SaigonOld Saigon Picture of the Day: Before Bridges and TunnelsThink it's inconvenient having a car in present-day Saigon? As many of the French living in Saigon during the first half of the last century were fairly well off, they often brought with them the comforts of their home country. But sometimes, their beloved imports didn't exactly match the realities of their new environment.By Brian LetwinSep 25, 20131 minRead story →
SaigonOld Saigon Picture of the Day: The Original Sửa Xe (1890s?)Before the age of motorbikes, Saigon's streets were characterized by ox-drawn carts and horse-drawn carriages. And, just like motorbikes, everyday wear and tear would take their toll, requiering small repairs here and there to keep them going. Who would play the role of hero when your carriage broke down?By Brian LetwinAug 23, 20131 minRead story →
Saigon7 Old Pictures of Saigon Street VendorsThe buildings and streets of Saigon can change in the blink of an eye. Gone are the streetcars, French street names and ox-drawn carts. As the economy continues to develop, the old Saigon is being replaced by skyscrapers, metros and Burger Kings. However, there are elements of the city that have barely changed over the last century, one of these are street vendors.By Brian LetwinJun 20, 20131 minRead story →
SaigonOld Saigon: Pictures from Life MagazineWhen looking at old pictures of big cities, what usually strikes us is how different yet similar things are today. Back in the 50s, Time Magazine ran some great pictures of Saigon, capturing its initial rise as “Pearl of the Orient”.By Brian LetwinNov 2, 20121 minRead story →
SaigonAn Early View of a Barely Developed Saigon in the 1860sDropping a modern Saigoneer into the 1860s version of the city would be a wildly disorienting experience.By SaigoneerAug 10, 20262 minRead story →
Tàu Cánh Ngầm: The Curious Case of Saigon’s Lost Soviet HydrofoilsNot long ago, hulking “creatures” glided atop the waters between Saigon and Vũng Tàu. Like the dinosaurs that came before them, they slowly disappeared, until all that was left were their skeletons.Aug 7, 20252 min read
Vauban Architecture: The Foundation of Central and Northern Vietnam's CitadelsIn our previous article on Vietnam’s southern citadels , we covered a mix of ancient structures and those constructed just before the dawn of French colonization of Indochina. In particular, we focused on Gia Định Citadel, a hulking structure that once stood in what would become Saigon’s city center. Undertaking a similar exercise for Vietnam’s central and northern regions is less practical, given the sheer quantity and variety of citadels in those regions. So, for the second part of our citadel series, we instead will focus on a unifying feature across such fortifications — Vauban architecture.Jun 11, 20259 min read
Unearthed: Tracing the Past Citadels of Southern VietnamAlthough the forces of modernization encourage constant progress and leaving behind the pre-modern past, the trails of yesterday never fail to leave our presence.Jun 3, 20257 min read
Brian LetwinBrian Letwin
Brian LetwinWriterBrian LetwinView profile →
