A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of getting acquainted with a young Vietnamese girl, who exuded intelligence in her quiet confident ways. Our encounter that day had been purely by chance; I needed someone to translate for me at the tailor’s, and she had volunteered to accompany me, temporarily solving my daily woes of speaking in a language I could barely speak. That afternoon, as we shared our thoughts on the difficult process of college application, environmental challenges in urban spaces, and the need for renewable energy, our conversation drifted to a more eclectic topic; while we wondered why Hanoians are so loud when they speak, we also suspected noise pollution to contribute to that loudness. And with the passing of the hand of my watch, I learned of her personal aspiration to study in the United States after the completion of her high school. I on the other hand told her of my impressions accumulated during my short time in Vietnam. After hearing of my … [Read more...] about Hanoi in my eyes
Hanoi
Buying a bicycle in Hanoi
VietNamNet Bridge - As a foreigner coming to Hanoi for the first time, I have spent a day locating a bicycle shop and haggling about the price, but found it not easy to get one. I was immediately entranced by my first bicycle ride around Vietnam; all the while sneering at the unsafe pollutants rushing past me. Bringing back my childhood I was popping wheelies around traffic in no time. After realising Hanoi provides you with a generally flat surface all round my mind was made up to getting my very own Vietnamese bicycle. I was directed to Ba Trieu Street after tracking down a "xe om". Upon arriving I was immediately disappointed. Perhaps this was naïve of me but I was expecting to see a bicycle shop. In front of me appeared a few shops where I hoped to find a bicycle to match the countless others around this city which can peddle slow, like meditation, never in a rush. However, I got all information I could to overcome language barrier in two or three shops displaying … [Read more...] about Buying a bicycle in Hanoi
Sketching street portraits in Hanoi
(VOV) - Some of Hanoi's eager young art students have capitalised on their talent and now earn useful extra income sketching portraits on city streets. In the weeks following the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, artists at cultural and historical sites such as Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam and Hoan Kiem Lake can earn as much as VND1 million (US$48) a day by sketching portraits of passers-by. Fine arts students line Van Mieu Street during the first days of spring, joining the calligraphers who reliably attract fascinated onlookers. A student can earn VND3-4 million a month when only working weekends. A typical day of street portraits during the Tet holiday reaps approximately VND10 million. Weekends see dozens of fine arts and architecture students selling their sketching skills to locals and tourists alike beside Hoan Kiem Lake's famous Pen Tower. It generally takes 15 minutes to complete a portrait. Each sketch costs VND100,000-150,000. Nguyen Thanh, a third … [Read more...] about Sketching street portraits in Hanoi
There’s a dog training centre in Hanoi…
(VOV) - Ricky Foresters, the 33-year-old American owner of Hanoi's only canine obedience centre Alpha Dog, is helping the capital city's dog owners train their beloved pets. Ricky has earned an official US dog training certificate of accreditation. His expertise has transformed many a troublesome dog into friendlier, more cooperative companions. "An obedient dog 'uses the bathroom' where it's supposed to, does no damage to its owner's property, barks when appropriate, heels, sits, and stays on command, and can even perform tricks. My mission involves teaching dogs and teaching people." Ricky's Hanoi business grew out of the dog training coaching and advice he initially only offered friends. Word quickly spread. As well as obedience training, Alpha Dog also has boarding facilities for when clients must leave the pets to travel. Ricky's centre gives its boarded dogs two long walks every day and personal grooming care. Ricky cooks for the dogs himself according to the dietary … [Read more...] about There’s a dog training centre in Hanoi…
Air pollution alert in Hanoi
According to experts, air quality in Vietnam is now at an alarming level. A large proportion of Vietnam's population and the country’s ecosystems are being exposed to polluted air, which excesses Vietnam's permitted standards. In particular, Hanoi’s air pollution is at the red alert level. According to many groups of environmentalists, Hanoi is one of the most polluted cities in not only Southeast Asia but also in Asia as a whole. Hanoian people can easily recognize air pollution by going out in the early morning and during the rush hours and then comparing the difference of the air quality, particularly the dust density, between the two times. Recently, a non-governmental organization, the GreenID Center for Green Innovation has published its survey of dust concentrations in some big cities in Vietnam. Accordingly, the concentration of the most dangerous type of dust that can be absorbed into the blood, called PM2.5, was up to 50.5μg/m3, twice as high as the national … [Read more...] about Air pollution alert in Hanoi