From San José to Little Saigon, on the Bánh Mì Bus
In East San José, a scrappy strip mall anchored by a Vietnamese sandwich, or “bánh mì” shop doesn’t look like much. But the corner of Burdette Drive and South King Road is actually a California transportation hub. Every morning by 8 a.m., there’s a steady stream of riders lining up by a spotless white tour coach with no visible markings. They’re here for the daily run of the Xe Đò Hoàng, which means “Royal Coach” in Vietnamese. But those in the know call it the “Bánh Mì Bus.” Hop on, enjoy your delicious sandwich, and listen to this surprising story about food, community and...murder for hire! Reporter Christine Nguyen takes us along for the ride.
Rediscovering a Long-Gone San Francisco Amusement Park
We head to San Francisco’s Ocean Beach and travel back in time to the early 1900s, when new trolley lines started bringing passengers from downtown to the western edge of the city. That’s where an amusement park sprung up, drawing loyal visitors for decades. As part of a collaboration with our friends at KQED’s Bay Curious podcast, reporter Christopher Beale takes us on a journey to learn about this iconic park. He discovered you can still find traces of it today.