Saigon Images
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Saigon is located just to the north of Mekong Delta. But the Saigon river, by which Saigon is located, is not a branch nor a tributary of the Mekong river.
This photo was taken on the riverside not far from the People's Committee Building. Modern high-rise buildings were mushrooming on the both sides of the river.
The bridge over the Saigon river is Cầu Ba Son or the Ba Son bridge. It was just completed in 2022.
Vietnam embarked on Đổi Mới, an economic reform programme, in 1986 with the goal of "socialist-oriented market economy." It consisted of privatisation, promotion of foreign direct investment, normalisation of diplomatic relations etc., which resulted in a rapid economic growth that still continues today.
Vietnam is expected to be a next factory of the world replacing the current role of China. It is noted, however, that Vietnam is still a one-party dictatorship, and the government still maintains a grip on the state-owned corporations like China does. It is not certain if the current government regime would survive in the future as the economic development is conducive to democratic reforms.
I've long considered myself metaphorically homeless. The places I've lived, I've struggled to connect to place - with San Francisco being the most connected while Chicago has been the worst. I feel detached and distant overall, which likely speaks more to my own self perceptions than where I've found myself by happenstance or choice. Vietnam is different, though not without caveat. There is a place where I felt naturally at ease, relaxed and surrounded by meanings. The caveat of course is the culture existing there, while being one I appreciate, admire, respect and would love to be a part of, is kept at arms length by my being an American and not having been raised in said culture, nor faced the struggles of said culture. Travel is not life, despite how much one wishes it to be and these photographs, while attempting to show the chaos and peace of marvelous Saigon (HCMC), are an attempt to show my love for and forced distance by birth from Vietnam.
Saigon (Vietnam) - L’une des dernières photos prises ce matin, sur le petit marché de Tan Binh dans le district numéro 1 d’Ho-chi-Minh. Un quartier appelé « quartier du routard ». Si c’est ça le style routard, il a bien changé depuis les années 1970. En réalité ce quartier est désormais dédié à la prostitution.
Nous décollons pour Paris demain aux aurores. Durée du vol : 12 heures.
Bazaar in Saigon
Saigon (Vietnam) - One of the last photos taken this morning, in the small Tan Binh market in District 1 of Ho Chi Minh City. A neighborhood known as the "backpacker district." If this is what the backpacker atmosphere is like, it has changed a lot since the 1970s. In reality, this area is now dedicated to prostitution.
We will depart for Paris at dawn tomorrow. Flight time: 12 hours.
I've long considered myself metaphorically homeless. The places I've lived, I've struggled to connect to place - with San Francisco being the most connected while Chicago has been the worst. I feel detached and distant overall, which likely speaks more to my own self perceptions than where I've found myself by happenstance or choice. Vietnam is different, though not without caveat. There is a place where I felt naturally at ease, relaxed and surrounded by meanings. The caveat of course is the culture existing there, while being one I appreciate, admire, respect and would love to be a part of, is kept at arms length by my being an American and not having been raised in said culture, nor faced the struggles of said culture. Travel is not life, despite how much one wishes it to be and these photographs, while attempting to show the chaos and peace of marvelous Saigon (HCMC), are an attempt to show my love for and forced distance by birth from Vietnam.