But to elaborate: I was in Ho Chi Minh (the artiste formerly known as Saigon) for 5 days with my parents. Best word I can use to describe it: untouched. It reminds me a lot of Malaysia, with its little stalls and shops, and street vendors every few metres. People there are terribly creative, resourceful and polite. And they all want to come to Singapore! And the traffic discipline they have! No lane markings whatsoever, and they still manage to turn and swerve and duck and dodge as one.
But it looks as though the untouched-ness won't be there for long, given the number of trade deals they have been signing of late. The Viets seem to be an amazingly resilient people, though. 30 years after the war, and there is so little bitterness on their part. Maybe it's got to do with 60% of their population being 25 and below. But whatever it is, they truly have moved on, and they are on their way up.
Enough for now: here are some pics out of the many I have, to tell more of the story. Will talk more about it, if anyone is interested in hearing what I have to say =P
In the meantime: have a blessed Christmas! Rejoice, for a saviour is come to us!
Traffic in HCM: and its not even rush hour!
The view from my hotel room
The ubiquitous ao dai
At the Cu Chi tunnel: Firing an AK-47, the weapon of choice for today's insurgent/jihadist/rebel/terrorist/freedom fighter
Giang, the pretty, pretty Viet girl I met. Mmmmm....=P
A ride down the Saigon river. No Colonel Kurtz though
At the War Remnants Museum, formerly known as the American War Crimes Museum. Gosh, what could it have been about
Trees flattened by Typhoon Durian in Vung Thao, a coastal town. Seems it came in the dead of night and killed 40 people in a few hours
At the Notre Dame cathedral
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