I used to go back packing around the world - once a year I would take all my annual leave in one go to go travelling. I visited Vietnam three times over Christmas/New year in 1991/2, 1992/3 and 1993/4.

I usually travelled light, with little more than a change of clothes, but on the 1992/3 trip I borrowed a camcorder and made a video record of the trip. I went from Saigon to Hue, via Na trang and Da nang on the Reunification Express, with a few side trips from Siagon to the Coconut monk island near Mia Tho in the delta, the Cochi tunnels (of course) and VunTao.All made so much easier than it would have been by my "Mr Fix it" guide Mr Phi who I hired in Saigon.

Back then of course Vietnam was a very poor country, only just emerging from the harsh years of war and isolation, the video does contain some shots of grinding poverty and deformed kids caused by the Agent Orange spraying I guess. But it also shows a wonderful country and some amazing sights.

The place has changed a lot since this video was taken so I hear, you'll probably be amazed at how much I don't doubt. Perhaps one day I'll get back there to see for myself! If you know the places features, I'd be interested to know what they are like now.

I present Vietnam: The Movie, all 15 parts of it (a bit over 3 hours!)

TDuMpWM7Ilw

-nTLsyakWo8

95i-33rz7uA

Jhfooz7ao5A

AnmBNgp_ctI

WxyCi2PejEM

y5oxa07XYqQ

HW7mzExVNaM

EYkWG0-c99c

spxO8pPikIw

-TWTlVCvwvY

bnDwUj7qoz4

RY3hnpHWIJ8

dEHLkR2oiOY

Lsdr15XKmCM

Enjoy

Derek

Thanks alot mate :) ^^ I love watching videos but I think that you just had posted them in a wrong section lol

Anyway, your location is Norwich, Norfolk isn't it???

Oh thanks. :)
Trogn video có cái toàn nàh gì ỏ bến BĐ mà bác Chinatown với Vanboy bàn luận đó. ^^

Thanks alot mate :) ^^ I love watching videos but I think that you just had posted them in a wrong section lol

Anyway, your location is Norwich, Norfolk isn't it???

Which section would be better for them? I can always do it again! Yeah, I'm in Norwich UK

Derek

Which section would be better for them? I can always do it again! Yeah, I'm in Norwich UK

Derek

This is a right section here.Wow 1992 that is a longtime ago.Have You Ever Thought About Going Back to Vietnam again?If not its gonna surprise you for sure.

This is a right section here.Wow 1992 that is a longtime ago.Have You Ever Thought About Going Back to Vietnam again?If not its gonna surprise you for sure.

I'd love to go back for sure - perhaps one day!

There's so much I would like to see, for example the street shown in section 14 is Le Lai in Saigon (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=saigon+vietnam+le+lia&sll=10.793619,106.645698&sspn=0.06686,0.111494&g=saigon+vietnam+le+lai&ie=UTF8&hq=le+lia&hnear=Ho+Chi+Minh+City,+Vietnam&ll=10.769894,106.693154&spn=0.00209,0.003484&t=h&z=19), the section between Nguyen Thi Nghia and Nguyen Van Trang. Looking at the google maps pictures it seems like a different world now.

Derek

OMG that's Le Lai St :omg:

take a look at this, I can't believe it! :O
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1216/5226370186d52665d98fb.jpg

so great, this theard is awesome :cheers:

Goc' do' it chup nhi~ . :lol:

OMG that's Le Lai St :omg:

take a look at this, I can't believe it! :O
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/1216/5226370186d52665d98fb.jpg

The hotel balcony I took that shot from would have been just about on the extreme left of that picture, more or less where that white buiding is, next to the pink one or perhaps just out of shot.

The white building behind the tower (New world?) was U/C at the time.

Derek

From 1992 to 2010 is a span of 18 years man! Almost 20 years!
It should be a lot different, especially since we started from a very low point.

In 20 years the Chinese built a modern metropolis (Shenzhen) from scratch:
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/magazine/20080608_SHENZHEN_FEATURE/index.html

Hanoi is no different from HCMC. Too slow!

Trong khoảng thập niên 90, chính xác là 1991 và 1993 tôi có trở lại SG, thú thiệt thời bấy giờ SG chưa có gì cả vẫn những chiếc xe đạp, xe xích lô chạy đầy đường phố, con người thời bấy giờ vẫn hốc hác, ăn mặc sộc sêch, cả SG thời bấy giờ chỉ có một cái New World Hotel là được xây mới và hiện đại nhất. Việt Kiều như ta đi đâu cũng bị bà con tụm lại xì xồ, Việt Kiều ... Việt Kiều ... y như là mình mới trên trời xuống thăm trần gian vậy , ăn xin thì bám theo từng dòng, từng dòng . Buồn !!! Cái kỉ niệm lần đầu về VN ấy thật khó quên, khi máy bay đáp xuống phi trường TSN vào buổi tối, ta cố ngó ra cửa kính máy bay để hy vọng được xem một thành phố SG điện sáng chưng như thế nào, nhưng khi máy bay đã đáp xuống sân băng rồi mà ta vẫn chưa hay vì tối quá, cả một vùng trời bao la tối thui. Ta quá thất vọng vì đỉnh cao trí tuệ sau 15 năm lãnh đạo đất nước đây ư . Buồn !!!

Thanks to the Communist party, the state and the god damn Uncle Ho, Saigon is super poor at that time :lol: they should be remembered for their great great contribution =))

Trong khoảng thập niên 90, chính xác là 1991 và 1993 tôi có trở lại SG, thú thiệt thời bấy giờ SG chưa có gì cả vẫn những chiếc xe đạp, xe xích lô chạy đầy đường phố, con người thời bấy giờ vẫn hốc hác, ăn mặc sộc sêch, cả SG thời bấy giờ chỉ có một cái New World Hotel là được xây mới và hiện đại nhất. Việt Kiều như ta đi đâu cũng bị bà con tụm lại xì xồ, Việt Kiều ... Việt Kiều ... y như là mình mới trên trời xuống thăm trần gian vậy , ăn xin thì bám theo từng dòng, từng dòng . Buồn !!! Cái kỉ niệm lần đầu về VN ấy thật khó quên, khi máy bay đáp xuống phi trường TSN vào buổi tối, ta cố ngó ra cửa kính máy bay để hy vọng được xem một thành phố SG điện sáng chưng như thế nào, nhưng khi máy bay đã đáp xuống sân băng rồi mà ta vẫn chưa hay vì tối quá, cả một vùng trời bao la tối thui. Ta quá thất vọng vì đỉnh cao trí tuệ sau 15 năm lãnh đạo đất nước đây ư . Buồn !!!

:lol::lol:

bác nguyễnd sao mà bác tếu thế này mà nhà nước không trao giải NSUT cho bác nhẩy

cháu nghĩ bà con bu lại đi theo bác là vì bác qúa tếu........làm họ phân vân không biết đâu là thật đâu là giả.........chẳng biết bác là người trần gian hay ở trển xuống............cháu nghĩ vậy đó :lol::lol:

sao mà tếu , tếu chỗ lào hử cháu Cunink ?

Thanks to the Communist party, the state and the god damn Uncle Ho, Saigon is super poor at that time :lol: they should be remembered for their great great contribution =))

I think to be fair there was a bit more to it than that. What I found back in the early 90's despite the grinding poverty though was a genuine pride in a united country and a warm welcome from the people who were happy to see foreigners come back.

The whole bleak period of the 1960's was a terrible mess that should never have happened, but it did and now it's over. I think it's wonderful how the country is looking forward and developing.

It's right that we should never forget the bad things that have happened, but it is also right that we should look forward, which is what Vietnam seems to have done.

I did try to translate the Vietnamese comments above with google translator, but it didn't work very well.

Like I say, if anyone can identify places in my videos I'd love to see how they look now.

Derek

To translate my quote above for those who can't read Vietnamese


In the 90th, exactly in 1991 and 1993, I returned to Vietnam after more than a decade living abroad. To be honest, SG at that time was terriblely poor, with old bycicles and cyclos scooting all around, the people was underfed, malnourish and dressed in rags. There was only one, the most modern New World Hotel, built at the time for the whole SG. Where ever I went, the people look at me and said "Viet Kieu...VietKieu" (Vietnamese living in the West) like I was from heaven came down to visit the earth. There were so many beggers lines up after me. It's quite sad. It was an unforgettable first time came back to Vietnam, when the aircraft landing at TSN airport at night time, I looked out the window in hope to see a modern SG with alot of tall buildings and bright skylines, but too dark. I didn't even know the aircraft had landed because it was very dark, the vast area of SG was dark. After 15 + years of reunification, our great leaders build the country like this ...? Sad !!!

I think to be fair there was a bit more to it than that. What I found back in the early 90's despite the grinding poverty though was a genuine pride in a united country and a warm welcome from the people who were happy to see foreigners come back.

Derek

I think that's how you perceived from a foreigner view
If you speak to VNmese at the time you know there were lots of pain and angers........since hundreds of thousands of families in the south were torn apart.......escaping to neighbouring countries and stayed in refugees camps and lost all connection with their relatives..........another percentage got arrested by the Vietcong and ended up in prisons, reeducation camps, labour ground in the countries sides............people were forced to leave their houses and their children were denied schooling in the south because they worked for the American.

I tell you that time,,,,,,there weren't much running water or power.......and the local police came by your houses every week to harrass you............so it ain't pretty..........and there ain't any pride except despair and agony

thanks for the videos though

I think that's how you perceived from a foreigner view

Maybe, but as you can see from the videos I didn't travel with other foreigners and for the most part I stayed in small hotels used by local people. I travelled with Mr Phi on this trip and other Vietnamese on the other visits, these were guides I picked up who were touting for business in downtown Siagon. Phi told me a lot about the conditions people lived in and I saw a lot of really bad poverty. Mr Phi and one of the other guides (who's name I forget sadly) had been to re-education camp actually.

[If you speak to VNmese at the time you know there were lots of pain and angers........since hundreds of thousands of families in the south were torn apart.......escaping to neighbouring countries and stayed in refugees camps and lost all connection with their relatives..........another percentage got arrested by the Vietcong and ended up in prisons, reeducation camps, labour ground in the countries sides............people were forced to leave their houses and their children were denied schooling in the south because they worked for the American.

Have a look at video 12, around 3min 40 as I'm waiting for the train in Hue there's some shots of a family being broken up by the father leaving for the US. There's lots of begging on the videos and you can see the people were desperate. There was also the terrible deformed kids which you can see in the videos.

But all that not withstanding I still found the people proud to be Vietnamese and welcoming on all my visits, even if the little kids did call me "Leesu" - which I think means Russian?

Derek

Leesu :\ oh in fact it is Lien Xo. Lien = Union, Xo = Soviet. Lien Xo means USSR

But all that not withstanding I still found the people proud to be Vietnamese and welcoming on all my visits, even if the little kids did call me "Leesu" - which I think means Russian?

Derek

In the 90th, the time that you were in Vietnam is the beginning open door period after years of closing out with the world. Within the closing door period the majority of the Caucasions that visited Vietnam are the Russians "LeeSu" and some of the Polishes, the Hungarians etc. , the communist brothers and therfore they would no doubt thought you are "LeeSu" .

Wow! thanks for sharing Derek. These videos is like a treasure, i hope you keep safe guarding them. Vietnamese now only know how to move forward and try to forget the past. :cheers:

From 1992 to 2010 is a span of 18 years man! Almost 20 years!
It should be a lot different, especially since we started from a very low point.

In 20 years the Chinese built a modern metropolis (Shenzhen) from scratch:
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/magazine/20080608_SHENZHEN_FEATURE/index.html

Hanoi is no different from HCMC. Too slow!

How can you compare Vietnam with China? first their population is what 5x 8x time bigger than us..second at that time China is ruled by Deng Xiaoping he was a reformer. and don't you forget after Vietnam war we dragged into conflict in Cambodia and with China. China using scorching earth policy that mean they destroyed all northern Vietnam infrastructure before retreating back to China..the reason for this is to slowed down Vietnam economy and Vietnam can't mobilized forces to attacked China. I'm not defend communist or anything but I think Vietnam communist used most of the money to rebuild infrastructure in northern Vietnam so the region don't lag behind southern part of Vietnam. In southern Vietnam already have basic infrastructure build by VNCH. So developing Hanoi and Saigon take longer than expected maybe in 1995 or 1997 we can see the changing. my 2 cent :)

I miss the firecrackers...and the French buildings in those streets in D3 were still intact.

How can you compare Vietnam with China? first their population is what 5x 8x time bigger than us..second at that time China is ruled by Deng Xiaoping he was a reformer. and don't you forget after Vietnam war we dragged into conflict in Cambodia and with China. China using scorching earth policy that mean they destroyed all northern Vietnam infrastructure before retreating back to China..the reason for this is to slowed down Vietnam economy and Vietnam can't mobilized forces to attacked China. I'm not defend communist or anything but I think Vietnam communist used most of the money to rebuild infrastructure in northern Vietnam so the region don't lag behind southern part of Vietnam. In southern Vietnam already have basic infrastructure build by VNCH. So developing Hanoi and Saigon take longer than expected maybe in 1995 or 1997 we can see the changing. my 2 cent :)

plus u forget to say that's only 10% of the problem..........90% being they isolated VN from the rest of the world by kicking out every foreign embassies, commerce, trade.........don't blame anything and anyone except the the stupidity from the Vietcongs

Maybe, but as you can see from the videos I didn't travel with other foreigners and for the most part I stayed in small hotels used by local people. I travelled with Mr Phi on this trip and other Vietnamese on the other visits, these were guides I picked up who were touting for business in downtown Siagon. Phi told me a lot about the conditions people lived in and I saw a lot of really bad poverty. Mr Phi and one of the other guides (who's name I forget sadly) had been to re-education camp actually.

Have a look at video 12, around 3min 40 as I'm waiting for the train in Hue there's some shots of a family being broken up by the father leaving for the US. There's lots of begging on the videos and you can see the people were desperate. There was also the terrible deformed kids which you can see in the videos.

But all that not withstanding I still found the people proud to be Vietnamese and welcoming on all my visits, even if the little kids did call me "Leesu" - which I think means Russian?

Derek

Dude don't try to spin the poverty, wars, repression, and complete degradation of Vietnam society as a result of foreigner power waging war in Vietnam. We are Vietnamese and we know the responsibility of abuse of power and the bad policy which led Vietnam into the sh*thouse lie! We know damn well who made all those disastrous policies and where it came from. Viet Cong are Viet Cong first and foremost. They could give a damn about ordinary Vietnamese that are not in their circle. Never in the history of Vietnam long history has Vietnamese ever fled Vietnam in droves that is now more 3 million strong. This is the direct result of the delusional fools who happen to inhabit power in Hanoi and happen to cultivate the cult of uncle assHo. There is a difference between being Vietnamese and loving one's own people, culture, nation first rather loving one political party, faction, etc. I think we know where the rulers of Vietnam currently lie.

There is a deep divide between Viet people and it is because there are those who support a copy cat Chinese dictatorship called the Viet Cong and those who believe in a non-communist, traditional Vietnam with its lineage derived from ancient Viet monarchy. I'd rather Vietnam embrace its ancient imperial past that be a crude copy cat Chinese Maoist state.

You saw only a glimpse of Vietnam and not the full complex nature of Vietnam society and its people. People in Vietnam are still struggling under this dictatorship and one day it will end. Vietnamese are no different from other people of the world. The entire world rejected communism. And most Vietnamese give a chance would reject the VC and their beliefs just as well. What makes Vietnamese different from the entire world in that belief? Communism was a retarded European idea and has nothing to do with traditional Vietnam values and beliefs.

Btw, I think they were calling you, "Lien Xo" which is same as Soviet.

I'm not defend communist or anything but I think Vietnam communist used most of the money to rebuild infrastructure in northern Vietnam so the region don't lag behind southern part of Vietnam. In southern Vietnam already have basic infrastructure build by VNCH. So developing Hanoi and Saigon take longer than expected maybe in 1995 or 1997 we can see the changing. my 2 cent :)

It looks to me now HN and Northern VN''s infrastructures are getting better than Southern VN now( Some even say that they are building so much in the North that now there are only for Cow and buffalo walking on them). Are they going to worry SouthernVN will be lagging behind the North in the future ?

plus u forget to say that's only 10% of the problem..........90% being they isolated VN from the rest of the world by kicking out every foreign embassies, commerce, trade.........don't blame anything and anyone except the the stupidity from the Vietcongs

After they invaded South Vietnam they had too much pride in them self and Communism was very strong at that time.

It looks to me now HN and Northern VN''s infrastructures are getting better than Southern VN now( Some even say that they are building so much in the North that now there are only for Cow and buffalo walking on them. Are they going to worry SouthernVN will be lagging behind the North in the future ?

What with southern Vietnam and northern Vietnam? There are only one Vietnam and northern Vietnam is where our ancestor come from..where everything started. without them we wouldn't have southern Vietnam in the first place lol

After they invaded South Vietnam they had too much pride in them self and Communism was very strong at that time.



What with southern Vietnam and northern Vietnam? There are only one Vietnam and northern Vietnam is where our ancestor come from..where everything started. without them we wouldn't have southern Vietnam in the first place lol

strong in what?
you see any advance technology, or commerce in VN during communist Russia still thriving? or Vietnamese still lining up to beg for food and a bar of cheap soap? communisim was strong but they helped VN in what? or VN waited hand and knees for the American to lift the embargo in 1995?

After they invaded South Vietnam they had too much pride in them self and Communism was very strong at that time.



What with southern Vietnam and northern Vietnam? There are only one Vietnam and northern Vietnam is where our ancestor come from..where everything started. without them we wouldn't have southern Vietnam in the first place lol

Really ? get real man .Southern VN was so much better off without our Northern Commies ,just until they invaded Southern VN everything has been going down hill ...well it's is obviously for Southern ppl not for Northerners ...look how many ''Dai gia'' from HN they have now compares to SG ...it seems that Southerners are going to be their slaves from now on , i don't care where VN to begin with ,what I care is everyone should have a good life , we only have 1 life to live ...so please spare Southerners for their own's sake not to look back to the past and worship some nonsense philosophy

We should worship Monkey without them there wouldn't be human GH :)

strong in what?
you see any advance technology, or commerce in VN during communist Russia still thriving? or Vietnamese still lining up to beg for food and a bar of cheap soap? communisim was strong but they helped VN in what? or VN waited hand and knees for the American to lift the embargo in 1995?

What i'm saying here is strong as influences and military. Soviet collapse in December 26 1991

Really ? get real man .Southern VN was so much better off without our Northern Commies ,just until they invaded Southern VN everything has been going down hill ...well it's is obviously for Southern ppl not for Northerners ...look how many ''Dai gia'' from HN they have now compares to SG ...it seems that Southerners are going to be their slaves from now on , i don't care where VN to begin with ,what I care is everyone should have a good life , we only have 1 life to live ...so please spare Southerners for their own's sake not to look back to the past and worship some nonsense philosophy

SIGH!

Hey, all you guys, nr23Derek just shares his story of Vietnam in 1992, so we - younger generation - have a chance to look into the past of our country ^^
Don't talk politics and don't fight each other here, all of you can go to skybar and do whatever you want :bash:
Thanks for nr23Derek to share his presious videos. In 1992, I am just a little girl and I cannot remember how Saigon looks like at that time :cheers:

Hey, all you guys, nr23Derek just shares his story of Vietnam in 1992, so we - younger generation - have a chance to look into the past of our country ^^
Don't talk politics and don't fight each other here, all of you can go to skybar and do whatever you want :bash:
Thanks for nr23Derek to share his presious videos. In 1992, I am just a little girl and I cannot remember how Saigon looks like at that time :cheers:

What do you mean don't look at the past??? LOL Why can't we look at the past? In Western and civilized countries they look at the past all the time!!! WTF??? :lol:

COMMUNISM was a dumbass idea and uncle Ho and his equally stupid ass VC brought it to Vietnam and made Vietnam the only African power in Asia!! LOL

So now we get to laugh at Viet Cong disastrous mistakes and tell them they are stupid!! LOL

What can they do? Shoot me!!

Yeah, let's move on. I agree. Just remember not to listen to stupid fools for leaders with so much power that they can drag a whole nation into ruin and kill their fellow countrymen for the sake of a lame ass, stupid, weirdo Euro idea, ok!! Even Europeans don't believe in the very idea that gave birth to it. A country led by pig and chicken farmers will, well, you guessed it, will fall for any stupid idea in vogue at the time! I just LMAO at their gullibility!


Ok, Viet Cong, you won the war albeit with lavish Soviet military hardware so make Vietnam a freaking COMMUNIST paradise!! Go follow Uncle Lien Xo to the toilet bowl while I sit back LOL!

it sadden me when people claimed to be rooted in the south with VNCH background and time and again spoke for the commie with passion with no particular logic from the first post to the last post

this thread gonna be close soon if u guy keep talking like this

Hey Derek u been in Saigon 1992 ? great i hope you can visit again someday it's kinda changing alot .

Some people have no respect to the well-intent of the Original Poster.

Some people have no respect to the well-intent of the Original Poster.

Yeah, but I suppose it's to be expected. I guess a lot of the people posting above are VN living abroad who were forced to leave the country when the north won the war. They're bound to feel that way, but it really is time to move on.

I would still like to see some updated scenes from my videos please :)

I do want to return to VN one day though, Somrach1, my only real fear is that it will now just be like anywhere else, big glass buildings, chain stores, cars... Back in 1992 it was a very special place despite the poverty, I hope it still is.

Derek

Some people have no respect to the well-intent of the Original Poster.

No one said Mr Dereck was doing a poor job by recording those Video , on the contrary He was doing an excellent job to show us how VN was in that period of time and shocking to see how poor VN was , that's why every one just want to leave the Country under the present regime of VN , even now I must say no matter how fast or how better it has changed now ,just give them an opportunity to leave , they will do it at any given time , it might be unique and special through the eyes of a westerner like Mr Dereck but it's a really hard life , not fun at all for Vietnamese ,even mR IN030921 left VN for Germany right my friend ? thank you Dereck for posting some shocking images like the man laying dead in the middle of the street and no one seemed to notice !

Yeah, but I suppose it's to be expected. I guess a lot of the people posting above are VN living abroad who were forced to leave the country when the north won the war. They're bound to feel that way, but it really is time to move on.

my only real fear is that it will now just be like anywhere else, big glass buildings, chain stores, cars... Back in 1992 it was a very special place despite the poverty, I hope it still is.

Derek

Dear Derek ! I don't understand why you ''Fear'' VN will be like any where else , big glass buildings , chain stores , cars ...? Do you want to see VN stay put as third world Country forever ? all those things you fear above also means that VN now can freely trade and not being isolated like in the 90's it will make some money and build nice buildings nice infrastructures to improve the ppl's lives VN will have less beggars and the streets will be cleaner unlike the ones you saw years ago _VNmese will be Vietnamese , we will always be smiling and hospitable to friends around the world , just like those ,whom now are residing in five continent of the world despite living in the real Material world we are still the same ppl , always grateful , happy and welcome friends that like to come to our lives :cheers:

Cosaonoivay, I didn't use the word "fear" too literally! To see VN a rich country would be good of course.

It's just that as the world develops everywhere becomes like everywhere else, the same shops, the same sounds. You can travel half way around the world and buy the same Big Mac!

Derek

Then VN will have to do it better than GB to get to the top of the world to be prosperous without having any Giant American enterprises involved or Western Corporations so that we will be differently rich :)

^^^^^^^^

Indeed :)

Actually, your signature raises a question for me

Do you remember a City once called Saigon in VN ?

I know Siagon is officially called Hi Chi Mihn City, but we still seem to hear the name "Saigon", what is the situation of the name now?

Derek

^^^^^^^^

Indeed :)

Actually, your signature raises a question for me



I know Siagon is officially called Hi Chi Mihn City, but we still seem to hear the name "Saigon", what is the situation of the name now?

Derek

I don't know what they call SG right now even though the Communist changed the name of that City from Saigon to HCM ...I personally like to call it Saigon because I think it nicer and doesn't have anything to do with Communist , you have to ask ppl that live there to tell you what the situation is for that City's name , i can't answer you that question , I'm sorry Derek !

Some people have no respect to the well-intent of the Original Poster.

If I don't respect the poster.........I didn't limit my saying in this thread.......I have many many things to reply to some members......trust me

Yeah, but I suppose it's to be expected. I guess a lot of the people posting above are VN living abroad who were forced to leave the country when the north won the war. They're bound to feel that way, but it really is time to move on.

I would still like to see some updated scenes from my videos please :)

I do want to return to VN one day though, Somrach1, my only real fear is that it will now just be like anywhere else, big glass buildings, chain stores, cars... Back in 1992 it was a very special place despite the poverty, I hope it still is.

Derek

I appreciate your post........like many members here

but Have you tried visiting a Jewish forum and say Germany was a mighty power during Hitler reign? try telling them, eventhough Hitler was ruthless he did put Germany on the map and gained the world's attention

or

perhaps try to visit a Muslim forum and say the comic drawing of Mohamed is kind of funny......lighten up....why do you guys have to protest

back to this thread

you said Vn was poor but had "pride and independent" and now you say most of the comments here are from Vietnamese overseas......do you know how many members here are from VN and feel the same and say the same?

we are moving on

only the commie gov isn't/......they still hurting our friends and relatives in VN.....which we are well aware of, because we still have relatives in VN........and that's the only reason why we have to speak up.......we are not narrow minded people who held the grudges for 35yrs.......it's the commie who still oppress the country and the people......please don;t be fooled by all the glass towers and shopping malls in VN.

I hope you can understand sensitive topic like this......like I said before and I say it again......thank you for posting

I hope you can understand sensitive topic like this......like I said before and I say it again......thank you for posting

Yeah I do appreciate the recent history of VN, it was the reason I went there actually.

I am perhaps a little surprised it's still such a raw subject though. I would love to talk about this further with you, but here's not the right place really, perhaps the skybar, but I've never been in that forum yet.

You might be interested to know that not too many people have looked at the videos yet, just 60 views, but they have come equally from VN and the USA, with just 8 from the UK and 4 from France

Derek

Communist need more time to fix,so give them. If they can't we-Vietnamese citizen will do fine our own. We're not really Communist at all now :) Just a name :)

Thanks Derek for this great video :)

For all the Viet Cong lovers out there, I'm curious how is that communism thing working out for you?? LOL Look who is talking about dumb. And about moving on, look who is the dumbass who still quote Marx, Lenin, Mao, Ho Chi Minh as if their lame ass ideas had anything to do with the modern world! What God damn country still fly a stupid hammer and sickle flag? Even in Russia they discarded all those emblems of communism. And Eastern Europe, how many people fly commie flags, quote Marxist Leninist cow dung?

The only ones stuck in the past are the pea brain Viet Cong and their equally pea brain descendants who enjoy the benefits of a capitalist world from the loot their daddies receive from Korean, Singaporean, and Taiwanese businessmen.

The days of crude one party government are over! More and more countries are democratic than ever before. It is Viet Cong with their copy cat Soviet style and Chinese style government that is stuck in the past.

The reality is the majority of people on this Earth clearly rejected communism as unworkable, unrealistic, barbaric and immoral.

Vietnam will never be a normal, respected country without the inherent respect for human rights, political pluralism, transparency and independent judiciary. All the things that make a country modern and civilized is lacking. It is the VC who is the odd ball in the modern world. They want to cling on to primitivism, primitive behavior, primitive values. The world will not change into the ways of primitive behavior of Viet Cong. It is the Viet Cong who have to evolve and become civilized. Let's be clear who the hell is looking back to the past!!

stuff

Look Siddude, go away and leave us to talk about the real world VN, eh?

Like I say, if you want to talk about the American war in Vietnam I'll happily join you in the Skybar. Just not here, eh?

Derek

Look Siddude, go away and leave us to talk about the real world VN, eh?

Like I say, if you want to talk about the American war in Vietnam I'll happily join you in the Skybar. Just not here, eh?

Derek

What do you mean "real world" Vietnam? Vietnam is one of the last remaining retarded Communist dictatorhsips of the world. That is real! I have more of a connection to Vietnam than you. My family is from there. My ancestors died there. Who the hell do you think you are? Why is it an "American War"? It was a war between the nationalists and the communists. Don't twist things around.

I see what kind of person you are. You're the typical white dude who happens to have a weird fetish for 3rd world communist dictatorships. Amazing. Did you volunteer to be a human shield in the Iraq war to protect Saddam Hussein? LOL... Man that was so laughable! All these weirdo Euro leftists chickened out at the last minute when they realize that they were going to be bombed!! :) I'll comment on a thread if I choose to. Alright sportie!! I care what goes on in Vietnam. Viet Kieu do a lot of charity work in Vietnam because the asswipe government could give a rat's ass about ordinary Vietnamese that toil the field from sun up to sun down.

Don't order me. I'm not your commie flunkie, sporto!

What do you mean "real world" Vietnam? Vietnam is one of the last remaining retarded Communist dictatorhsips of the world. That is real! I have more of a connection to Vietnam than you. My family is from there. My ancestors died there. Who the hell do you think you are? Why is it an "American War"? It was a war between the nationalists and the communists. Don't twist things around.

I see what kind of person you are. You're the typical white dude who happens to have a weird fetish for 3rd world communist dictatorships. Amazing. Did you volunteer to be a human shield in the Iraq war to protect Saddam Hussein? LOL... Man that was so laughable! All these weirdo Euro leftists chickened out at the last minute when they realize that they were going to bombed!! :) I'll comment on a thread if I choose too. Alright sportie!! I care what goes on in Vietnam. Viet Kieu do a lot of charity work in Vietnam because the asswipe government could give a rat's ass to ordinary Vietnamese that toil the field from sun up to sun down.

Don't order me. I'm not your commie flunkie, sporto!

PLEASE! STOP!

PLEASE! STOP!

Word is Don't feed the troll.

Derek

First and foremost let me say thank you to Derek for a wonderful and full of memories videos about your trip to Vietnam.I truly enjoyed it since a lot of places in that series, I didn't have a chance to see it myself while I still live in Vietnam.(I left way before those videos taken)

Secondly to keep your thread full of a good memories for what it has intended to be,I strongly suggest that you (and everyone else here in Vietnam forum) should leave the politics out as we are all know,It is a very sensitive subject right now for Vietnam as a whole and for the rest of us Vietnamese living in and outside of Vietnam.

When all said,I hope you will revisit Vietnam again soon,to update the second part of series after a long nineteen years gap.

Again, thank you for posting.


Cheers.

Here are some updates for you :cheers:

1) Tubehouse on Nguyen Hue Street

1992
http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8114/001as.jpg

Now
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/32/001bfj.jpg

2/ Cong Quynh- Nguyen Trai intersection

1992
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/8537/002abk.jpg

Now
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5356/002brt.jpg

3/ Reunification Palace

1992
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/589/003ar.jpg

Now
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/5104/003bfu.jpg

4/ Phu Dong Thien Vuong roundabout

1992
http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/4192/004an.jpg

Now
http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/7812/004bb.jpg

5/ New World hotel

1992
http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/4336/005aumx.jpg

Now : New World hotel and A&B tower
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/2619/005buu.jpg

I assume you stayed in the backpacker area (near Thai Binh market)

6/ Thai Binh market

1992
http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/7916/006aoj.jpg

Now
http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/26/006brb.jpg

7/ Backpacker area
You stayed in Pham Ngu Lao street or Le Lai street?

1992
http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/9434/007azw.jpg

Now

-Pham Ngu Lao street

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8831/007cub.jpg

http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/2575/007dew.jpg

-Le Lai street

http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/213/008af.jpg

http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/2791/008bx.jpg

Cosaonoivay, I didn't use the word "fear" too literally! To see VN a rich country would be good of course.

It's just that as the world develops everywhere becomes like everywhere else, the same shops, the same sounds. You can travel half way around the world and buy the same Big Mac!

Derek

I understand your argument but I cannot say I agree ^^
Not every city is destined to become another Paris, London or Shanghai, Beijing ...
As long as the living quality is improving, people will be satisfied and happy with their lives
Ask any young Vietnamese the question: "You want to live in a thousands-year-old, unique and beautiful city but the living standard is low (like Hanoi)? Or you want to live in a modern city with high living standard (like Singapore)?"
80-90% young Vietnamese will choose Singapore
I don't mind Saigon becoming another Singapore at all! But i fear that saigon will become another Bangkok :lol:

7/ Backpacker area
You stayed in Pham Ngu Lao street or Le Lai street?

I stayed in Le Lai, in the block which now has a KFC according to google maps. The road you see to the left with the park behind is Nugyen Thi Nghia and Pham Ngu Lao is on the other side of the bus park / wasteground opposite.

Most VN I met were shocked I was staying there because it was such a poor area - and dangerous they said, because of all the heroin addicts. But to be honest I found it much less hassle than downtown where I was constantly followed by beggers and groups of kids (although it was never aggressive).

Although there was a lot of heroin it didn't feel that dangerous on Le Lai, I didn't have any problems and there weren't any begger gangs. Other backpackers I talked to had no problems either, including girls walking alone at night.

Thanks for the before and after pictures - that's just what I hoped this thread would show. More please :)

Sigongirl:
Ask any young Vietnamese the question: "You want to live in a thousands-year-old, unique and beautiful city but the living standard is low (like Hanoi)? Or you want to live in a modern city with high living standard (like Singapore)?"

You could also ask the question "You want to live in a thousands-year-old, unique and beautiful city but the living standard is high"? It is possible! You don't know what you've got till it's gone!

Derek

You could also ask the question "You want to live in a thousands-year-old, unique and beautiful city but the living standard is high"? It is possible! You don't know what you've got till it's gone!

Derek

maybe you're right but in my opinion, one toilet for the whole platoon is very very low living quality :lol:

anyway, I got ur hotel :D

http://commondatastorage.googleapis.com/static.panoramio.com/photos/original/1810436.jpg

maybe you're right but in my opinion, one toilet for the whole platoon is very very low living quality :lol:

anyway, I got ur hotel :D



Yeah, I guess it was where the white building with dark windows is now. It could even be the same building having been refurbished actually, it's about the right size. The hotel was a 60's building with rooms opening to balcolnies running along the front.

Good to see Le lai is still a jumble of sifferent styles though :)

So what's the big concrete building in the foreground? I assume it's still u/c?

Derek

Good to see Le lai is still a jumble of sifferent styles though :)

So what's the big concrete building in the foreground? I assume it's still u/c?

Derek

it's done :( damn ugly. First they intended to build a 38 storey skyscraper here but the 1998 crisis stroke them. Now all we have gotten so far is rubbish in central saigon
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2610/19520575.jpg

it's done :( damn ugly. First they intended to build a 38 storey skyscraper here but the 1998 crisis stroke them. Now all we have gotten so far is rubbish in central saigon

Eek! It's blue! I was expecting something gleaming white with dark smoked windows.

It does seem a bit strange for a location like that I must admit. Still, it's better than the dead area which was there before.

Derek