ENJOYING TẾT IN TÂY GIANG* On Tet morning, I woke up beside a long-extinguished stove, and through the window, darkness still reigned except for a faint light from the small electric lamp atop the flagpole at Pơloong Plênh’s house. The incessant chorus of croaking frogs filled the air. Last night, two of my companions had been drinking with some Cơtu …

More than 50 years have passed since the Americans withdrew from Monkey Mountain (the Son Tra Peninsula, Da Nang, Vietnam). The landscape has changed dramatically, and hardly anyone remembers Boom Boom Rock anymore—or if they do, they assume it no longer exists. Yet, Boom Boom Rock still stands there in perfect condition, hidden amid dense foliage, as if silently waiting …

That Sunday morning, I embarked on a century ride—cycling from Da Nang through Hội An to Linh Ứng Pagoda on the Son Trà Peninsula—and completed exactly 100 km after passing Red Beach and returning home. Arriving in Hội An before 6 a.m., with mist shrouding every corner and sleepy boats drifting along the Hoài River, I was startled to discover …

Returning to the Homeland of Gò Nổi The New Land Has Finally Turned Green (*) Last Sunday, while cycling to Duy Vinh, I checked in at the Do Do village featured in Nguyễn Nhật Ánh’s Mắt Biếc when, passing by Cau Lau Bridge, I caught sight of Gò Nổi in the middle of the Thu Bồn River. That image made …

Last week, while cycling to Duy Vinh, I passed by some old brick kilns and snapped a few photos to post on Facebook. A friend commented, asking if I had visited Nồi Rang Market. The unusual name immediately piqued my curiosity, so I googled it and decided to organize a weekend cycling trip with a few friends to explore it. …

That day, while cycling to Tien Sa Port, I visited the Espanol Cemetery and happened to discover an abandoned church on Sơn Trà Mountain (Monkey Mountain), less than 100 meters away from the cemetery. Surprisingly, thousands of results can be found on Google containing information related to “Espanol cemetery”, “Spanish cemetery” or “Ossuaire” but almost no information can be found …

QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, My name is Th., and I am currently living and working in Ho Chi Minh City. At the moment, I am working on several projects related to international payments. However, to be honest, I know nothing about this field because my background is in construction. I have been struggling quite a bit with international trade …

Lần đầu tiên, Mr. Old Man đi xe bus từ Đà Nẵng đến Hội An và ngược lại, mang theo chiếc xe đạp gấp 3 Sixty. Đó một trải nghiệm thú vị và đáng nhớ: Mr. Old Man đạp xe ra trạm xe bus gần nhà và chờ ở đó chừng 20 phút là lên xe bus, suốt hành trình …

Một năm trước, nhân dịp Bill Gates cùng bạn gái Paula Hurd nghỉ dưỡng ở Đà Nẵng, Mr. Old Man đã viết bài “Ăn theo Bill Gates.” Thời điểm đó, truyền thông Việt Nam rầm rộ đưa tin rằng chuyến đi của vị tỷ phú này sẽ truyền cảm hứng du lịch cho nhiều người và góp phần nâng cao …

QUESTION Dear Mr. Old Man, Please help me with this case: The L/C requires the following document: “Certificate of Antibiotic and Chemical certified by NAFIQAD” We presented two separate documents: Certificate of Antibiotic Certificate of Chemical However, the bank refused the documents, stating that they should have been presented as a single document instead of two separate ones. Please provide …