Some of you have noted that I have not yet included any Saigon "postcards" in this blog series. So - above pics are of Saigon's famous Ben Thanh central market. Built by the French in late-1800's (when Vietnam was a French colony = French Indochina) to centralize & control (primarily sanitation) a marketplace where the French could purchase daily meat (fish, pork, poultry, beef, goat, horse, etc), produce & fresh breads, it still thrives. Product offerings have expanded considerably since it was established 120+ years ago and now includes everything from live frogs to T-shirts as well as many food stands. Albeit many tourists visit this market daily, its primary customers are Vietnamese. Although not air-conditioned, it is always surprisingly cooler inside than it is outside.
FYI - French Baguettes long ago became and still are very much Vietnamese favorites as well as an integral part of their daily cuisine (just like the French)! And they are delicious - every morning I have a fresh baguette (with fresh, homemade jams) and fried eggs for breakfast.
My hotel is located just 2 blocks from this market ("behind" from pics' perspective). So - this is my primary "hood" in District 1 of Saigon.
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