Antidote to Burnout

The uniquely Vietnamese evolution of modernist architecture

When I first lived in Saigon for a year in 1971-72, I was struck by the numerous excellent modernist houses I saw while walking the streets of Saigon. I wondered at the time why there would be so much of... Read more →

Ground Breaking Ceremonies around the neighborhood

A couple of weeks ago, after the large site behind our house had been completely cleared and flattened, workers showed up to erect a temporary tent structure. I originally thought they would use the empty site for parking motor bikes... Read more →

The informal economy in Vietnam

In my last post, I said I didn't have a clue why the Vietnamese economy seems to be thriving in the face of what is a real recession. I got my clue this morning on Market Watch with a video... Read more →

Changes in the neighborhood

Normally I go home to San Francisco and Montana once a year for a month during the holidays. This year I was gone for two-and-a-half months, so the changes around the neighborhood were much more apparent than usual. I would... Read more →

Camping on the construction site

In my last posting photographs, you may have noticed a tent camp in the middle of the site under demotion behind my house in HCMC. It is typical in Viet Nam for some of the construction laborers to live temporarily... Read more →