Aspire
ׂݿ JUNE 2017
FEAST YOUR EYES ON TOKYO’S FOOD ART
ֆߟېਲफਘӭ ϽыՒ֎
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PAGES 79-104 INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
ҚϼสӀ۪܋
Backstreets are back Creative residents breathe new life into the hidden alleys of
HO CHI MINH CITY ᝀட੶ ഐҴصϡТ҅ࡶҺ ҿืঅЩዒыՐְҝ
BARS, BOOKS AND THERMAL BATHS IN TAIPEI
ѷ܅։Ӏׂܚݡ
Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
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Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
ϽصڵӿЩঅᝀ
The back alleys of the big city Ho Chi Minh City is the rapidly developing business hub that is powering Vietnam’s economic rise. But to discover the spirit of old Saigon, forget the bright lights, and seek out the city’s alleyways and old apartment blocks ഐҴصчࣁᘅᘥ䩟ᑏք۪ϡҬ௵ҁҨӿ࠱ᶈኯ䦚Ѽґ䩟ҒҝϧЂ чᜨ䦯ҡ՝ᕠ䦰ϡѤϮєॕ䩟ϤᏲ෬сѬ֪ܷϡЩघ߅фܴ֙ྎ ࠃန䦡ຄЖ۲ъԈׇٚաϡࢣܓщ
BY CO N N L A S TO K E S P H OTO G R A P H Y C H R I S TI A N B E R G
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Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
When you ask local residents how to find their favourite hang-out spot
ABOVE: UNASSUMING ALLEYS ARE A TREASURE TROVE OF COOL BARS AND SMALL BUSINESSES ϼ֖䩭ශϤвՒϡืঅᝡ ᝀ䩟Нϥٴॡࡿ۴ܦщф ߹ݻЩނᖪϡೆ઼੶с
or noodle joint in Ho Chi Minh City (née Saigon), expect to be given detailed directions rather than an actual address. For now, Google’s digital cartographers remain confounded by the city’s vast constellation of teeming alleyways. “Yes, we’re a little hard to find even though we are extremely central, but that’s part of the fun – at least I hope so,” says Dang Duong, the co-owner of the Old Compass Cafe, an intimate café-bar and an eclectic events space in the heart of downtown. To get here, visitors must come down a typical Saigonese alleyway and climb through an old family apartment building. “Small businesses in old buildings can tell people something about the past and I hope that’s what we 32
do – through our food, the space we’ve created out of an old apartment and the events we host with the creatives who share our interest in this city.” IN WITH THE OLD The portrayal of Ho Chi Minh City in the international press tends to zero in on its modernity, rapid growth and economic potential. But the singular pleasure of wandering, if a little uncertainly, down an alley or up a rickety staircase in search of a hidden café, boutique or bar cannot be overstated. In recent years, swathes of heritage buildings have been razed to make way for glitzy high-rise office buildings and shopping complexes. The city’s defining present-day landmark is the Bitexco Financial Tower, a 68-floor, 262m skyscraper, while all around the outskirts new urban projects and luxury residential areas are shooting up to accommodate the burgeoning middle class. But it’s equally true that the city’s network of alleyways still houses an estimated 85% of city dwellers. Unlike the sterile, newly created suburbs, these alleys abound with the minutiae of everyday
Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: SAIGON’S SPRAWLING CITYSCAPE; DANG DUONG, OLD COMPASS CAFE’S CO-OWNER; TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE FOOD IS SERVED HERE ॄЖఴзਅв䩭ഐҴص Ϥछϡصڵϳগ۷䩮 ނҰ'$1* '821*ҿ Է2/' &203$66 &$)( ֶ䩟؏؛ӎЖЇϥϣϫ ދϤӎ҅ҁϡԾсҼ䩮 ؏ނపࢃةք۪ېԘ
ӱ؛ि՝ᕠϡഐҴص䩟
ҟၠ՛ߵԄсھӍӨϺѮВсҤ։䩟ڈϥКДڃҼ૯ࠨ ނϡЖԃ䩟јИЁϾЊϧ܋բ䩟ґϤϾѰҴ৯сժ䦚ׯ ۠ѳЖЊঝ䩟*RRJOHϡӻϼс֖३ӑϪ䩟࣊ѼЊЯ؏ص ӯᆩϡЩᝀѬґٮᢝ֝ڽ䦚 䦯Эӯ䦚ϢИϡނᖪ৯Ӣ֧ص؛ЅК䩟ԔകѼϤװډ Ϻ䦚ϤО϶ЇڲϥׂࣵӆصϡӀঙ֦䵋Ϣֳܨ䦚䦰2OG &RPSDVV &DIHׁᘒϪ'DQJ 'XRQJМ䦚϶ҼӠዝ઼ϡ౹ ނ᠕ܦщ֧ҿࢶؖсݫ䩟ӎЖЇϥЄ༙Єಈϡ҅ҁԾс䦚 䦯ӛϩϪ䩟د၉ϢϨֶ䩟ЁϴܕОਹࡿϡҡ՝ᕠᝀட䩟 Ӑ܌ϼҡϡ֙ྎࠃနҥН௦ܺ౹ނ䩟ϢЪӍӨ϶Ҋϡ Ղࡐ䦚Щޗނҿࠃနֶ䩟џઆۺҀիᘎяգє䩟Ϣֳܨ ӓϰϡۺϪЁࡦگϺ϶Ѷϡࣵ䦚ϢИؘК३ӑք۪ې Ԙ䩟ॣֶҼۥݱ֧ґю䦚֔ױ䩟ϢИЇۀӎЄ֧ ӑр䦙ࠃနؓф҅ދׁؙؓҁ䩟јИӎҊչД՝ᕠфք ۪ҹ٩䦚䦰 ഐҴصҏ៷в ഐҴصҏ៷в ׂҵҿֶصϡืঅᝡᝀ䩟ϼ৺৺௰ᐬϡ࣍၆䩟ଵُװ йذښϡೆԒ౹ނ䦙ؘԘނ䩟й۠գ۴ٿϡܦщ䵋 ॏѼϩЖϾࣿҤז䩟ԔⅲЅՂࡐঙڏѩඪ䦚Ѽґ䩟лগ ෪ՂԜйԟҪԚބϡࡠ֏৪ጴഐҴص䩟ဖѡ܊܊ओЅҿ Էѳڊ٩ϡϣӌ䦙ֶصϡାݬчࣁйߵҬ௵ၚҨ䦚 ഐҴصҩኲЊԄѵԒϼзࡢ҅Ҩ䦙чࣁЏзьϡҬ௵
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Ho Chi Minh City / �࢑Ҵ‍ؾ‏
LEFT: A TYPICAL APARTMENT BLOCK IN HO CHI MINH CITY ਅ֖äŠŕ´?࢑Ҵ‍ؾ‏ϥਚॿ Ô?áˆ?ŕŁ?ŕ šÖ”ŕľŻ
“This city is best experienced on the fringes and in its nooks and crannies: the neighbourhood markets are the most intriguing; the hidden cafĂŠs are the most alluringâ€? 䌯ׂࣾϜύ‍ؾھ‏ϥСώ Ҥ֚äŠ&#x;ϲϼՂŕĄ?⋚‍ڞ‏ Т҅äŠ&#x;Ϩॠޝфá?¤á&#x;†Ńś ŕˇŹŕąąĎŁŕź›äŠŕŚ…Ó°â€ŤŘľâ€Źŕ¤“ŕ¨˜ĎŞ Ôľâ€ŤŰ€â€ŹŰ˛á –äŠ&#x;ೆԒ๚೑‍ނ‏ Ó â€ŤŕŁżÚ°â€ŹĎŞäŚ°
life, which is why insiders like Tom Divers, from independent online guide Vietnam Coracle, advise shunning the “showpiece Saigonâ€?. “For me, this city is best experienced on the fringes and in its nooks and crannies: the neighbourhood markets are the most intriguing; the hidden cafĂŠs are the most alluring; the building styles in the alleyways are the most architecturally fascinating and the street food stalls you ďŹ nd are the tastiest,â€? Divers declares. With regards to culinary adventures, the further you go off the beaten track, naturally, the less likely it is you will ďŹ nd an English menu, but according to Divers, “Saigonese are gregarious, and so proud of their culinary culture that there will always be someone to help you out when it comes to ordering and eating your food or drink.â€? Like Divers, Philip Genochio, who runs walking street-food tours called District 4 Food Safaris, is also an advocate for exploration away from the bright lights of the big city: “You’ll get more out of 30 minutes in the alleys than you will from three days of touring the skyscrapers, malls and souvenir shops of District 1. You’ll develop an appreciation of Saigonese hospitality and receive gratitude from locals that you’ve taken an interest in their lives – even if it may be treated with as much bemusement as amusement.â€? HOME OF THE BRAVE If Bitexco stands as testament to Ho Chi Minh’s 21st-century rise as a global powerhouse, the so-called “Catinat Buildingâ€? – completed in 1927 – at 26 Ly Tu Trong is an architectural icon of the 35
Ő‚Ň?ĎŁäŚšáš…Ő’ĐƒĎ°äŠ&#x;ŕťŞŕ¸śá‰žŕ´„ĎĄâ€ŤŘľâ€ŹĐ…ĐšĎŁŐŽäŠ&#x;ϥ৯ϤŕŤ?Ôˇ áłŠŐšÓœâ€ŤŮƒâ€ŹäŚšâ€Ť×˛â€ŹŃ‘Ď°äŠ&#x;Ď¤ŐžŕŁ˛á‰śŕ ƒá€”Đ ŇŠÔ?ŕ¤—ŇšáĄ¨ĐŠâ€Ť×›â€ŹŃ äŠ&#x; ŕ ƒßƒŕŤ â€Ť×‡â€Źŕ°Žŕ°ŽĎĄâ€ŤŢ‹â€ŹÔ?Ď˝ŕŁ?фऔ‍׉‏ЅК䌚Ř?â€ŤŘľâ€ŹĎĄŃłâ€ŤÚŠâ€ŹŃ ŕ ł %LWH[FRâ€ŤŕšŽŘ–â€Źŕť™äŠ&#x;ĎĽĎŁÓ? ܜҙϥ ৥ಎϳϽŕŁ?äŠ&#x;ґ‍ؾ‏á? Ń ß…ĎĄŇŞĐˆŕ ƒâ€ŤŕŁŻŢ—â€ŹŰľŃ„ŕľťŕžŽß…äŠ&#x;ч࣠ϊҒ‍ە‏ћेᣂäŠ&#x;ŕŁ˝× ĐˆŕŁąĐ…â€ŤÝ—â€Źá‚“ŕ§ĄĎĄŘ‘Ř’äŚš ԔѨӢϟäŠ&#x;Ď˝ŕ¤? ϥ‍ڞؾ‏äŠ&#x;ŕ´•Ńźŕ˘’Ö™Ď¨âˆ€ŕľ˜ŕžžŕ¸ˇĎĄŕŚ… á?€ŃśäŚšÓżŃŠÔˆĐžĐ´â€ŤÝąâ€Źŕł“ϥ‍ؾ‏á?Ö™ŕžŽÔšÔ?äŠ&#x;ŕŹ’â€Ťß…Úľâ€ŹĎĄĐŠá?€Ń¸ ࣼТ‍ܞ‏ҨäŠ&#x;ĎŁŃĄĎŁŕ¨‰Đ ĎĽĐ˘Ň…ŢşŕźŤäŚšŃ…ŕ´?ŕ˘‘Ň´â€ŤŘľâ€ŹáĽœŇ’â€ŤÜ‹â€ŹŕŻ˘ ĎĄ7RP 'LYHUVäŠ&#x;ϼ‍ׂߍߚݝ‏ӝۖ9LHWQDP &RUDFOHϥӝҰäŠ&#x; Ö&#x;՞ೀཿŕ´?ŕ˘‘Ň´â€ŤŘľâ€ŹŇłŃ ĎĄŃ ŃŹâ€ŤŘŚâ€ŹŐĄäŠ&#x;Ń˜â€ŤÚŻâ€ŹĐŠßŤâ€ŤÚ?ןŘ?׎ۺ‏ â€Ť×‡â€Źŕ§ŹĎĄßŤ×‚ŕ˘“ŃĄäŚšäŚŻŃ…Ď˘Ď°ĐœäŠ&#x;ׂࣾϜύ‍ؾھ‏ϥСώҤ ÖšäŠ&#x;ϲϼՂŕĄ?⋚‍ڞ‏Т҅äŠ&#x;Ϩॠޝфá?¤á&#x;†ŃśŕˇŹŕąąĎŁŕź›äŠŕŚ…Ó° â€ŤŘľâ€Źŕ¤“ŕ¨˜ĎŞÔľâ€ŤŰ€â€ŹŰ˛á –äŠ&#x;ŕł†Ô’ŕąšŕł‘â€ŤŢ‚â€ŹÓ â€ŤŕŁżÚ°â€ŹĎŞäŠ&#x;ĐŠá?€ŃśĎĄŕ ƒá€” ŐŁŰ´ßşŕ°żäŠ&#x;Ň‘Ď§Ď¨ŕŚ…Ó°á?¸á€¸Ó›á…ŽĎşĎĄŃ¤â€ŤŰ?‏äŠ&#x;Ń¸ĎĽŰ˜ÓŽŕ°…ŕ§˜ ϥ‍Ú?â€ŹáƒŠŇąŐŤäŚšäŚ° â€Ť×Łâ€ŹĐžŕŹľŃˇĎĄßŤĎŞäŠ&#x;‍߅ۺׂÚ?ן‏ք‍ן‏äŠ&#x;ԄџϲքԢŕł?Ďź ßÜ´ŕ źŕł?䌚7RP 'LYHUVĎśŇŠĐœäŠäŚŻŕ´?࢑Ҵ‍ؾ‏ϥ࢒‍ڞ‏՚єҎ ৖äŠ&#x;ŕ˘šŃ…Ô„Ń Ó†ŕ¤—ŕ—‍Ű?â€ŹŇšŮŠĐ†ŕľťĎ¤Ó”äŚšÔ„Ď§Ď¨ŃĄŕ źŃ„Ń“ŕ ź Đ–ß ĎşÔ˘Ö¤äŠ&#x;Ń˜Đ˜Đ ĎžÓ€Ňşâ€ŤŕĄ¤Ý§â€ŹäŚšäŚ° Ô‰ŇźŕŚ…Ó°Ń¤â€Ť'×‚ÜŒŕ˘żŰ?‏LVWULFW )RRG 6DIDULVϥड़‍ދ‏Ϫ 3KLOLS *HQRFKLRäŠ&#x;ЇϽҨÔ?Ü°áŞ‹ŕź€â€ŤÜ“â€ŹŕĽĐšÖ”ϥࣾफ़ࡏ๹䌚 Ń˜ĐœäŠäŚŻÓżÔˇĎ¨ŇˇĎŁâˆŠŕ´—ϟѧϳäŠ&#x;ӓ‍܊‏ಎϳϽŕż?䌙औ‍׉‏ Đ…ĐšŃ„ŕŞ”Ý‰Ô˜â€ŤĎśŢ‚â€ŹÔˆŕ˘“ŃĄäŠ&#x;ϤҒϨЊá?€Ńś×‚ࣾ д߀äŠ&#x;Ň€ ŐŤÔ„Ń ĎŞĎĄÖŞÜˇĎŽâ€ŤŰşâ€ŹŇ?ŃŹäŠ&#x;Ń˜Đ˜Ó€ÔŠßŤâ€ŤŰşâ€ŹŃ…Ń ŃŹĐ˘Ň…â€ŤÝ›â€Ź થώफ़äŠ&#x;ŕĽ?ŃźĎŠĐ–Ö”Ń ĎŞĎžŃ…ŕĄ†ÔˆÖ†Ő?Ň€ĎşŕŠĄŕźœâ€ŤŕŁšÚˆâ€Źá’ş Ϥ๫䦹䦰
LEFT: DISCOVER HIDDEN CAFES WHEN YOU TRAIPSE AROUND SAIGON’S ALLEYS AND OLD APARTMENT BLOCKS ਅ֖äŠĎ¨â€ŤÖśŘľâ€ŹĎĄĐŠá?€ŕŽ&#x;Ńś ׂࣾäŠ&#x;‍ڨ‏ЖĐ?Кчѳ৏Њ ĎŞŇŒĎĄŕˇ?ŕŠ™ŕąšŕł‘â€ŤŢ‚â€Ź
Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
past, a throwback to the city’s halcyon days as the capital of Cochinchina. The stunning Art Deco building is steeped in history – it was home to the city’s first US consulate in the 1930s – but most observers expect that it may soon be demolished to make way for another shopping mall or office tower. For now, it is filled with a fascinating medley of small businesses – teahouses, kitschy cafes, boutiques, vintage stores, art shops and more. Sitting in her shop’s first-floor balcony, overlooking Dong Khoi, the city’s most preeminent street, Hoang Tu Anh, the 31-year-old designer and creator of fashion label TGIF (Thank God I’m Fabulous) is pragmatic but hopeful about the rise of modern shopping malls and the anticipated demise of the Catinat Building. “I like to browse at Zara and have lunch at the food court in the luxury malls near here,” says Tu Anh. “But just as Thailand has temples, Vietnam has the heritage of Indochina. If Ho Chi Minh City loses it all to development, and looks like Singapore and Bangkok, how can the city stand out?” HIDDEN HAUNTS Born in Ho Chi Minh City, but raised in Cambridge, England from the age of nine, Linh Nguyen worked in the gaming industry before deciding to return to the motherland to dive into hospitality despite having “absolutely zero experience”. “We never know what we will miss until it’s gone,” he says, musing on the authorities’ apparent mission to strip the central streets of street food and heritage buildings. “But the Vietnamese always seem to find a way around. What is removed from one neighbourhood appears in another.”
“Even if you don’t know the history, somehow the past comes to you” 䦯ϲڲϧϤ϶ࡦگѶϡࣵ䩟ЇϾҩᘎяϡധ Ӡ֥ӛࣹد䦰 Ѕ۪ޯٻវաҴኣ Ғҝ%LWH[FR๎ؖ໙ࢣၹϦ ԒઔഐҴصϡႭݬчࣁйߵ ԷлগԳϡс֧䩟ъВ䩟ՉϨ ёю䦙ӏ/\ 7X 7URQJঅ ىϡ䦯१٤࣍ڛ䦰НМϥᘎяϡࠃနс࠳䩟џ Ϫॕᦽ՝ᕠਰЊ۪⧃䩛&RFKLQFKLQD䩜۰ϡׇሓ֊ۈ䦚϶ ᫂ᅲ᧹࣏ذޗϡآி൨ਲफࠃန䩟ࣵաࠡധ䩛Ϩ ёڊ䩟ؚϥֶص۰ϫѤл֨ѨఖϡӛϨс䩜䩟ԔϽЄُϪ Ёভذ䩟؏ࠃနԕԢ௺Ᏼػܞ䩟ьԕюЊࡔϣӏమమ ТሓئաአϡಎϳϽ࣍࠱ڈԾ䦚 ϶Ѷ۵ӓыٿܴٿٴҊϡЩނ䩟ϩߖॣ䦙գ۴࡞ঙϡ ౹ނф࠼䦙ؘԘނ䦙ࣲᔇނ䦙ਲफԘނҳ䦚ѳё ۈϡؓذޗ᠕7 * , ) 䩛7KDQN *RG ,䦦P )DEXORXV䩜ࡶދϪ +RDQJ 7X $QK䩟ܩҿԷϣ࣍Щނϡݡݷ䩟᪔ֳҪصзಀਰ ϡсݫ䦡ӎвঅ䦚хҿЈࡿऔЅКᬮਗ਼Ӱࡠ䩟йߵ१ ٤࣍ڛԕҩ֜ϡѳୄ䩟ԧԇϩϣ༛Ѓ֚䩭䦯ϢЇӍӨϺ ปײϡҙٜ࠱Ծఆ=DUD䩟࢚Ϩ࠱ԾֶϡѤܰېԾٰԴҎѷ ۹࠼䦚䦰7X $QKМ䦚䦯ԔԜҒлࠃϩϤվᜐཡ䩟ք۪Ї ݣϩЅ۪ޯٻс߅ϡҹ٩ةઌ䦚ҒҝഐҴصЊϦѳڊч ࣁґലࢃة䩟ڈϥ֔൯ٰЈӸᇾфᅸϣҊ䩟ъВ϶ϫ صڵϡئաحϨ䩲䦰 ࡲ٩ѳࢣ /LQK 1JX\HQТҿഐҴص䩟ԔІ॰ۈв۬ҿ߭л൮Т ҅䦚ј߲ϥѕࠡҲϡ֞䩟ћϰݺӡၖҘྥлۄӱ࠼ ୗ䦡ী܉јϨ϶ҤӌශѩҬࡐ䦚 䦯ϪИրϴЧϦࡆԈֆ՝䩟ҥګЏੵਪ䦚䦰ूԄ
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: HOANG TU ANH OF FASHION LABEL TGIF; THE SHOPFRONT OF TGIF; THE ICONIC “CATINAT BUILDING” WAS BUILT IN 1927 ॄЖఴਅ֖в䩭Ԅс ЖآԘन7 * , ) ࡶދϪ +2$1* 78 $1+䩮 7 * , ) ϡނᖪ՞ӌ䩮 ࠃҿ ёϡࣲቶ࣍ཡ १٤࣍ڛ
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Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
BELOW: LINH NGUYEN, OWNER OF CRAFT BEER BAR ROGUE SAIGON Ў֖䩭Ѳ֞ጂܦܦщ 52*8( 6$,*21ނֆ /,1+ 1*8<(1
Linh’s taproom, Rogue Saigon, is located in the city’s old financial district right by the State Bank of Vietnam, where the surrounding streets are desolate by Ho Chi Minh standards. Even though corporate power has relocated, customers can sit on the rooftop and sip on brewed-in-Vietnam craft beers with views of the city’s highest and glitziest skyscrapers a few blocks away. “Locals don’t think twice about riding across town to look for an old building with no sign, knowing that inside, if they climb three flights of stairs, there will be a bar,” says Linh. “In the US, modern speakeasies are a manufactured trend. Here, a bar in an old apartment block or down an alley is just practical from a business perspective, and for customers, it’s normal.” So normal, in fact, that expert craft cocktail maker, Pham Minh Tan, worries his speakeasythemed bar, The Alley Cocktail Bar and Kitchen, is too easy to find. “I want to make it more of an experience – we will build a passageway for customers to access the bar,” says the 32-year-old owner and cocktail-maker-in-chief. “For what we do, we prefer a small, cosy place away from the main street, and not just because it’s three times cheaper to rent. Saigon has many glamorous rooftop places around town but I don’t think of them as competitors – they’re places to see and be seen. Here, we just want people to enjoy themselves. We treat our customers like we do our friends and they drink what they like – no one is showing off.” ԜذङصЅКϡঅӰېԘ፸းфࣲቶࠃန䩟јхױထ ՊϦࣿڽ䦚䦯ϤО䩟ք۪ϪրϾװϺ֚ދݺث䦚϶߅ϩѮ ВϤԊϦ䩟۬ϾϨࡔϣ߅ԳԊϳя䦚䦰 ѩݻϩઢ䩟/LQK 1JX\HQϡܦщ5RJXH 6DLJRQԜ֧ҿ ߅๎ؖ䩟೨נϥք۪лрુҲ䦚Ϩչજഄϡք۪䩟ܦщ ปײϡঅѬࣶЏئԇᄯध䦚ϳݡϼϡۺϪ䩟࢜ڏЯք۪ Ѳ֞ጂܦ䩟ґҪصзҙзЈᔏϡಎϳϽ࣍䩟ϲϨӫϫঅ߅ й֔䦡ϲڲϥϽࡿఌ䩟Їׅಔс䦚 䦯ϢИ϶ѶॏѼ֧ঞೆᜀ䩟ԔϥӆсϪЁЪӀҺࡔۥ ϣ߅֟ࡄϺϰ䩟ଵװϣ᫂Эϩ՞नϡࠃန䦚ӹЊјИҌ Ѭ䩟܌ϼѧৡ࣍၆ћ䩟ϲϾᕌѼыྦྷ䦚ϨѤл䩟ಎࠪсЎ ܦщђ٥Ͻੁ৪ጴϡԵ䩮ԔϨഐҴص䩟ԕܦщޗҿ ֙ྎࠃနڈћᝀѶ䩟ԩॺ࠱ࡠ֏ЃзӢগϤО䩟આۺඩ܄ йЊ䦚䦰1JX\HQМѬ䦚 Ԝӹઆ܄ۘۺ১϶ढނᖪ䩟Ѳ֞যഅؓܦ݇ܦ3KDP 0LQK 7DQބґКԷсЎܦщ᠕࠼7KH $OOH\Ϥޡೆ੶䩟 ѿډҩۺϪװϺ䦚϶֧ ۈϡܦщֆҰᄦ۰ຟ݇ثؓܦ ౠ䩭䦯Ϣֳܨᵌ߃ݻϣѩԏϡՂࡐ䦡ϢИϾЊઆ߃ࠃۺ ϣָئԇ֡Ѭ䩟ґјИඩϴМо઼ڸ䩟ҥЌՔՊܦщ䦚䦰 јҍਣࣘ䩭䦯ϢИ϶рނ䩟ԝࢺׁыޗҿڐҰঅॸ џϪҀϺᕓҺϡ࢜ЩҼѶ䩟ၪؖԝԷјс߅۬௱ѧහђ ٥ҋϴ䦚ֶصϩϤվܡܓϡϳܦݡщ䩟ԔϢ࢚Ϥ؆јИЊ ჟৎхѲ䦡ϨъԈсҤ䩟ϪИЁӋၣЏՐብࣁ䩟ЃϪ ҏඁЇџϪЃ䦚ԔϨ϶Ѷ䩟ϢИђֳܨઆۺұի٥ҿІѝ ϡѤϮЖׇ䦚ܦщԕјИԄӑԴҎЃۉ䩟џјИ܅ӍӨ܅ ϡֆ՝䩟ЭϩϪϾࢀடᆀ႙䦚䦰
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ABOVE: ROGUE SAIGON’S CUSTOMERS ENJOY VIEWS OF SAIGON’S SKYSCRAPERS AS THEY SIP ON A CRAFT BEER ϼ֖䩭52*8( 6$,*21 ϡۺϪНϣנԘᅎք۪Ѳ ֞ጂܦ䩟ϣנֶصϡ ಎϳϽ࣍ঊ
Ho Chi Minh City / ഐҴص
ALLEY GUIDE ћᝀс֖
OLD COMPASS CAFE 3/F, Apartment 11, 63 Pasteur, District 1 Directions: In the alleyway beside Liberty Central hotel, enter the first door on your right and go to the third floor. Ғحӓ܊䩭ҵՔ/LEHUW\ &HQWUDOނܦ೨ נϡϣָЩᝀ䩟ՔՊૼѲנϡҷϣነ ՞䩟Ѽћࠪϼѧ࣍䦚 LEFT: BOA IS ONE OF THE FEW PLACES IN SAIGON THAT STOCKS A COMPREHENSIVE SELECTION OF ENGLISH TITLES ਅ֖䩭%2$чତ҆ढ ಞҪϡ߭ҹڣጭ䩟٥ ഐҴֶصվُϡҪ ӌނڣ
STORIES AND SECRETS For the owners of Boa, a bookstore-cum-café with a limited but excellent selection of fiction and non-fiction titles, a lack of visibility is preferable. “We’re on the third floor, but even if we could afford it, we wouldn’t want to be on the ground floor. Just because, you know, books in Vietnam can be very… sensitive,” says 27-year-old co-owner Kieu Huynh Thu Thuy, who admits she’s moonlighting in her own bookshop. She’s a fi nancial analyst. Her business partner is a banker. “We couldn’t afford to run Boa without a day job. We do this as we love books and know others do, too.” Part of their motivation is also to offer respite from the city’s rampant development and frenetic traffic. “Saigon is changing so much – sometimes on the street it feels like you can’t breathe. But that makes the small, hidden places like Boa special. I love to walk into old buildings, where you have a feeling you can’t explain. Even if you don’t know the history, somehow the past comes to you.” Back at the Old Compass Cafe, Duong continues to make new discoveries in the city where she has spent most of her life. “I didn’t know that before 1975, this alleyway was famous for street food. The only place still remaining from those times is Pho Minh, a beef pho restaurant where I regularly have breakfast. They have kept the old furniture and original Art Deco sign – nothing has changed. Discovering it reminds me that so much of Saigon’s history is hidden, even to the Saigonese.”
՝ᕠѵᘎ ࣍ϼނڣ᠕౹ނ%RD䩛ϼ֖䩜оତϣ࠶ڍЩМфۘЩМ ढڣጭ䩟ॏѼُ֝ϤЄ䩟ԔҪחЁҬОؘख࢜ק䦚ނڣҡ ඒگЊ䩟ԷނᖪࢺׁыޗҿϤѿࣶՒҏ؛䦚 ۈϡ.LHX +X\QK 7KX 7KX\ϥނҰҏϣ䩟ԧМ䩭䦯ϢИ֧ҿѧ࣍䩟Ԕ ϲڲҬ௵ϼܛН䩟ЇϤ݃ҺϺсЎ䩟ӹЊϩԈڣጭϨք ۪ϰМࢺЊ์Ҁ䦚䦰ԧઌނڣگђϥԧϡై䩟Ԝੰϥؖ ๎дؓ䩟ޛࠔးϥϣ֧ુҲԩ䦚䦯ϢИۻૅۓԜ ੰชԼּՊ䩟ҥЌݒඳ%RDϡॺػыݒ䦚ϢИҔϪЁչД ་ࢵ䩟ЇҌѬر໑ϩϤվҌٸϪ䦚䦰 ҔϪыނڣޗϡࡔϣ֍ӹ䩟ϲϥֳܨϨାݬчࣁф ϡڞᄊ૬ݯй֔䩟Ϫϣѡᚦ֥Ҽ䦚䦯՝ᕠԺЏѿ ьϦ䩟ϩЖϧۖϼঅϼ䩟ҀңϲՌьϴᥡ֥䦚ԔԜӹҒ ױ䩟%RD϶҆Щ۬ނѸࣶئݻ䦚ϢכязДҵՔࠃန䩟 Ҁիъ੦ԢйثౠϡӠዝ䦚ϲڲϧϤࡦگъѶϡࣵ䩟Ї ϾҩᘎяϡധӠ֥ӛࣹد䦚䦰 ҘϺ2OG &RPSDVV &DIH䩟'XRQJМԧॏѼϨ϶ϫصڵ ֙Ϧϣ੬ж䩟ԔҟҟകϩоϪҺԣϡЈчѳ䦚䦯Ϩыޗ౹ ނҏӓ䩟Ϣ࢚ϤҌѬ϶ָЩᝀ֍ϰҿ ёйӓϥঅӰ ѤېϡओЅс䦚ъϫЖڊϡނېЁӔԬ՞Ͻแ䩟ѳϨђൊ Ўܵރ૯ࠨނ3KR 0LQK䩟ϢϺ؏ނѷՉ࠼֦䦚؏࠼ఖ കѼ߈خЯϩрࡢфآி൨ਲफन䩟ӌ൯ϣѡЇЭϩ ۨԺ䦚чѳ϶ҼЩނϡҬࡐ䩟ӐҋџϢҴՁϺ՝ᕠϡࣵ ЁϥೆেϨ࢜ڞҏЅ䩟൬۠ۀӆсϪЇӀҿчᜨ䦚䦰
Hong Kong Airlines launches flights to Ho Chi Minh City five times weekly from 20 July. For more information, visit hongkongairlines.com ܫ୯ృ ֊ ۥяв䩟ԕҶܫޗ୯܊ϰഐҴص ҏృ۷䩟ҟڬϩٚڡృҋ䦚ݓ་ѸЄళ֥䩟 ՎॾऋKRQJNRQJDLUOLQHV FRP
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BOA (BOOKS OF AWESOME) 2/F, Apartment 42, 6 Cong Truong Quoc Te, District 3 Directions: On the Turtle Tower roundabout, locate a sign for Phuc Long coffeeshop. Go inside and take the stairs on the right up to the second floor. Ғحӓ܊䩭Ϩ7XUWOH 7RZHUϡ፯ᅰ؛䩟 НװϺ3KXF /RQJ౹ނϡ՞न䩟ՔЧ ࢚ԩૼᄫϡ࣍၆ҵϼԏ࣍䦚
THE ALLEY COCKTAIL BAR AND KITCHEN 63/1 Pasteur, District 1 Directions: In the same alley as the Old Compass Cafe, continue until you see a curtained door. Ғحӓ܊䩭Ϩ2OG &RPSDVV &DIHӛϨϡ ӎϣָЩᝀѶߔ܊ӓҵ䩟۠ׯЃϺϣ ϫծϩ՞ᙦϡՊט䦚
ROGUE SAIGON 13 Pasteur, Nguyen Thai Binh Directions: There’s no sign, just a doorway. Keep going past the Atari game console until you find the bar. Ғحӓ܊䩭Эϩ՞न䩟ђЏϣϫоՊ ט䦚ҬОϣӏ$WDULׂۚҚћߔҵ䩟 װ۠ׯϺܦщ䦚
TGIF (THANK GOD I’M FABULOUS) 1/F, Room 16, 26 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 Directions: Enter the doorway at 26 Ly Tu Trong, go up the stairway past the “No Photography” sign and turn right. Look for the green door beside Loft café. Ғحӓ܊䩭ՔՊ /\ 7X 7URQJ ϡ՞ט䩟ࠪϼ࣍၆䩟ҬО䦯1R 3KRWRJUDSK\䦰ϡ࠳௨䩟ׅૼז䩟Ϩ/RIW ౹ॣ೨נНװϺϣነੑաϡ՞䦚