Pigs and Palaces

At first I was doubtful if any Vietnamese lived in District 2, but with a little leg work I found a few.

Nuyen Van Huong, traces the inside of a loop in the river.  It is wide and airy and has ideas of grandure with trees planted along the sides.  Construction of the road and planting of the trees obviously took place some time ago.  The trees not informed of their required growth and size have now corrugated the pavement with escaping roots.

Building construction is catching up.  At the moment District 2 is dubbed as being ‘green and leafy’

Vegetable plot squeezed between construction

I’m not sure there will be much green and leafy left by the time the cranes move out.

Behind high walls and security fencing is a rash of international schools, luxury apartment blocks and palatial houses.

Interspersed with more down to earth dwellings and livestock.

Life in District 2

Construction workers start early, so after lunch take their break from the mid day heat in lines of hammocks.

Mid day rest

Others are fishing in not only the river and canal but any tepid pool which has a chance of life.  Life there is as I was shown a large basket of sizeable fish with gaping mouths and hairy whiskers.

Fishing in the Saigon River

Differentials of income are only too clear to see.

Though a Rolls Royce being cleaned and titivated along side its companion camel was beyond my expectations.

Food stall in District 2

Walking over a mile I was beginning to think there was no Vietnamese community left, at least in this part of the district.

Drying sticky rice

Then without even as much as a ‘road narrows’  sign the ‘boulevard’ was squeezed between rows of tiny houses, shops and life.

Taylor’s shop