Great Success! Tourist Celebrates After Crossing Saigon Street
- Details
- Published on 23 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Tourists are notoriously freaked out by the prospect of crossing the street in Vietnam, with many comparing it to the 1980s video game “Frogger.”
Morning News Roundup: Firms Pay Fines for Violating Food Safety Rules
- Details
- Published on 23 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Ford pours more investment into Vietnam [Vietnam Plus]
ExxonMobil keen on Vietnam market [VoV]
The Mekong Delta: Home to 3 of Vietnam's Most Spectacular Mansions
- Details
- Published on 22 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
While Hanoi, Hai Phong and Saigon are known for their beautiful colonial architecture, some of Vietnam’s best specimens can be found in the Mekong Delta. Here are 3 ornate buildings known for their mixture of Oriental and European architecture, that also are rich in history.
This Video Reminds Us Just How Beautiful Vietnam Really is
- Details
- Published on 22 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
It’s time to take a break from Saigon time lapse videos set to electronic music and enjoy this slow-paced short film, Somewhere in Vietnam which reminds us just how beautiful this country is.
“Pho” added to Merriam-Webster Dictionary
- Details
- Published on 22 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Well, it’s about time. Our beloved “pho” has finally gotten the recognition it deserves, recently being added along with 150 other terms to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, according to CBS News.
The Cursed, Monk-less Phuc Quang Pagoda
- Details
- Published on 22 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Built in 1734 under the reign of King Long Duc III, Phuc Quang pagoda in Bac Giang Province has been mysteriously monk-less for nearly 300 years.
Morning News Roundup: Vietnam Science and Technology Day Declared
- Details
- Published on 22 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Denture clasp spent 20 years in Vietnamese lung [Thanh Nien]
Vietnam to play Thailand to secure World Cup berth [DTI News]
Vietnamese lecturer wins Australian prize for outstanding researchers [Tuoi Tre]
The Last Letter Writer of the Saigon Post Office
- Details
- Published on 21 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
As I travel through life, meeting new people, I sometimes get the feeling that some have a story to tell. When I discover such a person, I secretly feel special and cool to be one of the few who perceives their uniqueness. But as it often happens, before long, I realize my cool stranger is actually known by quite a few tour guides, which makes me feel massively uncool.
Russian Tourists are Abandoning Mui Ne
- Details
- Published on 21 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Mui Ne, long considered a haven for Russian tourists has been experiencing a drop in visitors from the Motherland as they seek out “easier accesses” destinations, reports Thanh Nien.
Very Superstitious: 3 Popular Vietnamese Superstitions
- Details
- Published on 21 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
As is the case in many cultures, superstition plays an important role in our society. It can dictate when to take a vacation, how to do business and even cure bad luck. In this monthly column, we take a closer look at common Vietnamese superstitions, starting with fetus eggs, the first day of Tet and best business practices.
[Video] Physically-Challenged Mekong Woman Paints with Her Feet
- Details
- Published on 21 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
For those of us who possess little to no artistic talent, we know that creating anything more than a stick figure is a daunting task. That makes the work of 36-year-old Huynh Thi Xam incredibly impressive as, due to a birth defect, she creates beautiful art with her feet.
Morning News Roundup: MobiFone Offers New Data Services for Tourists
- Details
- Published on 21 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
TPP meeting fails to reach final agreement [Vietnam Plus]
HCM City officials pledge wastewater cleanup [VietNamNet]
No river in Hanoi found as unpolluted or slightly polluted [VietNamNet]
Vietnamese Students Win 2 Awards at Intel Science Competition
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
2 Vietnamese high school students received awards for their projects at last week’s 2014 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) held in Los Angeles, California held May 11-16, reports Vietnam Plus.
The Lost History of Germans in Saigon
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Though it was a French colony, companies from all over Europe were engaged in trade and production in Indochina, especially in Saigon. Germans in particular played a major role in the city’s turn-of-the-twentieth-century economic growth. But as World War I engulfed the Continent, changing geopolitics spread to Saigon and the city’s German population was deported, almost overnight.
4 Great Places to Buy Art Supplies in Saigon
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Saigon-based design website, dxMAG recently made a great post about where to find art supplies in the city. Here are some shops where you can pick up sometimes hard-to-find tools for illustration, painting, calligraphy, crafts and fine art.
Vietnamese Man Covers his House with Antiques
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Obsessed with antiques, a Vinh Tuong man, Nguyen Van Truong, collected 8,000 of them over 30 years and found an ingenious way to show off his collection - using them to coat the walls, gates and garden of his house, discovered Tuoi Tre.
Saigon’s First Multi-Story Parking Lot Opens in District 1
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
While Saigon’s massive underground parking lots may be indefinitely delayed, the city’s first multi-story parking lot has opened in District 1 at a price tag of $24 million, according to VietNamNet.
Morning News Roundup: Ha Long Bay Relocates Houseboat Dwellers
- Details
- Published on 20 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam apologizes, mulling tax cuts for Taiwanese businesses [Focus Taiwan]
Authorities to crackdown on dangerous ‘eggshell' helmets [SGGP]
The Incredible History of Saigon’s Racetracks
- Details
- Published on 19 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Although it closed 3 years ago, for the city’s older citizens, District 11’s Phu Tho Horse Racing Ground represents a bygone era of racing and gambling in Saigon. While an important but fading cultural icon in its own right, some of its predecessors represent even greater goldmines of forgotten history.
Vietnam Airlines Adds New Flights to Japan
- Details
- Published on 19 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
While some European Airlines have been cutting their Vietnam service, Vietnam Airlines, as part of its effort to expand its international presence, has announced 2 new routes to Tokyo.
