Vietnam’s largest kite festival comes to a close

The International Kite Festival, held in Vung Tau, concluded on March 29 and was recognised as the country’s largest by the Vietnam Record Book Centre.

The three-day festival, themed Vu Dieu Bien Dong (The East Sea Dance) attracted kite artisans and connoisseurs from 17 countries and territories, including Australia, the UK, US, Germany and Thailand.

The “largest kite” award went to New Zealand, while host Vietnam was awarded for most traditional kites and member enthusiasm.

The UK took the prize for the richest collection, while “longest kite” went to Indonesia

As many as 20,000 tourists at home and abroad attended the event.

(Source: VNA)

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The Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Mainland Territory: 331,211.6 sq. km
Population: 84,115.8 thousand inhabitants (in 2006)
National Capital: Hanoi

Lying on the eastern part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam is a strip of land shaped like the letter “S”. China borders it to the north, Laos and Cambodia to the west, the East Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the east and south.
The country’s total length from north to south is 1,650km. Its width, stretching from east to west, is 600km at the widest point in the north, 400km in the south, and 50km at the narrowest part, in the centre, in Quang Binh Province. The coastline is 3,260km long and the inland border is 4,510km.
Latitude: 102º 08' - 109º 28'  east
Longitude:  8º 02' - 23º 23'  north

Vietnam is also a transport junction from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Climate: Vietnam lies in the tropics and monsoon (detail)
Topography: Three quarters of Vietnam's territory consist of mountains and hills (detail)
Administrative Units: Vietnam is divided into 63 provinces and cities

source: vietnamtourism

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Saigon, Vietnam Vespa Boutique

I was driving down Hai Ba Truong Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and came upon this cute little Vespa with "Vespa Care" on it's side.

Personally, I don't get the whole Vespa thing. Why would I want to drive a motorbike every day that is noisy, heavy, slow, uncomfortable, high-maintenance, and in addition has a negative social stigma? People who drive old motorbikes in Vietnam, besides foreigners, are generally believed to be either poor or gay.

The whole concept of the value of antiques is lost on the Vietnamese. They generally figure that someone buys or has or rides something old because they can't afford anything better. I've tried to explain the value of vintage items to classes many times; there's a unit in our textbook that has characters shopping in a vintage clothing store. My students end up just shaking their heads in disbelief: why would anyone pay a premium for old stuff?

But I know why foreigners like Vespas: it's a macho thing. Driving a "scooter" makes you a wimp, so you drive an antique in hopes of looking hip instead. I've also seen foreign guys who drive motocross bikes like the Yamaha Enduro- it's all about image. Their masculinity is threatened by driving a scooter.

photo: AP

But if it's macho enough for Brad Pitt, then it's macho enough for me: when Brangelina sped around Saigon on a motorbike a couple years ago (chased by paparazzi of course), it wasn't on a vintage Vespa; they drove a sleek black modern Yamaha Nouvo.

My Honda Wave is comfortable, dependable, quiet, quick, and blends in.

It's not just a Vespa store it's a Vespa Boutique. Unfortunate that the sign is hardly visible behind the tree and power lines.

The Vespa Boutique is across the street from the United States Consulate and after I snapped this photo I heard a whistle and looked up to find an agitated gun-toting guard waving at me to move along. Looking back, I wish I had taken a photo of him, but I moved on instead.

source: livinginsaigonvietnam blog

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