Those who have been in Saigon for more than a week are familiar with the site of men relieving themselves all over trees, buildings, fences and all manner of public places with nary a care nor glance from passers by. I've even seen moms dangling two year old juniors over the curb, pants dropped, so they could get a shot in on the street. In most cities in the world this would be fairly frowned upon and even punishable by jail time in some. Animal waste laws in London, NY and Paris even require that pet owners take care of their puppy's poopies so that other pedestrians don't pick up a load on the way to the cafe. But not Saigon. It's almost like some law of nature that men can pee wherever they like - and god knows, they do it with glee. So imagine my surprise when I came across a man, perched atop a cement pylon like a pelican, along one of the being-refurbished canals, doing the old #2. Hilarious. And he was having no easy time of it either. He must have eaten turds for lunch. Bouncing up and down trying to get that last squeeze out, he worried me for his balance until I realized that he was probably an old pro at this technique. Watching the canal full of refuse moving slowly towards the sea, I was reminded of the origins of the delicate aroma of the waterway by multiplying this man's actions by a few million and figuring it's just part of the charm of the place. The hidden charm. For the record, I have never seen a woman taking advantage of the city's plethora of public facilities, but when I do, I'll be sure to post about it. Your Man in Saigon is on the case.Thursday, November 11, 2010
Relief in Saigon is just around every corner...
Those who have been in Saigon for more than a week are familiar with the site of men relieving themselves all over trees, buildings, fences and all manner of public places with nary a care nor glance from passers by. I've even seen moms dangling two year old juniors over the curb, pants dropped, so they could get a shot in on the street. In most cities in the world this would be fairly frowned upon and even punishable by jail time in some. Animal waste laws in London, NY and Paris even require that pet owners take care of their puppy's poopies so that other pedestrians don't pick up a load on the way to the cafe. But not Saigon. It's almost like some law of nature that men can pee wherever they like - and god knows, they do it with glee. So imagine my surprise when I came across a man, perched atop a cement pylon like a pelican, along one of the being-refurbished canals, doing the old #2. Hilarious. And he was having no easy time of it either. He must have eaten turds for lunch. Bouncing up and down trying to get that last squeeze out, he worried me for his balance until I realized that he was probably an old pro at this technique. Watching the canal full of refuse moving slowly towards the sea, I was reminded of the origins of the delicate aroma of the waterway by multiplying this man's actions by a few million and figuring it's just part of the charm of the place. The hidden charm. For the record, I have never seen a woman taking advantage of the city's plethora of public facilities, but when I do, I'll be sure to post about it. Your Man in Saigon is on the case.
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I sat in my car by a wet market when an middle aged fat woman, wearing the obligatory viet day pyjamas, scooted behind a truck parked in front on me. She squat down and took a piss. I was angled so I would see everything if I hadn't had my eyes covered in horror. She had no idea I was there behind the dark glass, dry wretching my guts up. When finished she went back to her fruit and veg stall, without washing of course.
ReplyDeleteWell, looks like our report on the women is in, so I don't have to do it!
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