Tim Doling in Saigon
How Bách Tùng Diệp Became a Saigon Park From Earmarked Consulate Land
In 1927, after being abandoned for more than 60 years by its Spanish owners, the “Jardin d’Espagne” — known today as Bách Tùng Diệp or Lý Tự Trọng Park — seemed set to become the new home of the British Consulate General in Saigon… but it was not to be.
Grab a Cold One: The Thirsty Colonial History of Ice Production in Vietnam
Walking through Saigon nowadays, you will notice that ice is so omnipresent, it’s part of the scenery. From trà đá, cà phê sữa đá to sinh tố, every drink is consumed with ice in order to combat the intense heat. Before the French brought ice factories to Vietnam, in hot, tropical cities like Saigon, you wouldn’t expect to find ice. Controlling the cold chain is now an important part of our logistics, be it for healthcare or food storage, opening the door for any cuisine to expand with new ingredients. A few centuries ago, however, it was once a thriving business catering to French colonists.
Khôi Phạm in Vietnam
What Does the ‘Tower of Hanoi’ Puzzle Have to Do With Vietnam?
What is the Tower of Hanoi? While this official name might sound mysterious, if you’re an avid consumer of adventure media and role-playing games or just simply a curious former child, it’s likely that you’ve seen or even played this game without knowing what it’s called.
From Kiều's Snowy Skin to K-Beauty's Glow: Delving Into Vietnam's Love for Fair Skin
The preference for light skin is widespread in Vietnam. It is discernible from the mere sight of Saigon’s streets during the day, when the majority of riders are covered up — in hoodies, jackets, jeans, pants, and masks — for protection against UV radiation, but also to prevent tanning under the blistering sun. Especially more so for women, light skin is often associated with beauty and social status, so protection against the sun has become more than a health concern.
Tim Doling in Saigon
The History of Saigon General Hospital, the Clinic Funded by a Doctor's Generosity
The Saigon Hospital at 125 Lê Lợi was originally built in the late 1930s as the Polyclinique Dejean de la Bâtie. The French named it after French doctor Théodose Déjean de la Bâtie, who devoted his life to treating members of the Vietnamese community.
Tim Doling in Saigon
From WWI Monument to Ancestor Temple: The Story of Saigon's Hùng King Temple
The Hùng King Temple at 2 Nguyễn Bỉnh Khiêm was originally built in 1927–1929 under the name Temple du Souvenir Annamite (Annamite Temple of remembrance), primarily to honor the memory of Vietnamese soldiers who died while fighting in World War I.
Tim Doling in Saigon
A Brief History of the Saigon-Mỹ Tho Line, Indochina’s First Railway
Inaugurated on July 20, 1885, the Saigon–Mỹ Tho line was the first railway line in French Indochina.
Wilbur's Vietnam: 1960s Saigon Through the Lens of a Famed National Geographic Editor
The 1960s witnessed an unprecedented influx of foreigners into Saigon and Vietnam. From soldiers to teachers to just intrepid shutterbugs, the visits of these camera-clutching characters resulted in a wealth of old photos taken in the city from the early 60s all the way until 1975.
Vietnam's 19th-Century Boats, Courtesy of an Artsy French Lieutenant
With over 3,200 kilometers of coastline, it makes perfect sense that Vietnam has a long and complex relationship with the sea. Whether fishing, fighting or traveling, the country's boats are a reflect...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Old Saigon Building of the Week: Phương Nam Mansion at 110-112 Võ Văn Tần
After being sold at the astronomical price of US$35 million, it’s beginning to look like one of the city's most exquisite works of colonial architecture has been saved for future generations.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Officials Approve Demolition of French Mansion at 606 Tran Hung Dao
Permission has now been given to demolish another of the city’s old French buildings, the former SAMIPIC mansion at 606 Trần Hưng Đạo.
Long An Officials Will Proceed With Demolition of 1930s Bridge
A piece of Mekong Delta history is about to disappear, as officials in Long An province move ahead with the demolition of a decades-old bridge across the Bao Dinh River.
[Photos] 20 Vintage Postcards of Turn-of-the-Century Nam Dinh Province
At the turn of the 20th century, northern Nam Dinh province was an ever-growing combination of Vietnamese and French influences. The local houses and marketplaces of the Vietnamese occupied the same t...
Old Saigon Building of the Week: Former Saigon Adventist Hospital
The Phú Nhuận Red Cross Association building at 2 Hoàng Văn Thụ originated in 1960-1961 as the Saigon Adventist Hospital.
Architects Lament the Demolition of Saigon's Old Buildings
With limited space in downtown Saigon, it's pretty well-known that the city's heritage buildings are often in danger of being lost to newer, flashier development projects. More than a few historical s...
[Video] Watch Vietnamese History Unfold in This 1896-1945 Video
For a 14-minute crash course in early 20th century Vietnamese history, look no further than the following video, posted to YouTube by user Duc Duong. Beginning as far back as 1896, its choppy black-an...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Date With the Wrecking Ball: Thu Thiem Parish Church and Lovers of the Holy Cross Convent
Two of Saigon’s oldest Roman Catholic institutions, located across the river in Thủ Thiêm, may soon be gone.
[Photos] Welcome to Hue Circa 1896
Few photographic records exist of Vietnam – or anywhere, for that matter – before the 20th century. Still, Flickr user and master of vintage Vietnamese photos manhhai managed to dig up a series o...
Tim Doling in Heritage
Icons of Old Saigon: The Gambetta Monument
This week, we trace the saga of colonial Saigon’s monuments to French republican statesman Léon Gambetta (April 2, 1838 – December 31, 1882), whose statue was commissioned twice by mistake and th...
[Photos] Take a Trip Back in Time to 1969 Can Tho
For decades, Can Tho has been the capital of the Mekong Delta, drawing people from across southwestern Vietnam to its sleepy, riverside town. But while the city is developing a more modern edge these ...
Tim Doling in Vietnam
What Phu Quoc Was Like in 1907
A translation of Pierre Rev’s description of Phú Quốc island from his 1907 book, Dans le Golfe de Siam.
[Video] This Is What Saigon Looked Like in 1945
There's something wholly captivating about old footage of Saigon. In a city that seems to transform in the blink of an eye, it's rare to find evidence of the southern hub from long ago.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Date With The Wrecking Ball: The Customs Directorate Building
The Customs Directorate, one of the city’s best-loved colonial landmarks, is the latest in a series of government buildings to face the threat of redevelopment.
[Photos] One Photographer's Journey Through 1990 Vietnam
Life moves pretty fast in Vietnam. What's here today may be gone tomorrow and, two years from now, replaced with a skyscraper or a hotel or a high-end shopping complex. Everywhere you turn, it seems, ...
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets and Squares: Thái Văn Lung Street
One of the city's oldest thoroughfares, the street we know today as Thái Văn Lung bore the name Pasteur Street for over half a century.
[Photos] Here's What Hanoi Looked Like In 1905
During the French colonial period, Tonkin, or Đàng Ngoài, was the name given to northern Vietnam. Situated in and around the Red River Delta, the word 'Tonkin' is a corruption of Đông Kinh, the name o...
17 Photos That Capture the Lives of Indochina's Ethnic Minorities in 1944
While the vast majority of Vietnamese hail from one ethnic group – the Kinh – the country is home to 54 different ethnicities, each with their own culture, traditions, language and style of dress.
Tim Doling in Saigon
Saigon’s Famous Streets And Squares: Trần Hưng Đạo Boulevard
One of Saigon’s youngest major boulevards, Trần Hưng Đạo was built in 1911-1913 over former swamp land to provide a more direct route between the cities of Saigon and Chợ Lớn.
