Random Reflections on Ho Chi Minh

After maybe 20 odd years, I am back to this city.  My colleague, Billy tells me of all the changes.  He has good memories of the past.  Somehow I am not able to recall as much details as him. I do remember there were not many tall buildings.  In fact the highest is 5 or 6 storeys.  The economic progress is clear.  Bicycles are gone.  Only motorbikes and cars.  Tall shiny glass buildings have sprouted but few and far between.  Not so much ongoing construction, the economic advance is at a much slower pace.  The airline offices are in modern offices instead of old colonial buildings in the past.  UOB bank is in the office building attached to my hotel.  So foreign banks are active and helping to finance the companies.

I love the ubiquitous pho by vendors on two baskets in almost every street.  Now, they are only available in the back street.  Even then I saw only a couple right beside the hospital.  The hole in the wall drinks stalls are still around.  Plenty of paintings and souvenirs shops where local craftmen hawked their wares.  Modern consumers goods are available in shopping malls.  Luxury brands are in town.  So there must be a market for the rich who needed ego boost.