Yesterday I was with Lan almost the whole day on the way in the Hòa Bình province located in the west of Hanoi. At Kim Bôi district we looked for some eligible plots for my street children project. I almost decided one, but there is no hurry. For the negotiations...
In Hanoi arise more and more modern shopping centers and supermarkets. But there are still some places where you can experience the old original Hanoi. The Chợ Hôm market at the intersection of Phố Tran Xuan Soan and Phố Hue in the district of Hai Ba Trung belongs to these...
Vietnam’s claim to the Paracel and Spratly Islands is based mainly on old documents and maps that shall prove the island groups belong to the Vietnamese territory for several hundred years now. In no particular order I would like to introduce some of these documents. Khải Đồng Thuyết Ước is...
An absolute must for any visitor in Saigon are the Cu Chi Tunnels. Every day, mostly Western visitors are lead through the former tunnel system of Viet Cong. Once there, we firstly received some propaganda from a Viet Cong veteran. He proudly told about the indomitable Viet Cong, how they...
May in Cat Cat On my third day in Sapa a Red Dzao picked me up. Her name was May, she was 19 years old, already married and pregnant in the second month. Until shortly before the birth she wanted to lead tourists through the villages around Sapa. Red Dzaos...
I booked the next tour at my hotel. 12 USD for a full day hike, including entrance fees to the villages, lunch and a minibus that brings me back to the hotel at the end of the day. I was the only one who had booked the tour on that...
In no other city in Vietnam the differences have been so clearly shown to me as in Da Nang. The city in Central Vietnam radiates its charm: On the one hand, many small fishing boats are clustering on the sea. Vietnamese children play soccer on the beach. The streets are...
Since all flights were booked out from Hanoi to Hue, I took the night train. Although the 650 km to Hue took 15 hours, it seemed not to be so long for me. I booked a four-compartment for 30 USD. (In comparison, the six-compartment cost only 3 USD less and...
Hoc to, hoc Noi (Man learns to eat before he speaks.) This is a Vietnamese proverb. Vietnamese food means mainly rice and noodles in many variations. Vegetables and fragrant herbs are part of every meal. As anywhere else in Asia, people also eat a lot of tofu or soybean curd....
The spectacle presented in the streets of Hanoi is still fascinating and exciting for me. The daily life in Vietnam takes place almost completely outside. Streets and sidewalks turn into a stage. If I walk down the street, I find myself suddenly surrounded by a curious sight: A barber, who...