A Glimpse of Vietnam

This photograph was taken in Ho Chi Minh City, commonly still referred to as Saigon. The street scape is a contrast between modern buildings, street vendors and open markets.

A bamboo pole with a basket of bananas on each end becomes a fruit market. It is colorful and fun to see but a reminder of the basic economics of survival. Two plastic stools on the street becomes a restaurant. The lady in the photo below has a restaurant-to-go on her shoulder pole.

One is often called out to with "Please, Madame..." with an emphasis on the second syllable. It is a reminder of the French influence in the early colonization of Vietnam.

Electrical engineer Dave says this is what's known in construction terms as a "bird's nest"! Even he is speechless at how this lineman is figuring it out.

Crossing the street in Vietnam is the ultimate challenge. Motorcycles six deep do not stop. You step off the curb and keep going. The drivers have calculated your crossing and if you hesitate at all - you'll get smacked. The hum of the motorcycle engines is everywhere.

To get to the rural school on our itinerary we must travel down the palm-fringed Mekong. It is tradition that the face painted on the boat will help "see" the way in the dark.

On our way to the school we walk through a rural market and make friends along the way.

Pictures of the school will be in the next post!