The City That Never Sits Still: Traffic in 1994 Saigon via Photos by Ed Kashi

In Saigon on Wheels, American photojournalist Ed Kashi managed to capture the pulse of a simpler Saigon.

It’s hard to remember a time when the southern hub wasn't flooded with motorbikes. Nowadays, with 8,000 new bikes and 750 cars hitting the street every day, the city is awash with vehicles, not to mention the noise and pollution which accompany this rapid growth.

Rush hour in Saigon in the era before the helmet mandate.

The photo essay was taken in 1994, when helmets weren’t a thing and cyclos still roamed the streets en masse. Ed Kashi is one of the most prolific photographers from New York, known for his coverage on sociopolitical issues, such as the hardships of Kurdish people and the consequences of the oil industry on the life of people in the Niger Delta.

The photo collection in Saigon was processed completely in black and white, stripping away the city’s usual vibrancy but also shifting the audience’s focus to the movements and rhythms of Saigon, a city that has never been content with sitting still.

Take the trip down the memory lane, courtesy of Flickr user manhhai, below:

The Saigon Bridge seemed immense without cars and trucks.

Is there anything as distinctively Saigon as áo dài on a Honda Cub?

Swag can be taught at a young age.

Without taxis or ride-share apps, xích lô was once a common mode of transport.

Catching up on a children's magazine article after class.

Fallen Angels, but make it Cầu Kiệu.

The film camera's slow speed makes for ethereal shots filled with lighting artefacts.

Dressed to the nines on the way to the club.

Intricately decorated funeral hearses have not changed at all over decades.

Racing against time before the goods disappear in the sun.

On Mondays, we wear áo dài.