Hot, very hot! Blue sky. Stepping out, excited by the day ahead, exploring our new stopping off point, we both agreed Ho Chi Minh City felt quite different to Hanoi.
Our first destination was Nguyen Van Binh (Book Street).
Uncommonly pedestrianised, we milled from one place to the other. A comprehensive collection of books we recognised, albeit in Vietnamese language – from Harry Potter to The Essays of Warren Buffet. Wanting something different and a work of fiction, I settled on the book Lady Joker by Kaoru Takamura. ‘A tense psychological thriller’, set in 1990s Japan, ‘offering a broad indictment of capitalist society’. I did say something different! Isn’t that what cross-cultural adventure is for?
The old Central Post Office…
Ben Thanh Market
Which way to turn?
Too warm. Move on. Come back another time.
Anyone for lunch?
Something sweet perhaps?
Siesta?
Another full day, a book each, more memories, and another strong recommendation if you find yourself in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City and fancy an excellent Indian meal, with great service…
Mekong Delta tomorrow, so an earlyish night.
Honestly, Book Street (^), every town should have one. The area was established with the main purpose of creating a space for encouraging a culture of reading. The street is now a familiar cultural and spiritual destination for local residents as well as domestic and foreign tourists.
Return to homepage
A Dragon Apparent 
Leave a comment