This is where I live, down an alley along Co Bac Street. Most countries don't bother giving alleys their own numbers, but the alley system in Saigon is so dense that to leave them anonymous would be too confusing.
The neighborhood is popularly known as the 'Backpacker area' or, less charitably, the 'expat ghetto'. The reasons for this are plain: it is a centrally-located hub of cheap guesthouses, cheap food, and travel agencies. The three main budget-tourist drags - De Tham, Pham Ngu Lao, and Bui Vien - all connect to each other here.
So it's an odd contrast of bustling Asian street life, complete with livestock on the pavement, and bewildered-looking Westerners gathering up the nerve to cross the intersections (which have traffic lights!) and go looking for a decent pizza.
It's OK for a little while, but eventually the noise (from traffic and roosters) and the swarms of backpackers gets to be a bit much. Plus, living in a single room guesthouse can get claustrophobic - especially since I don't have my own key and I have to ring the doorbell if I come home after 10 PM, forcing the poor serving girl to wake up and let me in.
1 comment:
Noah, I love the picture! You should post more so we can see what your life is like in Saigon. How's the job search going?
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