"It's a love/hate kinda ..." a Ho Chi Minh City Travel Page by mnhaus

What can I say about this place to possibly do it justice? I love this city, despite everything....

Out of HCMC's 8 million inhabitants, I'd say about 3 million of them are all on their mopeds at any given moment. There is much change going on in Saigon, and capitalism is in full swing....well, almost anyway. Construction is happening all over the place and the energy level is high. I've been to this city twice now, almost exactly a year apart, and the difference in atmosphere is amazing. I can't say all changes are for the better though.....

One of the best and worst things about HCMC is the traffic. It's streets are choked with mopeds, cars, motorcycles, trucks, mopeds, bicycles, mopeds, cyclos, and mopeds. It can be quite a rush to get on the back of a bike and weave your way through the mass of people and vehicles to your destination. Sometimes, it's more exciting than riding a roller coaster!! It can be agonizingly slow though if you're stuck in a car or larger vehicle - best just give yourself some extra time.... :)

I can't honestly speak of Saigon (or Vietnam) without talking about the food.... it's some of the best around. Everything is made fresh, and from the seafood to the soups to the scrumptious pastries, it's all good.
My favorite things.... ground shrimp on sugarcane, sour shrimp soup, banh xeo, and some of the fermented bean drinks....perfect on a hot day!