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Barn House Market in Battle Ground
The Barn House Boys – Joe and Jermonne – host one of the premiere “vintage” markets in the country once each summer, in the “back yard” of their enchanting farm house in rural Battle Ground, Washington. People come from all over to see, buy, eat, drink, listen, play – and to be seen. It’s quite simply THE place to be…
More photos are also shown on the Battle Ground page…
Market
The market, spread out across several acres of property, included over 30 incredible “vintage” vendors plus food, drinks and a live band. It was like a county fair but more intimate and special. Just about everything here was one of a kind. People lined up to get in so the first hour was a bit of a crush … All day long you could see people happily hauling their treasures – big and small – back to their cars.
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Pei Mansion
I love the internet. Got a $250 room for $55. This mansion, in the middle of the French concession of Shanghai, belonged to I.M. Pei’s father in the 1930’s and was recently converted into a boutique hotel. The only thing that was not completely 1930’s art deco was a modern toilet that did everything except talk to me. It even somehow knew whether I did #1 or #2 and adjusted its flush size accordingly.
Here’s the rather M.C. Escher-esque the staircase. Luckily there was also an elevator.
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Things to do in Saigon during Rush Hour…
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wuVQcjqr35Y
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Another Night in Saigon
I don’t get out during the days much, except on weekends. So most of my photos tend to be around “night street” life – which, in this city, is pretty much always in motion…
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Saigon Sunday Streets
My favorite thing to do is just park myself on a street corner, listen to the cacophony, and watch the motorcycles stream by like schools of fish – hoping that the overhead power lines will not collapse onto my head…
This is how you advertise in Saigon – go around with a big stencil and stamp your short message and big number on any vacant wall. This person got his number on both photos above and below. No idea what s/he’s advertising…
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Market People
Sunday morning was cloudless – a rarety for Saigon – so I went out early and ended up coming across three markets: the local one by my villa, then the giant Phu Nuanh market, then the Tan Dinh one further down the road towards downtown. Here are a few of my favorite people from the markets…
Exactly my sentiments…
A few more here…
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Rainy night in Saigon
On thunderous monsoon evenings, it’s best to take refuge in a coffee house…
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No City for Cars
Saigon is a motorcycle city. 
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Happy Family
This is why I visit Vietnam every several months. I run a small software development company. It’s a lot of work but we all sit together at the same table, in all senses of the word. We work together in a villa. We take our meals together. I sleep in the office, to save money and because it’s much more comfortable than a hotel. Last fall, when our sales fell behind expenses and our American bank (“We are local! We are here for you!”) refused to extend us a credit line to make payroll, our staff graciously accepted partial salaries for three months. Then our sales pulled back ahead of expenses, and we paid them all back. I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere. But these people have already learned it. They are living it.
