Picture Perfect

The muddy water and drab buildings en route were poor representatives of the Saigon we got to see today.

The official name is Ho Chi Minh City, but Saigon is commonly used.  Although the State Department's CSI warns that blogs critical of the government can land you in prison, the government is not much in evidence on the streets of this city, which seemed today much more interested in having a good time than in asserting itself politically.

We are a couple of days into Tết, the new year's festival.  The streets downtown are a blaze of color, with flowers everywhere, of the real and the artificial kind.  Nguyen Hue street is closed to traffic, with block after block of floral displays, like the Rose Bowl parade standing in place.

Many of the stores are closed.  This is a time to dress up and greet friends, not to make money. All along Nguyen Hue, families are strolling from display to display, stopping to have their pictures taken.  Many are in traditional clothing, others are dressed in Western party clothes, and some are in everyday clothing, but cameras are everywhere.

I know it's rude, but it's impossible not to stare at the spectacle, and I surreptitiously take lots of pictures of the people taking pictures.  I love the way they strike poses, as if the camera is a novelty in their lives.  

One group of five people is taking turns.  One person shoots the other four, then another rotates out to be the photographer.  As I often do, I approach and sign to ask, would they like me to take a picture of the whole group?  Yes, please!

I hand the camera back and stroll on.  A moment later, two of them approach me and sign they want to have me in their picture.  They put me in the middle, and each of them makes the V for peace sign as we smile for the camera.  (It's ubiquitous.  I have seen it in Japan, China, and now Vietnam.  Wherever tourists take pictures, they make the V.  No waves, no thumbs up; always the V.)

I imagine the slide show.  "We couldn't figure out what this American lady was saying.  Why did she want to take our picture?  But she was offering to take a picture for us.  Isn't that sweet?"

Later, the favor is returned.  I am taking pictures of the streets lit up, and a vendor comes over and gestures at my wrist.  He's not grabbing at it; he obviously doesn't want my cheap K-mart watch.  He reaches for my camera strap and makes it clear he thinks I should carry it on my wrist.  Lady, you're asking for trouble standing that near to the street without securing your camera better.

Just a simple kindness to a stranger.  Life is full of sweet moments today.