Paul Christiansen

in Natural Selection

An Ode to Lục Bình, Vietnam's Invasive, Destructive, Beautiful Aquatic Jerk

Knotted gnarls of lush stems, leaves, vines; a verdant scrimmage of tangled plant matter kept afloat by buoyant bladders accented by pleats of pink petals that resemble the skirts of ballerinas trapped inside music boxes: the water hyacinth.

in Sports

Saigon Heat Wins Intracity Rivalry Over HCMC Wings, Closing Out VBA Regular Season

Families of fans filed into the “Fire Pan” on September 3, wearing red, white, and black jerseys. The atmosphere hums with anticipation.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Local Ox Rampages Airport, Stops Flights, Gets Put in Museum in Huế

Name a famous buffalo.

Paul Christiansen

in Environment

Vignette: Behold Vietnam's Oldest Rock, a Memento Mori of Human Insignificance

While lamenting how long it had been since I’d last sent a postcard, a coworker at Saigoneer revealed that she is too young to have ever seen a stamp in person, let alone affixed one to a letter. The fashions I wore in high school have come full circle and are once again in style. New slang terms initially baffle and then enrage me. I read popular music festival fliers without recognizing a single name. 

in Parks & Rec

Tiny Tracks, Big Passion: Inside the Miniature World of Vietnam's Model Train Enthusiasts

“When you turn it on, the train is not only moving, but it can make sounds too. The sounds are so authentic that when I listen to it, I feel like I am sitting on a real train right now,” Minh Tú, a Saigon-based model train aficionado, shares with me the satisfied feeling every time he gets a mini train to run.

in Architecture

A Delta Nest in Cao Lãnh Fit for a Solitary Poet

Who says a single person can't nest?

in Environment

Learning to Coexist in Peace Is the First Step to Protect Vietnam's Last Remaining Elephants

A trail of enormous footprints, criss-crossing slabs of cracked concrete, lead to a battered ranger station in Vietnam’s Pù Mát National Park. Park staff say the wild Asian elephant that left the tracks is as friendly as it is lonely.

in Parks & Rec

In Hanoi, Waacking Is Not Just a Dance, but a Home for Creativity and Gender Fluidity Too

“I get to express my madness.” That is what Trần Khánh Linh, also known as Lyna, says when asked why she has been waacking for the last 10 years. By day, Lyna is a jewelry and gemstone seller, but by night, she joins her friends at the Soul Waackers, a waacking group based in Hanoi, and practices a dance style that allows her a vibrant way to self-express.

Back Society

in Environment

Endangered Tigers Thrown From Truck Recovering

The two tigers thrown at police during their pursuit of wildlife smugglers last week are recovering from injuries, reports VNExpress.

in Tech

This Asian Diamond Mine Is Both Impressive and Frightening

The city of Mirny is just like any other in the Republic of Yakutia. Except that it boasts a 525 meter deep, 1.2 kilometer wide hole.

in Tech

Marketing & Media Network @ Cargo

From the organizer: Join us for July's “M2 – Marketing & Media Network” event for people interested in advertising, digital, marketing, media and technology.

Brian Letwin

in Tech

Dreaming Of The Stars, Vietnam Pushes Ahead With Aerospace Center

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Anh Tuan, Director of the Vietnam National Satellite Center (VNSC), has confirmed that the country is building its first aerospace center in Hanoi’s Hoa Lac Hi-Tech Park.

in Development

Future Saigon: The SSG Tower

You may have noticed the massive building going up in Binh Thanh District on Dien Bien Phu Street, just before the Saigon Bridge. The SSG tower, slated for completion by late 2015, will house offices,...

in Development

EuroCham: Vietnam’s GDP Could Reach 21% With EU Trade Deal

Speaking at the Vietnam Business Forum last week, a senior EU official said that Vietnam’s annual GDP could see an additional 15% boost if it reached a free trade agreement with the EU by the end of t...

Brian Letwin

in Development

5 Amazingly Designed Homes in Saigon

While Saigon is known for its ubiquitous rectangular houses, the city boasts some fine examples of unique and beautifully designed homes. Some are topped with trees, others allow for the maximum flow ...

in Development

[Photos] Changes to Saigon’s Skyline (2003-2014): Part 2

Due to the popularity of previous articles capturing the physical changes of Saigon’s skyline over the past decade, we’ve managed to cobble together a new set of photos.

Brian Letwin

in Development

Future Saigon: The Thu Thiem Marina

While there’s still a long ways to go before the Thu Thiem is completed (or started, for that matter), there are plans to build Saigon’s first marina on the southeast side of the new urban area.

in Environment

Thu Minh Joins Prince William and David Beckham in London to Support Wildlife Campaign

Vietnamese pop singer, Thu Minh, joined Prince William and David Beckham in London on June 9 in support of the new United for Wildlife Campaign’s “Whose side are you on” project.

in Environment

99 New Species Discovered In Vietnam

A new World Wide Fund (WWF) study, conducted between 2012 and 2013, found 99 new species of flora and fauna in Vietnam, some just outside of major urban centers, reports Thanh Nien.

in Health

Vietnam Has a Major Counterfeit Condom Crisis

Health officials expressed concern after a new report warned that nearly half of the commercially-available condoms in Vietnam are of poor quality.

in Development

Businessman: Even Bill Gates Isn’t Qualified For A Work Permit In Vietnam

At an economic forum last Thursday held in Hanoi, attendees complained about difficulties in obtaining work permits for their employees due to “stringent” and “unreasonable” requirements that would ma...

in Tech

Beat the Heat with This Homemade Air Conditioner

Sure, breaking through a CIA firewall is impressive. But sometimes, life hands you a hacking opportunity that’s decidedly analog.

Brian Letwin

in Development

Saigon's Folding Wall House

It’s nice to see someone other than Vo Trong Nghia Architects making progressive home designs in Vietnam. This Folding Wall House was built by Nha Dan architects in 2013 and was designed to allow...

Brian Letwin

in Health

Report: Vietnamese Spend $1 Billion a Year on Tobacco

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Health reported that Vietnamese smokers spend over VND22 trillion ($1.04 billion) a year on tobacco products, reports Tuoi Tre.

in Tech

HCMC Schools Burn Millions of Dollars on Unused Electronic White Boards

Schools in HCMC yet again face scandal, allegations of corruption and incompetence, and uncertainty about how best to use technology in the classroom, according to Thanh Nien.

Brian Letwin

in Development

[Video] City Planners Release Epic Plans for Future Saigon

And we thought the plan to reorganize downtown Saigon was ambitious. This new video from The Department of Planning and Architecture of HCMC shows what it envisions to be the future of Saigon.

in Health

BBGV Inter-Company Football Charity Tournament @ RMIT

 BBGV would like to take this opportunity to announce the first BBGV Inter-Company Football Tournament for Charity in HCMC. The event will bring 16 company teams together to compete for the ...

Brian Letwin

in Tech

[Video] Apple Taps Into Vietnam’s Beauty for New iPad Commercial

Vietnam is a beautiful country that happens to be obsessed with Apple products. While we’re still waiting for the first legit Apple store to open, the tech giant has picked Vietnam as setting for its ...