More reflections and Saigon street life this week. I took the easy way out because I was having a hard time deciding. So, instead of choosing one image, I’ll share both scenes.
This shot was taken a few feet away from the corner where I photographed the two kids on the corner (last week’s reflections). Lots going on in this shot. There’s the subtle reflection back to the corner, the three boys are talking, but what are the woman, the little girl and the guy with the racquet looking at? I don’t remember, but I do like the animation of the players going about their business.
This shot is packed with emotion and layers. Look at the young woman sitting on the sidewalk on the far left. She’s alone with her thoughts amid a busy scene. I cropped the image to give more focus on the young woman. There’s a crowd of people lined up to get into the restaurant, the other women are talking to each other, but she’s alone.
It’s tough to get the right colors with some of my old slides so I created a B&W version and included both because, once again, I couldn’t decide which was the better image.
So, what are these women doing sitting on the sidewalk anyway. They’re getting by as best they can by selling black market stuff. This kind of scene repeated itself over and over all through the streets of downtown Saigon. The image of the pretty young woman on the left says it all.
I went back to the original slide and cropped the young woman on the left. She deserves her own stage. Here are two versions.
Be sure to visit James’ Weekend Reflections. You will be amazed at the variety and creativity.
I love the raw emotions of these people on your photos John. And the scene is quite a typical Asian scene. The reflections are also great.
In 1973, I was serving aboard the SSN 585, USS Skipjack. This was a multi-purpose converted submarine. We patrolled the waters off ‘Nam, but our biggest work was in picking up people quickly and getting them to safety.
Small sub, not much room, so this was a major task, and not many could be taken in at a time.
I never went to Saigon. I took one group out only once into the country to find people who had been captured. We retrieved them all, though a few were not in great shape.
I get emotional, especially this time of year. Yes, I was a fellow “baby killer”, as Hanoi Jane called us. We did far more good than harm, and it is very hard to reckon with children who are shooting at you with rapid-fire rifles. We didn’t have to go through it, thank God, but our people were hardly baby killers.
I, personally, refuse to apologize to an enemy. If I did something I shouldn’t have, THEN I would apologize. That isn’t the stance of the current administration, and is actually opposite of that stance, but to me, we put it on the line. Some did go overboard, but in war, that does happen. Nearly all those who did were also brought to justice.
I will take a moment to say a prayer for all those who came before us, those currently serving, and those who will serve. What our people go through cannot be imagined until a person tries it.
Reverend Rex Trulove
Former Jr. Exec (acting)
SSN 585
What I find in the photograph is a camaraderie which does not exist in the same form in the United States. You see this kind of interaction at festivals where people gather in concert, but not on the open street.
And the insular contemplation of the young woman is almost melancholy.
Great shot, in both shades.
AMD
I like both Saigon street scenes. I’m curious what the three people are looking at in the first image. Whatever it is, they look amused. In the second one, the girl on the left looks like she wants to be somewhere else. I prefer the color version to the b&w.
The body language of the woman in the first photo is intriguing! Her hand gesture in particular seems to mean a kind of succumbing to a thought! Love the “happenings” in this one! The second photo, for me, breathes so much sadness and almost helplessness! Quite moving!
Ann Marie, it does exist in the US, it is just rare. Growing up at Crater Lake, there were always around 25-30 families there. But it felt like one large protracted family.
Kids could go to any adult for help, doors were never locked, the mothers knew all about what ALL the kids were doing (darn!), and help was no further than next door, for food or anything else. Everyone shared.
More than once, I found myself in a whiteout, felt my way along the snow bank to the first house I came to, and just walked in. I usually ended up with a cup of hot cocoa and a call to my folks so they wouldn’t be worried.
Festivals? You should have seen the potlucks we held every time a family left, or a new one arrived. There would be dances, and my mother even played piano, and a guy there would fiddle (mean fiddle, too!).
The difference was that this was a community, a real community. Too many places in the US (and elsewhere) have forgotten what that is.
Great pictures John. It’s really interesting to to see how everyday life was for people of a worn torn country. I was staring at the girl in the bottom photos and trying to imagine what was going on in her head. I guess it could have been anything or nothing special. As always it was a pleasure to see your pictures.
The young woman in the second shot, especially when you cropped out the other people, looks so sad. I like the b&w, it eliminates all the emotionally distracting elements.
All the photos have a poignant message, especially the last one with the young woman deep in thought, away from the present moment. Excellent.
nice subtle reflections & I like the movement in these photos as well!
What great photo’s and i love the story that goes with them. I also love what you did with the foto’s. I am just a beginning amateur phtographer so I don’t use layers and such but I sure will learn. Thank you for your compliment about Rembrand.
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The reality of what life can be somewhere else.
Great photos.
Reflections of a time that was. And still is in other places pf the world.
I’m afraid you will find them in yet more places in the future.
There is so much life in both of these pictures. So often when you see a crown scene, it is just people standing around or simply walking. These people are all (except for that one reflective woman) very much engaged with each other.
John, all the misery of the time is in her eyes… Excellent photo, excellent cropping!
there’s so muci in these photos. The young woman’s face is very compelling
’so much’ i meant…
Stories told, faces, what have they become? Great shots.
I love street scenes and unguarded moments. This is enchanting! Thank you for sharing, and also for your visit to my blog.
I see a very lonely young woman. The term ‘alone in a crowd’ comes to mind. You have to wonder what became of her.
It is curious about the first shot. It doesn’t look like you could see the sky so I wonder what they were looking at. The girl with the racket – that seems so out of place.
It’s been interesting analyzing your long ago shots.
I appreciate your comment on my reflection shot. I liked the shot but I liked it even better after I read your comment. Thank you.
Now there is food for thought, and perhaps even short story starters. I wonder what story could be created for the isolated young lady in the last photo. I would like it to be a story with a very happy ending.
The young girl in the photos is lonely indeed. I wonder what she had experienced.
You talked about “the enemy”. Actually I ‘ve never understood why the American army was in Nam or Korea or Irak or Afghanistan. Did these people invade the USA?
I know that we, the Dutch were colonists in Indonesia, Suriname and the Antilles( the latter is still a colony, more is the pity). And I always thought it wrong to be there in those countries as colonists and even as invaders in Indonesia after the war, when they wanted to become independent! Too many boys have died for the wrong causes. Every day soldiers are killed in Afghanistan. That’s what I hate.
I was a POW as a child and was imprisoned in a Japanese concentration camp, only because we were European colonists. Sorry for this comment. This is what I have felt in all those years. I know that we have to be grateful to the USA and other allies for the liberation of the Netherlands. The Netherlands were then invaded by the Germans, a foreign nation. The Germans and Japs attacked allied targets and even countries. That was different. Still these people are not my enemies. Thanks for your visit!
That was Rex who talked about the “Enemy.” War is senseless. The young and the innocent are sacrificed by the powerful in the pursuit of more power and geopolitical advantage over their rivals. They, the so called leaders, are the true enemy.
I so agree with you, awarewriter. My message was meant for Rex, as he was answering several people, I thought he was the one who created this blog! I am glad that you also think that our governments take decisions which harm us all and that they create our “enemies”, sometimes people we have never heard of before.
I don’t now, and never have liked war. I know that at times, it is necessary, but it is always a waste.
My initial post was with the thought of Veteran’s Day just around the corner. Many people have fought for the freedoms we enjoy, and many of them have died or been maimed.
There always seems to be someone wanting to take away those freedoms, and I don’t ever want to forget those who have fought to preserve them.
However, quite right and well spoken; it is virtually never the people who are our enemies, but the governments to push them to action. I served during the Vietnam war, yet I hold nothing against the Vietnamese people. My father fought in WWII and my grandfather in WWI, an uncle was killed in WWII, yet none in my family have any ill will toward the German people.
People have disputes. Governments have wars. Disputes are usually easily settled. Wars never are.
Thank you for sharing these. I like the B & W shots. Very striking, especially considering the year they were taken. Thanks for visiting My Muskoka!
The B&W shots were made from my scanned slides. I have some good B&W negatives that I’ve been scanning. B&W negs are archival and hold up well over the years. My slides are all faded especially the Ektachrome slides. They all have a bluish cast after 43 years.
I plan on posting more of my B&W photos as I go along. I found another couple dozen yesterday with some good shots on them.
What a wonderful story and pictures. I loved it
Thanks for sharing this 
I deep meaning behind your photos and I read that they were taken 1966.
What did you do there, soldier? work?
/Maria Berg
I was in the US Air Force for 3 years, 7 months, 5 days and a wake up. I was assigned to the 6250th Air Police Squadron. It was our job to secure the big air base outside of Saigon. My job was always on the flight line or the base perimeter. We were the infantry of the Air Force so to speak.
My first tour or duty was in Alaska. My first day on the job was the day JFK was shot. I was in Alaska during the big earthquake in 1964. A friend who was in Anchorage gave me some great negatives of the destruction, but I lost them somewhere along the way. Too bad.
I spent another year or so in the middle of Mass. guarding nuclear armed B52s during the cold war. Viet Nam was my last tour of duty in the USAF. I got out when I came back to the states.
Those are great photos! I like the black and white version because it seems to show the girl’s expression better..
Very interesting street scenes and reflections. You are certainly well into photography especially B&W I have yet to master that area. The emotion is very real in these shots.
The first scene is already a great one with all the action going on.
But the woman that sits alone (the colour version with the other women) does it for me.
She just makes me sit here,look at the picture and wonder what she’s thinking about.