July 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: HEM 170
July 2026
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭: THE FIRST WEEK OF COFFEE ON MY RETURN
Straight black, no sugar, that’s my order everywhere I go. Most of the time. Here in Phnom Penh, it’s been perfect every single time. No bitterness, usually two shots of espresso in there for a real caffeine hit, and every café I’ve tried so far has nailed it. Not one miss yet.
Saigon was a different story. The black coffee there was hit or miss depending on the place, and you always had to remember to specify no sugar, because if you didn’t, it would somehow find its way into the cup anyway. Here in Phnom Penh, they actually ask you about your sugar preference every time. No guessing, no fine print, they just check. I appreciate that.
Now, when it comes to specialty drinks, that’s where Saigon wins, no contest. But I understand why now. It’s the sugar. All of it. That’s the secret ingredient behind those elaborate Vietnamese coffee drinks that make them so good.
Even here in Phnom Penh, when I ordered a salt cream coffee, they still asked if I wanted sugar in it, so I could say no. And honestly, it was still tasty without it. Cambodia is clearly building something good with its coffee scene.
But overall, Saigon’s specialty coffee culture is still unmatched. Phnom Penh is getting there, and it’s got the fundamentals locked down, but it hasn’t caught up to Saigon’s game yet.
September 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: FRENCH COLONIAL ERA
- Original construction: likely 1920s–1940s during the French colonial era.
- Original function: probably a government or port-related service building connected with the nearby Khánh Hội docks rather than a residence.
- Current use: Khánh Hội Ward Police vehicle storage (“Kho Xe”).
July 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: MAN ON A WALL
District 4
July 2026
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭: FOODIE ADVENTURES SEPTEMBER, PART 1
September 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: POSE
This is the historic Saigon Railway Operations Branch building (Chi nhánh Khai thác Đường sắt Sài Gòn), part of the Vietnamese national railway system.
📍 136 Hàm Nghi Street
This is one of the surviving French colonial administrative buildings from the late 19th or early 20th century, when Vietnam’s railway network was being developed under French Indochina.
The building originally served railway administration during the colonial era, when Saigon was the southern hub of the expanding railway system. It managed operations connected with routes that eventually linked Saigon with central Vietnam and, by 1936, the complete North–South railway between Saigon and Hanoi.
After 1975, it continued its transportation role and today remains an office of the national railway operator, overseeing railway operations in southern Vietnam rather than serving as a passenger station.
Pics above by me, July 2026
July 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 GRAFFITI: MENDING VN/USA RELATIONS ONE FILL AT A TIME
July2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: “TUỔI TRẺ PHƯỜNG 2”
Neighborhood wall art combining political symbolism, youth organizations, and local identity. Painted by volunteers from local youth organizations.
The large red text reads:
“TUỔI TRẺ PHƯỜNG 2”
which translates as:
“The Youth of Ward 2” or “Ward 2 Youth.”
The circular green emblem with the red flag is the logo of the:
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
(Đoàn Thanh niên Cộng sản Hồ Chí Minh)
The Vietnamese text around it reads:
Đoàn Thanh niên Cộng sản Hồ Chí Minh
This is Vietnam’s largest youth political and civic organization, generally for people aged 16–30.
The logo on the right
The blue logo says:
THANH NIÊN VIỆT NAM
which means:
Vietnam Youth
This represents the Vietnam Youth Federation (Hội Liên hiệp Thanh niên Việt Nam).
Although it works closely with the Communist Youth Union, it is a broader umbrella organization that welcomes a wider range of young people, including volunteers and community members who may not be part of the Youth Union.
July 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: TUBE HOUSES
The blue and green buildings in the center are classic tube houses (nhà ống).
They are:
- Only about 3–5 meters wide
- Very deep—often 15–25 meters long
- Built vertically, usually 3–5 stories
Unlike a planned apartment complex, these buildings evolved over time.
You can see:
- One floor added in the 1990s
- Another balcony enclosed later
- Different window styles
- Railings replaced individually
- Fresh paint beside weathered concrete
Each family modifies its home as money becomes available. The buildings become a visual history of several generations.
District 4
July 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: LONG BUU PAGODA
Long Bửu Pagoda was founded in 1970 by Venerable Thích Từ Hiệp as a Mahayana (Northern Tradition) Buddhist temple.
🕉️The five-story stupa is a symbol of enlightenment and a place where sacred Buddhist objects or relics may be enshrined.
District 4
July2026