a travel and documentary photography blog
by Almut Albrecht
The “Jade Emperor Pagoda” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The “Jade Emperor Pagoda” or “Chua Phuoc Hai”, was built by the city´s Cantonese community at the beginning of the twentieth century. The pagoda is one of the most interesting pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City. An oase of stillness and much incense, wooden figures, altars, wonderful deities, both Taoist and Buddhist. Beside the pagoda is a pond for tortoises, that´s why the Pagoda is also called the “Tortoise Pagado”.
Museum of Vietnamese History in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The Museum of Vietnamese History is located at the Nguyen Binh Khiem Street right next to the Zoo and the Botanical Garden in HCMC. Built by Auguste Delaval in 1926 it was formerly named “Musée Blanchard de la Brosse”.
The Notre Dame Cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Built in the years 1877 – 1883 the Notre Dame Cathedral is situated directly beside the General Post Office in HCMC. The material for the church was sent by boat from France. For decades the twin compass-point spires were one of Saigon´s handiest landmarks.
The General Post Office in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
The General Post Office is a classic colonial edifice unchanged since its completion in the 1880´s. Inside there is a nave-like foyer with telephon cells, old wooden doors, several clock´s show the time worldwide. Further in, a huge portrait of Uncle Ho with a warm smile gazes down at the aged wooden benches and tables of the main hall.
Indian Jamai Mosque in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
In the year 1935 southindian muslims built this mosque situated in Dong Du near the Dong Khoi with all the glitzy boutiques of the district 1 in HCMC. The white and green-washed walls now towered over by the Sheraton Hotel. The rounded curves of its arches and its slender minarets make a stark contrast to the utilitarian design of the hotel next door. Beside the praying rooms there is a water pool for the ritual washings: before believers are alowed to pray, they have to clean themselves. For the 6000 muslims in HCMC there are still 12 other mosques in the city.
blue, red, pink, yellow…the Saigon Times Square by night (Vietnam)
Luckily I had a hotelroom with balcony in Ho Chi Minh City. Night by night during my stay I had this view to the Saigon Times Square in the modern district 1 of HCMC. The colours changed every five to ten minutes.
Ho Chi Minh City: mopeds, mopeds, mopeds …(Vietnam)
When I was still “astonished” about the traffic and foremost the moped drivers in Phnom Penh (Cambodia) – here in Ho Chi Minh City I was shocked, I was under stress and really scared of the traffic situation. The first day in Ho Chi Minh City it took me half an hour to cross one street. The second day I just wanted to stay in my hotelroom and not being confronted with the traffic outside in the streets. The third day I finally pushed myself and my camera outside and I started to photograph this mass of moped drivers. A little bit more calm I learned from other people how to cross a street: you just have to go into the traffic and move slowly and step by step by looking at the moped driver who come nearer …But nevertheless by 34 degree, smog, dust and noise I was shattered after one hour by walking through this city.
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