Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

I am Vietnamese and I was born in Cincinnati, OH. I never left Ohio and did not get to experience the real culture behind my heritage. My family has taught me many traditions of the Vietnamese culture but I don't get to experience that firsthand in Vietnam. Some day I desire to travel to Vietnam (specifically Saigon, which is now called Ho Chi Minh City) to learn more about the country. Since I am an architecture major, learning the history of the architecture in Vietnam would be interesting. The building styles have evolved throughout the years according to whom was in power at the time in Vietnam. The Notre Dame Cathedral (upper left) is a well known catholic church located in the middle of the city. During the time the church was built, the French government was in power. The style reflects the traditional French with the intricate details. Another part that I discovered about Ho Chi Minh City is that the city itself is following the contemporary path and going towards the more "sleek" style of the generation. District 7 is the part of Ho Chi Minh City that is following the trend. They are more economically stable and have more money to spend towards these buildings. This part of the city is getting a new look compared to other parts of the city.