The air in Saigon this morning was fresh, clean and cool (mid 70s). Gotta take advantage of days like this so I grabbed my camera and hopped on my bike to snap some pics.
There are mobile bicycle vendors galore on Dien Bien Phu Street in District 3. I bought some grapes from this friendly woman and she let me snap her pic. There were also bike vendors selling onions, flowers, motorbike rear-view mirrors, handbags, books, etc.
I've never seen a "fish-in-a-bag" vendor before so I had to get a pic of this one. Although I didn't buy a fish, the proprietor let me take a pic anyway. She doesn't look happy though. Maybe she's thinking "What am I gonna do with all these freaking fish?" I doubt they can last long in those little bags.
Another of the ubiquitous construction sites and signs around Saigon. This one is a pretty huge site at the former location of Saigon Square, which until recently boasted the best selection of pirated DVDs in Saigon as well as various other sundries and shops. This development is being led by a Korean group. The Koreans are everywhere in Saigon.
Another construction site, somewhere in District 3. Serviced apartments are going up like mad. One long time expat friend is convinced there will be a glut of empty inventory on the market in a year or two. My sense is that it all depends on the demand side of the equation. Time will tell.
Ok, so I didn't take this pic today but had to include it. Until recently, I've caught only fleeting glimpses of this dinner boat plying the Saigon waterways. When we had a company party on another boat a few weeks ago I was able to get up close to admire the sheer artistry of this massive, floating neon piranha. Our boat was nowhere near as cool. Vegas, move over.
