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.