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The general feeling when walking across the tiled floors of the pathways leading to the old buildings is that it transports one to a realm of memories from the Indochina era, or sometimes makes one think they are living in the subsidy period.
Photo: Pierre Semere
That's when the lights came on.neonOr perhaps the sunlight of day is insufficient to illuminate the entire old architectural space, the facade with its tangled electrical wires leading us into long, winding passageways intertwined with the musty smell of time on the walls and pale yellow staircases.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Old spirit, new clothes
In recent years, anyone who has had the chance to visit the building at the corner of Dong Khoi and Ly Tu Trong streets, or the row of old apartment buildings stretching from the corner of Dong Khoi and Cong Truong Lam Son in District 1, will surely be amazed to see a long walkway transformed into an art gallery with paintings of all genres and colors.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
As one ascends the stairs, the distance between the past and the present seems to shorten. One hears the sounds of various shoes echoing on the upper floors, the murmur of voices in many languages, the lyrics of popular songs, and the faint creaking of wooden sliding doors.shopfashion, cafes, restaurants, or beauty spas.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
As you ascend each floor, visitors can stop to rest and leisurely admire the various small, colorful signs lining the walkways, on the walls, or on the railings. Those hungry can choose from Vietnamese restaurants serving authentic home-cooked meals, or Japanese restaurants with fresh vegetables and seafood. For those wanting to chat and confide in each other, there are plenty of Western-style cafes offering pastries and tea. And for those who prefer to simply relax, you can sit on the balcony, sip coffee, and watch the bustling streets below.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Then, during moments of vague sadness or deep contemplation, one can retreat to a corner of the staircase, rest their hand on the railing, and gaze out at a glimpse of old Saigon. Looking upwards, one sees skyscrapers with gleaming glass windows.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Tourists visiting Saigon should definitely try staying in these old apartment buildings or complexes to get a clearer sense of a Saigon that is both distant and close, both strange and familiar. There, the landlords have skillfully combined modern amenities with minimalist interiors, creating a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of Saigon over 50 years ago. As my French friend, who visited Saigon this Tet holiday, said, staying in such a place is truly more wonderful than any European city. It's as if Saigon itself is miniaturized through the sounds of traffic, the people, the colors of the lime, bricks, and simple tiled roofs, and even the chopsticks and earthenware rice bowls in the seemingly simple kitchen.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Preserving for the future
There have been times when I've hesitated, thinking about the future of the old buildings at the corners of Dong Khoi, Ly Tu Trong, and Nguyen Hue streets, or many other buildings in the Ton That Dam and Ngo Duc Ke areas (also in District 1), which will have to make way for new constructions. Whether sooner or later, no one knows, but I know I'll feel uneasy and restless when the old Saigon becomes just a memory.
Photo: Pierre Semere
British historian Tim Doling, author of numerous books on Saigon and Vietnamese history, once shared that Saigon's identity would disappear when all the old buildings were demolished and replaced with rows of townhouses."Everyone, including Vietnamese people and people all over the world, believes that heritage preservation must give way to national development.".
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Looking outward, advanced nations like the UK, Ireland, and the US have also sacrificed their heritage for economic development. According to Doling, if history could be rewritten, these countries would not have done so, simply because destroying heritage for short-term gain ultimately damages the identity of cities, leaving nothing of the past behind.
Photo: Pierre Semere
Photo: Pierre Semere
Artist Bridget March, who lived and worked in Vietnam for five years and is deeply concerned about heritage preservation, shared: “No one will know who you are or understand what kind of person you are if we have no memories or images of the past—family, school, military service, work, or travel. We are nobody, truly nobody. If we do the same to the city and destroy all its history, then this city will lose all its unique character.”
The British artist also expressed: "Heritage must be preserved for future generations, and heritage is what tourists cherish and seek in every place they visit."
