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Saigon through their eyes
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In its long history, Saigon's architecture has morphed many times, its streets remolded by each new wave of immigrants. We see their imprint everywhere: in the villages that lie absorbed by the stretching metropolis; in the carved doorframes that seem never to age. Next to the towering new commercial buildings grow banyan trees and by the mighty wharves sit ancient village communal houses.
When I visit Saigon I stay with a friend, architect Ta My Duong. After a long day's work he likes nothing more than to sit on the small wooden pier by the pond in his garden. He spends his time drawing pictures of simple homes that evoke memories of old village houses with their red tiled-roofs and gardens. He gives his pictures to harried friends to remind them of simpler times.
Architect Hoai Huong has perfected the art of depicting the village as it used to be. He was one of the first to initiate Viet Deco, a form of architecture based on northern Vietnamese homes, with the heavy wooden beams, columns and statues. It was Huong who persuaded the Saigon authorities to renovate rather than destroy the ancient villages that lay across the Saigon River. Now, a cultural village called ham Long will grow where high rises were once planned.
I arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport in the late afternoon and my friend, an artist, picks me up with the offer of a delicious dinner. He takes me to Dzoan Cam Van Restaurant, run by a TV personality of that name known for her charm and warmth. The restaurant opened a year ago and whilst living off the name of its illustrious owner for a while, it has now earned its place among the city’s favorite spaces. Delicious food, reasonable prices and an intimate atmosphere are some of its draws.
Ms. van talks of her restaurant as a home, somewhere she would offer only the best dishes to her guests in the most comfortable surroundings possible. She takes flavors from all three regions of Vietnam - the North, the Centre and the South - so there's something for everyone. In this warm atmosphere, I talk to her as I would too friend. Our fellow diners are like one big family. The next day, as I continue my journey to Dak Lak, I remember the warm feeling in Ms. Van's restaurant. She has given me an unforgettable memory of Saigon.
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