The daily sights and sounds of Saigon never fail to disappoint.
Take “Goldfish Alley”, the street to which the guy in this picture is no doubt headed. It contains, on most days, about half a dozen enthusiastic traders offering what I can only reason, given the hot weather here, is something more akin to a boil-in-the-bag dinner for one, rather than a new pet for the kids.
We’ve had some friends in town recently – Sarah and Manjit – and took them out to experience the sights and sounds Saigon has to offer, on the back of vintage Vespas…
“Vietnam Vespa Adventures” is the brain child of Steve Mueller, a guy as equally fanatical with the bikes themselves as much as he is with the country in which he has now resided for thirteen years. Steve’s website offers some useful history on the noble Vespa (the Italian word for “Wasp” – I’ll give you that one for free) and his company’s aim is to provide clients with a perspective on Vietnam otherwise unavailable to the average tourist. Continue reading
There are heavy restrictions on foreigners driving cars in Vietnam, and my mode of transport since arriving here has been the taxi. Longer term I may need to find more economical means. For now, the relatively cheap cost of any of the different branded taxis is easy to swallow and, in the thick of rush hour traffic, it certainly feels the more secure option over and above riding a motorbike or a scooter.
Riding bikes in Saigon is a way of life for the 3 million or so owners who zig-zag across the city each day. From the comfort of the backseat of a Vinasun taxi (our preferred choice at the moment) it is mesmerising watching the ebb and flow of traffic jostle for every last inch of space, in a bid to get from A to B as quick as possible.
saigonsays 