revving without a cause

On weekend nights, they were out in drove.

Revving their bikes, two passengers per bike, some without helmets.

The police tried to capture some at check points.

But most got away.

So Saigon youth, on restless nights and in restless dreams, revved on, without a cause.

Their neighbor to the North just got bumped up to number 2 economy.

Vietnam is playing catch up with every one else, least of which are Singapore and Korea.  Thailand got some instability lately, which played to Vietnam’s strong hand.

But from taking the youth temperature here on a hot night, the break-neck growth speed of 14.5% in HCMC is not nearly enough. The other night, a head of engineer where I work, got robbed by a Bonnie and Clyde on bike.

They got away clean with his $6000 scooter (Average wage in the city is 3,000,000 VND, equals $160 per month. The injury to the nose put him out of commission perhaps for weeks on end.)

It rains here quite often in HCMC.

Or else, the heat during the day is almost unbearable. So people drink all sorts of beverage to keep themselves cool. Pepsi is wise to have announced another $250 million investment in plants and positioning.

Starbucks wants to “pour its heart into” this wi-fi starved city as well.

Real Estate as a result has shot up, forcing people to the outer edge districts such as Binh Thanh and Thu Duc.  Even the footballers, displaced from Africa, found themselves twice displaced, to district 7.

And South of Saigon of course belongs to the nouveaux riches, and S Korean expats (their version of Wilshire Boulevard, between the city of Los Angeles and West LA).

So our youth got a few Binh Thanh blocks to “rev” their grievances.

(while the cyclo drivers are now relegated only for tourists in District 1).

They need day jobs. They need clothes that show “I am somebody”.

And they need bikes that “roar and rev” confident and cool air.

In a different time and age, they probably would join Khan, the Mongolian.

For now, even with police check points , Saigon youth took a chance. There is strength in numbers (post-war baby boomers). Pretty girls are even braver: they already took off on flights to Singapore and neighboring countries to be foreign brides.  The newest wave of Viet Kieu will come back in a few short years, thus intensifies unmet desire for taller houses and bigger purses.

So, knowing the risks involved, weekend young crowd revved on. Something is hapennin here, what it is, ain’t exactly clear!