VIETNAM OBSERVATIONS

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7:07 Monday July 26, 2004

What I have observed so far about Vietnam?

1. The words on in the same letter characters as English so I can read the Vietnam words on signs, and should be able to say things or repeat or look for places a lot easier.

2. Girls seem to wear clothes more like Thailand or are more liberated than Cambodia.

3. The building are built on a about a 20 foot or maybe 10 meter separation mode, everything is packed into the place and all building seem to be about 3-4 stories, just about like Phnom Penh, Cambodia but even more busy, but a little cleaner.

4. The colors and painting of building is good.

5. I saw a lot of parks.

6. All the Bars and Restaurants have chairs that look the very noisy and busy street, sort of like Paris, and too busy also for me.

7. The television is dubbed, but the dubbing is extremely weird, like one person saying or telling the listeners what is happening, they will have English shows and I can hear the words, but I have to try to not listen to the narrator in the Vietnamese language.

8. This is not a communist country where they share the wealth, this is an extreme version of free enterprise.

9. On the way into the city a English boy behind me said,

“Look a CD Shop.” I am almost positive that people put this on the list of countries to enter because of all the knockoff or copies of Music CD, and I have already seen 3 or 4 shops full of travelers.

10. Phnom Penh was a lot more friendly in a way, the Lakeside area always was slower and had places for people to sit around and talk here it so far only a bar type scene.

Prediction: This is a two day and out city, nobody will stay more than two day unless they just drink and like to sit on a bar stool, I have notice a lot of bar stools with older people sitting.

11. I have notice a lot of older somethings here, they seem to be looking around lost like and not sure what they are looking at, I have a feeling there are lots of people searching for something here.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM

Sunday 6:45 pm. July 25, 2004

I guess it is night, but like any good X Generation person I am thinking in terms of TV, Movies, and MTV, so like Robin William said,

“Good Morning Vietnam.”

82 Million People more or less, that makes it more populated than Thailand and Laos and Cambodia are just babies. I can tell you that for sure the number of motorcycles in Vietnam has set a record for traffic for me, I have never seen so much confusion on a highway, although in a clean sort of way, the city is extremely full, but the places still has a semblance of organization.

Map of Vietnam

Cambodia girl washing clothes in lake at Sen Monorom, Cambodia

Boy in market in Sen Monorom, Cambodia

Young Buddhist monks in Snoul, Cambodia. We stopped to pick up and old man and monk on the way to Sen Monorom

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Reader Submitted Comments | Deleted Comments (0)

rafrafa said on Thursday March 24th, 2005 05:57:00 AM

Hi, I was in Vietnam too and I thought I'd be able to say or repeat things as I was able to read characters but forget about it, everything is in the accent :)

Matt said on Tuesday October 4th, 2005 02:01:00 AM

Correct evrything is in the accent.A same word could have 6 different meanings depends on the accent. It is a tonal tongue.

Anonymous said on Tuesday March 28th, 2006 12:13:00 PM

Just came back from Vietnam. Stayed at the Kim Hotel 40/18 Bui Vien, HCMC (formerly Saigon), parrallel to De Tham. It's one of the better family owned hotel in the area at reasonable rates. But the family aren't very nice. You rarely get a greeting from them, nor ever return a greeting. Neither are they very honest. I wouldn't entrust my valuables to them. Per their policy they are responsible for properties handed for safekeeping. After the daughter (very rude and offensive. doesn't seem to be embarrassed by the lost nor feel any shame for blaming others) and mother negligently lost my motor bike, they in an effort to lay blame on the helps, stalled making restitution, hoping that i would give up after i leave the country. Stay away from this hotel as there are hundreds of others around the area that are more friendly and honest!

Lily said on Friday May 22nd, 2009 08:36:31 PM

Vietnam is a rich traditional country though it has been Westernized a lot recently.
You can also visit this website for more information about Vietnam:
vietnam-beauty.com