Old Advertising, Saigon

On Tran Hung Dao one hotel has been knocked down to be replaced with another one. In the process old wall advertisements have been revealed for the first time in who knows how many decades. I like the juxtaposition of the old adverts with the new and that there are no power lines getting in the way.

Land Development

Saigon has a new and nearly completed landmark, the Bitexco Financial Tower. It can be seen from all over the city and surrounds and even has a helipad on one side. Alas my picture doesn't do it justice but I'll get some better ones soon.

Large swathes of the city centre are also earmarked for ripping down and "improving". Not everyone is in favour of course and I've been told that the flags flying from the residential buildings at the top end of Le Loi are in protest to the planned redevelopment of that area.

Such a shame to see buildings of character go under the jack hammer but I doubt the mild misgivings of one expat blogger are going to make the slightest difference.

Architectural Signage Puzzle

Perhaps someone out there can help me with this. I've seen signage like this since I arrived and have never been able to work out what it means or meant. Any ideas?

A sad day for footwear

Alas a trip to shoe street looks necessary to replace the pink flip flops which pass as work shoes because they're not made of rubber.

French Architecture, Central Saigon

I think this is the Party Headquarters in District 1. I know I've never been able to take pictures of it before because there are always armed guards outside looking sternly at me but I managed to grab this image from a taxi.

I love the slightly debauched and louche face surrounded by hair and roses and I'll have to try to take more stealth snaps of the building in future.

Mobile Shop

From bicycle to fully stocked snacks, drinks and smokes stall in less than 10 minutes.

unloading...

fully stocked and waiting for the ice delivery to arrive.

Central Saigon

Central Saigon is a fabulous mixture of old and new and this has to be the shiniest brass plaque in town. The Rex Hotel is an amazing building, one of the older hotels in town and internally a palace of kitsch. This is famous as the gathering point for journalists during the American War. Even though it looks as though it's been there forever it's only been a hotel since the mid Seventies. We've had a drink on the roof but I didn't have the camera with me so I'll be forced to go back.

This part of town is home to the designer stores Louis Vuitton et al, the high end hotels and the trendy bars. It's very cosmopolitan and could be any successful city in the world, but look down any alley and you'll see a view like the one below.