Friends, above you see a group of people and their boat who are living in the forest across the canal from the University. We don't know much about these folks but we have watched them ply their boat along the waterway and guide it into their parking area in front of the tents that you an see through the trees and large leafy plants. We took our morning walk today and the boat wasn't there --- the people had probaby already gone to work fishing or whatever it is that they do in this bustling city.
As we continued our morning walk we thought it would be good to put up our first picture of the city scape high rises that are an imposing feature of the City. From the campus I believe that this picture is taken to the west and north, I have yet to get all my bearings but I am working on it, and will have it down soon. No matter, it is evident from the pictures the amount of new construction that has been built in District 7 and more is going up.
What a contrast between the tall skyscrapers and the red-roofed and laminated buildings. Are they as side-by-side as they appear? Are those mainly offices or housing? What fun to travel with you two!
ReplyDeleteFrom what we know some of each --- store front small businesses along side streets and then housing on the blocks behind the business streets. I don't want to be suggesting that every street has businesses but as we traveled by motorbike the streets we were traversing had businesses,many very small: cafes, motorbike repair, grocery stores, pharmacy, nurseries, and just everything. Downtown in District one there are many thousands of businesses just like cities in the US, but perhaps more are small shops. When we visited Bien Than market it was overwhelming. Four square blocks, at least, under one giant roof that was full of small merchants with goods stacked many feet into the airspace and aisles maybe three or four foot wide and thousands of shoppers. Our guides told us, "Don't buy here, tourist prices." There are some tourist things we want to go back for: labor union flag, national flag and t-shirts with HCM and other heroes of the nation.
ReplyDelete