I'd agree with you Liz that there are elements of NYC over here, but the underlying tone is quite different. Just today walking back home from the restaurant, I saw swarms of people passing by on motorbike. And not just one person on a bike but two, three and even families of four. I wonder, where are all these people going, are they going out to eat, are they riding home? Some of them may even be heading to work even if it is 9:00 on a Sunday as HCMC never seems to stop churning. I do appreciate that the locals here seem to have a better appreciation for spending time outside and not locked in away in rooms like we often do back home.
It's always interesting to see what different cities seem to be crazy about. I've seen tons of shops with art galleries inside. I can't think of the last time an art gallery stuck out to me in NY. There's also a lot of attention given to designer names and brands. Nearly the entire mall is filled with shops of different designers, there doesn't seem to be any big department-like stores that we're used to. How can the people here afford it though when the prices are still over the top for us? I worry that there is a conflict between luxuries and basic standard of living that is probably pushed from higher up on down. Let me not be a sociologist right now though (do sociologists study class issues or is that economists?)
One of the more interesting things about HCMC to me is that there is no unique look or feel to it as some cities seem to have. It's spreading its branches in different directions and not quite sure which one to go with. Seemingly any city block can have nicely lit up boutiques and restaurants only for there to be some darkly lit, alleyway of terror halfway down the block. Then there's the immaculately kept supermarket in the THIRD level of a basement mall. This mall is easily nicer looking than many malls I've been to in the States. I cannot say that the sidewalks are anywhere near immaculate though. They're full of bumps, chunks of sidewalk missing, and creepy crawlies that like to dance with your feet as you walk by.
There's also a tremendous assortment of different restaurants here with little Japanese nooks, Thai, American style, French, etc. I've been to places where there is the token Chinese place or Indian place, but here if you find one, you will find another. I'd say it's actually harder to find the more traditional Vietnamese place than a restaurant of a foreign cuisine.I think the locals have also made the adjustments easier. Most are helpful, particularly the younger crowd. Our waiter at the restaurant Liz mentioned couldn't have been any nicer. He also bore a resemblance to Justin Long. The staff of SEAMEO have treated us with such warmth too and I am very glad to be working with them.
I'll try to have some pictures next time. I've been kinda slacking on the photo front but at least everyone else is making up for me :)
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