Cholon is Saigon’s Chinatown and is chock full of interesting things to see.

First, there are the traditional herbal shops. You can smell the shops before you see them – the air becomes filled with this amazing aroma that is unusual in a city where pollution and garbage reign. Different herbs are held in huge sacks, all unlabelled. The only thing I could identify was cinnamon tree bark; the rest was “maybe a type of mushroom?”, or “some kind dried grass?” And I’m sure they all serve some kind of purpose. I briefly considered asking if they had something like ground rhino horn powder, but I was afraid that the answer would be yes.

Bees!

And the pagodas are amazing. It’s nice to walk in off the busy street and find this little pocket of solitude. The incense smoke hangs in the air and the only sound is people chanting.

Coils of incense hang from the ceiling.

A famous general's horse. You make an offering, stroke its mane and then ring the bell. Supposed to bring you luck before embarking on a journey.