Scenes from Ben Thanh
...the hustle and bustle of Ben Thanh
...the hustle and bustle of Ben Thanh
Being one of the more touristy market in Ho Chi Minh City, Ben Thanh suffers from a state of confusion. Where one would see the convergence of tourists from all over the world partaking in what the market has to offer, it also alternates itself as a central location for small-scale entrepreneurship, meeting place, a photography hot spot...and many others.
But beyond the veneer of innocence that the market seems to portray, I could sense that inner spirit of the Vietnamese people within. The can-do attitude, coupled with a tinge of entrepreneurship and innovation, layered with that inner strength that they have, while still holding on to that physical nostalgia that the architecture of the market seems to pervade. All of this seems to point to that indomitable spirit that this place represents and reflects of the people there.
And what is more interesting too, is the richness that Ben Thanh offers...no, not about the physical literal manifestations, but more so on the richness of opportunities that the place had offered, is offering, and will offer, to its people.
And to me too...the richness of scenes for my photos.
These are my scenes from Ben Thanh.
But beyond the veneer of innocence that the market seems to portray, I could sense that inner spirit of the Vietnamese people within. The can-do attitude, coupled with a tinge of entrepreneurship and innovation, layered with that inner strength that they have, while still holding on to that physical nostalgia that the architecture of the market seems to pervade. All of this seems to point to that indomitable spirit that this place represents and reflects of the people there.
And what is more interesting too, is the richness that Ben Thanh offers...no, not about the physical literal manifestations, but more so on the richness of opportunities that the place had offered, is offering, and will offer, to its people.
And to me too...the richness of scenes for my photos.
These are my scenes from Ben Thanh.
Tilt-shift view of the market in the foreground. It was still early in the morning, but the hustle and bustle around the market can clearly be seen from here.
The market itself sits at the main intersection of a few roads, and thus is susceptible to heavy traffic flows, whether human or otherwise. But despite its artery-choking conditions, it is that that gives the area that look and feel, that added spiritual sense that defines what being in the heart of Ho Chi Minh is all about.
From the rooftop of the hotel that I was staying, the sight of the market lends itself to that feeling of nostalgia that I had felt when I moved away from my previous township at the age of 13, back here in Singapore. Perhaps there is this unified feeling...that 'market-y' feeling that unifies us Asians. That smell, that sight...though different in a certain visceral way intra-culturally, but somehow there is that emotional connection when one associates the thing about going...and being in the market.
And especially so in Ben Thanh.
From the rooftop of the hotel that I was staying, the sight of the market lends itself to that feeling of nostalgia that I had felt when I moved away from my previous township at the age of 13, back here in Singapore. Perhaps there is this unified feeling...that 'market-y' feeling that unifies us Asians. That smell, that sight...though different in a certain visceral way intra-culturally, but somehow there is that emotional connection when one associates the thing about going...and being in the market.
And especially so in Ben Thanh.
I have always wanted to capture how a shop would look like when it is just about to start on its business. The trip to Vietnam did give me an opportunity to capture some of these scenes.
To say that the market is busy is indeed an understatement! It is the central artery of the whole area's circulation system, and I shudder at the thought of what would happen if the market dissappears without warning, suddenly!
Beyond the 'official-looking' shops within the market itself, what is more interesting to me are the unofficial shops located just at the peripherals. The spirit of entrepreneurship is very much alive here, and it is hard to miss the assortment of trades being plied around the market. But more than just about making a living, it is about survival for some of them. Being engaged in such an endeavour is by no means an easy task, but it is not a choice that they have to grapple with everyday. It is indeed their sole means of eking a living.
And for that, it did humbled me on more than one occasion.
And for that, it did humbled me on more than one occasion.
One of the most interesting scenes about Ben Thanh is definitely about the people there. But amongst them, the ones that really tugs my heart are those that I see of the children there. Whether it is just the normal activity of riding along with their parents or elder siblings, or accompanying their parents with their small-scale enterprises, children would never fail me to be that interesting denominator that gives the place...that added level of 'humanness'.
One of the scenes that really tugged at my heart was this one, of a child playing with some pieces of paper that was picked up from a nearby rubbish bin. Oblivious to his surroundings, he continues to play with his new-found toy, as his mother sits down to eat her lunch of instant noodles, in the background
I guess the measure of hustle and bustle of a place is not necessarily 'measured' by how many people visits the place during official opening hours, but also making a beeline for it too beyond these hours! One can't help noticing the similarities of the night market here, with the night markets of Singapore, Hong Kong, and several other Asian cities. But isn't these (the night markets) what makes the place more interesting?
Ben Thanh market has just that particular pull about it that makes it worth a visit each time you make your way to Ho Chi Minh. It is not the cleanest of place (which market is anyway?), and neither does it offer the cheapest of prices of goods (it is a magnet for tourists after all...so don't expect things to be dirt cheap).
But for the lack of all that...it still offers that peek into what makes the people there, peculiarly Vietnamese!...in a good, resilient, sort of way.
But for the lack of all that...it still offers that peek into what makes the people there, peculiarly Vietnamese!...in a good, resilient, sort of way.
