2june26
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭 STREET ART: THE DEVIL’S IN THE DETAILS
2june26
Tag: street photography
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭: INDEPENDENCE MONUMENT & KING SIHANOUK MEMORIAL
In the heart of Phnom Penh, the Independence Monument (Vimean Ekareach) marks the moment Cambodia reclaimed its sovereignty from France in 1953.
Designed by the visionary Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann and completed in 1958, its lotus-shaped tower rises in the style of a Khmer temple stupa, echoing the spires of Angkor.
By day it anchors one of the city’s busiest roundabouts. By night it glows red, blue, and gold, lit in the colors of the national flag. More than a landmark, it is a quiet reminder of a nation that chose to define itself on its own terms. 🇰🇭
The Norodom Sihanouk Memorial (also called the Statue of King Father Norodom Sihanouk), honoring the man Cambodians call the “Father King.”
Sihanouk is a towering figure in modern Cambodian history. He’s credited for his efforts in liberating the country from French colonization, and he reigned as the king under whom Cambodia gained independence from France in 1953.
2june26
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭 STREET ART: RATaTAT TAT
2june26
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭 STREET ART: FISHY
2june26
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭 STREET ART: TIGER 🐅
1june26
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: MOTORBIKES AND BLUE MURALS
28may26
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳 STREET ART: YELLOW MAN
28may26
PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA 🇰🇭: PRAYERS
June 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: BIA CATS, BUILDINGS & POIGNANCY
1. Mid-Century Origins (1960s–1970s)
The building was constructed between 40 and 60 years ago, placing its origins in the era of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). At that time, Nguyễn Văn Tráng was part of a bustling residential and commercial zone near the Ben Thanh market.
• Design Philosophy: Unlike the ornate French colonial buildings, No. 35 reflects the modernist/brutalist leanings of that era—characterized by raw concrete, functional geometric lines, and open hallways designed to catch the breeze.
• The Materiality: It is noted for its “rough beauty,” featuring original đá rửa (washed stone) and traditional gạch bông (encaustic cement tiles) on the floors—materials that were once the standard for middle-class Saigonese living.
2. Post-1975 Transition
Following the events of 1975, many of these apartment buildings were reorganized. Large units were often subdivided into smaller residences to accommodate the city’s growing population. This created the “winding corridor” atmosphere you see today, where private life spills out into shared hallways with small kitchens and drying laundry.
3. The 2017 Revitalization
In 2017, the building gained a new life through the work of architect Nguyên Hạnh Nguyên.
• Preservation through Cleaning: Rather than tearing it down or covering it in modern panels, the team focused on deep-cleaning the old concrete and tiles.
• Contrast Architecture: They added glass elements to create a contrast between the “old rough” and “new smooth,” which made the building a magnet for the city’s creative community.
4. Present Day: A Creative Hub
Today, No. 35 is no longer just a residential block. It has become a vertical “hidden village” for Saigon’s youth and nomadic travelers:
• Hidden Cafes & Shops: It houses “secret” spots like Nhà Chung Cafe and the foreign language bookstore/cafe Pages of Passion.
• Nomadic Lodging: Higher floors are home to hostels and boutique stays like Onetel Saigon Panorama, offering a rooftop view of the skyline that contrasts sharply with the gritty, historical staircases.
It’s a great example of how Saigon’s history isn’t just found in museums, but in the layers of paint and concrete of the buildings where people still live, work, and drink coffee every day.
Travel Tip: If you head up to the higher floors, look for the original tile patterns; they are a direct link to the interior design trends of the 1960s Saigon middle class.
May 2026
SAIGON, VIETNAM 🇻🇳: A Week in Coffee ~ Wandering, Wondering, and One Good Cup at a Time
Van – Always Wandering.
This overcast Friday morning was no different. I set out without a destination, trusting Saigon to decide where I should end up. That’s become my favorite way to travel here. The city has a habit of rewarding curiosity.
I wandered into a strange little courtyard anchored by an enormous Starbucks sign. That alone felt odd. In a country overflowing with incredible coffee, I still can’t quite justify Starbucks. But as I walked farther in, the sign faded into the background. Hidden behind it were half a dozen vintage vans serving coffee, tea, pastries, and books. It was less a café than a tiny neighborhood festival.
One van caught my eye: Rong Chơi Coffee.
Later I learned that rong chơi roughly translates to wandering or roaming freely without a specific destination. Well… if that isn’t my life in a nutshell.
The universe definitely knew what it was doing that morning.
A simple cà phê đen đá—straight black iced coffee—for 35,000 VND ($1.33), and I was reminded once again that some of the best experiences in Saigon don’t announce themselves. They wait quietly for you to stumble across them.
Just around the corner from where I’ve been living for months sits Barxiu, tucked away inside an apartment building.
I’d walked past it countless times without ever figuring out how to get upstairs. This week I finally asked someone, got redirected to a different staircase, and suddenly there it was.
Worth every bit of the effort.
I ordered their Dirty Matcha—Vietnamese phin coffee, condensed milk, and matcha. Normally matcha drinks can be overwhelmingly sweet, but this one wasn’t. It balanced the earthiness of the tea with the richness of Vietnamese coffee beautifully. Cozy, eclectic, and one of those cafés that makes you want to linger.
Sometimes all it takes is asking where the stairs are.
One morning I stopped at a tiny neighborhood coffee stand for a 30,000 VND cà phê sữa đá.
I only had 28,000 VND.
Without hesitation they smiled and waved me off.
“I’ll bring the other 2,000 next time,” I thought to myself.
*I dropped it off two days later. They were surprised because they didn’t expect it.
As I sat outside in one of those familiar little red plastic chairs, the family’s front doors stood wide open while they moved effortlessly between their living room and coffee cart. On the television Belgium was playing the United States in the World Cup.
One of this week’s highlights was discovering S’Mores Saigon, where I had a NEL drip coffee.
If you’ve never had one, a NEL drip uses a flannel cloth filter—a technique with French roots that was later perfected in Japan before eventually finding its way into old Saigon cafés. The result is unlike any other black coffee I’ve had.
Silky.
Clean.
Almost elegant.
Apparently it was once considered coffee for Vietnam’s elite.
I understand why.
It’s less like drinking coffee and more like drinking a philosophy.
Tách Tách, another café inside the old mint green apartment building on Nguyễn Văn Tráng.
Their drink was called “Love You So Matcha.”
Japanese Uji matcha, oat milk, condensed milk, a touch of syrup…
Mildly sweet with no bitterness.
Exactly how I move through life these days.
Room 44, a salted caramel latte. It is tucked inside the same mint green old apartment complex. There is something about climbing those worn staircases that always feels like entering another version of Saigon.
At The Simple Café, I tried their Grape Chill Cold Brew.
Imagine sweet grape juice somehow deciding it wanted to become coffee.
Or maybe coffee deciding it wanted to become grape juice.
Odd?
Absolutely.
Worth trying?
Definitely.
Then there was Cà Phê Ông and their bamboo coconut coffee served in—you guessed it—a bamboo cup. A bamboo straw. Cool souvenirs. Refreshing, tropical, and exactly what you want on a humid Saigon afternoon. I met two new friends and rather than read my book, a daily ritual, I had a lovely conversation with them.
Mon Ami Café, a French-inspired spot where a simple cà phê đen đá reminded me that sometimes the classics don’t need improving. And I really need to lay off the condensed milk…
Nine coffees.
Nine different stories.
Some hidden behind apartment staircases.
Some tucked into family homes.
Some discovered only because I decided to wander without a plan.
July 2026