Little Saigon of Horrors

Good evening friends. The wind blows foul on this murky day, the rainclouds show us how much they loathe us by blotting out the sun. Citizens scurry across the street, as a gusty blast brings down a shower of leaves from the helpless trees above. People raise their hands in a feeble attempt to shield themselves from the anger of mother nature. Drivers glance anxiously at the blackened sky as a low rumble of thunder blankets the city. A dog howls as a tornado of dust is whipped up on the mischievous breeze. What is happening? Ugly things are underfoot. Come with me to Saigon's foremost dungeon. They call it a place for motorbikes, although the bizarre paraphernalia balanced on the pipes suggest other uses once we're all in bed.

Here, cobwebs have hung for a hundred years. Eerie dark courners emit mysterious sounds -- running water and distant echoes. I wouldn't investigate if I were you. Occasionally an enormous rat saunters across the floor, the kind that has a couple of scars and an eyepatch. DON'T make eye contact.

Whatever wizardry, skulduggery or occult worship happens down here, it's nothing compared to the newest terrors of Saigon. A monster is stalking us, slowly smothering the city whilst a zombified population innocently continues about with their futile existence. LOTTERIA, an entity created by a wizard from a hermit kingdom far far away, is the monster in question.

Bach Dang

Nguyen Thi Minh Khai (one of three on this street)....

Nam Ky Khoi Nghai

Tran Hung Dao

Corner locations allow the beast to observe better. Be warned. Number of current locations in the city is unknown. With a new tentacle called franchise, the number could be anything -- the Saigon Times reported number nineteen, and that was six months ago....

The Vietnam Economic Times has talked about the arrival of foul bowel destroying gut rot in Vietnam, but it's too late.

If I were you, I'd read this.

Chillout in Saigon : Part 1

As I am writing a feature piece on chillout spots in Saigon, I thought I'd share. By no means is this a definitive list, more just my own personal favourites.

Le Fenetre Soliel is infamous for its crappy entrance.

Inside however it's uncrappy.

Here's what I wrote for my article:

Le Fenetre Soliel is probably Saigon’s ultimate lounge lizard spot, having a variety of agreeable seats, sofas and even a double bed to sprawl over. The small establishment is contained in an area reminiscent of a living room in an old French chateau, with two large windows that allow light to spill in across the wood beam floor, the exposed brick walls rising up to meet a high ceiling. The menu boasts a fare which matches the atmosphere inside – light and airy. A wide range of fruit juices and shakes accompany a menu of salads, sandwiches and crepes. Don’t be put off by the decrepit staircase that leads up to Fenetre Soliel through a discreet entrance, inside it is quite different.

Next up:

Highlands Coffee has a number of locations in the city, though perhaps the most comfortable is found on Nguyen Du, in the shadow of the Saigon Trade Center. Perhaps not best for chilling out at lunchtime due to the crowds, this place is a good evening spot. A modern interior hosts a large seating area with plenty of sofas and armchairs for you and your mug of coffee. Another choice would be the wooden decking outside, a relatively quiet city spot good for people watching. The menu here has Asian and Western dishes, and the usual assortment of drinks including a tasty range of Italian sodas.

I especially do enjoy the outside seating in the evenings - a good spot.

Another popular HCM City coffee shop chain is the Italian founded Illy Café. One particular branch sits adjacent to the Lion Restaurant in Lam Son Square. Despite its city center location the courtyard outside is surprisingly secluded, or you could try the comfortable seating area inside. Find here ambrosial cold coffee drinks laced with amaretto, almond and other alluring ingredients, from 39,000 dong.

Also, Illy has WiFi (as does Fenetre). In fact, any kind of coffee shop in this kind of bracket without WiFi is being left behind. However, it's not all poncy:

For an altogether less pretentious experience, how about taking residence in a deckchair down by the river. The Café Park Bach Dang provides basic outdoor seating, with a view across the river into Thu Thiem. Far from the trendy bars and stylish cafes just down the road, it’s the perfect spot to amble through a few pages of novel whilst taking in scenes of daily life passing by. The menu consists of drink only, with coffee from 7,000 VND and beers 11,000 VND.

I love sitting here for a lazy hour or so, watching the 'matter' float down the river.

Last one for today:

Le Petit Café is aptly named. There are a number of choices when it comes to seating – the small enclosed area downstairs or in the atrium complete with water feature. No food is available in the evening, but there is a small Vietnamese breakfast and lunch menu. Find the perfect spot for an afternoon nap in the upstairs relaxation area, littered with cushions and low tables.

Vũng Tàu

As we climbed out of the hydrofoil, breathing down that unpolluted air was like downing a liter of ice cool water after an hours run in the April sun.....wonderful. Recently the ever increasing congestion in HCM and the fumes that go with it have been getting to me, so a weekend in the relatively placid city of Vung Tao was needed. Over two years since my last visit, about 10 for Chi. Here is 'Back Beach'.

As a seaside boy myself, my hometown being the beautiful Bournemouth, I adore the seaside and the lifestyle that goes with it. One thing you'll never see in Bournemouth however is people having a seafood breakfast at 7am on the beach!

Below, vendors selling bánh mì chiên tôm, or shrimp fried in breadcrumbs.

Driving to the top of the small hill with the old French built lighthouse was a worthwhile exploration. The view is spectacular. Here is the very tip of the Vũng Tàu peninsular, 'back beach' to the north and 'front beach' to the south.

Here, my wife tries to impersonate an old Italian women. She got halfway through the 'mamma mia' but couldn't keep a straight face any longer.

Descending, we pass the new ferry terminal (new some time in the last two years). No offence to the architect, but it looks like it was inspired by a loaf of bread. Plus it holds the very first Lotteria AND KFC in town. Fantastic!

Jesus! No really...it is.

Back at the hotel, we were never stuck for a ride.

In the evening we went to the popular Hải Sản Sống. It's located right on the rocks. I took this from our table.

Just to chase away those images for a second, the rocks in front were crawling with rats, some even had little chopsticks and were dashing up to the table trying to nab a prawn off my plate. I spotted one leaning on a small wire fence with his arms folded, just glaring at me. Most unnerving.

After dinner we bundle over to the dog track. A real touristy attraction, this was.

Inspect the mutts that will lose money for you.

Into the traps....

And they're off.....sorry for the crapness of this shot, but I had one chance - I blew it.

To celebrate the arrival of a new bridge that cuts journey time to 30 minutes and distance to only about 20 km, we drove to Long Hải. Somehow we ended up in this small village halfway there. The seafront was totally undeveloped, people living in small houses right on the beach. What a place to live!

The News

Stuff I've talked about here recently has been appearing the news in the last few days so I wanted to point it out for you.

As this article says:

When Phu My Hung company rolled out 40 new deluxe apartments, each worth around VND3 billion (US$187,000), in district 7’s Saigon South urban area last month, some 1,000 customers queued up to register despite the fact that prices had soared by 50 percent in the last few months.

From the same article:

Land sold by TS real estate company, also in Saigon South, fetched VND19 million ($1,187) per sq.m, up from VND12 million ($749) just two weeks ago.


Ha - up over $400 per sq.m in two weeks? What's going on! I talked about all this land being developed in this post in which recent commenter Ching tells me that the whole area was bought by LG. Jesus.


Also in the last few days, Thanh Nien wrote this story which I brushed upon in The Final Word in 'Saigon in 2020'. Looks like my premonitions may partly become reality. They say:

Construction of the 19.7 km (12 mile) track linking Vietnam's largest city and the neighboring province of Binh Duong, known as the Ben Thanh – Suoi Tien route, was expected to start later this year or early in 2008 and finish in 2013, city transport officials said.

Sadly, I will be waiting for any signs of said construction site, Canon at the ready.

Other News: The 'N' on my laptop keyboard has fallen off, exposing the plastic node beneath it, which is surprisingly hard to press. You have get it right on the top. Amazing how many words have N in them.

About Asia

About Asia is a new blog I'd love you to take a look at. Check out the philosophy. There are also blog listings from Korea, Japan, Singaprore, Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. So far.

The blog is a baby. Start small. The mighty oak grows from the tiny acorn etc etc. Really, it's about community.

Enjoy, and stick in your RSS reader so that in the weeks and months to come you can see it grow.

Thanks!

Hello Handsome....

Ok, Chi has just found this little bugger in one of our plants. I have just explained to her that the only way it got into the house was that she transported it with her from District 7 when she bought the plant....

Any Vietnam wildlife experts out there? What the Jesus is it? Well, at least we save a bit of money on dinner tonight.

Jungle Beach

Jungle Beach is 50ks north of Nha Trang and about 10 ks from the turnoff on Highway 1. I went there sometime ago, in January, during my research trip for Travelfish. Although I didn't stay there overnight, my visit gave me a taste of what a guest could expect...that is, a lot of quiet time. The place is run by Sylvio, a Canadian with a Vietnamese wife, they started JB in 2001. He told me that when he found the spot it was by boat as there was no road. The natural beauty is amazing. Totally secluded, altogether peaceful and utterly serene. To stay here costs 300,000 dong and that's including all your meals. Accommodation is, err, basic. Various options exist -- this sleeping area is literally on the beach. Roll down the blinds for some privacy, get the mosquito net set up and then drift off to the sound of the ocean frothing and foaming.

Days or weeks of doing absolutely nothing apart from swimming and napping. Living in sandals and shorts without a care in the world. Spending long evenings with nothing to think about except how damn lucky you are to be able to spend long evenings thinking about nothing. This is the kind of place it can happen, one of many dotted around the SE Asia circuit.

All of JB is set in a garden setting, with lush tropical plants sprouting up over hammocks spread throughout the mazy walkways.

And the beach looks something like this:

Aside from this, the wildlife is another amazing part of the area around Jungle Beach. Sylvio lists a number of creatures..Pigmy Loris, White Belly SEA Eagle, Malay Eagle, Serpent Stripe Eagle, Mouse Deer, Spotted Deer, Flying Squirrel, King Cobra, Python and Stick Bug. Most amazingly of all however are the monkeys.....Sylvio explains all:

We have seen the primates off and on from the beginning not knowing what we were looking at...Our 1st encouter was when I went up the hill taking a Aussie dude along, who was trailing behind me quite a ways... being so used to being in the forest / mountain, I managed to get under a tree where at leat 2 dozen were sleeping, this guy comes noisily around the bend, wakes them up and they take off in a fury, scaring the shit out of me...but what a trip to look up and see these critters, or should I say monsters of the trees taking off... This was summer 2002.

Since then we have had many guests who have seen them from close and far...but it was Jan. 13, 2006 when Shane, from Campbell river BC, Canada that we got our 1st set of very nice pictures, these were e-mailed all over the place; CucPhuong primate center north VietNam, CatBa island primate center, HaLong bay VietNam, San Diego State University...'

'Then on March 15, 2006, the folks from CucPhuong Primate center, came here and we went out trekking looking for stools to get a DNA analysis done, soto get an actual what is what about them...

Here we have it, a DISTINC GROUPING of Black Shank Douc Langurs, [ Dr.Christian Roos, Primate Genetics, German primate center, Gottingen Germany] and it solves a query going over 10 years about 2 langurs confiscated in HCMC, that folks had no idea where they had come from as they were different DNA grouping from all other Black Shank Douc Langurs found in SEA.'

Here are some pictures of the Langurs courtesy of JB.

You can find more information about the Langurs at the website of the 'Endangered Primate Rescue Center' in Cuc Phuong National Park here.

Satellite Photography

Wow! Look how good Google Earth is. They must have updated their Saigon maps.

Observations of a peeping tom

As I while away the hours in my rocking chair by the window of my 16th floor apartment, I occasionally lean forward to tweak back the curtains. Below me snakes Rach Thi Nghe (a canal). The waterway is rumored to one day become an elevated highway but for now this stinky stream is part of the local environment. From my nosy perch, way up above in contemptuous apartments towering on its banks, I observe life unknowingly revolve. In the morning, the people exercise along its banks. Across the way is one of many such sites along the canal. An 'environmental' cleanup project, probably to pump water away from the area, as low lying areas nearby are flooded during wet season.

I try and catch them at it (working) but to no avail. From my detective skills (and hours of patient observation) I reckon that them concrete tubes goes down the hole. The hole is something of a mystery edifice. All manner of odd noises are emitted from it's depths. Clunking, whirring, shunting, even heavy breathing -- something is going on down there, but all I can ever see is construction workers gazing down into the abyss, scratching their heads.

I've never seen anything go in, and nothing comes out -- however, there could be an underground city down there for all I know.

Check the first picture again, and look in the bottom right hand corner. This chap is braver than me, or he has lungs made of leather.

He's not the only one with the guts to enter the canal....some even do it for fun. Can you imagine - 'Mummy, I'm just off for a swim with all the other toxic chemicals'.

I would go down and give them the 15 odd thousand it costs for a swim in a real pool, but I might miss something. The school, along with its tannoy system, gets going at about 7.00.....a good alarm clock.

Throughout the day, people enjoy the relative tranquility under the trees.

A nice place for a picnic.

Come over on any Sunday afternoon and take stroll -- maybe a nice alternative to the parks. It's a charming scene of urban life, a very real snapshot of Ho Chi Minh City. There's a lovely pagoda just past the bridge, and a few quiet places to stop for a drink. It seems so far away from the madness of the city, it's worth a look. Maybe if I ever get motivated to leave this chair, I'll give you the tour from ground level.