Monday, Dec. 9: Ho Chi Minh City– Sunrise Over Saigon
5:00 AM, The condensation on the window in the room, a testament to the contrast of the coolness in the room to the warmth outside, is still low on the glass and does not block the view of the river below. The Saigon River flowing south is a ribbon in a rich deep brown.
The streets begin to stir after the nights lull. It is quiet, but the city begins to wake and stretch its weariness away. The traffic on the river begins to move again. This traffic will soon return to its week day pace, but for this moment the city still belongs to the night.
Across the river a cross shines brightly on the church roof. The brightest star remains in the sky, a shining beacon above the cross, high in the black sky.
5:05 The ferries cross the river west to east, east to west and begin to load. People arrive by foot and motorbike to board.
5:10 The first ferry arrives and another departs. Vendors from the east arrive and push their carts off the ferry and into the streets. With each passing minute, the frequency of the horns from the motorbikes and automobiles increase, time passes and the pace continues to swell until it reaches its full momentum.
5:40 The sun has begun to brighten and paints the sky in shades of blues and pinks. The ferries continue their crisscross over the water. The tug boats with their barges move up and down the river. Some push, some pull. The streets will soon be thick with the traffic of motorbikes and other vehicles as they weave an unbelievable tapestry that is complicated and yet the movement remains fluid. Taxis, cars, trucks, motorbikes all vie for their places with their horns honking as each vehicle passes the next. Soon crossing the street on foot will become an adventure and a challenge.
The sun climbs and so does the moisture that creeps up the window. They continue their climb until the sun has filled the river and the streets with its heat. The moisture has risen to the level that blocks the view of the scene below. Though the view is blocked, the sounds announce the vibrant city below. The city shines as bright as the sun that has risen over Saigon.
Copyright © 2017- Molly Cox
Member International Travel Writers & Photographers Alliance