Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance
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- Published on 25 August 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Paul Christiansen.
While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name.
In Massachusetts' Cicada Cafe, a Marriage Between New England and Vietnamese Flavors
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- Published on 24 August 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Graphic by Tú Võ. Photos courtesy of Cicada.
“I don’t like the term ‘fusion,’” Vinh Lê, the chef of Cicada Coffee Bar, tells me. “You need to adapt. You need to adapt to the new environment, new life, when you move from Vietnam to the US. And to do that, food is one of the important elements.”
In Search of Quy Nhơn’s New and Traditional Delicacies
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- Published on 18 August 2023
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Saigoneer.
When asked what one should do when visiting, Quy Nhơn, one of Saigoneer’s favorite cities, the answer is simple: eat!
Hẻm Gems: Milo Dầm Is Decadence, Childhood and Street Culture in a Spoon
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- Published on 17 August 2023
- Written by Hương Lê. Photos by Cao Nhân.
Growing up in Saigon before the surge of foreign dessert trends like milk tea, cheese tarts, and bingsu, the humble and affordable Milo powder found in almost every grocery store and street vendor was the pinnacle of my childhood dessert universe. Be it a bowl of shaved ice, a cup of milk tea, or a luscious smoothie, I was that determined child who would unabashedly mix Milo powder or cocoa into my beverages to "enhance" their flavors. The harmonious interplay of the powder's bitterness blending with the sweetness of milk, against the backdrop of chilly ice, created the perfect concoction for Saigon's sweltering climate.
Train to Biên Hòa: A Day Trip Into Suburbia From Saigon
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- Published on 16 August 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Cao Nhân.
When Saigoneer first announced a few weeks ago that Vietnam’s railway network would be the centerpiece of our next themed article series, a number of readers joked in the comment section that who in their right mind would love Vietnamese trains.
Chả Cá Lã Vọng, Now in Burger Form at D2's Latest Burger Joint
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- Published on 15 August 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Photos by Cao Nhân.
With its tiled walls, neon signs, and red-and-white color palette, The Smash Saigon appears to emulate the classic aesthetics of American diners. These motifs are so heavily associated with American comfort food — burgers, fries, milkshakes — that, wandering into The Smash, guests might guess at its menu before even seeing it. But they’d only be half right.
Review: ‘Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng’ Is a Soul-Searching Mission in the Lâm Đồng Mist
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- Published on 14 August 2023
- Written by Nguyên Lê. Photos courtesy of JK Film.
On the pastures of slow cinema where Andrei Tarkovsky, Tsai Ming-liang and Theo Angelopoulos reside, Phạm Thiên Ân's debut feature, Bên Trong Vỏ Kén Vàng (Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell), has made its mark as a notable entry for its distinctly Vietnamese vistas, tones and essence.
Thanks for Your Order, Your Bún Will Arrive by Train in a Few Minutes
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- Published on 11 August 2023
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
♫ And the bún mộc on the train goes round and round. Rolling down the track ♫
Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts
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- Published on 10 August 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.
The Tumultuous Tale of Three Ga Sài Gòn Locations, From 1885 Until Now
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- Published on 08 August 2023
- Written by Tim Doling. Graphic by Mai Khanh.
Travelers arriving by train in Hồ Chí Minh City sometimes express surprise that the main Saigon Railway Station is located in Hòa Hưng, some distance from the central business district. In fact, this is the third railway terminus in a city where each successive station has been built further away from the river.
A Brief History of the Vietnam Railways Building Before Its 110th Birthday
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- Published on 07 August 2023
- Written by Tim Doling.
The iconic Bến Thành Market is not the only Saigon landmark that has endured for more than a century. The Vietnam Railways building at 138 Hàm Nghi, given its inauguration in 1914, is pushing the 110-year milestone in less than six months.
1735 Km, the 2005 Road Trip Romcom That Could Have Been
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- Published on 04 August 2023
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Graphic by Hannah Hoàng, Phan Nhi and Simona Nguyễn.
In 2005, I was in middle school. I had never had a cellphone nor known what the internet was — our home didn’t have ADSL until ninth grade. Life as a fledgling pupil in Saigon revolved around homework, catching the latest That’s So Raven episode on Disney Channel, and riding behind my dad’s back on our family motorbike every day to and from school. But something was about to change: 2005 was the year I went to the movies for the very first time.
Glide Over Hanoi in the Calmness of the Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line
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- Published on 03 August 2023
- Written by Elyse Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
In many countries, urban metros are a mundane convenience — so ordinary that their users often take them for granted. But until the birth of Hanoi’s Cát Linh-Hà Đông Metro Line, residents of Vietnam had enjoyed no such air-conditioned, traffic-immune method of transportation.
The Majesty of Crossing Myanmar on Colonial-Era Trains
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- Published on 01 August 2023
- Written by Kit Humphrey. Photos by Kit Humphrey. .
Whether on the slow train carving its way through the Shan Hills near Kalaw, the Mandalay to Yangon Express, or the 4am train to Hsipaw that crosses the great Goteik Viaduct, traversing Myanmar on gritty, swaying trains is the way to go.
Vignette: On the North-South Train, a Pastiche of the Human Condition
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- Published on 01 August 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Paul Christiansen.
“Heavy with the thick smell of misery and before even leaving the station, the odor of urine would be palpable throughout the car,” writes author Dạ Ngân of the North-South Train in 1989. Back then, a hard seat berth cost nearly a month’s salary and one had to be wary of thieves and sexual assault for the entirety of the jostling journey.
Hẻm Gems: Dì Út Tells Her Family's Indian-Vietnamese Story via Tasty Bò Kho
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- Published on 28 July 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
The arrival of the rainy season in Saigon has left me craving for hot meals to beat the cold, damp weather. I was on my way home from work in the aftermath of a bout of rain one day and found myself in search of a warm, broth-based afternoon meal. Through the help of Google Maps, I decided to go to a bò kho place only 10 minutes from the office, Bò Kho Dì Út (Auntie Út's Beef Stew).
A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet
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- Published on 25 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Who says a single person can't nest?
An Homage to Rastaclat, the Coolest Bracelets of Our High School Years
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- Published on 21 July 2023
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Photos by Cao Nhân.
During my teenage years when a lot of us were trying new things, I can remember certain trending items affected our lifestyle. For me, amongst the most memorable was the Hypebeast culture that caught my friends' attention. In high school, many tried to dress like their favorite rappers by mixing sneakers and hoodies with the school uniform. While I was not much of a fashion enthusiast, I did have a personal fascination with Rastaclat bracelets.
A Simple Americano Goes a Long Way at Quy Nhơn's Lone Coffee Roaster
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- Published on 20 July 2023
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photo by Alberto Prieto.
Saigon is spoiled with cafes. In addition to the street stalls hawking cheap phin coffee, international chains and charming mom-and-pop shops, the last decade has seen a proliferation of third-wave venues that meticulously source organic beans to roast in small batches and prepare with a wide assortment of gizmos and gadgets.
From Saigon to Đà Lạt: A Tourist's Journey Through Vietnam in 1963
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- Published on 17 July 2023
- Written by Saigoneer.
Old archives of images from 1960s Saigon are easy to come by, but how often does one get to have a peek into the past version of Đà Lạt.
