Vietnam Deel 2

[FredVN]

Bánh ướt (1)

Bánh ướt wordt gebruikt in Bánh ướt thịt nướng (bánh ướt met gegrilled vlees en verse groenten) en Bánh ướt ruốc tôm chấm mắm nêm (bánh ướt with garnalen en gefermenteerde vissaus).

Vietnamezen eten Bánh ướt meestal ‘s morgens of ’s middags. Soms ook met lunch, thuis met familie.


Het met water gemengde rijstpoeder gaat door deze machine.

Er komen een soort vierkante rijstpannenkoeken uit.

De pannenkoeken worden gevouwen en opgestapeld.

 

[Norelli]

Ik ben net terug van een 10 daagse 'dual sport' trip in het Noorden van Vietnam.

Wat heb ik ervan genoten om 5 jonge gasten mee op pad te nemen naar de mooiere plekjes van het Noorden. Off the beaten path voor een unieke ervaring!

Zie hier de eerste homestay van onze trip. Een wereld van verschil als je vanuit het hectische drukke Hanoi op zo'n idylische plek terecht komt. Super vriendelijke eigenaren en heerlijk eten

Heerlijke hapjes

Een mooie opwarmertje tijdens de tweede dag.

Met een prachtige zonsopgang beginnen we dag goed! Hier maken we ons klaar voor nog een dag vol avontuur

Niet veel later stonden we hier..

Follow the leader

Samen even bijkomen in de schaduw. We houden allemaal ons hoofd koel

De afdaling na een 2400m hoge klim over onverhard terrein. De KLX (klnix zoals de jongens zeiden ) moest hard werken om hier omhoog te komen.

De tourgids.. (yours truly)

De gids weet wel een sluiproute naar de Ma Pi Leng pas (google maar eens)

Kijk eens wat een gelukkige gezichten. Toch prachtig dat ik op zo'n manier mensen blij mag maken! Ik heb meerdere berichten van ze gehad nu ze weer thuis zijn en ze lopen nog steeds de hele dag met een smile op hun gezicht van de mooie ervaring! Een beter compliment kan ik niet wensen.

Kijk op onze Facebook & Instagram voor meer foto's en avonturen

 

[FredVN]

Lijkt me een geweldige tocht. De eerste foto, is dar Mai Chau gezien de paalwoningen?

 

[FredVN]

Bánh ướt (2)

Als de hoeveelheid Bánh ướt groot genoeg is wordt het weggehaald om te verpakken. De vrouw die midden boven nog net achter het schakelbord is te zien, is de eigenaresse.

Ze is het bedrijf samen met haar man 30 jaar geleden gestart. Het kostte ze ongeveer een maand om de recepten uit te testen en uiteindelijk vonden ze de juiste manier om Bánh ướt met de hand te maken.

Een paar jaar geleden hebben ze de machines gekocht en nu wordt alles door machines gedaan. In de morgen houdt ze toezicht, terwijl haar man en schoonzoon naar Nha Trang en omliggende plaatsen zijn om producten af te leveren. Zelf gaat ze daarvoor ’s middags op pad.

 

[Bouke_D]

Ik ben net terug van een 10 daagse 'dual sport' trip in het Noorden van Vietnam.

Wow wat gaaf, als ik wat meer offroad ervaring had gehad had ik dit zeker gedaan, het noorden van Vietnam is echt prachtig ( het zuiden trouwens ook ) morgen staat er een heuse MF Vietnam meetup op het programma met @MarvelousM in Rach Gia

 

[FredVN]

Leuk! Doe ze de hartelijke groeten van ons. Op dit moment is het nog niet zeker wanneer we naar HCM moeten. Beslissen we één dezer dagen.

 

[FredVN]

Bibliotheek

Ik heb het hier al diverse malen gehad over de bibliotheek, die we voor de kinderen hebben opgebouwd. Regelmatig koopt Minh een paar boeken als ze naar Nha Trang gaat. Mede dank zij giften van een aantal familieleden, vrienden en bekenden ziiten we inmiddels aan 330 boeken. De boeken hebben we allemaal voorzien van een plastic omslag, een sticker, een nummer en –waar van toepassing- de naam van de schenker.

Alle boeken staan in een paar dozen: gemakkelijk als een aantal kinderen tegelijk willen gaan zoeken. Want elk weekend weer opnieuw is het een geduw en getrek om het beste / leukste boek uit de doos te pakken.

De bedoeling is dat uit de opbrengst van mijn boek meer boeken aangeschaft zullen worden. Dus, steun de kinderen in hun ontwikkeling en… E-book Kleine bedrijven in Vietnam - Een kijkje van binnenuit

 

[FredVN]

Ho Chi Minh City to open second book street in 2018

Visitors to the second book street in Ho Chi Minh City can peruse their purchases and sip coffee at a book café nearby

Visitors review entries of Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper’s photo exhibition at the gallery at Nguyen Van Binh Book Street, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Ho Chi Minh City’s second book street, to be located in District 7, is expected to become another cultural rendezvous for urbanites and promote the reading culture. The municipal People’s Committee has ratified a project to build the city’s second book street on Nguyen Dong Chi Street in Tan Phu Ward. The venue, named after Nguyen Dong Chi, a revered folk culture researcher, is expected to open in 2018.

The municipal administration has tasked the District 7 People’s Committee with implementing the project using funds contributed by the private sector. Investment in the street, which will boast 20 richly-decorated stalls and a coffee shop, is estimated at nearly VND14 billion (US$ 614,731).

Representatives of the Vietnam Publishers Association’s Ho Chi Minh City office revealed the city was planning to set up a book street in each of its districts in a bid to promote the reading culture. According to a survey recently conducted by the Ho Chi Minh City Book Street Management, over 58 percent of the 450 respondents said they went to the book street to buy printed publications, while 36 percent of them affirmed they were drawn to the venue to read books.

The poll also found sightseeing and sipping drinks as purposes among nearly 50 percent and 19 percent of the respondents. The survey findings confirmed the necessity of launching a book street in densely populated areas, which is also in line with current trends. The future rendezvous will adopt the same model as that of Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in downtown areas, which opened in January 2016 to the delight of avid readers and publishers. Lined with old trees providing lush foliage, Nguyen Van Binh Book Street spans 144m and 8m in length and width, and boasts sidewalks which are 6m wide.

Apart from 19 book stalls, other highlights are an exhibition space and a book café, situated next to the Saigon Central Post Office, one of Ho Chi Minh City's icons, which is a perfect place for visitors to skim their newly-bought books and sip their coffee while delighting in the beauty of the heart of the southern metropolis. The street has emerged as a favorite hang-out for local residents, voracious young readers and expats on weekends.

Alongside Nguyen Van Binh and Nguyen Dong Chi Book Streets, city authorities have also planned to launch three other book streets in other districts, with the third venue likely to be located in District 5.

Speaking at The Sofa, a monthly book-themed discussion group held on Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in December 2016, Le Hoang, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Publishers Association, said while more books have been printed in Vietnam over the years, it remains an issue that few Vietnamese are fond of reading.

Hoang said textbooks and school reference books accounted for as many as 80 percent of the books available on the market. “The reading rate amongst Vietnamese is only one book per person per year if we exclude these two types of books,” he said.

The Vietnamese only spend $2 a year on books, compared to $10 by the Chinese and upwards of $200 for those in developed countries, Hoang added.

Bron: TEMPLATE | HOME


De laatste twee alinea’s tonen heel duidelijk aan, waarom we onze bibliotheek zijn gestart. Hier op het platteland is het jaarlijks besteed bedrag aan boeken gewoon VND 0.

Door de kinderen regelmatig een boek mee te laten nemen hopen we dat ze ook in de toekomst meer zullen lezen. De inhoud van onze bibliotheek is daarom bewust een mixture van stripboeken en meer “literaire”, informatieve en populair-wetenschappelijke boeken. De stripboeken zijn heel populair en we hopen dat ze daardoor vanzelf nieuwsgierig worden naar de betere boeken.

Tot op heden blijkt die aanname redelijk te kloppen.

Dus wie daaraan mee wil helpen: je naam komt in de gekochte boeken.

 

[FredVN]

Betonnen meubelen (1)

Vaak zie je hier in de omgeving granieten tafels en banken staan. Tenminste, zo zien ze er uit. Maar na een bezoek aan dit bedrijf was ik een ervaring rijker, maar een illusie armer.

Hoang is de eigenaar van dit bedrijf, dat als enige in de verre omgeving deze meubelen maakt. Hij liet ons zien hoe ze worden gemaakt. Er wordt vooral heel veel cement gebruikt.

Er wordt een stuk van de vloer schoongeveegd en een paar –eveneens zelfgemaakte- losse mallen neergelegd. Op deze foto’s zijn dat de poten van een bank.

De binnenkant wordt ingesmeerd met een soort olie zodat de mallen gemakkelijk verwijderd kunnen worden.

Er wordt een mengsel van cement en water gemaakt, waar korrels aan worden toegevoegd. Deze geven uiteindelijk de impressie van graniet.

 

[FredVN]

Baby op snelweg

Voor de enkeling die dit nog niet heeft gezien: je verzint het zelf niet…
Automobilisten op de rem om kruipende baby op snelweg Vietnam | NU - Het laatste nieuws het eerst op NU.nl

OK, morgen weer over de meubels.

 

[FredVN]

Betonnen meubelen (2)

In de mal wordt een dunne laag van het “graniet-mengsel” gesmeerd. Dit gebeurt niet in de gehele mal, maar alleen op die plaatsen, die later zichtbaar zijn.Dat geldt ook voor de randen.

Hierna wordt een mengsel van cement, zand en water gemaakt…

…waarmee de mal tot de helft wordt gevuld.

 

[FredVN]

Betonnen meubelen (3)

Met een touwtje (waarom geen mal zoals Hai, mijn lasser, gebruikt?) worden een aantal stukken betonijzer afgemeten en -gezaagd.

Het betonijzer wordt met de hand in de juiste vorm gebogen en op het beton gelegd.

De mal wordt nu tot aan de bovenkant gevuld met beton.

Meteen daarna worden de losse delen van de mal verwijderd en een klein stukje verder weer neergelegd.

 

[FredVN]

Kinderen…

Nog een tussendoortje.

Naast de baby, die over de snelweg kroop, zijn er hier meer kinderen nogal onverantwoordelijk bezig.

Zie bv. deze op de 11e verdieping van een flatgebouw.
TEMPLATE | HOME

 

[FredVN]

Betonnen meubelen (4)

Gelijktijdig worden de randen van de poten bijgewerkt.

De poten blijven tot de volgende morgen liggen om te drogen.

Zodra de delen goed hard zijn worden ze ingesmeerd met een mengsel van cement en water om alle kleine gaatjes tussen de korrels op te vullen.

Zodra ook dat goed hard is, worden alle delen buiten gladgeslepen. Een uiterst stofiige klus.

 

[FredVN]

In verband met een reguliere controle van mijn oog zit ik de komende dagen in HCM. Er zal dus geen post verschijnen. Maar misschien kunnen de vakantiegangers van de afgelopen maand wat ervaringen en foto's posten? Ik schuif daarvoor heel graag het laatste deel van de meubelen door naar achteren.

 

[FredVN]

Betonnen meubelen (5)

Tussen de bedrijven door worden ook de zittingen aan de onderkant nog even netjes afgewerkt. Zodra er voldoende delen zijn èn er daadwerkelijk vraag is worden de losse delen aan elkaar bevestigd. Hier zijn helaas geen opnames van.

Een betonnen bank kost VND 800.000.

Hoang maakt ook nog andere producten, zoals bijvoorbeeld deze “vijver”..

Ook gieten ze allerlei sierbeton, dat bij de bouw van huizen wordt gebruikt.

Tot slot liet hij nog zijn huis zien, dat hij ook zelf heeft gebouwd. Dit is het plafond van de eetkamer.

 

[dwaal]

Het is werkelijk ambachtelijke kunst; dat nep-graniet.

 

[FredVN]

Absoluut. Ik heb ook echt al die jaren gedacht, dat het echt was. Zo ziet het er ook "echt" uit.

 

[FredVN]

Vietnamese cuisine has much more to offer than ‘phở’ and ‘bánh mì’

Many food lovers from other countries agree that Vietnam still has more foods to discover besides the globally famous 'phở' and 'bánh mì'

Zachary Devaney (L, 2nd) laughs when his friends try Vietnamese 'bánh xèo' at a small restaurant in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City on December 29, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre


While Vietnamese cuisine has become increasingly popular with global diners, with two of the most delicious being phở (beef noodle soup) and bánh mì (Vietnamese-style sandwiches), many foodies have said that Vietnam still has more stunning foods to taste. One night in late 2017, Rachael Dickson and her younger sister Madeline Dickson were sitting on a bamboo chair at a restaurant in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City. They were attentively listening to a tour guide explaining the components of bún bò Huế(spicy Hue-style beef noodle soup).

Eatable banana flowers
When the tour guide was twittering on the vegetables served with the soup, the two sisters could not conceal their surprise knowing sliced banana flowers were among the plants.
To these newcomers to Vietnam, everything seemed to be new, as what they had known about Vietnamese food were only phở and bánh mì.

Madeline Dickson (L, 2nd) and her friends watch the process of making Vietnamese bánh xèo at a small restaurant in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City on December 29, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre


“I even didn’t know they put pâté in bánh mì and had also never had so much fish sauce in my life,” Madeline Dickson excitedly told Tuoi Tre News. Bún bò Huế was one of the ‘stops’ of the food tour that the Dicksons and their friends from the U.S. were taking. At the previous stop, the group rode pillion and were taken by their tour guides on motorbikes to a small restaurant which served specialties from Phan Rang, a small town in south-central Vietnam.

Zachary Devaney, a member of the group, said Vietnamese cuisine was way different from what he thought he knew. “I only knew about bánh mì and phở, but after coming here I was stunned by the diversity of foods here,” he said.

Chinese-American Jennifer Xue added that she learned a lot about local cuisine after she was told what were in her dishes. "I like the combination of many flavors into a dish, like when we had bánh xèo [Vietnamese sizzling pancakes] with many kinds of vegetables and fish sauce,” she said.

According to Dao Xuan Thinh, a tour operator at Saigon Food Tour, which organized the food tour for the Dicksons and friends, his company places an emphasis on introducing dishes that have not been known very well in other countries. The firm’s intention is to bring tourists a more diverse and authentic experience with Vietnamese cuisine, he added.

Foreigners learn to cook canh chua at M.O.M. Cooking Class in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on December 28, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Meanwhile, South Korean Kim Joon Ha has had the opportunity to try Vietnamese food after his two visits to Vietnam in recent years. In his third time in December, Kim spent time visiting a local family to cook and enjoy a daily meal with them. The kitchen of host Tran Thi Minh Thao’s house in District 10 became more dynamic thanks to the appearance of Kim, who joined the Traditional Meal Tour organized by the Saigon Hotpot tourism club.

While learning how to cook some dishes that Vietnamese people often have daily, the man from the land of kimchi enthusiastically talked about the foods he tried in Vietnam, from mì Quảng (Quảng-style noodles) to phở bò, gỏi cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls) and more.
He was also stunned to learn that some Vietnamese people believe that eating balut (a boiled, fertilized egg) can help reverse their bad luck and agreed to try one. Thao, who has been a friendly host of Saigon Hotpot for years, was not hesitant to go straight to the nearby market to buy some such eggs and boiled them for him.

Kim admitted he really loved the experience which allowed him to see the “authentic” way that Vietnamese people have their ordinary meals. “Vietnamese foods are very famous in Korea but people only know about phở. I also know some dishes but I’m curious about what Vietnamese people truly have in their meals daily,” Kim told Tuoi Tre News.

The sweet and sour soup
Many food lovers also want to try making the Vietnamese dishes they love. Despite their short stay in Vietnam, they spent time in some cooking classes that make their dream come true.

Three rolls of cuốn diếp, a delicacy from northern Vietnam. Photo: Dong Nguyen/Tuoi Tre News


At a session to teach how to cook canh chua (sweet and sour soup), a kind of soup popular in southern Vietnam, by M.O.M. Cooking Class, Tennessee man Brad Howell and his wife carefully observed the chef when he was preparing such ingredients as garlic, tamarind sauce and all the herbs for the soup.

“Is this a popular soup in Vietnam?” Howell added, before to getting the answer that the soup as a favorite of southerners. “This is fantastic. We did not only learn how to cook but were also taken to a local market where we met local people,” the man said.

Meanwhile, Kayla Lake from California said she got used to Vietnamese foods since she was young, as she has lived in a neighborhood with some Vietnamese people. That is why she was eager to learn how to cook a Vietnamese dish. However, the young woman was surprised when she came to Vietnam and discovered the diversity of foods after she were shown more than 10 different types of noodle.

Also joining the class, Korean Jay Park and his wife were impressed with the amount of vegetables, especially herbs, used for the canh chua. “This is the first time I’ve cooked this and I’ve realized that in only a short time, we could still make such a dish with rich flavors,” Jay said.

M.O.M. Cooking Class founder Nguyen Dinh Le Hoa said besides explaining the ingredients that Vietnamese often use, his cooking classes also offer a “modern” version of each dish when showing his learners the way to replace some Vietnamese ingredients they might not find back home.

One of the oldest cooking classes for foreigners in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam Cookery Center in District 1 was where American Miriam Guzman and her fiancé came to learn to cook phở bò, cuốn diếp (mustard green rolls) and gà kho (stewed chicken).

Before carefully putting all the spices into her clay pot of chicken, Guzman and her fiancé Gaurav Ajmani tried to tie their rolls with boiled scallions.

Gaurav Ajimani and Miriam Guzman from Chicago learn to make cuốn diếp at the Vietnam Cookery Center in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City on December 28, 2017. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Guzman said food was one of the main reasons that urged the couple to visit Vietnam, adding that they love foodstuffs of diverse flavors and vegetables so Vietnamese dishes became their top choice.

According to Le Dang Khanh Linh, a representative of the Vietnam Cookery Center, the class menus are designed to showcase the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine through the foods from north to south.


Bron: TEMPLATE | HOME

 

[FredVN]

How safe is it to drive in Vietnam?

Alcohol is a major part of the problem, according to some foreigners
By Dong Nguyen - Hong Van / Tuoi Tre News –

Luggage is seen after an accident on February 27, 2018 in the central city of Da Nang which killed two and injured ten. Photo: Tuoi Tre


A number of tourists and expats in Vietnam have shared their thoughts on traffic safety in the country following a request made by Tuoi Tre News in the wake of hundreds of driving-related causalities recorded during the Lunar New Year holiday. Anything can happen when driving in Vietnam

t appears that the Vietnamese attitude towards driving is completely different than my impression on the Vietnamese attitude towards beauty, friendliness and strong family ties. In traffic it seems as if the prevailing attitude is, “me, me, me” or “ I'll do whatever I want, and you should be responsible for not hitting me, no matter what stupid, dangerous and selfish thing I do.”

I feel that it is much more dangerous to drive in Vietnam than the USA and other countries in the developed world. The reason for this is that Vietnamese drivers often ignore traffic regulations and do whatever they want. This includes driving against traffic, not stopping at red lights and not looking when turning on to large roads. I’ve seen a number of minor and major accidents in Vietnam but am still surprised that I don’t see more.

To be a safe driver in Vietnam, one must be aware that just about anything can happen on the road. People stop to answer their phone (in the middle of the traffic lane), farmers dry rice, pepper, or coffee on the road shoulder, and people drive towards you in your lane. To be safe, the driver must look out for all these, and many other, potential dangers.

I think the first thing needed in order to fix the problem is to obey and enforce traffic laws. Vendors and sellers should also be prohibited from blocking the right lane to sell goods and cars should not be allowed to park on the side of the road during rush hour.
Steverino from the U.S.

There are unwritten rules
Dealing with traffic in Vietnam is a special experience. Initially all seems chaotic but there are definitely some unwritten “rules”:

“Rule” 1: everybody is expected to vigilantly look out for incorrect or risky behaviors from others, failures of infrastructure (holes, obstacles, etc.), phantom drivers, and bikes and other vehicles' driving at night without lights.

“Rule” 2: The “let’s get on’, let’s advance” attitude means adjusting directions of movement instead of going slower or stopping; using all free space, allowed or not; continuing to drive in the first seconds of a red light; turning right at any red light, in spite of pedestrians having the green light and without slowing down.

In my country, there are some practices that are different. Belgium invests a lot in speed control systems and the penalties for breaking traffic laws are high. Meanwhile, weak road-users (pedestrians, cyclists) are protected, especially at crossing points. Also, driver and traffic education are part of the school curriculum beginning at an early age.
Hugo D.B. from Belgium

Alcohol is one part of the problem
The cause of serious traffic accidents is mostly due to speeding, reckless overtaking, and drunken driving, mainly by motorcycles. It is still hard for me to define exactly how Vietnamese people ride but what I can briefly say is that people here don’t clearly separate lanes for cars and motorbikes. Also, they jam their motorbikes into wherever they can, even if it is a very narrow space between two cars. Many times I see people riding on the walking path, an unacceptable violation in Thailand. They also cut each other off while driving by veering left and right.

When people drink, things often get worse. These, in my opinion, are the major factors that lead to accidents in Vietnam. Creating new social values and enforcing strict laws may help solve the problem. It is surprising that most people know the main cause of the accidents during festival time is alcohol but still choose to drive drunk. This might be a sign that campaigns by the government, private sectors, and NGOs such as “Don’t Drink and Drive” or “Responsible Drinking” are not working.

In Vietnam, drinking is a part of the culture. It is hard to avoid drinking when you are a man. To be sure, it is even more difficult to reject an offer to drink by an older person. The end result, however, is sometimes too much and getting into fights or drunk driving.
Seth Phiriyawiwatwong from Thailand

Your life is more important
I had never experienced anything like the traffic in Vietnam before arriving in the country and was very shocked at first. Whenever there are more people and bikes on the street, such as the holidays, it gets more chaotic and often more dangerous, which is why I can see that there are more accidents around this time. However, I have a lot of respect for the driving skills of the Vietnamese people. I have definitely learned a lot from watching people on the road here.

From observing traffic in Ireland and other Western countries, it appears that Vietnamese traffic is far more chaotic and unpredictable. In general though, I find it fairly easy to get around the city as the traffic flows pretty smoothly and most drivers try to drive safely (though there are exceptions). I have definitely seen much worse in other countries, such as India.

One of the biggest things I notice is how people don't check their rear or side before crossing through traffic or turning around a corner. Often people wear hoods to protect themselves from the sun but this actually limits their field of vision, meaning they actually can't see what's around them while driving. This can be a hazard to other drivers. To all the Vietnamese drivers out there, I would just like to say: your life is more important than getting to your destination quickly.
Gary Walsh from Ireland

Bad impression
Many people use Tet as a reason to behave badly, particularly by engaging in such behaviors as drunk driving, littering, and playing with firecrackers. During the two Tet holidays I’ve spent here, I witnessed many scuffles and traffic accidents caused by alcohol. Foreigners who travel to Vietnam during the Tet holiday often witness these scenes in downtown areas and are left with a bad impression of the country.

I personally think Vietnamese people having fun during Tet should know their limitations in order to help maintain the beautiful image of a peaceful Tet. Recently, many foreigners have begun to flock to Vietnam for travel and work. In particular, Tet is also a chance for them to experience the culture and traditions of the country. Therefore, I think keeping the environment safe during Tet is also a way to build the image of a friendly, peaceful country in the eyes of international friends.
Audrey L. from France

Life is precious
From what I have seen in Vietnam regarding driving skills, there seems to be a lack of awareness and common sense. It doesn’t help that everyone is always in a rush. There’s very little order on the roads, some people drive their bikes way too fast, and buses don't have any respect for anyone but themselves. I also find people in general would rather beep their horn than press their breaks.

To avoid accidents, there could be more awareness based on who and what is around us while we drive. Pay attention to what we’re doing and what other people are doing as well. Please obey the traffic laws. They are designed to protect us and save lives.

Many people drink and drive but most of the time they get lucky. We all think nothing bad will happen to us, but sometimes reacting to difficult driving situations requires sober attention. If you know you’re going out to drink leave your keys at home and take a taxi. Life is precious.
Wayne Jordan from the UK

Waste of lives
Usually drivers here lack patience. They take advantage of each centimeter and don’t allow traffic to flow, especially at crossroads. Also, drunk drivers in Vietnam are irresponsible. They seem not to worry about their families and other road users. In general, speed can be okay, except for 12 seaters and big coaches. However, the situation gets far worse during Tet. I think coaches and minibuses should be monitored more heavily and kids on motorbikes should always wear a helmet.

Road accidents are a waste of life, and most of them are avoidable. And when we see an accident with serious injuries, we should stop, ask a passer-by for help, and take those involved to a hospital. Many are afraid to stop because they fear being accused of involvement in the accident.
Pierre Siquet from Belgium


Bron: TEMPLATE | HOME


“Alcohol is a major part of the problem” staat in het begin van het artikel. Ik zet daar zelf wat vraagtekens bij. Het artikel is van betrekkelijk kort na TET en dan klopt die stelling wel. Iedereen is vrij , bezoekt familie, vrienden en bekenden, zuipt zich klem en bezoekt de volgende. Waarna het geheel zich herhaalt.

Maar dat maakt verder allemaal weinig uit. Of ze al dan niet dronken zijn, bezopen rijden ze toch wel.

 

[FredVN]

Grab en Uber

We hebben vorige week in HCM weer gebruik gemaakt van de diensten van Grab en Uber. Daarbij zijn een paar zaken opgevallen.

Uber blijkt op dit moment enkele tienduizenden dongs duurder dan Grab voor dezelfde rit.

De aanrijtijden van Grab blijken zo af en toe “niet echt te kloppen”. Een paar keer dat een aangekondigde tijd weer werd verlengd. Blijkbaar werd er dan van wagen gewisseld o.i.d.

Het slchtste geval was dat we een wagen van Grab hadden besteld. Toen die na een half uur nog niet was gearriveerd hebben we er maar één bij Uber besteld, die binnen een paar minuten arriveerde. Exact op het moment dat we op de plaats van bestemming arriveerde, belde de chauffeur van Grab waar we waren, want hij stond voor ons hotel.

De brave borst bofte ontzettend, dat hij Minh aan de telefoon had.

Het verkeer in HCM wordt ook een steeds grotere puinhoop. Straten en kruispunten zijn regelmatig geblokkeerd, vaak zijn er complete verkeersinfarcten.

Rijden in HCM is echt niet leuk meer. Als het zou moeten rag en raus ik vrolijk mee op de motor maar liever niet. Laat ik het zo zeggen. Als ik voor een taakstraf zou moeten kiezen tussen een maand taxichauffeur spelen of een maand de gevangenis in, dan ging ik echt een maand zitten.

Niettemin, wie hier op vakantie komt zou het zeker eens moeten proberen. Op twee wielen er tussenin zitten is minder erg dan het vanuit de taxi allemaal aanzien.

Maar vroeger was het “leuker”.

 

[FredVN]

Power outage in Vietnam

It’s part of the way of life here
By Stivi Cooke / Tuoi Tre News Contributor

Family members have dinner during a power cut in Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre


It’s Sunday, all’s right with the world…then there’s a power cut.

I’m writing this in the now abandoned, darkened coffee shop in fashionable, downtown Hoi An which has become eerily quiet as music systems freeze and the soft rush of steam from the coffee making machines is replaced by the chatter of staff wondering what to do next. It’s part of the way of life here. Power cuts, called cúp điện in Vietnamese, whether they’re pre-announced or without warning, are such a normal occurrence that I don’t even blink when it happens. And as we head into summer, it’s going to get worse…

It’s a confusing phenomenon often blamed on Vietnam’s struggle to produce enough electricity to meet its economic needs. But just as often, it is a result of the enormous amount of new construction requiring new connections to the power grid. Include in that blame list the never-ending electrical infrastructure upgrades to handle higher capacity power lines, new transformers and the growth of new suburbs all requiring street lighting, water pumping stations and so on and you get the idea of how often power cuts happen.

In the second decade of the twenty-first century, Vietnam is still installing power lines to far-flung villages that have never had electricity before. As a Westerner used to energy consumption in developed countries, it is still hard to imagine that anyone on the planet has never experienced the benefits of electricity. No fans in the summer, no TV, no hot water and no lights at night. Just wood stoves, gas lamps, a bucket of boiled water and studying by single oil light in a wooden or iron shack probably no bigger than my kitchen. And those situations still exist barely kilometers from Hoi An.

In the scheme of things, cúp điện is no biggie. Yet it’s still surprising when I can land in Ho Chi Minh City at a comfortable hotel and still have my day stuffed up by an unexpected blackout. It’s even more annoying when it happens in a posh expat bar that doesn’t have a back-up generator. Gourmet hamburgers by candlelight, huh?

Now, you’d think that Hoi An, a major tourist destination, a city that generates millions of U.S. dollars in income, would have a totally reliable power supply – not so. Sitting in a pub that’s doing great business on a hot sultry summer evening with the lights failing as the demand on the power grid by air-conditioners and fans cuts out the power again and again throughout the night is seen as funny by tourists. The howls of “arggg” and “ahhh” greet every attempt to restore lighting, music and a functioning kitchen.

Years ago I bought a generator for my house in Hoi An. It was a large, barely able to be carried brick of a thing that pumped out petrol fumes. Even though it was brand new, it had a fiddly start-up mechanism and attempted to break my hand every time I had to pull the start-up cord to get it going. Finally I realized that I shouldn’t curse the darkness but embrace it and got rid of the stress-inducing nightmare.

You learn tricks as you live longer in Vietnam. A candle within reach, knowing how to walk around the house in pitch blackness, having back-up canned gas supplies for cooking and routinely topping up the battery power on portable electric lamps and torches. Using my smartphone as a torch made me feel clever (yes, I finally bought one of the horrors…) although I never remember this until ten minutes of fumbling around in the darkness. The fringe benefit of these lessons learnt was being ready for the big typhoons.

EVN, Vietnam’s state-owned power provider, does send me emailed lists of power cut timetables in my area which I think are quite funny as the dates often don’t coincide with the reality. What I don’t get is the number of helpless newbie expats frantically posting on Facebook on the last legs of their smartphone power wondering when it will all end - hell, we don’t know! Asking the locals is no help as they often can’t be bothered to check or simply can’t remember what their EVN warning text said or worse, make up an answer to avoid losing face.

Well, that’s it. I’ve successfully finished this article and used my time during the cúp điện to do something instead of staring at the ceiling. I think it’s interesting that we modernites struggle to cope with boring power cuts yet our grandparents probably took it their stride and read a book by candlelight or went outside during the day. Poor old us…

No wonder the Vietnamese think we are crazy!


TEMPLATE | HOME


Dit wordt mijn excuus als ik morgen, net als vandaag, weer geen inspitatie heb…

 

[FredVN]

Dangerous ‘Facebook health experts’ win over ‘Dr. Google’ in Vietnam (1)

Bizarre medical tips with no scientific backing build a strong following on the cult of Facebook, By Son Luong / Tuoi Tre News

A pregnant woman is seen in this photo illustration. Photo: Reuters


While Vietnamese often self-diagnose by researching symptoms online, a practice known as asking ‘Dr Google,’ ‘Facebook health experts’ are slowly gaining a strong following in the shady world of medical misinformation.

These so-called “experts” deal in bizarre-sounding medical tips with no scientific backing, sometimes leaving those who take their advice considerably worse for wear. While Google can be hit-or-miss when it comes to offering sound medical advice, unsubstantiated medical information on Facebook has mostly proven to be dangerously misguiding.

Despite the life-threatening perils, the ‘community’ of Vietnamese people who religiously believe in information, tips, and methods on healthcare and childcare provided by ‘Facebook health experts’ is growing larger and larger by the day.

For instance, followers of the ‘natural childbirth’ trend circulating on social media choose to give birth at home instead of in the hospital, use breast milk to treat the children’s diseases in lieu of medicine, and let a newborn’s immune system handle serious diseases rather than getting vaccinations.
To this cult-like community, the combined medical knowledge accumulated over the course of human advancement coupled with warnings and recommendations from doctors with years of medical school and practice under their belts pales in comparison to ‘words of wisdom’ from ‘Facebook doctors.’

“Human beings should do what other animals do when it comes to birthing – follow nature,” a local mom who claims to practice ‘natural childbirth’ commented on Facebook. By ‘following the nature,’ the mother means giving birth at home and denying hospital care and medication under all circumstances for children. “A mother should deliver on her own, hold the baby when it says hello to the world, and breastfeed him or her,” she said, summarizing the basic principles of a belief widely condemned by medical professionals worldwide.

Doctors take care of a mother and her newborn child at Tu Du Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre


‘Lotus birth’
One of the latest birthing trends among Vietnamese social media users is lotus birth, also known as umbilical nonseverance - the practice of leaving the umbilical cord uncut after childbirth so that the baby is left attached to the placenta until the cord naturally separates at the umbilicus, usually three to ten days after birth. As no studies have been done on lotus birth, no evidence exists to support any medical benefits of the birthing method.

Nevertheless, 'Facebook health experts’ are urging women to practice lotus birth at home. One course, advertised to start in June in Ho Chi Minh City, charges VND15 million (US$650) per learner, promising instructions by an Australian expert in the field. In early March, a mother in northern Vietnam posted a photo on her Facebook showing a newborn with her umbilical cord uncut, lying next to a basin where her placenta was being stored. The mother claimed to have delivered at home and neither cut the umbilical cord nor had the newborn vaccinated, as a way of “following the nature.” The health ministry has since released a warning against the scientifically unverified method.

The screenshot of a Facebook update of a Vietnamese who claimed to have successfully practiced 'lotus birth' at home. The placenta, with the uncut umbilical, is blurred in this photo.


Even so, it was reported earlier this week that a woman in Ho Chi Minh City and her newborn died during a home delivery using this ‘natural method.' As of Friday morning, the case remained unverified, according to Vietnam’s health authorities. Some 98 percent of births in Vietnam are made at healthcare facilities with assistance from medical workers, a success the health ministry takes credit for, according to Tran Dang Khoa, deputy head of the ministry’s mother and child health department.

While home birth is now only practiced in rural and remote areas, the mushrooming number of home births taking place in big cities has taken the country’s medical industry by surprise. Delivering at home also means there is rarely anyone with medical training, such as a medical worker or midwife, on hand to help if anything should go wrong during labor. Earlier this month a woman in the northern province of Lao Cai gave birth at home with the help of only her mother-in-law. The elder woman ended up slicing open the unborn child’s head while it was still in its mother’s womb, believing that putting a knife inside the mom’s sexual organ would help ease her labor.

A pregnant woman is seen in this photo illustration. Photo: Reuters


Morgen deel 2

 

[FredVN]

Dangerous ‘Facebook health experts’ win over ‘Dr. Google’ in Vietnam (2)

A mother’s milk cures all
Among those people who spreading various methods of ‘natural birthing’ online in Vietnam, a woman known as Phuong Hong Nhat Le has the largest following. Le preaches to her Facebook followers that breast milk is a miracle drug, capable of treating heart disease and eyesores, even allowing “cut thumbs to grow back." The benefits of breast milk are owed to its “rich content of stem cells, which help to improve our body,” Phuong told her followers. Unfortunately, followers of Le and others like her often choose not to fact check such information, leading to perilous situations for helpless newborns.

In November 2017, a 16-day-old baby was hospitalized in Hanoi with her eyes in critical conditions, after her mother used breast milk to treat her eyesore, according to Nhan Dan(People) newspaper. The mother, a 19-year-old woman, admitted that she was following a tip shared on Facebook, without knowing that it would only worsen her child’s condition.

A bottle of breast milk is seen in this photo illustration. Photo: Reuters


No vaccination, no problem
Another health trend attracting Vietnam’s Facebook users is the so-called ‘anti-vaccine movement,’ whereby local parents refuse to have their children vaccinated for fear of fatal side effects.

Several Facebook pages have been created to spread the message that children should not be vaccinated and instead their immune system should develop independently, going against warnings by doctors that not having children vaccinated could pose dangers not only to the kids, but to the whole community.

One such group, named “Vaccine – Yes or No?”, saw its membership grow to 20,000 between June and July 2017. The majority of the group’s members have confirmed that they have never had their children vaccinated, while others have said they chose not to have their kids receive all of the health ministry’s required injections. Other members have expressed unsubstantiated claims that vaccinations could lead to autism.

The anti-vaccine movement has resulted in immediate consequences: the number of encephalitis and whooping cough cases, diseases that are mostly preventable by vaccination, are on the rise in Vietnam. During the Jan-May period of last year, 119 cases of whooping cough were recorded, with two children eventually killed by the disease. A huge number of those patients were found to have either received no or insufficient vaccinations. Similarly, while children are expected to get encephalitis vaccinations, 21 cases of infection were recorded in June 2017, with many patients in a critical condition after not being vaccinated.

A child receives an injection in this photo illustration. Photo: Reuters


Misconception
According to health professionals, followers of the ‘following the nature’ trend misunderstand the true meaning of ‘nature.' “Natural healthcare means if a patient suffers from iron deficiency anemia, doctors should advise them to eat iron-rich fruits and vegetables instead of taking iron pills, which smell bad,” N.T.S., a doctor who claims to “follow the nature the right way," wrote on his Facebook.

Nguyen Ba My Nhi, deputy director of Tu Du Hospital, one of Vietnam’s leading maternity hospitals, also said ‘natural childbirth’ actually means vaginal delivery, rather than giving birth at home. “Home birth is dangerous as the labor poses multiple risks to both mother and child, which will lead to fatality without timely help from medical workers,” she said.

Pham Quang Thai, head of the northern branch of the vaccination office under the National Institute of Hygiene and Epidemiology, said the online anti-vaccine movement is mainly to blame for the outbreak of preventable diseases among children. “When more people refuse to have their children vaccinated, the community’s immunity is reduced, making it easier for outbreaks to occur,” he told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

Doctors are pictured with a newborn baby in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuoi Tre


Thai said supporters of the anti-vaccine movement have “relied too much on unverified or inaccurate information” and even information that has been proven false, such as “vaccination leads to autism.”

Vu Ba Quyet, director of the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, echoed Mai’s view, adding that “something must be done” to top “impressionable women from believing in health trends that drag back civilization.”


TEMPLATE | HOME


Ik ben al vaker tegen het hele medische system hier aan het schoppen geweest. In dit artikel stonden een aantal zaken, waar ik nog niet van had gehoord.

Ik heb nooit wat opgehad met Faceboek, maar dit, gevoegd bij alle recente ellende, die we horen, maken mij nog blijer ben dat ik geen lid ben van deze Foute Bemoeizucht.

 

[FredVN]

Brug

Het was al weer een poosje geleden, dat ik deze weg heb genomen tijdens een fietstochtje. Ik had mijn camera bij me om wat opnames te maken van o.a. het oogsten van de rijst en besloot tot een ommetje via deze route, om zo ook nog wat andere opnames te maken. Dat viel tegen…

Ik heb mijn fiets bovenaan laten staan en ben lopend gaan kijken. Links op de foto is te zien, dat er een geïmproviseerd bruggetje is gemaakt. Maar om van de weg bij het bruggetje te komen en aan de andere kant ook weer de weg op was een behoorlijke klauterpartij. Ik had eigenlijk geen zin om daar met mijn fiets en met name mijn camera overheen te gaan, dus ben maar weer teruggereden.

Deze man woont vlak voor de brug en ik begreep uit zijn armgebaren dat er veel water van de bergen was gekomen die de brug hadden weggeslagen.

Ik rij er over een paar weken nog wel eens langs, maar ik verwacht dat reparatie wel langer zal duren.