I was born in HCMC - Q1 before I moved to the US. Where do ya'll live in VN?? I went back about a year ago and damn, everything has changed; surprised with the fast pace cuz I was back the year before too. I enjoy the cleanliness but I miss the old eateries on the street. I remember not needing to walk far or watch the time for food but now, there's a timing for businesses and gotta drive to "downtown" area for food .. sigh .. it's a love/hate situation. I just hope we don't lose ourselves too much to the western influences (Australia seems to exerts big influences) with all these reconstructions. I also hope the gentrification won't erase the "old feeling"/"history" of the place cuz that will be sad. There are a lot historical buildings and neighborhood in HCMC; wonder if they have the "preservation" policy in place to save these places. I hate to see them get torn down for new tall skyscrapers. I told my relatives that when that happened, I will not be back anymore. Anyway, yeah, what do ya'll think about the changes if you had gone back?
Im in Saigon q5 kinda close to you i just wen bak this summer.. ur right, everything has changed. I like it.. especially the food and clothes
Anyone going back to VN for the Lunar New Year? I heard that it's a lot of fun in VN around that time and when I went home a few years back, it was indeed exciting before the actually NY. First day of NY, beside the sound of firecrackers, it's dead quiet. Everyone left town cuz of time off from work or visited relatives. Not so much fun at all and people who gave me red envelope .. ah .. the package doesn't even add up to US $1 .. but it was the thought that count anyway.
i heard it really fun there for Lunar new yr too, i really wanna want to go back there to celebrate Lunar new yr too, but i cant this yr do to the financial prob. :(
That sucks .. I am saving my vacation for S. America instead so can't go. The econ is not bettering anytime soon too .. sigh...
i was born in the uk, but my mum lives in can tho down south love the city, can relax all day and go get what eva u wanna eat like 10mins away and theres even KFC delivery to ur home wen ur missing the western food (although it does taste horrible) nt too sure if i wanna go bk next summer with all the low sterling exchange rate goin around
I was living in ho chi minh city before (quan 5). it already 5 years that i haven't come back to VN; everyone say it change to be more beauty than before.
Well, it's definitely better in terms of the environment but it's so much that it totally take away the "home" feeling; making it practically meaningless to go back. People have moved everywhere now as HCMC gets more expensive to live and break up good old and strong community to make way for high skyscrapers and apartment buildings. The change is a mixed feeling for me but I can't imagine what else now since I haven't been back for 3 years now.
Take it by your name that you're a Londoner? (LDN) of course, KFC in Vietnam tastes ...welll...shall I compare it to cardboard? I remember going back to Vietnam and went to this shopping place where they were serving fish and chips, although they used american fries. It wasn't great either. It's better to have pho or bun bo hue or something Viet -chef Likewise I was born in Bristol but my parents came from Qui Nhon and Sai Gon. Tbh I don't know why, but I'm scared of going to Viet Nam, maybe it's because of the history and stuff or the way they rip off "Viet Kieu" and foreigners. Honestly I don't know, I may be talking crap again..meh.
I live in Saigon too, district 11...and i came here 12 years ago...haven't have a chance to go back there...wish would be back some day..jjejej
you're missing out .. HCMC is constantly changing. when i was back in 2005, i can still eat stuffs from the street vendors but when i went back in 2008, the streets were cleaned up .. especially in the busy touristic areas. SAD. Better go back before all your younger memory will forever be lost. the gentrification is destroying homes and communities for change ..
