Alleys of Saigon

The Ho Chi Minh alleys proved just as fascinating and colorful a place to wander around in than the ones I so love in Hsinchu.

And being slightly wider, they provide the ideal spot for setting up an informal cafe, or passageway-market.

 

Alleys and Doorways of Hsinchu- Angels

Wandering around some of Saigon’s alleys reminded me that I still have plenty of pictures of the alleys and doorways around Hsinchu. The red doors are often adorned with good wishes on either side of the entrance. These ones were a bit different than what you’d usually see, having images of angels on the doors.

 

Alleys and Doorways of Hsinchu- Mailboxes

Mailboxes often add a little more character to the pretty red doors around town.

Some seem as battered and worn as the doors they hang from, like this funky green one.

While others still seem to be functioning like these ones on the door of a small apartment building downtown.

 

Alleys and Doorways of Hsinchu

I have managed to get myself completely lost on several occasions just by wandering down one of the numerous alleyways that lead of the main roads in Hsinchu, my former hometown in Taiwan. Once you enter these labyrinths you get so turned around as they twist, curve and branch off in every direction that you invariably end up in a totally different part of town when you find your way out of them.

Getting myself purposefully lost in the alleys was one of my favorite things to do when wandering around downtown on a weekend. You always catch a glimpse of an almost completely different city than the one you know. Department stores, convenience stores and juice stands disappear altogether and you enter a world of overgrown and crumbling walls, parked bikes and red doors decorated with blessings and good wishes for the home.