Life in a Market

They are not the Market pics that I took today (daytime), but since the Jet Lag is starting to kick in, I figured heading straight back to my hotel room after dinner pobably was not the wisest thing to do. So, I grabbed the camera, the OTHER memory card, & headed for the night market.

This is the first time I've stayed in this hotel, it's about a 15 minute walk down the road the hotel I've stayed in before, which is far enough to put it in a different "shopping district." The Caravelle- where I stayed before, is in what I would call the "Paintings & Lacquerware district." Stores either sold Paintings, or Lacquerware....or a combination of both. Sometimes there would be Chopsticks or carved wooden figures thrown in for a bit of interest, but the bulk of what you could see to buy, were paintings or Lacquerware. After my day of walking around (and my sore feet!), I have determined that I must be staying in the "Luggage district." Want some luggage? yes, we've got it here. Every shape, size, pattern, brand, color you could possibly want and more!!! Doesn't make for too interesting shopping though if you aren't really in the market for a new suitcase. However, it *did* come in handy when I needed an inexpensive/small backpack to lug my camera around ("north face", $4.00).

One of my *very* favorite things to do in China is to wander through markets. I can wander through markets for hours. Vegetable markets, shoe markets, pet markets, meat markets, clothing markets....seriously, it doesn't matter if there is a thing for me to buy or not, it's the busy-ness that I like. I walked two times through the Ben Thanh Market today (huge HUGE indoor market) and now I've just gotten back from walking through the Night Market outside of where the Ben Thanh Market is. And I think I've figured out what it is about Markets. In the US, you go to Farmers Market as a fun thing to do on the weekend. Sometimes they have music, sometimes they have baloons- it's kind of like going to the fair. It's fun, it's special, it's not an "every day" kind of thing. For many, it's not even an every weekend kind of thing. In asia, Markets are where people buy things for their life. People come to markets to buy vegetables, soap, eggs, and meat, get shoes repaired and trade products with others, exchange gossip and catch up on news. In Asia, and perhaps many other parts of the world, Markets are where people live their lives. Things HAPPEN in Markets. The men & women who "man the booths" are there from early in the morning often until evening or sometimes even well into the evening. How can you not live your life in the Market, if the bulk of your time is spent there? Mahjong is played, Chinese chess is played, Children do homework, families have dinner together- it all happens in the Market. In Asia, Markets are special because that is where lives are lived. As you walk through a market, if your eyes are open, you can see it. And it's amazing.

There are SO many motorscooters in Ho Chi Minh City. Crossing the road can be life threatening if you don't know how to do it. I was taught the first time I came- and truthfully, it's incredibly easy once you can just relax. You wait for a break in the cars- there will never be a break in the motorscooters. Once there are fewer cars coming your way, start walking slowly but steadily across the road. The scooters will not hit you- they see you, they don't want to end up on the ground. But no running and stopping also isn't good. Those are the basic rules.

Okay it wasn't blue light, it was because my camera thought we were in bright sunshine & overcompensated on the blue...but I really love this photo anyway...! Eating dinner in the Market:

The Persimmon lady with the Purple Persimmons, stretching:

The Sugar Cane Juice woman- she was cleaning her machine, and laughing at me taking photos...

More of that "life being lived" stuff- a family eating dinner together at the Market...