http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/ Someone has asked on an online travel forum on what he have to do to see the real Vietnam. Some participants have pointed him to cities the North, somes directed hime to regions in the South. To me, the real Vietnam is what you are experiencing now. Maybe what the original forum poster wants to look for is a certain charms in the past. But for all the bad, the good, the beauty, the ugly experiences that one will have in Vietnam, all of it, IS the REAL Vietnam. http://images.fotki.com/logo3.gif http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/ http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0331.html The food is bought on a daily basis therefore they are almost always fresh
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0331-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:37:40 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0943.html Traffic in Saigon is horrible, this is just the beginning, you should see the monster it became 2 hours later. Not to mention the polution generated from all those mufflers which does not really muffle anything so you will go deaf long before then
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0943-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 01:24:28 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0333.html To reduce the work in the kitchen some spices can be brought already pre-prepared
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0333-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:38:49 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2534.html Tourism is one major money making machine in VN. These Japanese tourists seems to enjoy their stay a lot
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v646/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2534-th.jpg Sat, 24 May 2003 20:56:51 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2078.html A tpical local ferry to bring people across the Mekong
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v784/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2078-th.jpg Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:12:19 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0998.html Primary school student at the end of the day. As the custom with any communist country, they still wear the red scarves around their neck
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0998-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:16:12 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0337.html The hand on the top is my mom, trying to get the biggest shrimp for my lunch
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0337-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:39:13 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2629.html Kids in poor family have to help out their parents after school.
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v782/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2629-th.jpg Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:31:45 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0923.html There is a lots of activities in the few parks in the city in the morning hours before work. Here, a game "ðá cầu" is enjoyed
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0923-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:17:19 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0338.html The food market in Vietnam sprung up in the alleys around 7AM till 10AM, after that the calm return to the alleys and you would never know that that it was full of stalls and people a couple of hours earlier.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0338-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:39:37 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0863.html Closing hours at Ben Thanh market. The central indoor market in downtown Saigon.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0863-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:18:13 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2657.html A reminder of the past....
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v782/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2657-th.jpg Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:35:29 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1262_jfr.html Vietnamese woman in the traditional áo dài and nón lá. However, it is not easy to find a young woman on the city streets with both of these items at the same time. This girl is a professional model.
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1262_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:29:31 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1104_jfr.html Buddist monk begging for food on the streets. These activities have been lately outlawed due to too many fake monks. I am not sure if these are real either
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1104_JFR-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:28:38 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2799.html The best sights in Vietnam is in its alleys. You will have to take a little risk and dove into them. It's Vietnam best kept secret.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2799-th.jpg Mon, 21 Apr 2003 00:45:31 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0340.html It is a tradition for the women to have breakfast in the market before doing the shopping
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0340-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:40:28 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1107_jfr.html Highschool students at end of day in the traditional áo dài. A graceful sight to be experienced preferably in a small city as the charms is distracted by noisy circuclations in major cities
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1107_JFR-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:29:21 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2794.html Highschool student on the way to school
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2794-th.jpg Sat, 24 May 2003 20:57:48 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0517.html Life is still hard for most people. The Vietnamese women are perfect examples of selflessness hardworking models. The men are mostly, well, useless twats
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0517-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:29:41 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0519.html These women carries fruits, vegetables, meat, bread and other types of food to the alleys throughout the city
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0519-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:29:59 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0714.html Fishnet commonly used in Vietnam but this one is just a model at a buffet restaurant in the outskirt of Saigon
]]> http://images112.fotki.com/v582/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0714-th.jpg Sat, 10 May 2003 01:59:07 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1274_jfr.html This homeless lady seems to be very content with her life. I wish I could see life as well as she does
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v646/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1274_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:33:05 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1235_jfr.html Photography is very much enjoyed in Vietnam. I ran accross this photo club on an outside portrait lesson. I begged to join and was graceciously accepted. Unfortunately, I was too nervious to have any decent photos. Dohhh!
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1235_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:24:37 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0531.html Students mostly used bicycles but for more wealthy families, motorbikes are also used by students. Recent laws has made it difficult for youth to ride motorbikes
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0531-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:30:16 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0434.html For years, getting people to stop at red lights fell on deaf ears. But now, the fine is so stiff that people actually stop at the lights. Hooray!!!
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0434-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:31:03 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0867.html At night, some shop still opens. Of course, the cafes opens till the wee hours. Some tourists has even asked me if the men actually worked at all as there are a lots of them in the cafes at amytime of the day. I honestly have no clue.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0867-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:31:36 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0919.html Still a very communist country, banners and propagandas can still be seen everywhere. Although, it is more pronounced in the countrysides. Loudspeakers are still blaring the doctrine of the communist in the rural areas.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0919-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 02:32:44 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2780.html Old habit dies hard. Next to this woman are the seats of a bus stop. Although, Vietnam is not such a developped country, people from the rural areas are still very intimidated by the moderness of the city
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2780-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:07:38 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2788.html One of the many mode of transportation; the "xích lô ôm". These drivers will drive you around town for a fee. Be prepare to negociate.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2788-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:11:26 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0506.html Collecting used paper and metal scraps is still a way of bringing daily bread home for some.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0506-th.jpg Sat, 19 Apr 2003 03:28:21 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/round_boat.html Laying fishnet at dusk
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/round_boat-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:11:50 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2061.html On the rivers, these boats are to some people their only home
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2061-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:12:56 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2039.html Most of the houses in the city have small frontal width, so to get more space you ended up with something like this. Some tastefully decorated, others just look like they were created by Dr. Frankenstein
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v663/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2039-th.jpg Sun, 20 Apr 2003 03:16:00 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_0715.html Exotic food like this "balloon rice cake" is a treat for your taste buds.
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v664/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_0715-th.jpg Sat, 10 May 2003 01:55:09 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1188_jfr.html Police escort for the Asian Games March. Do not make fun of their bikes, these guys can make your life miserable like hell if they wanted to.
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v646/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1188_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:12:27 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1197_jfr.html Written on their T-Shirts "The spirits of the youth". Well said.
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1197_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:14:23 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1200_jfr.html Of course, what a good communist country march without the red colors but I don't think the youth now actually cares about such a thing
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v646/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1200_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:15:18 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1204_jfr.html The march was massive, I figured somewhere around 50,000 people, all students. Ok so I did see some older persons but I assured you I did counted them out from my number
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1204_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:16:38 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1209_jfr.html Conga, conga, conga...
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1209_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:17:29 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1210_jfr.html The pre-requisite "look-ma!!!" shot
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1210_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:18:16 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1233_jfr.html Very much a communist country, it is easy to mobolize the youth for any forms of manifestation. In this case the March for the Asian Games later this year. Can you imagine asking 50,000 students to march for the support for an olympic in NA?
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v646/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1233_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:23:44 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/crw_1232_jfr.html A sign where communist today is no longer the communist of yesterday. Samsung is sponsoring the whole event and donating 30 cents per head in the march. I hope they did count mine in.
]]> http://images114.fotki.com/v650/photos/5/51487/231228/CRW_1232_JFR-th.jpg Mon, 12 May 2003 01:22:48 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/img_2697.html Hay collecting is still a manual process in the rural areas for from the major cities
]]> http://images109.fotki.com/v782/photos/5/51487/231228/IMG_2697-th.jpg Sat, 12 Apr 2003 23:42:37 GMT http://public.fotki.com/thien/travel/vietnam_folder/people_and_life/school_bw.html Uniforms for girls at the secondary schools are the traditional "ao dai" like the one in the foreground while the primary ones are blue pants and white shirts (not the one in the picture).
]]> http://images115.fotki.com/v666/photos/5/51487/231228/school_bw-th.jpg Fri, 6 Jun 2003 18:18:51 GMT