Finding Literary Refuge on Saigon's Charming Nguyen Van Binh Book Street
Hello fellow bibliophiles! Literature continually reveals delightful surprises in adventures through Vietnam, as I discovered yesterday when a wander through downtown Saigon streets uncovered a surprising peaceful enclave - Nguyen Van Binh Book Street. Nestled just off the chaotic main tourist drags, this European-esque haven overflows with charming book shops, fragrant trees and serene people-watching that transported me temporarily to another world!
Winding without agenda through Saigon’s District 1 while letting my friend nap off jet lag back at our hotel, continuous cacophony made ducking anywhere appealing. Soon the shining steeple of the famed Notre Dame Cathedral emerged over treetops down an approaching alley way. But rather than more honking scooters around the iconic church, a surprising sight awaited just across the side lane - a cozy refuge stuffed with books and contented patrons buried in pages under shading foliage!
This was not a hallucination - I had unexpectedly happened upon the city’s touted literary haven almost without intending to! Wandering slowly, careful not to disturb any engrossed readers perched on iron chairs packed along narrow storefronts, I felt I may have accidentally portaled into some quirky Parisian arrondissement brimming with magical bookshops specializing in everything from Vietnamese poetry to technical manuals to dog-eared pulp fiction stacks that emitted tempting scents of paper and binding glue...My writer's heart swelled!
Picking a quiet spot under a towering tree, I spent the next hour simply watching locals shuffle in and out of the 20-some tightly packed shops overflowing with printed treasures while relishing the slowing pace of life that permeated this unexpected refuge. People from all walks wandered through relaxed and contented - students, monks, hipsters, elders. An oasis indeed! Just before heading back to meet my surely-awake friend, I snagged a random comic as a souvenir but left behind inspiration to advocate for these last cultural bastions where old-world activity perseveres amidst the digital noise.
Have your own beloved book nooks to share? Please do below! For now, here’s to Nguyen Van Binh Book Street - may it continue channeling literary spirit for generations to come!
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