Okay Vietnam travels recap time! I experienced and learnt so much in such a short time I don't even know where to begin, so I thought I would do a quick recap to begin with and then maybe do a few posts with ideas I have gained from my time in Vietnam such as super active public realms, the market culture and other general urban design thoughts as they come to me!
Can Tho
So for the first two weeks of my trip I spent my time in Can Tho, the largest city within the Mekong Delta. After arriving into the full on city that is Ho Chi Minh/Saigon, Can Tho was a beneficial place to ease into the Vietnamese culture - and to learn how to cross a road! The traffic in Vietnam was probably my first major culture shock moment, I think it took me a whole month to get use to the system of just walking out on busy roads and letting the many scooters, bikes and occasional cars go around you. The sheer volume of people that travelled via bike or scooter was also impressive, as well as the way their housing and shops were designed for convenient scooter/bike access. Almost all buildings (both commercial and residential) had ramps built within or over their stairs so scooters could be driven straight inside and almost all markets allowed for people to drive in, barter and drive out.
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| The traffic in Can Tho - Look at all those bikes! |
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| Scooters and bikes parked right outside a Can Tho Cafe |
Another key realisation of our time in Can Tho was the lack of OH&S and general safety regulations - there were endless WTF moments. This really embodied the attitude of the Vietnamese which was very relaxed with simple "just get it done" thinking which really allowed for some simple (and often genius) ways of doing things.
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| Telecom in Vietnam - Look how far away his foot is from the ladder |
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| A man painting the side of a Karaoke building bright blue (love colour in the urban realm) |
Seeing as I spent over two weeks in Can Tho I could quite literally talk about it forever and it was definitely one of my favourite places on the trip, particularly as I really got to know the city and the people (especially my lovely homestay family). Here are just some of the other things I loved about Can Tho;
- The city was based on a grid system so it was exceptionally easy to walk around and find your way
- The many markets (especially including the lolly markets leading up to the Tet Holiday) were all amazing and really felt like you were experiencing the active Vietnamese culture
- The street food at the night markets may have been the most delicious food I have ever eaten (especially after many drinks and a night of Karaoke)
- Many of the restaurants we ate at were out in the open yet surprisingly quiet tucked back from the roads. Half the time you felt like you were eating in the middle of the jungle, not the middle of the city
- The ability of the Vietnamese to reuse and repurpose waste was amazing and evident just about everywhere
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| Can Tho Restaurant with a recycled pathway |
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| Can Tho Restaurant with Koi Pond - This restaurant had monkeys too! |
What started out as a short recap has actually turned out quite massive, especially because I spent so long in Can Tho. So I am going to post this recap in a couple of volumes, mostly just for ease of reading for you!
