Wander Yonder

Pop art-colored neon lights flashed as American’s Top 40 music pulsated from the bars dotting the main streets of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 1, creating an atmosphere of equal parts energy and exhaustion. It’s the ultimate distraction to keep one from discovering Ho Chi Minh City’s pulse.

In a quest to satiate my appetite, my eyes darted from a propaganda poster shop and a pho restaurant to a scooter sharply turning onto an inconspicuous alley decorated with small Buddhist flags.

Perhaps it was foolish to blindly follow, but my food craving was acutely replaced with curiosity nibbling its way through my stomach.

Before I knew it, the touting street vendors and honking scooters faded to background noise in the dark.

And then there was light!

Looking up I saw a web of black-entwined electrical lines strung together with fluorescent-tubed office lights.

As I continued through the labyrinth of alleyways, I soon realized I had discovered Ho Chi Minh City’s pulse: where the Saigonese sleep, eat, and play.

I sensed community is strong here.

From an outsider’s point of view, having no air conditioning and only a fan forces a family to keep their metal shop-like doors open well into the night. This simple act removes an element of privacy, but invites opportunities for unexpected conversations with a neighbor.

I also learned that the Saigonese love decorating their homes with bright lights. Shadows of blue and red danced in the living room or around Buddha’s altar (but never around Jesus' cross).

These abodes may be small by Western standards, but to me seemed more practical and efficient.

Many ground floors doubled as a kitchen and living room. With street food so plentiful and cheap, one only needs a refrigerator, a sink, and maybe a microwave.

There are no two-car garages. Scooters are brought in from the day’s journey and stored in the tiled-floor living areas.

As I slowly found my way out, Vietnamese soap operas, clanging pots, and conversations dissipated as I stepped into big-city clamor. Ho Chi Minh City’s pulse can only be experienced, never replicated in a museum or read in a book.

The alleys are found throughout District 1 and my favorite entrance is to the right of Ngoc Diem Hotel (84B Bui Vien Street). You’re in the right alley if you walk a few feet and see Vietnamese youth sipping on smoothies. Wander the alleys after 6 p.m. or anytime on the weekends. The area is public space, but please respect privacy by not taking photos.