Ho Chi Minh City’s most profoundly emotional collection is displayed at its War Remnants Museum, where visitors learn more than they wanted about what is called the American War.
Author Archives: John Gottberg Anderson
Book Review: Angkor in Modern Cambodia
My review of John Burgess’ new book, Angkor’s Temple in the Modern Era, has been published by the East-West News Service. Please also see my 2023 story on Angkor. Angkor Wat: Cambodia’s 9th century temple complex fights to preserve its past | East-West News Service
25. Tay Ninh and the Cao Dai Religion
The Cao Dai faith is an otherworldly blend of Asian, European and mystical beliefs. Its mother temple is a mere 80 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City.
Saigon Soars into the 21st Century
Sharing a link from the East West News Service, which published this feature in March 2021.
24. Celebrating Tét
Vietnam’s biggest annual holiday celebration is Tet, the lunar new year. It’s kind of like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day rolled into one.
23. Mugged
Getting mugged in any city is no laughing matter. It may only be about money, but after it happens, will you ever feel safe again?
22. A Palace Intrigue
Once the seat of government of republican South Vietnam, Independence Palace is now a “national cultural and historical relic” and a popular attraction for tourists in Ho Chi Minh city.
21. My Motorcycle Song
Ho Chi Minh city can be a lonely place if you’re not ready to climb aboard a motorbike. But beware the crosswalks.
20. Flying High in Mui Né
The Vietnamese beach town of Mui Ne is one of the best places in Southeast Asia to take up the sports of kite surfing and paragliding.
19. Crazy About DaLat
Visitors may marvel at the quirky Hang Nga Crazy House, but that’s not the only architectural oddity to stir interest in this Central Highlands city.
18. A Visit to DaLat
A holiday in the Central Highlands yields delightfully cool temperatures, great street food, year-round flowers and a beautiful town-center lake.
17. Christmas in Vietnam
Although its Christian population is relatively small, Vietnam is all about wishing you a merry Christmas.
16. In the Time of Corona
In this late 2020 blog, the author praised Vietnam for its record of remarkable success against COVID-19. The following year, the situation reversed itself dramatically.
15. Kindergarten Pop
English teaching is big business in Vietnam, where it seems everyone wants to learn the world’s most widely spoken language. But it can be a challenge for a novice instructor.
14. The Sacred and the Profane
A celebration of the Tet holiday, in a Mekong Delta village, is a magical mystery tour of Buddhist spirituality, drinking games, unthinkable foods and cockfights.
13. Journey to the Mekong
Nearly 80 percent of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is covered with rice. The region is always wet and green. But a visit to a tiny riverside village is a cultural adventure as well as a geographic one.
12. No Thanksgiving? No Problem
Where does an expatriate eat Thanksgiving dinner when it’s being served half a world away? There is a plethora of international restaurant options in Ho Chi Minh City.
11. Going with the Phở
Served everywhere in Vietnam and in restaurants around the world, phở is the ultimate comfort food.
10. Hem Sweet Hem
The author finds a place to live in central Ho Chi Minh City. It may not be charming, but it’s definitely quaint. …
9. My Brilliant (Acting) Career
Having once appeared in a school play, the author decides to explore a career in acting. The audition went smoothly, and then …
Travels in Vietnam 