COLORFUL SAIGON
CHINA TOWN
Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) is only 3-hour flight away from Jakarta. Vietnam was fascinating. Saigon is so vibrant, energetic, and noisy. You hear cars and motorcycles honking all the time. People talk loud on the street.
Comparison between Saigon and Jakarta (Since I currently live in Jakarta, my point of reference has shifted here. Please note that I have never been to other Indonesian cities other than Jakarta.)
-Women in Indonesia dress more conservatively and are fashion conscious.
-The number of vehicles on the street in Jakarta outnumbers that of motorbikes, but in Vietnam, it’s the opposite. So many motorcycles in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City!
-Tourists from all over the world are seen everywhere in Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City, but the foreigners I see in Jakarta are often expats.
-People walk everywhere in Saigon, but you hardly see people stroll around in Jakarta.
-Vietnamese people at markets are more aggressive. No one ever grabbed my arm at markets in Jakarta.
-Everything is cheaper in Ho Chi Minh City. Saigon makes things in Jakarta look very expensive.
-Indonesians in Jakarta always ask if I’m Korean, but Vietnamese in Saigon/Ho Chi Minh City always knew that I was Japanese. (I’ll talk about this some other time.)
I’m posting today’s post with the photos taken in Vietnam later than I planned as I could not access my blog for a while (12 hours!). Since we moved to Jakarta in July 2010, occasionally I experience that I cannot access my blog and some other specific sites. Have you had any trouble opening my blog page? Who knows what’s going on. Anyways, I try to update my blog everyday from Monday through Friday and I post early in the morning at Jakarta Time. If you don’t see my updates, it is more likely that I am having trouble accessing it.
Tomorrow is my usual Friday Finds. I usually post my blog in the morning at 6:00 am in Jakarta time, but I will post it later than my usual time as I did not get to post this until now.
Thanks for viewing my photos!!
Ladies in their tight skirts on bikes?! Gulps! My mom told me about their humble simple lifestyle during her recent travel, and she couldnt stop expressing how grateful we all are living in major cities, i.e. KL, Dubai, etc. 🙂
Great pics, especially the tangled cable mess!
A lot of Asian scenery.
They do it very lively…
Those towns seem to be satisfied by young passion.
Thank you for visiting my blog.!!
Saga, Japan.
ruma
Kaho, these are some seriously gorgeous colors. I feel like I learned a ton about Vietnam in the last few minutes, and I’m INTRIGUED. The time and energy spent and the passion you have for your blog really bounces off these pages. (Ayako and I were talking about that when I visited Kyoto a few weeks ago.) I’m inspired!
Thanks!
Yuki
It looks really busy and crowded there, be it street cable, helmet, dishes or people…
I also like that you bring to light a comparison between the different life styles.
And thanks for sharing with us.
That looks like a fantastic trip. I was just looking through some of my few shots from a whirlwind stopover to Ho Chi Minh City and thinking how lovely it would be to do a proper trip to Vietnam.
Thanks for sharing!
the photos are so interesting – those power lines scare me though, I have to admit!!! I think I’d be so overwhelmed if I were ever to visit there!
Looks very lively. I love the helmets too!
I was able to see your blog when you said you couldn’t. Should be something on your side. But I’m very glad it worked after all 🙂
The wires! I love seeing what catches your eye! Always a treat to see the world your way.
Beautiful pictures Kaho! gorgeous colors!
You went to Vietnam!! I have 2 friends from Uni that are from Vietnam and they all have a great figure! I bet there are many pretty girls there! The cable pic caught my eye also and the last picture well resembled the dynamic Vietnam… thanks for sharing!
Nice picture Kaho, it gives me some ideas of how it is in Vietnam.
In relation to the internet connection, I have no problem viewing your blog, however, internet access in Jakarta is a afunny thing… you have to understand, there are a lot of people using it, and not big enough supply form the provider.
Gorgeous photos!! Looks like you guys had a great time and really took in the city. I’ll be posting soon about our jaunt to Vietnam as well . . . once I get up off of my lazy butt.
I can’t wait to see your posts!! You have a lot going on in your life after a move. I don’t think you’re lazy. It’s tough to get adjusted to a new environment!
Great pictures as always…looks like a very interesting and informative trip…
Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Landa!! So lovely to see your comment here!!
Kaho, seems like you and family had tons of wonderful time in Vietnam.
I love your comparison of JKT vs Saigon. And yes, you are right, there are some points that would be different if you get a chance to spend time outside JKT.
Love love the pics, as always. Thanks for sharing!
I like your photos of Saigon. Yes, motorcycles seem to be the masters of the road, and indeed people in markets are very aggressive! Nice blog!
Kaho, I love that you noticed the wires. That is something that TD and I appreciate about Jakarta. There is not as many wire poles and wires – unlike manila where you cannot look up or see a view of the sky without those pesky wires. You make it look somehow beautiful in your photos though- that’s talent! I guess here in Jakarta they have it underground – which is actually the better option because they are less likely to be knocked out by storms or tree brances during bad weather. And of course less of an eye sore =)