Everyday, from some time around 12:30 to 2:00pm you can find people sleeping all over the city, since right after eating lunch many people take a nap. You can even find people sleeping on their motorbikes! I still haven't figured out how they can curl up on their seat, balance and sleep with the bike parked on the sidewalk of a loud & busy major street.
My first encounter with the seriousness of the siesta was when the door of our conference room at the office was marked "occupied", though I was sure there was no one inside as not a sound could be heard coming from the room. Since I needed to set up for a presentation, I opened the door and much to my surprise found a colleague sleeping, sprawled across about 5 chairs he had lined up in a row to make a bed! It suddenly clicked why so many of my colleagues had little pillows at their desks- they were somewhere hiding in the office taking a nap after lunch :) Some of my newer colleagues aren't as discreet about their siestas. (see second photo) When I walked back to my desk several weeks ago the lights were off in the room, where I sit, and I saw a mat on the floor under a desk with 2 sets of little feet sticking out! I couldn't help but laugh at how cute it was so I took a photo... We've also seen construction workers sleeping on piles of rubble from demolished buildings (see top photo) and hammocks set up on our sidewalk, which, if you've read from other posts, is on a main street. Whenever I walk by the hammock on our block I sometimes think, "This would be like setting up a hammock to sleep on 23rd St. in Manhattan!" But they do it and I am glad they do because that's just who they are. A couple of reasons for the siesta are the heat in the mid-afternoon, when it's nearly unbearable to work outside during that time of day and also due to the fact that many Vietnamese wake up very early like 4:30/5:00am ungodly early, so about mid-day they need a nap. Some days I've wanted to try taking a nap at my desk like some of my colleagues, but I just never seem to be able to do it...

Hammock set up on a main street in Saigon

Location, Location, Location

2010-02-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

Saigon is a great hub for travel nationally and inter-nationally. And the best part is the flights are very very inexpensive- and sometimes free! For example,

Old French Map of Saigon (click on the photo to see where our place is located)

AirAsia ran a great promotion last year where they gave away a million free tickets to destinations like Bali, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Siem Reap, Phuket, Jakarta and more interesting places like Yogayakarta. Another great thing about the location is that most of these flights average only an hour and a half from Saigon.

Late last year, H found tickets to Yogyakarta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site full of ancient temples- the tickets were free and we only paid for the tax which was a whopping $25USD per person RT! We’ve also scored tickets to Bangkok for about $40 for a weekend get away. Saigon also has routes direct to Phuket, Paris, Jakarta, Shanghai and Bangkok and its rumored they will open a direct flight to Copenhagen very soon, which will surely be at a budget rate as all the flights in the region are. Within the country we can get to any of Vietnam’s most beautiful beaches in an hour by flight or
AirAsia.com route map

ferry; the same is true for visiting the country’s many World Heritage Sites.

This week we are headed to Burma aka

Myanmar

. We’ll take a short hour flight to Bangkok, hit the nightmarket for some excellent Thai food and shopping- then head out the next morning for another hr. flight to Yangon aka Rangoon then spend 9 days celebrating Valentine’s Day, our 5^th wedding anniversary and Tet (Lunar & Chinese New Year) in what used to be the wealthiest South East Asian nation.

Christmas in Saigon

2010-01-16T02:06:00.000-08:00

If it weren’t for the tropical weather, Saigon could kind’a feel like many cities in the US during Christmas time, only perhaps with a bit more kitsch and smaller Asian versions of Santa Clause. Many of the streets are lined with thousands of lights, department store windows are decorated with North Pole and nativity scenes. And all of the children about 5 years and under are dressed in little Santa Clause outfits for about a week and come from 15 mins to an hour away to line up to take photos in front of all of the decorations. In one area of the city, District 8, where there are mostly Catholic families, nearly every house on

an entire street, which is about a mile long, is decorated with lights, trees, a very odd looking mammoth sized reindeer and nativity scenes, complete with the every member of the Holy family and the wise men adorned with bright green or yellow halogen light bulb halos. One of my favorite scenes on that street is the Holy family superimposed, on a backdrop, in a green field with rolling hills, in the middle of nowhere, in what looks like

Switzerland... (see the second photo)

The kitsch of it all is really amusing. Christmas is primarily a commercial holiday here akin to Halloween in the States, although the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon is packed out on Christmas Eve. Also, on Christmas Eve everyone comes into the city center just to hang out and see the lights. Last year, we couldn’t even walk for several minutes because it was just too crowded. Christmas in Saigon is comical and fun but it’s certainly not as meaningful for us as being in the States, near to our closest friends, family and church.

Tết Trung Thu - Mid Autumn Festival

2009-10-23T04:40:00.000-07:00

Tết Trung Thu, also known as the Mid Autumn Festival or Lantern Festival, is celebrated in Vietnam and among Chinese communities worldwide on the 15th day of every eighth month of the lunar calendar. Every year, about a month before the holiday, stalls selling mooncakes pop up all over Saigon. Mooncakes, in my opinion, are akin to the West's "fruit cake" tradition, which nobody really likes or eats more than a bite of... Mooncake is a pastry made of lotus seed paste and usually has an egg yolk, right in the center which represents the moon. The holiday dates back several centuries and commemorates the end of summer harvesting, among other things; several legends are also associated with the holiday. Lanterns are a big part of the festival & a small little street in Saigon selling lanterns is packed the night of the festival... This year we had a great time celebrating with friends visiting the lantern street & eating mooncakes!

Traditional mooncake (photo by: snpfood.com)

Blooming Water Lily Tea!

2009-09-28T08:56:00.000-07:00

This is a hand sewn “tea bag” filled with jasmine & silver needle/white tea. Once steeped, it blooms into a beautiful water lily! I believe the pink flower in the center is an amaranth, but I do not know the Vietnamese word for it, so that cannot be confirmed yet :) These types of tea bags also bloom into other flowers and come from the central highlands region in Vietnam. The photo below is what the “water lily” looks like before steeping. The tea is as nice as it looks and is meant to be served in a glass to enjoy its beauty. The elegant handicrafts here never cease to amaze me…

Weddings!!!

2009-09-06T00:08:00.000-07:00

Every weekend in Saigon you're pretty much guaranteed to
see at least one, but usually 3 to 4, weddings or at least photo shoots of couples dressed in wedding attire, prior to their wedding.

I admit it, I love all things wedding related but H finds it strange and wonders why I continue to buy wedding magazines...They have really great party ideas, floral arrangements and beautiful dresses (sometimes).

Weddings are becoming a big business here, we've seen no less than 4 advertisements for wedding fairs held at large hotels in the past few months. And there are entire sections of town dedicated solely to wedding invitations, dresses and photographers.

It's fun to be reminded that love is in the air every weekend...

Mangosteen: Foodies, Read It & Weep (unless you live in the tropics)

2009-08-11T09:14:00.000-07:00

“‘This is like seeing a unicorn,’” Sherry Yard, pastry chef of Spago Beverly Hills, said after tasting a mangosteen & “‘I’d love to be able to put them on the menu,’” said Sébastien Rouxel, pastry chef of Per Se - NYT

The mangosteen is a luscious succulent fruit, and one of our favorites, which grows in tropical climates and is also called the “Queen of Fruits”. Its nickname may have come from a legend where Queen Victoria was said to have offered a reward or knighthood to anyone who could bring her the much coveted fruit. Alas, it was never recorded if she did indeed get her hands on one.

It is possible, since 2007, to find mangosteens in the US in very limited numbers and areas. However, most of the ones that are available are, or were at some point, frozen and the flavor is lost by the time they reach the markets. As of April 2009, they were selling at Dean and Deluca in Manhattan for $6 per mangosteen, which would be about $24 per lb. In Saigon they are $0.40 per lb.!!!! and of course they are fresh…

Print by Berthe Hoola van Nooten, 1880

Wikipedia describes the taste as “sweet and tangy” and we would agree with that. However, they further describe it as “citrusy with peach flavor and texture” and we couldn’t disagree more; its not acidic enough to be considered a citrus and it certainly doesn’t taste like a peach or have the texture of a fresh peach. Though I’ve tried to think of ways to describe the taste, I can’t; it’s completely different from any other food.

I must agree with Eric Mjöberg, Swedish zoologist & ethnographer from the early 1900’s who said of the mangosteen, "It would be mere blasphemy to attempt to describe its wonderful taste, the very culmination of culinary art for any unspoilt palate."

Now, foodie friends, come to visit us & try the forbidden (semi-fresh ones sell on the black market in Chinatowns throughout the US) and coveted mangosteen!

A couple of good NYTimes articles about the mangosteen can be found here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/08/dining/08mang.html?_r=1 & http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/09/dining/09mang.html?pagewanted=1&sq=mangosteen&st=cse&scp=1

My Job!

2009-07-29T21:21:00.001-07:00

One important reason I love living in Saigon is because of my job at Habitat for Humanity as Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager. Habitat in Vietnam provides: microfinance loans for people to repair, build homes and/or access clean water and sanitation solutions; educates people on sanitation, hygiene, financial management and low cost building and repair techniques; advocates for human rights; provides school scholarships and vocational training, among other things. The best experience I've had working for Habitat was carrying out a baseline survey in 138 villages, in Kien Giang province, to assess the clean water and sanitation needs for an upcoming information, education and communication project funded by the UK government via DFID. I love the people I work with, they are all fun and interesting and I have an awesome supervisor! The atmosphere in the office is also really nice; its set in a home and upstairs, where I work, we walk around barefoot all day to avoid spreading dirt from our shoes around. Something else I love about our office is that whenever a new person begins working with us, or whenever a person leaves the organization, or whenever there is a holiday like, "International Women's Day", we usually have snacks and drinks and inevitably end up singing 80's love songs together as a group though the words aren't always clear- no I am not joking... So since I began working at

Some of the survey team members

Habitat in Dec. of 2008, I've probably sang about 20 love songs from the 80's with my colleagues. Good times... Right now we are preparing for the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project where volunteers from all over the world, and the Carters, will build 30 homes in one week for poverty stricken farmers and fishermen in Hai Duong province. To read more about the project click here:
h ttp://www.hfhi.org/jcwp/2009/vietnam_site.aspx

I love my job!

Shoes at the bottom of the stairs, half the staff walks around barefoot!

The Lotus Flower

2009-07-17T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Lotus is one our favorite flowers; in Vietnam we are lucky to be surrounded by thousands of them everyday in restaurants, office buildings, on the streets and at home. H usually picks up lotuses from the market every other weekend. They cost $1.50 for per 2 dozen and last for a week. The lotus is the national flower of Vietnam and India. It is also called the ‘flower of the dawn’ and many myths, poems and songs are written about the lotus. In Vietnam, it is a symbol of purity, commitment and optimism for the future and its seeds, leaves and tubers are edible. Many restaurants serve lotus tea as soon as you walk in the door and lotus salads are excellent! The most common colors of lotuses found in Vietnam are pink then white. The bulbs also come in 2 shapes, vertical and pointed such as in the photo and a round shape. The pink lotus is considered the "supreme lotus" in Buddhism and is the flower Buddha is found sitting on in several representations.

Red Velvet Cake & other American baked goodies...

2009-07-04T23:43:00.000-07:00

After several discussions over the past 9 months about how much we miss our favorite red velvet cake in NYC, Cake Man Raven's, we decided to take control of this repetitive issue of malaise by contacting a local bakery, Harvest Baking, in Saigon to ask them to make one for us. Harvest Baking was started by two Americans from San Francisco and they train local disadvantaged Vietnamese youth how to bake and work in the booming service industry. Even though the southern classic red velvet wasn't on the menu, we were confident Harvest could whip one up for us due to the fact that one of owners is a former pasty chef and because all of the other baked goods we've tried, such as their brownies and sugar cookies, have been excellent. When we made the request the owners were a bit surprised and said it wasn't on the menu because most people don't know what it is but he cheerfully agreed and we had our red velvet cake within a matter of days. As soon as it was delivered, H contacted me at work and we decided we couldn't wait until after 6pm to try it so we decided to meet at home for lunch to try a piece. Needless to say, the cake was amazing! I was a little skeptical when I saw fresh coconut flakes sprinkled on top- a very Vietnamese touch- since that isn't typically seen on a red velvet. However, the nice subtle flavor went perfectly with the cake. It's nice to know when we miss our American comfort foods, we can usually find them a phone call or a block or two away :)

No Ice Cream Trucks but.... Ice Cream Bicycles, YES!

2009-06-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

We don’t have ice cream trucks but we do have ice cream bicycles! (which are much more eco- friendly) We have two types of ice cream bicycles. One sells regular old-fashion style ice cream by the scoop; the vendors attach a little ice box or a cooler (the ice box is cuter-more retro) to the back of their bikes carrying a few flavors of ice cream; they somehow manage to keep the plastic container, holding the cones, from falling off the ice box as they pedal and simultaneously ring a brass bell hanging from the handle bars. The other ice cream bike sells ice cream bars and popsicles, has a red sticker on the ice box advertising the brand of goodies they sell. They also play a specific melody that is loudly broadcast from somewhere on the bike, I have yet to locate; and the tune played is only used for these types of icy treats. The ice cream bicycles are most easily found on the weekends near the parks where people of all ages hang out en masse. I think the ice cream bicycle would go over really well in some cities. As a vendor, you could earn some pocket money, exercise, and make people happy all at the same time! So who is up for starting this trend in their city or town?

Life on the Streets

2009-06-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

Many activities one would usually expect to take place indoors, frequently take place outside in Saigon. For example, today we walked by someone giving a pedicure in the park (see photo below) It's also pretty common to see people of all ages after 6pm in their pajamas sitting outside their homes and walking or riding their motorbikes down the block to buy something. We often say to each other, "this would never happen in New York." Although Saigon has a population of about 8 million, close to New York's, it often feels small town and part of this feeling has to do with the fact that many parts of people's private lives take place in public. We also see barbers set up a shop along the sidewalks- Can you imagine getting your haircut on the sidewalk in a major city at a busy intersection with thousands of people walking and driving by? You can also find people lying face down on mats on the sidewalks getting massages and just yesterday we saw a driver hang his hammock from his car door to a light pole and then proceed to nap! Like the "Rand omness is Fun" post below- we never know what we will see taking place on the streets in Saigon...

Unashamedly Religious

2009-05-31T02:14:00.000-07:00

In many parts of the West its rather taboo to express one's faith in public; so, it has been refreshing to see people here quietly go about expressing their faith in public, yet in an unobtrusive manner (except, perhaps, for the fire hazard of the mini bonfires which are lit on the sidewalk-as seen in the photo to the left) and without conflict between those practicing different faiths. Nearly every taxi cab driver has a statue of Buddha, Lady Buddha, Jesus or Mary on their dashboard. It easy to find people burning incense every morning and offering prayers for a successful day's business. And several nights a week its common to find people praying outside of the Notre Dame cathedral in the center of the city. What I find even more interesting is that many Western tourist take photos of these expressions of faith and somehow romanticize them, yet they can hardly stand public expressions of faith in their own countries.

Gourmet Foods from France!

2009-05-12T05:55:00.000-07:00

Given France's colonial history in Vietnam, it isn't difficult to find French influence in many places around the city, as well as in many other parts of the country. And though I adore Vietnamese food, French is my favorite so I was pleasantly surprised to find a handful of gourmet groceries carrying amazing cheeses and other gourmet treats from Fauchon, imported from France! http://www.fauchon.com This month also happens to be "French month" at our local gourmet grocery, Annam Gourmet Market, which means free wine and cheese tastings every Saturday as well as specialty crepes and discounts on most French products. The best part... its about a 5 minute walk from our apartment. Vive le France (in Saigon)!

Randomness is Fun!

2009-04-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

You can find pretty random scenarios on a daily basis in Saigon which is fun, funny and thought provoking all at the same time. For instance, yesterday we saw someone on a motorbike driving down the sidewalk- steering with one hand carrying a tray with two large bowls of soup, chopsticks and drinks with the other! So think of something like the Sonic Drive-In burger joint with waitresses carrying trays of food on one hand with roller-skates yet the person here is on a motor bike. The randomness comes in because the guy on the motorbike is not affiliated with a restaurant- and where did he get the tray from? :) The photos represent other daily randomness we encounter... Although we live in one of the largest cities in the world, on a major street, with a Pizza Hut to boot, chickens walk around on the sidewalk and we have no idea who they belong to or where they come from. Another day we saw a bull dog apparently helping a driver steer his motorbike. Walking down the street here is usually far more funny that any comedy show!

Traditional Handicrafts: Embroidery

2009-04-19T02:24:00.000-07:00

Vietnam has some of the most beautiful traditional handicrafts and embroidery is one of them. Many European luxury brands have their products embroidered here. Unfortunately, it's a dying and underfunded art in the country. We have pillow cases embroidered, as well as other home accessories, at a local convent where nuns teach women 18 years and older, who were unable to attend school due to poverty or a disability, in order to give them a trade for their livelihoods. Isn't their work stunning?

The girls at work...

The Opera House

2009-03-29T00:24:00.000-07:00

The Saigon Opera House is a beautiful example of French colonial architecture and is located right in the heart of Saigon. The opera house was built in 1897 and has also served as a place where government meetings were held and as a shelter for refugees, shortly after the country split in 1954. The building is modeled after Paris' Petit Palais and was restored earlier this year. It's a pleasure to pass by this beautiful theater nearly everyday...

Street Food: Divine Freshly Baked Waffles for $0.50

2009-03-19T21:52:00.001-07:00

Most days, on the major streets in Saigon you will pass by a street food vendor baking waffles with a cast iron waffle skillet on a butane gas or gel flame burner. The waffles are some of the most delicious I’ve tried! (I’m not writing this for hype) They're amazing because they are fresh baked- given to us piping hot and the secret ingredients for “yummy-ness” include fresh coconut milk, pandan and sweetened condensed milk! They are perfectly priced at $0.50 and served with a big smile! :)

Amazing Spas....

2009-03-09T02:48:00.000-07:00

Ho Chi Minh City has a number of excellent spas, many of which I have not yet experienced. But, one of my favorites is L'Apothiquaire, located in a 1950's French colonial villa. One, can easily spend an entire day here swimming, going to the steam room and sauna, having a massage followed by a light meal with fresh squeezed fruit juices;today I tried the apple, superb!

The therapists are excellent and professional. An hour massage is an unbelievably low $33USD. Living in any big city, it's important to find little quite places to relax away from the hustle and bustle sometimes...L'Apothiquaire is definitely one our favorite respites. - http://www.lapothiquaire.com

Photo by: www.phongcachdoanhnhanonline.com

The Grocery Comes to You!

2009-02-27T21:25:00.000-08:00

Well, more accurately, would be "the fruit market comes to you!" Everyday, we find amazing locally grown fresh tropical fruits from the fertile Mekong Delta region, in the south of Vietnam, and lovely fresh berries from the Central Highlands area, being sold by people on their bicycles. They have very large baskets attached, not to the front but, to the back of their bikes holding the fruit. Sometimes they bike around the city and we flag them down, other times they line up in a row on busy streets during rush hour and people on their motorbikes just pull over and buy some from them quickly- then take off... This is fast food the healthy and fun way! (they also carry little portable low tech scales for the fruit)

Peeled pears for sale!

Tangerines for sale

Valentine's in Saigon

2009-02-14T07:44:00.000-08:00

So, I wasn't expecting Valentine's Day to be as special in Saigon as it usually is in New York. But, today was as special as ever! Tonight we experienced an amazing 9-course meal prepared by 3-star Michelin chef Regis Marcon from St-Bonnet-le-Froid, France and we were able to meet him which was a real treat! I was totally shocked that I didn't know a 3-star was in town! H did an amazing job keeping this surprise!

photo by: chefs.rougie-profesional.es

We also enjoyed a wonderful chocolate tasting at the Park Hyatt around tea time and for the past two days, H has brought me the most beautiful red roses grown in Dalat, in the central highlands region of the country... It's so nice to be able to celebrate the holiday here too! There were roses and lovers holding hands all over the city today. The Vietnamese are very into Valentine's Day :)
Park Hyatt Chocolate tasting!Beautiful red roses!

Stephen Sprouse LV collection

2009-02-07T01:34:00.000-08:00

Yes, indeed! We have the Stephen Sprouse Louis Vuitton collection here too! A few people I've come across, who have not yet visited our awesome city, think of Saigon as very "developing world". Though there are some "developing" areas in the city there are also luxe boutiques, world class restaurants and beautiful tree lined boulevards! The vast majority of clients at Louis Vuitton in Saigon are locals, not expats...

More about the collection:

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2009/01/video_in_bed_with_marc_jacobs.html

"Tet"- the Lunar New Year!

2009-01-31T03:20:00.000-08:00

Saigon is a great place to experience "Tet" the Lunar New Year. There are several flower and cultural shows that take place around the city leading up to the holiday. The city is decorated with peach and apricot blossoms. This year is the year of the Water Buffalo!

Lanterns lit throughout the city during the Tet season - Jan. 25, 2009

H bargaining with a vendor for our peach blossom tree...

This photo was taken at one of the many flower shows in the city