Saigon Glimpse (728 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.96 on 34 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by orph (View user info) at 2008-05-20 05:39:51 EDT
I ran.
I ran so far away.
The scenery I was missing swirled and blurred around me. Tears ripped from my eyes splashed and formed lakes and rivers in the churned up past I was leaving. I was quick. Quicker than you and much quicker than them.
I think I may have broken something, as when I stopped, the world shuddered around me, like a cymbal coming to a halt after being bashed by the one-armed drummer from Def Leppard. It's better than stealing lines from the Flock of Seagulls.
It was probably just a dream, man you know, you're on the plane and you want to stay awake whilst the suckers around you sleep, because if there's trouble, you want to be a player, not a sheep. But you fall away. The drone of the engines takes you, fills you with so much background noise that soon there's no foreground, and you find yourself running, but you're really sitting drooling in the cheap seats.
*
We arrived in Saigon in the early afternoon. The airport still looks like a military base, but they have made some improvements to the terminal - there's even the beginnings of a duty-free corridor sprouting up once you pass through the incredibly stern, yet quick to smile customs officials.
The air is hot, humid, yet invitingly exotic. Minh greets us as we planned, and hands over the keys to the Suzuki monster that will be our transport for the next couple of months. I leave the girl sitting in the shade of the trees next to the taxi rank as I take the bike for a quick spin to get acquainted. I fire off down the boulevard into central Saigon, and take a detour around the Ben Thanh market, and back to the airport. It all looks so familiar, but I haven't been here for at least five years.
The girl is settling into her element. Born and raised here until she was six years old, she still speaks the language, but with what I'm told, a cute, childlike lilt to her words and phrases. Makes me love her even more to see how likeable she is back here. She's nattering away in the sing-song rhythm of the Viet to the taxi drivers sprawled out in the same shade as she. She presses old Dong notes into their hands as I load up the bike, and skips over to plant herself on the back seat.
We retrace my earlier route, and cross over the canal into the poorer section of the city. The bridge over the water belies the trickling, shallow nature of the obstacle. This thing could span a fucking canyon, but here its six lanes of concrete and steel covering a puddle you could jump over in a wheelchair.
The road narrows. Or maybe the buildings widen - it's hard to tell the difference. I slow to a crawl, both feet on the ground as we dodge chickens, baskets of fruit and vegetables and the locals carrying them. A boy darts out from a side alley, knocking over the meticulously piled dragon fruit in the front of a rickety bamboo stall. The girl springs from the back of the bike, catching a couple of the purple-red balls as they bounce on the smooth dirt road.
Smiling, she pays the vendor, pockets the fruit, and helps him rebuild his pyramid. She walks the rest of the way to her aunt's house, as I slowly follow her through the ever increasing throng.
*
The noise is the biggest contrast. Incessant, constant, yet hushed and muffled it permeates the air, vibrates through the buildings and bodies, and hums a background tune that for my ears will always signify Asia.
The fucking horns on the bikes rattle around you like a swarm of hornets, always ready to dart in and bite you if you don't pay attention. It's not a beep in anger or frustration, just a beep of location:
'I'm here!' 'No, I'm over here!' 'Now I'm here again'.
Watch it.
But the loudest horns win, and when you hear a bass drum rumble from behind, get over to the right quick man, or you'll wind up as a hood ornament on a truck. One of the funniest things I saw whilst riding was this little old dude on a clapped out Honda dream, cutting a swathe through the traffic, all thanks to the booming truck horn he'd mounted on the handlebars.
*
Chilli, ginger, lemon grass and coriander waft on the gentle breeze floating up the Mekong. They almost, but not quite cover the sweat, sewage, manure and petrol fumes reek that provide the undercurrent. The bouquet is neither unique nor refreshing, yet you feel alive as it blocks up your nose, as you spit it out of your mouth, as you prepare for the next nasal assault.
Buffalo pull carts on car tyres. Old men and young women wear the conical wide brimmed hats, both for shade and vanity. Darker skin is the mark of the peasant, and even though these same darkened warriors died in their millions for their cause, it was a cause of the north, and some of the southerners still look back whimsically at the French. The colonial era is indelibly woven into the city, from the ornate design of the older government buildings to the choice of baguette and fried eggs for breakfast.
*
The bright, dull green of the army uniforms can be seen on the street corners - it's really the only sign of the regime - that and the ever increasing appearance of late model German limousines cruising the dusty streets. They're sleek, smooth oases of money, swimming untouched through the fetid torrent from which they collect their wealth. The more I see, the more I travel, the more I realise that everything is the same. There are no ideologies, only different names for the same oppression, the same organisation, and the same savouring of victories.
*
The girl knocks softly on the wire screen door - opening it and peeking inside. A cry of joy knocks her back out into the alley, followed by the torrent of silk and cotton that is her aunt, picking her up and spinning her in an embrace of family long separated.
I park the bike and receive the same treatment, my answers to her questions of how I am, am I hungry, and admonitions that I should rest, lost in the translation of my stunted mangling of the language.
The soup is hot.
The beer is cold.
The sun is red as it nestles down through the polluted skies to rest.
User Reviews
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2008-05-23 01:13:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2008-05-21 06:28:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wait.. Vietnam...? I thought this was about Grimsby!
Seriously, I love it. The way you describe stuff is a delight to read. you should be a travel writer.
Submitted by orph (user info) at 2008-05-21 06:23:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Ahh, thanks orphelia.
i think Vietnam may be favourite place to visit. So much happening, but a pretty laid back way of living.
Submitted by orphelia (user info) at 2008-05-21 05:06:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Shit orph, this is brilliant. The best thing I have read in ages.
I was there.
Submitted by Stagger_Lee (user info) at 2008-05-21 01:49:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
http://youtube.com/watch?v=VyhcAGrZr6I
Submitted by Charlilot (user info) at 2008-05-21 00:55:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2008-05-20 22:21:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I WOULD WALK 500 MILES
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2008-05-20 21:38:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
superb
Submitted by joedaddy (user info) at 2008-05-20 15:29:32 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
don't mean nothing, but i still can't forget it
Submitted by Method (user info) at 2008-05-20 14:29:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2008-05-20 14:06:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2008-05-20 12:18:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2008-05-20 08:43:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"The noise is the biggest contrast. Incessant, constant, yet hushed and muffled it permeates the air, vibrates through the buildings and bodies, and hums a background tune that for my ears will always signify Asia."
----------------------
*lights up cigar and nods in agreement*
Yes, I know I said CIGAR. I don't smoke cigarettes.
--
ahahhahahah
Submitted by DudeThatsBOSH (user info) at 2008-05-20 12:18:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
i just lit up a cigarette and nodded in agreement.
Submitted by experima (user info) at 2008-05-20 12:01:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by PukingDog (user info) at 2008-05-20 02:51:47 PDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pretty cool.
Submitted by Littlebint (user info) at 2008-05-20 11:54:58 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I love Asia.
Submitted by Berty (user info) at 2008-05-20 11:44:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Didn't read it.
Submitted by shadow (user info) at 2008-05-20 11:24:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I thought I had something profound to say, but I think it's best left as:
No Comment.
Submitted by orph (user info) at 2008-05-20 11:19:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks.
x54 - the first bit was the beginning of another story, but I thought of may last trip to Vietnam whilst writing, decided to keep the start, and add a 'dream' paragraph.
Submitted by X54 (user info) at 2008-05-20 11:14:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very nice, especially the description of the sound and smell of the place. I'm probably dense, but what was the significance of the first section? The rest of the piece seemed upbeat and exotic to me and didn't jive with the dispirited tone of the opening.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2008-05-20 10:45:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Grimpse. You mean grimpse.
Submitted by Ltap (user info) at 2008-05-20 10:17:43 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
It's Jack McCallum-like, except a bit boring.
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2008-05-20 09:28:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by sexualchocolate1984 (user info) at 2008-05-20 14:25:16 BST (#)
Ranking: 2
A refreshing change indeed.
This place has been full of shite recently.
Coming from someone who posted this gem:
http://www.ubersite.com/m/116560
Submitted by sexualchocolate1984 (user info) at 2008-05-20 09:25:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
A refreshing change indeed.
This place has been full of shite recently.
Submitted by Phallic_Cymbals (user info) at 2008-05-20 09:07:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
SWF!
Submitted by monkeyswithguns (user info) at 2008-05-20 08:47:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2008-05-20 08:43:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
"The noise is the biggest contrast. Incessant, constant, yet hushed and muffled it permeates the air, vibrates through the buildings and bodies, and hums a background tune that for my ears will always signify Asia."
----------------------
*lights up cigar and nods in agreement*
Yes, I know I said CIGAR. I don't smoke cigarettes.
Submitted by TheGoat (user info) at 2008-05-20 08:09:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
nice
Submitted by LittleMonster (user info) at 2008-05-20 08:08:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2008-05-20 07:57:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank you very much LM.
What about Orph's story?
_______
hahahaha
The story wasn't bad either
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2008-05-20 07:57:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thank you very much LM.
What about Orph's story?
Submitted by LittleMonster (user info) at 2008-05-20 07:53:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Beautiful
Submitted by Beano312003 (user info) at 2008-05-20 06:50:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
WTF INRAOT!
Submitted by Nellypaal (user info) at 2008-05-20 06:26:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Yup, enjoyable.
Submitted by PukingDog (user info) at 2008-05-20 05:51:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Pretty cool.
Submitted by F.J.Bell (user info) at 2008-05-20 05:51:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Mmmmmm...
What a refreshing change to the carnage that has been posted recently.