Blog Posts - Viet Views: Exploring and Understanding Viet Nam

EXCITING TIMES

1/27/2020

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.

FLC Hotel Quy Nhon Beach and Golf Resort

4/10/2017

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.

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.

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.

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.

Ao Dai (ow zye in the north, ow yi in southern Vietnam)

9/26/2016

Traditional women's outfit, called the ao dai, was developed by ladies of the royal court in Hue in the 14th Century.

Hanoi Airport--New Terminal 2

9/23/2016

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.

Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) Old and New

8/22/2016

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.

Book Promotion Trip

7/11/2016

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.

Education is valued in Vietnam.

2/10/2016

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.

Picture of LBJ

2/1/2016

Watch 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."

Chistmas Celebrated in Vietnam

1/15/2016

Buddhism is practiced by 49% of the Vietnamese people. In fact, most hotels, travelers will find, have a Buddhist shrine somewhere in their lobbies--sometimes very prominent and some less so. They usually have incense burning slowly all the time, which emanates a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

However, it is not inconsistent for everyone to join in the Christmas spirit with many of its decorations and iconic characters such as "Father Christmas" seen here in front of a department store in Quy Nhon handing out presents to children accompanying their parents on shopping trips.

For what it's worth about religions, the following is practiced: Christianity, 8.7%; Confucianism and other ethnic, 9.8%; Islam, under 1%; Taoism, 1.8%.

Vung Chua Mountain - Quy Nhon

12/7/2015

The 194th MP Company veterans and several Signal Corps units should recognize Vung Chua in the background. Where a tank farm used to be is now occupied by this modern commercial enterprise.

Those GIs in the Central Highlands of Vietnam during the American war, who might have been hospitalized in the military hospital in Quy Nhon or went to the PX, may recognize the spur on the slope leading to the peak of Vung Chua. Now at its base is a shopping center of small stores, a supermarket, and food stalls created by a UK investment firm. It's a step tnto modernization, but the downtown had some stores close because of it.