While it is true that the local police probably won’t stop you to avoid the difficult situation of speaking foreign languages, in case of a traffic accident you are the underdog. The insurance companies won’t cover the costs if you crash driving without a license, and traffic accidents are all too common in Vietnam – every day more than 30 people die in traffic accidents in Vietnam. So it pays off to get a license.

There are agencies that will guide you through the process of getting a license, and sometimes you might even be offered the easy – and illegal – way of paying a few million dongs to get the license straight away. However, if you are willing to put some time and effort into it, you can easily get the license on your own – and much cheaper.

Most foreigners already have a driving license from their home country, and the good news is that basically you just need a Vietnamese translation of it, accompanied with photos, to get a local license. If your license allows you to drive only a car and not a motorbike, it’s not a big problem either – you’ll just have to pass a motorbike-driving test.

Here are the steps of getting a Vietnamese driving license for a car and a motorbike in Vung Tau, presuming you already have at least a car license from your home country (the prices mentioned are from the year 2011):

1. You’ll need face photos – 4 is enough. You can get them in any local camera shop for a few thousand dongs.

2. Visit the Department of Transportation with your passport and original driving license to get an application form for Vietnamese driving license. You must have a visa for at least 3 months in order to apply. Remember to mention you want to drive a motorbike, too.

The Department of Transportation, 93 Ly Thuong Kiet, Ward 1.

3. Go to Foreign Affairs Department to get a Vietnamese translation of your original driving license. The cost of translation depends on how exotic country you come from. From English the translation costs 60 000 dong. It will take a few days, and on top of that they can fill out your application form as well.

Foreign Affairs Department, 38 Nguyen Truong To, Ward 3.

4. With the translation, return to the Department of Transportation and hand over the filled application – you’ll need the photos, too. This would be enough to get a Vietnamese driving license similar to the one you already have, but if you need the motorbike license as well, they will next guide you to take the motorbike driving-test.

5. So it’s back to driving school. Go to their office with all the documents given to you to reserve a time for the driving test. The tests are held every other Saturday, and since they are quite booked, it’s likely you’ll have to wait a month or so. Booking a time will cost you 30,00 dong.

The office is hiding behind a gas station at 205 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Ward 3.

6. On your given Saturday go to the driving school facility.

The driving school facility at Duong 3/2, Ward 11.

It isn’t yet the time for your test drive, but a chance to practice. Simply put, it’s driving along an eight-figure painted on the ground, followed by an easy route driving between the lines. You must drive in the right direction and exit the eight-figure after a round and a half. You can see the correct performance in here:

7. Your actual test comes a week later. Go early, so you’ll have some time to warm up by driving some last minute practice rounds.

Last practice before the test.

After a while you’ll be lined up with the others taking the test in front of the jury. When they shout your name, drive. The crucial things in the test are:

- The test has to be driven using a manual motorbike, not an automatic.
- The bike you use must have a mirror on the left side.
- You must not stop or touch the ground with your feet.
- You must stay within the lines.
- You’ll get only one shot.

If you fail, you can try again after two weeks without further notice, and so on, until you pass. Each failure will cost you additional 40,000 dong.

After you pass, you’ll go to classroom with others who succeeded, and pay 40,000 dong for the test (plus failures, if you had any). At this point you’ll have an option to pay an extra 20,000 dong for a laminated license. Considering the license’s low paper quality, I suggest you do this.

A week from here you can visit the Department of Transportation to pick up your Vietnamese driving license, and hit the road – legally.

Text and photos: Juhana Lumme
VCC

The experience of other Asian cities such as Siem Riep (Cambodia), Pattaya (Thailand) was taken as a basis.
Market will be located on the area of 4 hectares right behind Medicoast, Imperial and Sammy hotels and will have one main street and several small streets with many stalls and kiosks.

Parking for 500 cars is also in project. The total investment in this project will be more then 1,1 millions USD.

VCC
Dmitry Shinkarenko

Based on the above definitions Vung Tau has a number of beer gardens, mostly domestic in form; ‘bia’ and ‘vuon’ (minus accents) translates directly as ‘beer’ and ‘garden’ although that’s an expression Vietnamese are unlikely to use (bia hoi—minus accents—may be more common) even if many of their drinking establishments—particularly cafes—are very garden-like in nature.

If it’s a biergarten you want then the Imperial’s Bavarian Beer Garden is the closest such facsimile. Located at Back Beach alongside Thuy Van Road it is across the street from the Imperial Hotel and bears surprising similarities to the beer gardens you might find in Europe.

The Bavarian Beer Garden is modelled after the Hofbräuhaus brewery’s beer garden (Hofbräuhaus am Platzl) in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. Established in 1589 and operating to this day it also licenses Hofbräuhaus beer gardens around the world including New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, Houston, Melbourne, Seoul, Shanghai and Dubai (whether or not Vung Tau’s version is officially licensed isn’t entirely clear considering Vietnam’s—and Asia’s in general—tendency to liberally borrow trademarks and copyrights).

Of course the key ingredient of any beer garden is beer and no German beer garden would be complete without a Bavarian beer conforming to the ‘Bavarian Beer Purity Law’ of 1516. This is the law that greatly reduces your chances of a hangover by stating that only natural ingredients be used in the brewing process (it also saved Bavaria from being sacked and burned, but that’s another story…).

Happily the Bavarian Beer Garden delivers, in quality and quantity; you can lose yourself in a Dunkel Muncher Weisse (yellow) or Dunkel Schwarze Weisse (black) ranging in sizes from .3 litre to a very German 1 litre. The latter size being the one often seen—in multiples!—in the hands of busty barmaids during Oktoberfest.

Dunkel—or dunkles—is a dark German beer; quite literally ‘dunkel beer’ translates as ‘dark beer’ and they range from amber to a dark reddish brown; their taste is malty and smooth. The yellow Muncher Weisse is a fruity and sweet wheat beer which is darker than the more common hefeweizen wheat beer.

If it’s a more solid taste of Germany that you crave (or require after all the litre mugs of dunkel) the menu boasts some traditional dishes as well; from pretzels and potato salad to bratwurst (pork sausage that is typically fried or grilled) and schnitzel (thin slice of veal or other light meat, coated in breadcrumbs and fried). It may not be quite as convincing as that found in a Munich rathskeller (Rahm-champignon sauce, anyone?) but it’s much more reasonable than airfare.

In my opinion the biggest disappointment at the Bavarian Beer Garden is the music; it’s neither Eastern European (Oom-Pah), nor European generally speaking (aside from the odd cover song from ABBA or such). Sometimes (weekends, I think) there is a live band playing the cover songs heard and, apparently, loved throughout Vung Tau or else it is canned music playing much the same.

I’m not saying they require a traditional band but something which makes reference to beer halls, Germany or Europe would be pleasant and create a richer, more complete experience.

Sources: Imperial Hotel, Hofbräuhaus.de, Wikipedia.org

Article and photographs: Yuri Doric — yuridoric.tumblr.com

The KinderWorld Equation Group was founded in Singapore in 1986 with the opening of it’s first preschool. During the late 1990’s they extended into Vietnam, where in 2000 they opened KinderWorld International Kindergartens (preschool centres) and in 2004 Singapore International School (primary schools) all in Hanoi and HCMC. These were followed by schools in Nha Trang, Da Nang, Hue and, of course, Vung Tau.

The Vung Tau school was built to, apparently, “international standards, of design and architecture which is quite modern”, says Nguyen Ha Giang the Marketing Executive for for KinderWorld Kindergarten and Private School JSC in HCMC. And although looking quite smart amongst homes in the Dai An Residential Area it has resigned itself to the all to common multi-air conditioner design (as opposed to a central cooling/heating unit) which is neither very forward thinking nor modern, internationally speaking.

Design and architecture aside I was told the student’s education is complimented by up to date audio visual equipment and computers as well as an online interactive learning program which allows parents to take an active part in their children’s education and, presumably, alleviate the burden on the teachers.
The school has a well designed promotional package and a folder of press clippings which positively glow with professional credentials and journalistic praise; SIS appears to have assembled a curriculum that covers not only all grades but also a system which considers a student’s complete development with ongoing checks and measures, accreditation and continuing education preparedness along the way. The intention being to prepare students for a range of employment opportunities or in order to continue their education domestically and internationally.

The school uses a lot of rhetoric touting a curriculum that includes ‘meaningful connections’, ‘experimental learning’, ‘creative student-centred lessons’ as well as their their motto of “Eastern Values – Western Education”. Also, in the July 25 − 31, 2011 of TimeOut magazine, the schools’s principal, Dudley Schroeder, expresses an interest in “contributing to the growth of the Vung Tau community in general”. However, when I emailed him and requested further details on such a commitment no reply was forthcoming.

I spoke to at least one parent with a student enrolled at the school and they seemed pleased with the education their child was receiving and although the fee might be something of a burden for them they were of the opinion that there is little in the way of alternatives locally.

Sources: SIS website, TimeOut Magazine

Yuri Doric — yuridoric.tumblr.com

A record 56 Hashers followed one of two trails:  the “walking” trail was directly along the winding road up Nui Dinh, 5 km west of Ba Ria, to the finish point at a local cafe and swimming pool.
The “running” trail followed narrow tracks around the countryside before heading directly up the mountain through rocky and often dense undergrowth.
The first runners and walkers eventually reached the finish point within minutes of each other – an indication of good trail-setting by the “hares”.
Lots of socialising took place around the swimming pool, with plenty of food and drink available to help everyone “recover” from the run.
The attraction of the Hash is for people of different nationalities to meet in a social environment which includes exercise – usually a 60 or 90-minute run or walk followed by The Circle, where members socialise over a few beers or soft drinks.
VTH3 members, in particular, can appreciate the local Ba Ria-Vung Tau countryside, culture and people while they exercise and socialise amongst themselves.
It’s been a very good year for VTH3, and members are looking forward to an even better one in 2012 with more people joining every week as the word gradually spreads around town.
Everyone is welcome to join the Vung Tau Hash – it’s a family-friendly club which caters for all ages and fitness levels.
And the Hash is not a competition.  It’s an inexpensive way to meet new people and socialise whilst also enjoying some exercise.  Everyone’s welcome to join – there are no age or fitness limitations.

Footnote: “The Hash” was started near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in 1936 by English colonialists and expats who wanted to exercise as well as drink beer.  The club was named after their meeting place (The Selangor Club Annex – known as “The Hash House” because it served boring food).
The format has remained the same since then, with “hares” setting trails with chalk, flour, biodegradable paper, eco-twine, etc.
Then the “hounds” set off and follow the trail to the finish point where they chat, drink beer and enjoy some funny traditions such as “down downs”, which are designed to put everyone in a happy mood (“down down” means drinking all your beer or soft drink at once while everyone else sings various “Hash songs”).
There are now nearly two thousand Hash clubs or “chapters” around the world, including at least three currently active in Vietnam: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau.
For more information and/or to join the VTH3 email list, please contact vthash@yahoo.com

Built in Norway by Kværner Fjellstrand, a shipyard that develops and builds advanced high-speed aluminum catamarans for the world market, the Duong Dong Express began operating between HCMC and Vung Tau on July 16, 2011.

Owned by the Sea Gull Express JSC and managed by Ben Thanh Tourist Company potential creature comforts include the ubiquitous television as well as internet and video games; a cafe, wine bar and restaurant; and, for those who smoke or simply enjoy second hand smoke and bluster, a sizeable outside deck.

There are two tiers of seating which the ticket price reflects: standard and VIP, with the VIP section offering more comfortable seating, increased space and a better view of, I assume, the passing scenery. There are 180 seats in standard and 70 in VIP allowing a total of 250 passengers per trip.

Although I am uncertain of the technical specifications pertaining to the Greenlines, Petroxpress and Vinaxpress for comparison, the Duong Dong Express can travel at 33 nautical miles per hour which, I believe, is the same in knots — the unit traditionally used by ships and planes or for the measure of wind — which, for you of metric persuasion, is 61 kilometres an hour. And this in up to force 9 winds.

However, the Express in Duong Dong Express may be a little misleading. As per the information I was able to obtain from Huynh Bich Thuy at Duong Dong Express and via the ham fisted English translation on the company website it appears that the service schedule is very limited, especially when compared to the regularity of the established hydrofoil fleet.

I encourage you to confirm for yourselves prior to travelling but it appeared to me that the service operates Friday, Saturday and Sunday leaving HCMC at 8:00AM and returning from Vung Tau at 2:30PM. The actual trip duration is something of a mystery.

Regardless, if the day and the time is of little consequence and you prefer to travel in style then you could do worse. Like a pot of gold the Vung Tau booking office is located next to the Rainbow Bar at 124 Ha Long and they can be contacted directly (in order for them to confirm or deny anything noted above) at 064-351-3341 or the hotline at 093-890-6272.

Photos courtesy of: Duong Dong Express

Sources: Duong Dong Express, Ben Thanh Tourist Co, randburg.com, wikipedia.org

Yuri Doric — yuridoric.tumblr.com

Circle K was founded in El Paso, Texas in 1951 (In 2003 they were acquired by Canadian based Alimentation Couche-Tard ) and has grown into the second largest convenience store in the U.S.A. (the largest in overall numbers being 7-Eleven). Circle K stores in the U.S.A. often operate gas pumps with fuel being supplied by oil companies such as BP, ConocoPhillips, Mobil, Shell and Union 76.

According to the Circle K website there are 3,300 Circle K locations across the USA and 4,000 locations internationally including Mexico, People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, Guam, United Arab Emirates and Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

The first Vietnam store opened in District 1 of HCMC in December 2008 and there are now 20 stores across Vietnam including two locations in Vung Tau. According to Wikipedia the company plans to “become the leading convenience store chain in Vietnam” by opening another 550 stores by 2018.

Although the HCMC stores operate only as convenience stores the two locations in Vung Tau are partnered with PV Oil (a subsidiary of PetroVietnam), a model the two companies plan to co-develop and introduce nationwide.

Amy Wu of Circle K in Vietnam claimed that the majority of the clientele in Vung Tau are foreigners although the company plans to attract a domestic clientele with, amongst other things, a more traditional, Vietnamese iced coffee.

Walk into either Vung Tau location and aside from the Vietnamese staff (not to say a Vietnamese person might not be working in an American Circle K) you could easily imagine yourself in California or Arizona stocked as they are with many of the same brands in addition to those more commonly found in Vietnam.

Circle K signature items such as Thirst Buster© fountain drinks and the Froster© will also be introduced to compliment such essentials as toothpaste, condoms (a surprisingly impressive selection!), phone cards, alcohol (beer, wine and spirits), soda, cigarettes and an assortment of snacks.

If the selection isn’t enough to lure you in consider the convenience of being open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And keep a look out for the free coffee promotion!

Locations:

240 Le Loi, Phuong 17, Vung Tau
54 Duong 30/4, Phuong Thang Nhat, Vung Tau

Sources: circle k site(s), wikipedia,

Yuri Doric / yuridoric.tumblr.com

PALME Vietnam 2011 is the international electronics trade show, ISD, a regional system integrator and Elecard’s official partner in Vietnam. There was a successful presentation of the revolutionary solution, which offers top notch 3D television services, based on Elecard and Triaxes 3D stereoscopic technologies.

First time in Vietnam 3D stereoscopic technologies were presented by Elecard during grand opening ceremony of their Office in Vung Tau 3 weeks ago.

This year PALME Vietnam has gathered thousands of consumers and professionals interested in the latest trends and innovations in Audio, Lighting, AV, Systems Integration, Music Software & IT and Entertainment Technology. What captivated many visitors was the ISD’s booth, where 3D video was playing on a 42” television screen and could be watched without anaglyph glasses, which made several tens of passers-by just stand there without being able to take their eyes off of the video. That was the new glass-free 3D TV solution that Elecard and Triaxes are actively promoting on the Southeast Asia market and keep winning more and more hearts of audiences.

In the future Elecard and Triaxes are planning on expanding in Southeast Asia and setting up glass-free 3D TV sets in the public places, where everyone will be able to see for themselves the future technology of stereoscopic video. Even now many of the regional Asian malls and shopping centers show growing interest in luxurious 3D TV solution, which could attract many potential customers and help them leave their rivals far behind.

Advertising agencies, movie theaters, art galleries, car dealerships, middle and upper class suburbs, luxury hotels are among those that have already contacted Elecard and Triaxes, and expressed their desire to have 3D TV sets installed in their halls, lobbies, and houses.

The provided 3D TV solution includes a 55” wide glasses-free 3D TV sets coupled with a 3D media player box that is connected directly to a television, and allows remote content updating, as well as schedule editing, which makes it very easy to control several TV sets from one computer. 3D TV sets used in the solution provide unparalleled stereoscopic quality and thanks to the sophisticated manufacturing process can be watched without any special glasses, which, in its turn makes it possible to easily set up such TV sets in public places without any additional costs involved.

Elecard is also offering 2D to 3D video footage conversion that will be particularly useful for converting any existing commercials, music videos or movies into the new 3D format without having to spend large amounts of money on rerecording the entire footage. The number of people that have visited the booth today go on to show that 3D TV is becoming more and more popular and can be used as an efficient tool for attracting potential
customers and boosting your business. Elecard and Triaxes are continuously seeking opportunities to work with regional system integrators to bring into Southeast Asia the 3D television of the future today!

For more information, please visit www.elecard.com.

Products or service names mentioned herein are the trademarks of their respective owners.

VCC
Aigul Bakieva

It was at the 28th of October. A little bit earlier, but it was very nice beginning of this special holiday.

Traditionally Halloween is celebrated on October 31 which is the night before All Saints Day. The most popular activities include trick-or-treating, bonfires, costume parties,visiting “haunted houses” and carving jack-o-lanterns.

Halloween is a time of celebration and superstition, it is the line between fall and winter,plenty and paucity, life and death. Over time, Halloween evolved into a secular,community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities.

Big part of the history of Halloween is Halloween costumes. “Vung Tau Beach Club” hasannounced a prize for the best costume. So the guests came from different fairy-tales.

Do you know that tale about Phenix Bird?

In the Garden of Eden under the tree of knowledge a rose bush were blooming. On its first rose a bird was born, whose feathers shone with marvelous colors, the flight was like a magic shine and singing was a wonderful harmony.

But Eve ate from the tree of knowledge, and together with Adam they were expelledfrom Paradise, and form the flaming sword of the angel of retribution a spark has falleninto a nest. The nest fired and the bird was burned, but from the scorching egg flew outthe only one bird phoenix. It is always unique in the world.

Myths say that it is a nest in Arabia and every hundred years she burns herself in thenest, but form her scorching egg new phoenix flies again, the only one in the world.

A. Tussenel (french naturalist) at the end of XIX century has said:“Bat – is a chimera, a monster, a symbol of dreams, nightmares, ghosts, sick imagination…”

In pagan Europe these animals were a symbol of the hidden nature forces, witches keptthese animals or used an image of a bat.

In antiquity it was taken as a symbol of vigilance and insight. Buddhists and AustralianAborigins revered her as holy animal, in China it symbolize good luck and happiness:even words – “bat” and “happiness” – in Chinese sounds the same – “fu”.

Famous Vung Tau body-art painter has come to make that night colorful.Body art is a form of avant-garde art, where the main object of art is a human body.

This direction came from the early stages of the avant-garde, but was particularly distributed during the post-modernism period, which used it as an element ofperformances.

Composition of body art played out right in front of the audience.

And some results were frightening.

VCC
Aigul Bakieva

“Who is Who in Vung Tau”. Mr. Sam

Sunday morning you can see him swimming on the Back Beach, afternoon he cooks and chating around in “Vungtau Beach Club”, at the nighttime he drinks beer in one of City’s “Bia Hoi” Cafes…

Let us introduce – Anatoly Senatorov, also known as Mr. SAM.

Sam was born in USSR and had been graduated “The Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration” in Moscow.

His adult life at home he spent in traveling around the country, and once fate brought him to the Africa, where he has spent more then 16 years.

We interviewed Sam and asked some question about his business, life, past and present activities.

VCC: You have spent more then 16 years in Western Africa, which countries you were working with and where did you live?

Sam: Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Togo, Benin, Guinée.

VCC: Did you do business there?

Sam: I was dealing with international trade.

Also I was doing professional smokehouses where we produce large range of smoked meat products and seafood those were exported to Russian market.

VCC: I see that Africa took a big part of your professional life, but how did it happen that you are in Vietnam now and when did you come to Vung Tau first time?

Sam: As a tourist, with a 25 my friends. Actually we booked tickets to Goa, India, but unfortunately (now I am sure, fortunately), we could not get visas on time and we were offered to fly to Vietnam. It was in 1996, and non of us was in this country before. Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow helped us to get visas quickly. During the flight to Saigon people from Vietsovpetro (Russian-Vietnamese Joint venture located in Vung Tau) invited us to visit their half-native city.
After that I was in Vietnam more then 20 times, and every time I was in Vung Tau.

VCC: What is the most remarkable and unusual in Vung Tau? What did you find when you came here first time and why you return here again?

Sam: Feeling!!! Feeling like I am in my home town! And I am not joking.
I feel comfortable here! People, weather, nature.

VCC: What is you professional activity here now? Any private business?

Sam: Cooking. I have small café-tavern in “Vungtau Beach Club” and now upgrading kitchen.

VCC: How about leisure, other interests?

Sam: Free time I am spending with my friends from Moscow who are visiting me quite regularly and… my favorite work in Beach Club is my main interest of course.

Also I read a lot and improving my chef’s ability.

VCC: What are your plans for the future in the City? Are you dreaming to open your own restaurant or build a house?

Sam: My own restaurant is not in my plans. I am going to open 2 smokehouses and make hot and cold smoke meat products. I see good future in this business here. And house probably later.

VCC: And the last question. There are many people interested in opening business or getting new job in other countries, but not strong enough to make a first step. What would you recommend them?

Sam: I can say only one thing: Everything in our heads, all our possibilities and all our limitations! In our heads and nowhere else!

Dmitry Shinkarenko
VCC