living in Saigon

So you're living in Saigon. followed by -  Oh, ya, had a friend who visited Vietnam and said it was very beautiful. I respond by saying, ya that's true but mostly I am in a part of Vietnam, Saigon, that's not so beautiful. This leads to the question, why - do you stay.

Funny, it's at this point I'm always a little stumped even after 13 years of fending the question.

There is a line in the movie the "Quiet American" where he says something about how the country gets to you, gaining an unexplainable hold. That goes a long ways toward describing the hold Vietnam (Saigon) has had on me.  

However, as Vietnam rushes to embrace economic growth a lot of

old school Saigon

Saigon's character and mystic is in jeopardy as developers move in, building high rise buildings and new modern shopping complexes housing designer shops and chain stores like Gap, Body Works, Levi and the like. The latest big deal to come along, strategically located on one of Saigon's major roundabouts is the largest Starbucks in the world.  Okay, maybe not in the world but very,very big - selling coffee at four times the cost of Vietnamese ca phe (coffee). For guys like me these new developments, while attractive, seem contrived and artificial, lacking the sole that was Saigon. As the uniqueness of the city center disappears Saigon's hold is loosening on me.

Ben Thanh Market and new Saigon skyline

Of course all this modernization makes a visit to the area much more costly than before and probably why mostly what you see in the city center is foreigners and spiffy looking Vietnamese. A view of this is what probably is at the core of tourists comments exclaiming that communism is dead and capitalism is the new norm in Vietnam and they report seeing an expanding the middle class. 

Though, interesting enough just a few blocks away from this

modern upgrade you'll find the gritty realities of Vietnam populated by mostly Vietnamese workers who live a hand to mouth, day to day existence. Here it's not for show so the only Rolls, Bentley's, BMW or Mercedes you will see are just the ones passing through on their way to or from the Dong Khoi area of city center.  

According to data published by the Vietnamese government the

average Vietnamese worker is between 18 and 40 years old with 58% of these folks earning 2-3 million dong (95.00 - 140.00 US) a month.  At 40 years old many are worn out and sick so if employed, are fired by their employers. The government has an ongoing study to gain an understanding of why these folks are unhappy. Initial results of the study blame the cause of the unhappiness on *Social evils * Government red tape  and Environmental problems.

Anyway, in the eyes of a 13 year veteran of life in Vietnam (Saigon) the city is gaining an unnatural feel, though still interesting. Thailand calls itself "the land of smiles" and up until a few years

ace motorbike driver Vu,  call - 01203724016

ago I thought the title fitted Vietnam even more than Thailand but not now.  People don't smile as much as they used too, maybe due to *Social evils * Government red tape  and Environmental  problems or they are just too tired.

All the changes aside, I'm still looking forward to my return to Saigon but mourn the loss of what it originally held me. Vietnam still has a lot too offer but "the times they are a changin".