I returned to Ho Chi Minh City better known as Saigon after a 5 years absence.
I really missed going Saigon for so long, I love the food, the people, the slower pace of life, I love almost everything about it.
I had mixed feelings about going back. During my last trip there, more than 5 years ago, the development of the city was kind of in hyper mode. So my greatest fear was that it would be overly developed for it's own good and lose all that charm which it originally had. Kind of like what happened to Singapore's Chinatown and most of our "original" places of interest.
I landed in Tan Son Nhat airport early in the morning. Upon arrival, I got into a cab and started making my way to my hotel. Right from the airport out, I have already noticed new buildings which were not there 5 years ago. I was starting to fear for the worst.
Throughout the whole taxi ride, I see a lot of clean up on the streets compared to previously. The streets are much cleaner now. New buildings, lots of them, some jarring compared to the 50's modern architecture which littered the landscape all over the city.
By the time I reached my hotel, it was pretty clear that in the last 5 years, Vietnam has gone through a tremendous architectural revolution. With lots of new buildings in place of old ones which were demolished. It felt like Singapore in the late 60's and 70's when it was going through it's own developement into a first world country.
Still, there was the old Ben Thanh market, still standing there proud and enduring. A sign of relief.
I felt a sense of despair along the way from the airport to my hotel, all the things that I love about Vietnam is changing. They are changing at a very fast rate. I estimate in another 10 years or so, Saigon will be just as modern in outlook as Singapore.
I just hope that certain parts of it will retain the old charm of Saigon unlike Singapore where it has gone totally clinical.
The redeeming part of the whole trip though was still the people and the FOOD!!!
Almost every meal I had was excellent. Vietnam food is so clean and cleansing. Compared to our Singapore food which is more rich and heavy in spices.
I would describe Vienamese food as similar to Japanese food in that it's simple and clean. Clean, meaning no heavy accented spices and rich ingredients like coconut milk. Even if there is such ingredients, they still taste "clean". It's difficult to explain, you have to eat it to know.
I guess the ingredients are fresh and are more organic compared to more developed countries.
I hope the food in Sagon don't go in the way that the city is developing into, otherwise, it will be such a pity.
