Ho Chih Minh Vietnam First Impressions

Ho Chih Minh posters and statues are very practically everywhere,along streets and the town square

On my very first visit to Vietnam, Ho Chih Minh city, I am struck by the sheer amount of motorcycles jamming literally every street and road leading from the airport. Once you get out of the airport vicinity, the jam is omnipresent and is made much worse during 'rush hour' which happens everyday from 5pm to 7pm. I am there on a business trip with Stanley Wong, a business associate and friend and my first impressions are normally the lasting ones of a new city or country.The 1975 'victory' or pull out by the Americans has not dampened the spirit of the Vietnamese who are very proud of this fact.


Street vendor selling laptop coverings in all colours, something pretty common in Ho Chih Minh

Visiting my customer in one of the industrial parks in the outskirts of HCM, I hear that the Vietnamese are very independent minded and unlike the peoples of Malaysia and Singapore who are more cooperative and compliant. The fact that they liberated themselves by an armed struggle with the leadership of the much loved Ho Chih Minh must surely be one of the causes of this mentality. They have problems following rules and respecting heirarchy,according to an American chiropractor who has lived in Ho Chih Minh for 5 years.


Strainer made of aluminium (or stainless steel) to ensure finess of the coffee.

Having a coffee in mid morning is a pleasure which, I find unique only to Vietnam. Plenty of Vitnamese working people are in these coffee houses and restaurants at all times of day leading me to believe they can afford to take things leisurely.
The strong black coffe is presented with a strainer made of either aluminium or stainless steel and is VERY STRONG. Its robustness is apparent when you drink it and there is condensed milk to sweeten it as well as a cup of jasmine tea to drown out any aftertaste. Strongly recommended for coffee lovers !!


Original Vietnamese Coffee, double espresso, with condensed milk to sweeten the robustness and acidity


Hundreds upon hundreds of Motorbikes, causing untold damage to the environment in carbon monoxide pollution and health

The traffic here is chaotic and crossing the road even at traffic junctions is a test of your sanity and courage. The motorbikers come in ALL DIRECTIONS and there is no respect for traffic crossing or lights even at some major interesctions.
Cross at your own peril but DONT RUN. The motorcyclists have a way of avoiding you at every corner or main road.


Motorcycles everywhere, even spilling on the walkways during rush hour

Another observation I made is there is no spitting by the people, who are friendly. No beggers, no sleaze and everyone has a sense of decorum and dignity. They may be poor but they have respect and honesty to every visitor. Yes the Communists won here and they are the REAL DEAL, what the West (read America and her allies) had done in the past and wants the rest of the world is in my mind politically motivated.

Albert Hammond Free Electric Band

This Song by Albert Hammond is a favourite of my friend,Stanley Wong

Ahh to Ski Again

Doctor and Head Injury Patient,Me

Its over a year since I hit the slopes of any certified ski resort and the wait has in my opinion, whetted my appetite to one day put on the ski-boots and just go for it. As we age, several things start deteriorating all at the same time, so things like the sense of balance, coordination and good common sense (joking) which start to go once a person hits around the age of 35.



I still have my 5 fingers

The best slopes in the world to ski with pristine snow and with proper and trained instructors are mostly found in Europe, Switzerland and Austria to name just a couple. Price for a ski holiday will set a person back easily S$6 -10,000 so for a an entire family, it may cost a small forture for 1 to 2 weeks of sheer heaven.



Photo just outside the Rest Area

Globalisation - We can't go back.Ever Onward

Photo of Worldwide Representatives outside the Weiss Factory ;
Dieter(Germany),Mark(Singapore),Dass(India),Meike(Germany),Abdullah(Turkey),Rene(France),Kannan(Malaysia),Bill(USA)


Every year or so I have the opportunity to visit the Germany factory in Giessen where our major principal,Weiss Technik is located and every year or so I leave with a slightly modified perception of the country,Germany and the continent,Europe which is in a state of constant transition. This year's completed Sales training which was held 2 weeks ago hammered home how global and interconnected the world had become whereby I had the opportunity to be served by Asian counterpeople in fastfood joints , Turkish sales cashiers in the Karstadt supermarket and young German food servers in Subway. Yes, they may be menial jobs but it is apparent that the extent of which a small town like Giessen (80,000) can be quite cosmopolitan means that there are practically hundreds of small towns and cities all over Europe and the world which are exhibiting the same colouful melting pot of races and interactions at personal, business and even politicial levels.

People want a constant in their lives, be it something familiar in the food, language or shared hobbies or experiences and when travelling,these are the 'signposts' which stick out wherever we may be. We always flock to these 'signposts' whenever we are away from home to find comfort in the familiar
tastes,language twangs or even similar looking people.So for me one constant is Food.Paradoxically,when I was in Germany for 1 week, I missed eating Subway and made a beeline for the food outlet to get a taste of the familiar Tuna 6" Sub. Not wanton noodles, not chicken rice, not mee siam, but Subway.

Another constant for me is Running.I run and make an effort to bring my runing shoes to wherever I visit if its for a short 2 day trip or a 10 day sightseeing tour. A 10km or 8km in any country based on my usual speed (5.30 to 6 minutes per km) is still 10 km. That is my Second constant.

With globalisation, we have Chinese food now prepared by true blue German chefs in a castle centuries old. Even in simple German eateries in a small town like Giessen they have every weekend "Chinishe spiesekarte" or Chinese Menu. Shocking ? A fad ? No. Well it is because the Chinese have been going to places and making their presence felt. More so, it has taken over the Japanese and Indian cuisines as the 'cuisine nouvelle' and it is fashionable to dine at authentic Chinese restaurants using the same Kikkoman soy sauces and Wasabe (green radish) all imported. There is also Chinese acupuncture and foot reflexology studios and Muay Thai kickboxing schools all in this small town of Giessen.


Brothers Grimm Fairy Tale, the Wolf and the Seven Goats

So, no continent is isolated from Globalisation or the impact of foreign cultures influencing the way we eat,drink,behave,or even think. There was a tour to Marburg where the Tour Guide was giving her take on the town which was the home for the Brothers Grimm. The Wolf and the 7 Goats, the Smart Crow etc. etc. I am sure we have heard some of the fairy tales from young.

Truly on the outside,we will look different,talk with funny accents but actually we are a big Global Family with similar problems,hobbies,ideas,values and dreams.

The days of Them and Us are truly over. Its We are the World now.

School Exams Over ; Party Time but balance of work- play important

Andrew in the Basement of our House

The School Mid Year Exams are finally over and the Boys are due their relaxation and recreation time. As many parents around Singapore heave a sigh of relief, I must place it on record that to 'simply let go' is not the way to go. Of course time off with their friends and distractions like computer games are important but the parents must draw the line and make the line clear to their youths and charges.This I mean by sticking to a 'curfew time' (time to be home) and not changing radically the free times alloted and the need to keep up to date with the homework set out by the school and tuition teachers.



Ping Pong Squash - Hitting a Ping Pong Ball against the Wall

As a father of a teenage and preteen boys, I am always challenged by what father and son activities are out there whereby we can make time to destress and bond. Sports is one excellent way to do so and while it is good to do the family holiday thing every year or two, it in my opinion only shows up a side of the person. By this I mean, when on holiday,people normally do not exhibit their true day to day selves.



Betty from Hong Kong paying Andrew a visit

In this Internet,Facebook and Twitter enabled world, while we are connected, we are also alienated by this fact that our children and friends are but a phone call away. This lulls us into a false sense of being there when we are there electronically but in reality nothing beats a face to face meeting for a meal or a drink.

World Sales Meeting 4 - 8th May 2009

Presenting to Worldwide Agents of Weiss Technik

The past week has been a whirlwind of activity at my principals factory in Lindenstruth,with close to 40 representations from as far south as Brazil,Australia and New Zealand, and as far north as Russia attending. Thankfully our friend from Mexico,Ernst Konrad did not attend as the world was reeling from the double whammy of Worldwide Financial Crisis and the Swine Flu.Apart from a few minor coughs and colds,everyone was OK.The mood was on the whole rather sombre and tense reflecting the seriousness of our work.


The Magnificent Hungarian and Slovenian teams ; Front:Me and Tibor Csombordi (Hungary) ; Back : Alex Draculis (Slovenia) and Tamas (Hungary)

Dinner wise was a completely different matter though, as is with all our meetings there is a wide variety of food and particularly drink although this year, I cut back on the alcohol to only a couple of glasses of beer and the occasional schnaps (fruit wine,very potent). I got along especially well with Tibor, Alex and Tamas from Hungary,Romania and Slovenia territories and even had a 45 minute run at the town Park with Tibor early one Monday morning.


Fm Left : Praditz (Spain), Rene Carlini (France), Ming Hao and Davis (China)
Back : Me and Supachai (Thailand)

There were excursions too to Marburg (south of Frankfurt) and Frankfurt itself and was entertained highly by the stories from the excellent guides peppering their stories with lots of anecdotes and jokes about the people living in the past. Marburg is also famous for the Brother Grimm who lived here centuries ago.

Giessen Town Old Castle Visit 3rd May 2009

Midway up to the Tower of the AlteSchloss (Old Castle) in the heart of Giessen town

After the very pleasant walk in the Botanical Gardens, Kannan and I made our way to the Altes Schloss or Old Castle in the heart of the small town Giessen.Built around the year 1130, it served as the lookout against the enemies from the village and is still in excellent condition.


The view of the Giessen town from the top of the tower

Giessen has typically been a small town with the luminary Leipig family (makers of the Leipig pork paste similar to Bovril)
providing the business momentum in the centuries past, the University which has many foreign students and several factories such as Enders (furniture) and of course Weiss Umweltechnik and Weiss Kliatechnik in Lindenstruth providing much of the funds inflow to th town.


Up to the Tower on the winding stone staircase

It has several places of interest like the Botanic Gardens,Mathematics and Chemistry Museums as well as their own brewed beer called Licher beer which is brewed in a microbrewery in the restaurant Alt Giessen. For a town of 80,000 it has a pleasant mix of some modernity as well as the ancient buildings reminding the inhabitants of their heritage and culture. In addition,the countryside is really splendid to view in late spring and early summer with clear blue skies and the flowers in full bloom.


The huge bell in the Tower

Being Protestant Christians (Lutherans), Christianity is the main religion in Germany but sadly, many Germans do not profess to any faith at all.