Quintessentially Saigon

Watching the cars and motorcycles waltz and tango to an orchestra of car horns and feisty verbal exchange, and wondering in amazement how everyone comes out unscathed every single day.

Admiring pretty Vietnamese ladies dressed in their traditional costumes (which leave little room for breathing) balance themselves with much poise and grace on the backs of the motorcycles with their legs crossed neatly on one side, oblivious to the noise and madness surrounding them.

Waking up in the morning, leaning on the balcony with a cup of hot coffee, listening to the distant sounds of the traffic and the occasional crow of the rooster whose internal clock needs fixing as the city slowly wakes up to another day of hustle-bustle.

Doing as the locals do, sitting on a park bench enjoying the sun and breeze, while watching people of all ages sit at the side of tree-lined streets without a care in the world, enjoying a cup of coffee or a cold beer and occasionally munching on sugar canes or a corn-on-cob (or so I’ve been told ).

Waiting in anticipation for a gastronomical surprise, seated at a little table and stools reminiscent of doll tea-parties, shaded by towering magnificent decades-old trees in a quiet part of town as aunty prepares her renowned homemade noodle of the day.

Feeling as if having stepped into a time machine and being transported back to the good old days upon walking into local restaurants and eateries where walls are covered with posters of yesteryears and the furnishing reminiscent of the 50’s.

Living the “expat-life”, reading the papers and magazines while sipping a cold drink and enjoying crème caramel and rich creamy ice-cream melting over warm brownies, knowing there’s no need to look at the time or worry about life and all it’s menial details.

Reminiscing about those long-forgotten and much missed carefree childhood days, while laughing at the antics of two little boys playing by the roadside in an engaging game of to-do-or-die sword-fight armed with just simple wooden swords, pure bliss written on their faces.

Quintessentially Saigon…to me anyway