Hello IziVieters !
Hello to all the NINJAS on the streets of Saigon!
Saigon’s lifestyle is first and foremost the ubiquitous Honda motorbike.
The streets and the roads roar of Hondas from dawn to dusk in a crazy ocean-like flow through the city.
It is so ubiquitous that the locals call it
“ xe Honda” which means motorbike the same way one says “google it” or “kleenex”. Each and everyone in a Vietnamese family aims to get their own xe Honda. Till they do, they can transport the whole world on 2 wheels. From their family up to 5 people on one bike to their pets
(dogs, cats, birds) to their live products (pigs, goats, chickens, ducks) or a fridge or a big sofa or some construction material …. Anything can go on a “xe Honda”!
On Lunar New Year ( TếT) people go from Saigon to their home town on their dear xe Honda packed with kids, bags and goodies while the driving can take a day or more. If you ever drive these beauties in Saigon you’ll have to forget any driving lesson you’ve ever had! And think you’re swimming, you’re part of a school of fish, you’re part of a big ocean of xe Hondas each of them swirling and squirming around free of any rules only trying to swim ahead. It is fascinating to watch and even more so to join the ocean pool. None of this comes without any risk… but it seems that the biggest risk is … THE SUN!
Here comes in the NINJA girl on her motorbike. She’s usually a young lady and has an office job or heads her own business or she’s a mother heading a family business… Whatever the situation she is part of the Ninja Gang on the road. One wonders how they see anything: their face is covered with a mask and a pair of sunglasses and of course a helmet. Then comes the sundress over her clothes and long gloves over her arms and hands.
If you’re lucky you might see her shoes! And if it rains she wears a full-length rainproof poncho. Thus you never see her face nor her hands nor what she is wearing…
If a fashion addict, the Ninja outfit will be color coordinated and carefully curated. No details will be overlooked because Miss Ninja has style and gusto.
Actually this Ninja outfit works like an armor against two evils:
Mr Sun who could make your skin a touch darker (oh my God) and Mr Man riding on all the Hondas around you who could harass you if he ever saw your skimpy skirt or your beautiful eyes.
Mr Man and Mr Sun are both put off by the Ninja armor and you can zoom away safely. The Ninja outfit has only one problem really is that it takes 10 minutes to get ready before you drive off so think twice before you get all dressed up in your Ninja armor.
The Ninja girls also have an attitude…no one sees them, no one recognizes them so they allow themselves some extra freedom on the roads.
It’s cool to be part of the Ninjas gang.
Go get your outfit today and join the club!
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