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.
[Photos] Changes Over Time: Saigon's Canals (2003 - 2014)
- Details
- Published on 19 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
A major feature of Saigon’s recent urban development has been the implementation of major infrastructure projects including upgrading canals across the city.
‘Less Addictive’ Version of ‘Flappy Bird’ Coming This August
- Details
- Published on 19 May 2014
- Written by Brian Letwin
Get ready for an uptick in your blood pressure. ‘Flappy Bird’ is about to re-enter the world in a ‘less addictive’ form, according to the game’s creator, Dong Nguyen.
Weekend News Roundup: Expert Warns of Mutant Dengue Fever in Vietnam as 4 Die
- Details
- Published on 19 May 2014
- Written by Saigoneer.
Vietnam urged to allow paternity leave, improve maternity protection [Thanh Nien]
Museum puts evolution on show [VNS]
Citizenship regulation for overseas Vietnamese to be revised [DTI News]
Street Cred: Lý Thường Kiệt
- Details
- Published on 16 May 2014
- Written by Vinh.
Over mountains and rivers of the South, reigns the Emperor of the South.
This fate is written in the Book of Heaven.
How dare those barbarians invade our land?
Your armies, without pity, will be annihilated.
[Photos] Women's Fashion in 1960s and 70s Saigon
- Details
- Published on 16 May 2014
- Written by Dang Bui.
Before 1975, fashion in Vietnam differed greatly between North (which preferred traditional styles) and South (which put a spin on customary dress and adopted Western attire).
