Vietnam Stories

Wabi Sabi is a Japanese Concept emanating through Zen Bhuddism Roughly translated, it contains the following precepts as a means to personal happiness:

“Heaven on Earth is a decision you make, not a place you find.” Has long been one of the maxims that I’ve tried to live by. It’s a surprise, therefore, to find myself in an idyllic situation in terms of place. For near to Thailand a nation is rising like a Phoenix at a great rate of knots.

“During WW11, the British Army, in an effort to stop it’s soldiers thinking about sex before a Battle, put Bromide in our tea”

Well dear readers, I have just had the opportunity to visit Hanoi, Vietnam for a long weekend break, from the 16th to 19th January 2009, as I have a friend currently working there as a Senior Project Manager on a couple of building Projects. This would be my first trip to Vietnam so I was interested in making the trip, even though I knew it would be a few degrees colder than Thailand, albeit Thailand has not been particularly warm recently!

Simon takes a break.

A couple of years ago (my how time flies), Uncle Frank Visakay, with the words “One heck of a book”, kindly sent me one of the few remaining copies of “Sorrow of War”, by Vietnamese author Bao Nin

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed.” Albert Einstein

“An enigma couched in a puzzle wrapped in a mystery”

Methinks the old John Donne would thoroughly approve of present day Vietnam, for they honor their dead as no other.

In my native England the people are angry. Money, money, money. Get out of my way, must make some money, money. Just one hour of driving is likely to bring forth the acrid smell of “road rage”

Your correspondent is given to understand that Asian Explorer Marco Polo was greeted at the court of Kublai Khan by courtiers laden with silk.