The rapid entry of Vietnam into the industrial era under the communist government, followed by its subsequent steps into the global capitalist world have left some startling juxtapositions around Ho Chi Minh City. Not unlike many major cities in the developing world, Saigon is home to skyscrapers standing adjacent to ramshackle huts, and department stores abutting local outdoor markets. Below is a sample of images showing the inexorable advance of global capitalism on urban life in Saigon… or the remora-like vice-grip of traditional culture, clinging to the underbelly of progress. Whatever your perspective.
