Lunasara Studios Photography

In the midst of the frenetic new capitalism that is now Saigon you often need a little time out or a space to hear yourself think. In every neighborhood a pagoda is tucked back in an alley or behind a building away from the noises of the streets, providing a place of solitude, community and often beauty. Young people, old people, families and yes, travelers, come to the pagodas to find a moment to themselves or to pray. Ask an attendant to help you place a prayer on one of the yellow incense cones hanging overhead and enjoy the sense of freedom you feel as you give your prayers over to float symbolically up to heaven. Many of the pagodas are very old themselves and have gorgeous carvings. The altars are crowded with historical and religious figures and are intricate in texture and detail. I loved the incense cones themselves, their modern strong geometries and bright colors contrasting with the deep red and textured browns of the weathered stained and painted woods. They reminded me of...