The prelude CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC
VIETNAM EDITION MARCH 2014
W
hen tourists first arrive in Vietnam, they are struck (sic) by the traffic. The terror of crossing the road transfixes them as they watch the motorbikes stream by, moving left and right without abandon. Through their eyes they see chaos without order, madness without reason, a traffic system beyond their
imaginings. Yet there is rhyme to what at first seems to be a lack of reason. And if you can describe the traffic in this country as chaos, then a necessary qualifier would need to be added — ‘organised’. Because traffic elsewhere is based around the mighty car, seeing it formed in a different way, through an endless trail of motorbikes, creates an
assault on the senses, an assault unique to Vietnam. Yet the humble — or, these days, not-sohumble motorbike — is not about just getting from A to B. It is a phenomenon that over the past two decades has become the lifeblood of Vietnam. Although growing numbers of cars and trucks are entering the traffic system, without the almost 40
million two-wheelers roaming the country’s roads, Vietnam would come to a standstill. Literally. Motorbikes are the arbiters of this country’s development, the engine of its move into the 21st century. They are the transport of the people, the vehicles that make this country move. We hope you enjoy the issue! — Nick Ross, editor@ wordvietnam.com
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THIS MONTH'S COVER Cover by DH Advertising Photo by Yves Schiepek
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VIETNAM EDITION FEBRUARY 2014
The February Issue Read the magazine cover to cover this month. Excellent. The best issue yet. Loved the 24 Hours in Vietnam concept. Very well thought out. Isn’t it amazing to see the contrasts between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City? — RR Hey, I was reading through your magazine and I found it very confusing. I’m never sure what is Hanoi and what is Ho Chi Minh City until I start reading the article. You need to make it clearer. — DC The cover of your present issue didn’t make sense to me. Putting all those photos on there made it hard to work out what the idea was. — GN Clever idea for your cover. A photo feature story and a contact sheet on the front. Like the negatives we used to get back in the old days when photography was still done with film. — KM
Mr. McDonald’s (February 2014, page 42) Don’t get the obsession with McDonald’s. What’s all the fuss about? Isn’t there any better news in Vietnam at the moment? — SJ Interesting article. Never knew this was Maccy D’s first new market for 15 years. Sounds like the Big Mac Index could be quite important for Vietnam. — DC
Ten-Dollar Man (February 2014, page 40) Hahahaha! That is so funny. Did he actually let you take that photo? Everyone knows that guy. — JD
Insider
MR. MCDONALD’S 042 // THE HIGH LIFE 044 // 24 HOURS IN VIETNAM 046 // DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE 078 // THE CUBAN BROTHERS 080 // GREEN LIVING 082 // HOLISTIC HANOI 086 // THE SIVANANDA LIFESTYLE 092 // MADE IN VIETNAM 100 // TO THE LIGHTHOUSE 104 // BANH MY THIT XIEN NUONG 105 // SAIGON’S BEST PHO 106 // CYBER-PATS 108 // THE LAND OF MANY COLOURS 114 PHOTO BY NICK ROSS
Ten Dollar Man, one of The Pham in Saigon’s most enduring characters. We didn’t buy the watch.
Do you think he sells anything? — BN
40 | Word February 2014
8 | Word March 2014
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February 2014 Word | 41