<![CDATA[Viet Views:  Exploring and Understanding Viet Nam - BLOG]]>Sat, 11 May 2024 13:04:15 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Are you kidding me?!!]]>Sat, 27 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/are-you-kidding-me  Privileged University students and professors are giving support for degenerate, debased, and despicable Hamas! That is the height of perversion. The October 7 attack perpetrated by Hamas was monstrous and inhuman. What did they think Israel would do? It was Gaza civilians be damned. I'm sorry, but I weep not for the Gazans. They allowed the odious Hamas to live among them while planning their nefarious and pointless raid to kill Jews. The Gaza civilians are not innocent. This is what happens. They should never, never allow Hamas to exist among them again. And now, j'accuse you pampered academics of giving Hamas agency. Cease in the name of human decency.
]]><![CDATA[Problems in 2024]]>Wed, 10 Jan 2024 17:47:21 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/problems-in-2024The way i see it, here's a list of issues that I worry about:
1. Guns in America. Too many and too many AR-15s and high capacity magazines.
2. Race relations. Chill and stop emphasizing differences.
3. Putin is evil incarnate. Must be stopped. Russians have to do it.
4. Hamas is stupid, stupid, stupid! What did they think would happen?
5. Israeli people, take back your country from Bebe. Need 2-state solution.
6. Republican MAGA, read history. Fascism always ends badly.
7. Address the border. That means you, Congress.
]]><![CDATA[EXCITING TIMES]]>Mon, 27 Jan 2020 17:35:23 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/exciting-times​
The Trump administration so far has been of historical significance. And now, with the impeachment trial, it is downright exciting! Exciting? Really? Yes! I have always wondered how Germany, the country of Goethe, Beethoven, and Bismarck could have been taken over by a gang of thugs led by a ruthless sociopath who mesmerized huge crowds of followers--Adolph Hitler. How could it have happened? Now we know. It's a tableau of lies, deceit and evil ambition by officials, including high legal authorities, senators, and representatives who have absolved themselves of constitutional oaths to support a narcissistic leader while exhibiting spineless fear of Trump's adoring mob. It's exciting to see history explained before our very eyes. 
]]><![CDATA[FLC Hotel Quy Nhon Beach and Golf Resort]]>Mon, 10 Apr 2017 21:36:20 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/flc-hotel-quy-nhon-beach-and-golf-resort
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This is part of a huge new resort complex that was built on a desert island off the coast of central Vietnam. When this writer could see the area from a distant mountain top in 1969, it was a desolate, sandy wind scow hugging the coast in the South China Sea and appeared to be a worthless piece of real estate.
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A consortium with tons of backing by foreign investors hired hundreds of construction workers and unskilled laborers to lay sod on sheer sand. It was watered by monsoon rains and a thousand loads of tank trucks filled with water for irrigating the newly laid sod. This writer never thought it would work under the intense sun at about 14 degrees north latitude.
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Here's the result of sod on sand (and a lot of water), green lush lawns and fairways. The hotel has 200 rooms ranging from 200 usd to 1000 usd per night. Luxury amenities abound, including several restaurants, a spa, lounges, karaoke, pubs, tennis courts and even a pagoda. There are villas to purchase and condos starting at 250,000 to one million usd.
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Playing 18 holes will cost about $110. Weekends are a little more. One can play 9 holes for about half the price, plus a little more on the weekends. Golf clubs may be rented for about $64 and carts @ $35. I don't think you'll find too many golfers walking, if ever.
]]><![CDATA[Ao Dai (ow zye in the north, ow yi in southern Vietnam)]]>Mon, 26 Sep 2016 15:48:21 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/ao-dai-ow-zye-in-the-north-ow-yi-in-southern-vietnam
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Traditional women's outfit, called the ao dai, was developed by ladies of the royal court in Hue in the 14th Century.
]]><![CDATA[Hanoi Airport--New Terminal 2]]>Fri, 23 Sep 2016 16:32:19 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/hanoi-airport-new-terminal-2
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This is the inside of a pod hotel for 28 USD per night. It's located in the terminal's periphery but near a bathroom for toileting. Having internet access, it is absolutely ideal for an overnight wait for a flight.
]]><![CDATA[Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Old and New]]>Mon, 22 Aug 2016 15:18:57 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/ho-chi-minh-city-saigon-old-and-new
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Ho Chi Minh City contrasts the old Saigon of French exploited gentility with modern architecture, such as this modern edifice next to City Hall of rococo style. The streets teem with workers on motorbikes who cannot afford many of the offerings of hotels and restaurants catering to foreigners.
]]><![CDATA[Book Promotion Trip ]]>Mon, 11 Jul 2016 15:04:39 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/book-promotion-tripPicture
When flying to Vietnam - can you find it? - you must have a visa issued by Vietnam via an approved travel agency or the Vietnamese consulate in San Francisco. The max stay is 3 months @ $180. Of course you can get a 1-month visa for $90.  Naturally, Vietnam is very keen on tourism and the prices are going up. A very good hotel room 2 years ago was @ $40 per night. Now it's about $60, or 1,200,000 VND (Vietnam dong) per night. Some luxury hotels start at about $180 per night.
With so many people flying to Vietnam, air fares are competitive in a broad gamut depending upon when you fly, how much advance, etc. Coach anywhere from $800 to $2500 round trip and business class $2500 to $5000 one way or double for round trips. More later. Seeya.
]]><![CDATA[Education is valued in Vietnam.]]>Wed, 10 Feb 2016 19:57:34 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/new-hotel-in-quy-nhon
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Dai Hoc Quy Nhon is the University of Quy Nhon. Its view is a beach on the South China Sea, which is referred to as the East Vietnam Sea. In 1969 the U.S. Army used the beach for an in-country R and R site.
]]><![CDATA[Picture of LBJ]]>Mon, 01 Feb 2016 17:28:26 GMThttp://vietviews.com/blog/picture-of-lbjPictureWatch tower at the notorious LBJ in Long Binh, Vietnam.
Ran into a fellow veteran at the supermarket who was drafted out of college in 1970. We chatted about our experiences in the Nam. He later sent me a few pictures via email, one of which was LBJ, no, not the president but of the Long Binh Jail better known as LBJ. It was a stockade in the Long Binh army post, the largest US Army post in the world at the time. You didn't want to be incarcerated there. It was full of hardened druggies and criminals and it went on your dreaded "permanent record."
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