Fancy dogs on fancy bikes in Saigon

You're probably more likely to see a brand new Porsche, Mercedes or Bentley wandering the streets of Saigon's District 1 than you are in many cities and towns of the developed world. As a percentage of cars on the road in downtown Saigon, hyper luxurious vehicles are remarkably conspicuous.

While a flash car has become the ultimate symbol of success in communist Vietnam, for most, a flash motorbike is a more realistic aspiration. And Vietnamese are working out ever more interesting things to do with their motorbikes too.



I captured this guy riding through Saigon last week.

He was proudly showing off not only his fancy custom bike, but his two fancy little dogs as well. Dogs have become more than just pets of late too. Owning a cute little dog is another important sign of status. Owning two is even better.

While Saigonese seem to have adopted benign pooches like these, more and more Hanoians are opting for nastier beasts. I had a few unpleasant encounters walking and cycling around Truc Bach Lake and West Lake last year.

Some Hanoi dog owners have also taken to leashing their animals to their motorbikes and then taking them for a high speed run through the city's anarchic traffic. Seems not to be a very good way to express affection for the family pet.