In the streets of Saigon that run through the canyons of contemporary office buildings, sleek malls, high-end boutiques, and elegant restaurants, a more traditional, time-honored way of living is alive and thriving. It’s so woven into the fabric of the burgeoning city that these two diametrically different ways of living can coexist, giving Saigon its unique personality and charm. Someone working on the top floor of a skyscraper is just as likely found eating lunch or dinner on a small stool on the sidewalk of a family-run cafe or food cart offering simple bún bò (beef noodle soup), bánh mì, or phở, as in any of the many contemporary, international restaurants surrounding it.
Another example of this modern-meets-traditional life is found in the numerous street markets around the city. While there are large, convenient soft goods and grocery stores, there are also large wet and dry markets where many people still shop for some (or all) of their daily needs. My husband Mark has his favorite wet market and vendor that he visits a few times a week for fresh fruit. Although his Vietnamese is shaky at best (still learning), and the “Fruit Lady’s” English is just as “good”, with much laughter and sign-language-charades, they’ve built a fun and friendly relationship. The fruit is always fresh and delicious (with no artificial chemicals to make it last.) She lets Mark know that the mangos, dragon fruit, pineapple, or other fruit he chooses, will be at its best either tomorrow (ngày mai) or maybe in 2 days (ngày kia) “Don’t put it in the refrigerator!” she cautions him (with a little help from Google Translate.)
There are also many enterprising, hard-working folks who have mobile “kitchens”, or coffee, banh mi, or baked goods carts that they set out on the side of busy roads during rush hour or at lunchtime. Many carry their goods on their shoulders or on bicycles to reach a good spot. It obviously pays off, as I regularly see drivers pulled over to a cart to grab a coffee on their way to work. Or in the evenings fruit and vegetable stands do a brisk business as drivers pull over and buy what they’re likely taking home for dinner that night. It’s what I’ve come to call the “Saigon Drive-Through.”
There are also vendors selling goods to other market vendors. They push their carts or ride through the streets on bicycles repeatedly announcing what they’re selling, with the help of a loud speaker that can be heard for blocks.
There is no doubt that the colorful, modern Saigon skyline is beautiful, and that the contemporary shops, restaurants, and grocery stores have made it a lovely and convenient place for us to live for the past year-and-a-half. However, it’s the modern conveniences existing side-by-side with the lively traditional way of life, that we’ve happily embraced, that makes living in Saigon extraordinary.
