Dakao sidewalk

It’s tuck away at one end. The other end of this one-way street  is the Zoo.

Dakao market stays small and humble, despite break-neck growth in the city. But as far as zoning, it bears a prestigious District-1 address.

Dakao is home to a bunch of long-time residents, majority of whom, ethnic Chinese (who for some reasons, did not join counterparts  in District 5).  The sidewalk of Dakao is quite a scene: in the morning, it is a platform for many food vendors: broken rice, coffee stand, cigarette stand, etc.. During rush hour, it is transformed to be level-2 street: scooters would jump the curb from all directions, in ant-like synchronicity.

People never stop at designated stop signs. Always with front wheel crossing the line (positioning), they would end up not seeing the green light.  So, drivers here ride not by sight, but sound (honking). Herd instinct.

At night, the same sidewalk hosts noodle and open-air beer vendors.

Despite its unassuming posture, Dakao practically operates 24/7  just like many clusters in this city, formerly Saigon.

Flowers, dangling dead ducks and sticky rice to go. Jade Temple has gold-fish vendors (so visitors can set them loose in the Temple pond), and what else? the always-closed book store.

At different hours, the sidewalk caters to a different clientele.

Every one seems to know when to go shopping for what and where.

If you are a back packer, Lonely Planet is your bible.

And that “bible” often points to the Jade Temple, where Dakao sidewalk is.

I reflect on this multi-platformed sidewalk, and realize that people could build an underground bunker, complete with sleeping and living quarter (Cu Chi Tunnel), then they can certainly make the most use of this very tight space called Dakao , which is above  ground.

I would send some of these people on a space exploration someday in a distant future, as Steven Hawkin  speculated about space colonization.  They could easily turn a moon walk into a sidewalk, as they have done here in Dakao.