An exploration of space: Luong Dinh Cua and Hoang Tich Tri

Pho Hoang Tich Tri

The space around the intersection of Pho Luong Dinh Cua and Hoang Tich Tri is a hustle-and-bustle area, full of people and stores and constant motion.  Even during the hottest part of the day, on a very hot day, more people are moving and selling than sleeping and resting.  The sidewalks are covered in wares from the many stores that encircle the blocks.  Life is definitely lived inside-out here.  It looked like the specialties in the area were houseware items (like piping, bowls/plates, cleaning supplies, etc.) and cafés of which there would be numerous right next to each other.  And of course there was a market where fresh meats (live and pre-killed), fruits, and vegetables could be purchased.  The market section of the area was the only area starting to die down as the day progressed, with the meat sellers retiring in the early afternoon, hopefully because otherwise the meat would begin to go bad in the sun and heat.  Another form of industry that seemed successful in the area, because there were so many of these shops, were secondhand clothing and shoe stores. This is interesting in comparison to all the boutiques that lined the streets surrounding this neighborhood, but only these kinds existed in the area we explored.  Maybe this is an indicator that the people in the surrounding area do not have as much wealth as those in adjoining neighborhoods, but it could also symbolize that more locals do their shopping here instead of relying on the patronage of shoppers from outside the area.

Badminton courts!

The people were very friendly and willing to help us find our way around.  All of the places we were assigned were within walking distance, except for the hospital, which was about 1km away from the area. We assumed that this hospital could be reached by xe om, but after an ambulance passed by we realized that the nearest hospital was the French hospital were most of the people in the area would probably not visit in the case of illness because that hospital mainly caters to foreigners and richer folk.  The other option was Viet Duc Hospital which was relatively close by, but also must be reached by xe om.  

We also found that the shoe shiners and knife sharpeners were transitory occupations, so though we did not meet people with these jobs face-to-face, we were told that they are in the area and their services are available to the people who live there.

Elementary school

I felt very comfortable in the neighborhood and welcomed, even though I did notice people were watching us map the space and were curious about it.  However, no one was openly rude to us except a meat vendor who explicitly did not want us talking to her or taking her picture.  I plan to return to the area and explore further, sit under one of the many trees and probably visit some of the secondhand shops.  Places similar to those shops are where I do most of my buying in America, so it is a little comforting to see similar places here.  I would definitely live in this neighborhood. There is a cute elementary school for whatever children might be in my future and all the necessary amenities within walking distance.  And as mentioned before I felt safe and comfortable so I would not rule out the possibility of inhabitance.