"Uncle Ho" a Ho Chi Minh City Travel Page by phadke2001

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Ho Chi Minh City is not the capital of Vietnam, as most people imagine. That honor belongs to Hanoi. But it is the heart & soul of Vietnam. It's a bustling, dynamic and industrious centre, the largest city, the economic capital and the cultural trendsetter.

Vietnam has opened up for tourists only recently. From 1975 was sheltered by the USSR till the cold war ended. After that funding dried up & Vietnam had to open up for international capital. Entering the market just at the start of the Asian Economic Crisis did not help. Economic Growth & hence the flow of foreign investment has been slow.

Slowly but surely, HCMC is changing. Multinational corporations have set up shop, international banks are in, 5 star hotels have opened up & the people are more than eager to catch up with their other more prosperous neighbours. The streets are where the action is. The young & trendy flood them in the evening on their Honda Dreams. Cafes, sidewalks are full of them. There are fancy restaurents, discotheques, shopping malls & supermarkets selling international brands.

But the growth has a dark side. Population is increasing as poor people - rural refugees - are drawn to the city like moths to a fire, with hopes of a job & a better life. Few find it & are forced to live in slums & eke out an existance at meager pay. Infrastructure is poor & is not keeping pace with the growing needs of the city. The roads are congested & air is polluted.

It remains to be seen what HCMC will be in the future. The leaders can learn from mistakes of the world & take steps to prevent them, as the country enters the global market.