Culture

Feb 132018
 
Celebrating Vietnam's Lunar New Year - 2018

Once again, Hai and I are in Saigon preparing for the main festivity of this year, or any year … TET, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year! The Year of the Dog I thought it would be fun to look back & remember our preparations last year for the Tet Holiday. *************************************** TET – 2017 (re-post) [Read on …]

 February 13, 2018
Feb 152015
 
Tết-Tết-Tết-Tết-Tết Đến Rồi

It’s Tết in Vietnam! And it’s the most fun time of the year to be here in Vietnam! There are Tết traditions-a-plenty, including specialty foods, cleaning frenzies, and wonderful family gatherings. Hai and I wish everyone: Chúc Mừng Năm Mới  Read more here about all the Tết traditions in Vietnam. And re-visit the fun time that Hai and [Read on …]

 February 15, 2015
Feb 072015
 
CHẢ

Tet is coming. It’s time for Chả! Of course, in Vietnam, it’s always time for chả. Chả in your bánh mì, chả in your bún mọc, chả in your bánh cuốn, chả in your bánh dầy or chả with just about anything else if there’s room on your plate – breakfast, lunch or dinner. BUT, at Tet, it’s [Read on …]

 February 7, 2015
Mar 292014
 
Saigon Gay Spa (whoops, Saigon Guy Spa)

Guy Spa 407/10 Su Van Hanh Street Ward 12, District 10 0909393809 ******************************************************* Oh look, a new Gay Spa here in Saigon’s District 10.  Oh no, no.  The sign says Guy Spa. Gay Spa? Guy Spa? Gay Spa? Guy Spa? Isn’t that the same?  Well, not really … or maybe … or probably. OK, so [Read on …]

 March 29, 2014
Feb 082014
 
Tet Vietnam

TET VIETNAM – Year of the Horse Hai and I were lucky enough this year to enjoy a whole host of holidays together with friends and family in the USA.  There was Thanksgiving in San Diego with our good friend Pat.  Then there was the annual Christmas Eve potluck, gourmet feast in Berkeley with a [Read on …]

 February 8, 2014
Nov 142013
 
Rare 'Asian unicorn' caught on camera

      By Brad Lendon, CNN November 13, 2013 — Updated 1716 GMT (0116 HKT) (CNN) — Environmentalists in Vietnam were ebullient this week after remote cameras in a forest reserve snapped pictures of a live saola, one of the rarest large mammals on Earth. At most a few hundred — and as few as [Read on …]

 November 14, 2013
Nov 062013
 
Gay Marriage Debate Takes a Step Forward in Vietnam

Gay Marriage Debate Takes a Step Forward in Vietnam By Vu Trong Khanh and Nguyen Anh Thu HANOI – Gay and lesbian couples in Vietnam may soon be allowed to hold relationship ceremonies, as the country’s lawmakers begin a debate that gay-rights advocates and their allies hope could one day lead the country to permit [Read on …]

 November 6, 2013
Apr 152013
 
Saigon's ÀỐ Show

If you like bamboo big-time, you’ll love Saigon’s ÀỐ Show.   Last week, my friend Rick called to let me know he had an extra free ticket to go see the ÀỐ Show at Saigon’s Opera House.  Did I want to go?    I knew nothing of the ÀỐ Show.  But, amazingly, after all these [Read on …]

 April 15, 2013