How Hanoi's Infectious Rats and Impish Locals Bamboozled the French in 1902
When facing a bubonic plague epidemic, is it wiser to delve into sewers and cull infected rats yourself or offer payment to Vietnamese for deliveries of severed tails instead? For Hanoi’s French colonial rulers, the answer to this question was never in doubt, yet the consequences led to one of most humiliating periods of their rule.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon
The Saigon Post Office, Benjamin Franklin, and a Source of Unexpected Pride
It’s not hard to find snippets of America in Saigon.
In 1965, Life in Cần Thơ Was Tightly Interwoven With the Mekong River
With more than 1.5 million citizens and many indicators of a modern metropolis, from the international airport to several Vincom malls, Cần Thơ is firmly established as the Mekong Delta's largest city. But before it was the most important regional hub for business, education and culture, it was a relatively small port dedicated to fishing and trading. Wooden boats gather to offload people and products. In 1965, Cần Thơ carried an unmistakable vibe of agricultural commerce. Its position on the Hậu River, a distributary of the Mekong not too far upstream from the fertile coast, brought boats from all directions carrying fruit, vegetables, and seafood. Away from the waterways, bicycles were a predominant mode of transportation, ferrying locals to markets, homes, and shops. The camera captures local commotion. This collection of images taken by an unknown photographer and gathered by Flickr archivist extraordinaire manhhai reveals a more austere version of Cần Thơ that exists mostly in memory and stories. Clothing without a single name brand long, nón lá covering nearly every head in the markets and rows of storefronts absent of any neon bulbs: it's a very different Cần Thơ. Have a look and consider how much has changed in six decades: Spokes, chains, peddles and thighs powered locomotion. Local children who would be elderly by now. The cause of this dour expression in front of the river will never be known. Comings and going via all variety of wooden boats. Was this the first time some of these children ever had their photo taken? While less common than bicycles, trucks, vans and cars rumbled through town. A panoply of daily life and rustic routines. Not enough glory is reserved for the day laborers. Even the sweet potatoes get covered during a downpour. A simple fishing boat pushes out to fill its net. These photos are all, really, a matter of perspective. Scenes of an informal economy. Selling fruits to feed the baby. What is the average age at which one graduates from baby cap to nón lá? Bananas were a popular fruit and they still are. Typical activity on an unpaved road. Not a single plastic stool in sight during lunchtime. Trudging barefoot with heavy baskets. It's not too hard to imagine the cacophony of orderly chaos. Routine daily commute via boat. The doors are open so the activity spills onto the streets. Thats a lot of children. Imagine what your Grab app would look like here. Moments of happiness abound in the simple experiences.
Reminiscing About the Last Days of Downtown Saigon’s Pigeon Coop
The first time I pay a visit to the Pasteur pigeon coop, Lê Văn Âu assures me the place is probably not going anywhere.
A Visual Timeline of Hội An's Historic Chùa Cầu Through the Eras
With the recent makeover of Hội An's Chùa Cầu sparking divisive chatter , it's a great time to gaze at the iconi...
There's a Dark Context Behind These Seemingly Random 1930 French Sketches
Can visual representations of colonial activities produced with immoral intent become works of art?
Chùa Cầu's Makeover Draws Ire of Netizens for Looking 'Too New'
Hội An's 400-year-old bridge, best known as Chùa Cầu, was finally uncovered recently after more than a year and a half of renovations, leaving many unimpressed.
Journeying Through Đà Lạt and the Central Highlands in 1992
Đà Lạt has always been a highly sought-after traveling destination, like how it was originally designed as a resort town for French officials. These days, however, the hilly Lâm Đồng town has urbanized so quickly that at times it’s hard to believe that here once lived a tree-carpeted enclave.
[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos Showcase Kuala Lumpur's Unique Architecture
If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20th century might pique your interest.
[Photos] 21 Rare Old Photos of Kuala Lumpur Through the Decades
If you’ve enjoyed our collections of old Saigon photos so far, this set of rare images of Kuala Lumpur taken throughout the 20th century might pique your interest.
[Video] Travel Back in Time to Late 1970s Hanoi When Bicycles Ruled the Streets
The following footage of Hanoi from 1975 to 1980 reminds us that, less than 50 years ago, the capital was tranquil, slow-moving and unpolluted.
[Maps] A Brief Cartographic History of Hai Phong From 1898 to 1968
Known today by the moniker "City of Red Flamboyant Trees," Hai Phong has always been one of Vietnam’s most prominent port cities ever since its establishment in 1888.
[Maps] A Brief Cartographic History of Hai Phong 1898–1968
Known today by the moniker "City of Red Flamboyant Trees," Hai Phong has always been one of Vietnam’s most prominent port cities ever since its establishment in 1888.
[Photos] Cruising Across Vietnam on the North-South Train in 1920
It appears train travel in Vietnam has changed very little in the past 100 years.
[Photos] A Bird's-Eye View of the Capital in the 1930s
Aerial photography has been around since the 19th century. During colonial rule in Vietnam, French photographers took to the air to show sights of Hanoi in ways previously only appreciated by birds.&n...
[Photos] 17 Photos of Quiet Moments in 1963 Saigon by Pete Komada
In piecing together our collective memory of a Saigon past, old photos play an insurmountable role in providing visual evidence that the human mind might miss after decades.
[Video] This Vintage Travelogue Showcases Life in Rural and Urban Taiwan in the 1950s
In today’s Asia, mentions of Taiwan conjure up visions of futuristic technological advancements and major progress in LGBT rights.
[Photos] Monochrome Images Depict Craftmanship Across 1930s Vietnam
In this photo series, the camera's lens focuses on Vietnamese artisans in 1930, zooming on the intricate details of wood carvings and patterns from pagodas across the country, with a generous dose of ...
[Photos] Craftmanship in 1930 Vietnam as Seen in Paris' Specialized Municipal Libraries
In this photo series, the camera's lens focuses on Vietnamese artisans in 1930, zooming on the intricate details of wood carvings and patterns from pagodas across the country, with a generous dose of ...
[Photos] Misty Memories of 1930s Hanoi Show the Capital’s Former Calm
When he was 18 years old, Le Vuong bought his first camera.
Chris Humphrey in Heritage
[Photos] Hanoi That Once Was Through the Eyes of Le Vuong
When he was 18 years old, Le Vuong bought his first camera. The year was 1936 and one could easily purchase land in Hanoi for the same price as the camera. But Vuong wasn’t interested in real estate;...
[Photos] The Dynamic Life of Vientiane Residents in the 1990s
Even now, media portrayals of Laos are usually associated with a well-constructed image of a nation of quietude, spirituality and natural beauty untouched by rampant development.
[Photos] Monochrome Images Capture the Calmness of the Capital in 1939
The following monochrome images, taken by an unknown French photographer in 1939, capture peaceful moments in corners of the capital, from the city center to outlying villages.
[Photos] Black-and-White Photos Capture the Life and Labor in 1991 Cho Lon
Famous Japanese photographer Doi Kuro once said: "Vietnamese people’s lives are exposed on every street. That’s fascinating." Perhaps that is why photographers visiting Vietnam usually focus on the ci...
[Photos] 18 Shots From the Streets of Nha Trang in the Late 1960s
White-sand beaches stretch beyond the horizon, towering mountains sit silently in the distance: for the most part, the natural landscape of Nha Trang remains relatively unchanged between the late 1960...
[Photos] 18 Photos on the Streets of Nha Trang in the Late 1960s
White-sand beaches stretch beyond the horizon, towering mountains sit silently in the distance: for the most part, the natural landscape of Nha Trang remains relatively unchanged between the late 1960...
[Photos] What Studying Was Like in a 1920s Hanoi Girls' School
Ever wonder what school in Hanoi was like before the advent of smartphones or even simple calculators and other basic electronic devices?
[Photos] On the Street in 1970, From Saigon to Vung Tau
Since Vietnam made helmets compulsory for every trip on motorbikes years ago, it’s hard to imagine a time when this trusty headgear wasn't a part of daily life. Which makes these photos of Saigon, tak...
