“In summer, the song sings itself.”
― William Carlos Williams
Summers have always stood for something. With #bratsummer, #eurosummer, #hotgirlsummer and more having come and pass, I am proposing #saigonsummer.
Like many of my peers in the Vietnamese diaspora, no matter where I'm at in life, I return to Vietnam in the summer. Under the glorious heat, I waste the day away eating, sweating, shopping, people-watching, reconnecting with my heritage, and falling in love with the city. It's a place interwoven with noise and chaos; you either despise it or love it relentlessly. Fortunately, I love Saigon.
My regular summer day involves waking up bright and early, dabbling in the cool morning air before the sun and street swelter. I might cycle around the neighborhood, oftentimes stopping to grab fresh flowers or groceries while greeting my elderly neighbors who have the same idea. I might make a silly little drink (most likely a matcha latte) and have breakfast with my family, before leaving on a trusty Grab bike to get to work. On the commute, I pass fellow spirited Saigoneers also rushing to get through the city’s signature traffic. I linger on the possibilities of what their day might look like. Trees, from tamarind to hoa phượng, graciously provide shade at every red traffic light. At work, I glimpse how “true” Saigoneers live, my coworkers a gateway to the heart of the city. After work, the multitude of shops, cafes, restaurants, clubs, and activities catering to young people herald in the most amusing portion of my day. A little shopping at one of the many compelling shops selling locally designed and produced clothing is irresistible. The robust coffee culture encourages a momentary pause to people-watch and soak in the city’s energy. The best food can come from the most unassuming locations before late-night dance and alcohol spots that simply get it beckon.
Everything in Saigon seems to teeter between tradition and modern, the latter a creative undercurrent bubbling amongst the youth. As such, every summer I discover something new or different about the city: last summer’s was art fairs, and this summer’s was the abundance of underground raves and weekly pop-ups.
Amongst all the leisure and indulgence, you might get in touch with previously unknown things about yourself.
I feel it standing before the steps of my ancestral home, my parents and siblings beside me.
I feel it eating tào phớ, a dessert of homemade silken tofu with ginger, lime and sugar, under the shade of the aged starfruit tree my grandpa planted when he was young.
I feel it when I have my palms together holding an incense, eyes closed, on my knees paying my respects to temples and altars of those who’ve come before.
