Flash new parking system

One of HCMC's largest motorbike parking lots (adjacent the Tax Center, Le Loi) has modified it's system, or lack of one - the little bits of paper that keep the stapling industry ticking over here are no longer. Now, one is issued with a small plastic card when entering. It says, amongst other things, that if lost if'll cost 25,000, if you find one and return it they'll give you 15,000.

The fee schedule is set out in the parking lot.



Less than 3 hours - 2000d, less than 6 hours - 4,000d and less than 9 hours - 6,000d.

When leaving a guy takes your card and scans the information whilst a camera takes a snapshot of your number plate on the rear of your bike which he views on a screen.



So, technology has arrived, at least for one city parking lot!

Hot Christmas + Vietnam is a building site.

Christmas was spent on holiday with mum, dad, sister and of course Chi and Louisa here in Vietnam. To start, we visited Hoi An via Da Nang airport, Chi and I returning for the first time since our honeymoon back in November 2006, where I posted the pictures here (some of my favourites from Vietnam). The old town, as you'd expect, hasn't changed much.

Even the restaurants seemed to be the same bar an additional posh wine bar. What really struck me was the development on the coast road from Da Nang heading south. From leaving Da Nang city until Marble Mountain there are numerous big name resort developments under way. Kilometre after Kilometre of fenced off beach front, earth movers and concrete foundations strutting out of the ground splaying steel cable everywhere give a sense of awe at the sheer scale of what is going on down there. The weather by the way, was miserable - rained constantly.

Moving south to Nha Trang, again a first visit there for what must be two years, not a lot changed really. A nice new terminal at the Cam Ranh airport making baggage collection a non-stressful experience. The only other thing of mention would be, again, the development along Tran Phu. The new Sheraton building, I have to say, looks awesome. I love the design. It stands with unobstructed views, and the 360 degree shaped thing on the top has to be bar...what a view that place will have.





It's not such good news for the Yasaka, which has a huge shopping/office center being built right next to it which has blatantly obstructed the view from some of it's rooms at the back...!



The old concrete shell/pillar has finally been replaced (it was an unfinished something standing on the edge of the public square on the beach front) - replaced with a..flower or a mosque - I'm not sure which.



One thing about Nha Trang never changes...walks along a beautiful beach!



Heading south again now, a 3.5 hour car journey to Mui Ne. The kite-surfing season is really getting going now but the winds remain calm until mid-morning. 7.00 am on the beach with sun already high, no wind and a gorgeous ocean convinced me that Mui Ne really is the place to be. Sun, sand, swimming and plenty of restaurants to choose from.







An interesting sidenote, possibly, I picked up a very old copy of Huck Finn from a second hand book store. The book has a stamp entitled 'Vietnamese American ****** (can't read), 55 Mac Dinh Chi, Saigon. BOOK SHOP For Students, Teachers, Members'. It has a name written in biro in the top, Pham Van But, and a date, 08-12-70. Obviously this book shop was there during the war years and stocked English language literature.

A fantastic trip overall, and Vietnam just keeps developing.

Visa Updates

I now understand the following to be true:

You are able to get a total of THREE multiple entry THREE MONTH visas (presuming the work permit application is underway) on top of what you already have, after which point you must have the work permit. Although what happens when nine months are up is anyone's guess...9 months is a long time in Vietnamese immigration policy. This may also just be an arrangement reached by my school, and not the general policy. More feedback is needed to establish what is happening as people begin applying for their visas.

Below is the three ways in which long-term residency is legit (that I am currently aware of), thanks to all contribtors from comments in the last post. NB: There are some exceptions for NGO/Charity work I think, but I am not clear on that.

1) Work permit and temporary residency card.

This is for foreginers working and living here with no Vietnamese relatives or family. The application process is outlined in the previous post.

2) Permanent Residency Card

From ORDINANCE ON ENTRY, EXIT AND RESIDENCE OF FOREIGNERS IN VIETNAM
No. 24/2000/PL- UBTVQH 10 of April 28,2000)
Chapter III
Article 13

1. Foreigners temporarily residing in Vietnam under one of the following circumstances shall be considered for permanent residence:

a) They are people who have struggled for freedom and national independence, for socialism, for democracy and peace or for the cause of science, but have been subject to suppression.

b) They have meritorious contribution to the cause of building and defending the Vietnamese Fatherland.

c) They are spouses, offspring, parents of Vietnamese citizens residing in Vietnam.

And from DECREE NO 21/2001/ND/CP OF MAY 28, 2001
DETAILING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ORDINANCE ON ENTRY, EXIT AND RESIDENCES IN VIETNAM, the application process:

2. Foreigners applying for permanent residence under the cases specified at Point c, Clause 1, Article 3 of the Ordinance shall submit their dossiers to the Immigration Department of the Ministry of Public Security or the exit

and entry management bodies under the public security offices of the provinces and centrally run cities. Such a dossier comprises:

a. The applicant's photo and application for permanent residence made in accordance with the forms set by the Ministry of Public Security;

b. His/her judicial records certified by the competent agency of the country, of which he/ she is a citizen;

c. Official note of the competent agency of the country, of which he/she is a citizen, requesting the Vietnamese authorities to permit him/her to permanently reside in Vietnam;

d. Papers evidencing that the permanent residence applicant falls under the cases specified at Point c, Clause 1, Article 13 of the ordinance;

e. Copy of the applicant's passport.

See here.

Permanent Residency Cards are valid for three years and can be renewed indefinitely.

3) Visa Exemption

Taken from here.

Visa Exemption is a stamp in your passport which is valid for 5 years and means you don't have to have a visa to enter Vietnam. The catch - you can only stay 90 days at a time (as you can see from the picture). It is avaliable to overseas Vietnamese and also:

holders of foreign passports being wives, husbands, and children of a Vietnamese citizen or Vietnamese residing abroad.

The application consists of :

a. 01 application form for a visa exemption certificate.

b. 02 recent 4 x 6 cm photos with white background, straight face, bare head, without colored glasses. (01 attached to the application form, 01 spare photo).

c. A foreign passport with validity of at least 6 months upto date of entry (a copy attached for competent authority to file)

d. One of documents proving relationship between wives/husbands/children and the Vietnamese residing abroad (a copy attached for competent authority to file)
- Certificate of Marriage
- Certificate of Birth
- A Certificate of relationship with farther, mother, children;
- Other valid documents as regulated by the Vietnamese Law.
- Decision of Adoption

The glorious smell of morning paperwork

Making photocopies, notorising and translating documents and badgering people in your home country to help you make photocopies, notorise and translate more documents. Welcome to Vietnam.

I haven't read much online regarding the new visa crackdown, one which seems deadly serious this time around.

Gone are the heady days of the 6 month business visa, which used to be available to any and all. When approaching the end of the validity of those visas, your passport would be submitted and a new 6 month multiple re-entry visa pasted in there. I myself did this for the nearly five years I have been based in Vietnam.

A restructuring of the system, basically to try and account for all the foreginers working in the country (and the tax they should be paying more importantly) means that no more 6 month business visas will be issued. Those remaining in country on such a visa (such as myself) will be offered one 3 month visa extension (single entry) in which period of time it is expected that the applicant will have (or be applying for) a work permit. My understanding is that as long as the application is in the process of being done then there will be no problems.

To get a work permit, according to a work email, you need:

1. Letter of application (Form No. 3)

2. CV (Form No. 4)

3. Copy of bachelors degree (or higher diploma): the copy must be certified by Consulate General + consular legalized in Expat’s country, then translated to Vietnamese by Notary Public

4. Health Check-up Certificate. Note: Validation of Health Check-up certificate: 06 months

5. Criminal Records.

Note: + Criminal Records issued in foreign countries must be certified by Consulate General + consular legalized in Expatriate country + translated to Vietnamese by Notary Public
+ Validation of Criminal record: 06 months since the date of issue

In case out of date, apply the LY LICH TU PHAP at So Tu Phap (Department of Justice) for the Expat. To do this, the Expat must provide:

a- 2 certified Passport & visa

b- Attestation of provisional residence, issued by local police

c- Application form (Form No.2/TP/LLTP1)

6. Four (4) color photos, 3*4cm (bareheaded, front side, clear face & ears, without eye-glasses, & taken not more than 01 year ago)

So, for those with no degree certificate or 'recognised' qualifications in what they are doing, a work permit is hard to come by.

Once a work permit is granted, it is then possible to get a temporary residence card.

Personally I have another option, which is the permanent residency card. This is a much simpler application process which we are currently going through for myself and Louisa. I believe this will be three years initially and indefinitely extendable.

http://www.eng.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/eng/news/default.aspx?cat_id=602&news_id=469

The Smartest Labourer In Vietnam

This caucasian guy has been turning a few heads, directing traffic in his shirt and tie. Anyone seen anything else like this being used in the city?

Phu Quoc

A recent half-term, and a short trip to Phu Quoc, a third visit to the Island in Kien Giang Province.

We stayed at the SeaStar resort, a place I stayed over New Year in 2005. Back then it was a little less developed and certainly less busy, and I seem to remember getting the bungalows on the beach for $30. One thing that hasn't changed is the road. Despite this beach (Long Beach) being the main beach for tourists on the whole island, it is still unsealed and at one point just past the Saigon tourist resort is horrifically pot-holed (is that a hidden message?). Beach bungalows now go for $60 per night here, a fairly standard price along the beach for such accommodation. The Garden Bungalows, set a little further back, are $45 per night. Some pictures of the resort.

Garden Bungalows

Our Beach Bungalow





View from the restaurant:



The beach



I don't intend to advertise for SeaStar, but it is fairly typical of the accommodation on Long Beach, which is a 10 minute drive from the airport. This beach is also a short motorbike journey to town and it's selection of restaurants, the nightmarket and the collection of dive shops. Other recommended stays are Cassia Cottage and Mai House.

Alternatively, Ong Lang beach is about a 20 minute drive from town along in places a very bumpy road. We visited Mango Bay one afternoon to check the place out. It boasts secluded bungalows built with an eye on sustainability , and most are lofted up into the foilage, set back in a garden, with views out over the private bay the resort is situated on. Mango Bay raises too many questions in my mind for a comfortable stay. No where else to eat without a long journey by bike or taxi. Very isolated and quiet. But of course, this is what some people crave, and sitting on the decking at one of the two resort restaurants supping a cocktail and watching the sun go down in absolute tranquillity wasn't that bad...

Chen La is another posh alternative nearby this part of the island. Chi and I also stayed at Thang Loi on our first trip to Phu Quoc, much cheaper but the same isolation. - this resort is just the other side of Mango Bay.

As for our own holiday, Louisa decided to develop a bizarre rash which made her miserable and spread from head to toe over three days, finally clearing up on the last couple of days. Whilst other tourists spent their time posturing on their hired automatic bikes and really trying to look like they weren't possibly going to crash, visiting pearl farms, snorkelling and diving, sampling seafood cuisine and getting lost on inland island dirt tracks, Chi and I were back in the bungalow battling with a raucous, unhappy and uncooperative 11 month old baby. Finally, we settled on a solution that everyone was happy with.

Connections Vietnam: Cook has a new menu

Our flagship Saigon cooking class 'Cook' has become very popular and we currently are working with some of the biggest tour operators in Vietnam providing this service for them, as well as through our website, http://www.connectionsvietnam.com/.

1)
Chả giò(Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)
Phở(Beef noodle soup)
2)
Cuon Diep(Diep Rolls – Pork, prawn, and fresh soft noodle in lettuce rols served with sauce)
Mi Quang(Quang Noodles – Pork noodle oup with prawns and fried peanuts on top, served with raw vegetables)
3)
Banh Beo(Steamed rice cake with shredded shrimp topping)
Bun Bo Hue(Hot Hue style noodle soup with beef and pork, served with raw vegetable)
4)
Goi Cuon(Freash rolls – pork, prawn, lettuce and fresh soft noodle in rice paper rolls, served with soya bean sauce)
Bun Thang(Soft noodles in chicken soup with egg and prawn)
5)
Goi Buoi (Pomelo Salad)
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Pancake)
6)
Cha Gio (Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)
Bun Thit Nuong (Pork BBQ salad with fresh soft noodle)
7)
Goi Ngo Sen (Prawn and pork with picked lotus rootstock salad)
Com Sen (Steamed rice with lotus seed wrapped in lotus leaves)
8)
Goi Ngu Sac (Five colour salad)
Ca Chem Chung Gia Vi (Steamed Seabass with five spice sauce)
9)
Goi Thom Tron Hai San (Pineapple with seafood salad)
Cá Dieu Hong Chien Sot Chua Ngot (Fried fresh water fish with sweet sour sauce)
10)
Ca Loc Kho To (Mullet fish cooked within caramel and fish sauce in clay pot)
Canh Chua Ca Loc (Sour mullet fish soup)
11)
Goi Xoai (Mango Salad)
Mien Xao Tom Cua (Stir fried vermicelli with prawn and crab meat)
12)
Goi Mien Tron Hai San (Vermicelli salad with seafood)
Cha Gio (Spring rolls – mince pork/shrimp and Indian taro with garlic and onion in rice paper rolls, then deep fried in cooking oil, served with lettuce and sweet fish sauce)

Veggie Menu

1)
Banh Xeo Chay (Vegetarian Vietnamese pancake)
Bun Gao Xao (Stir fried rice noodle with mushroom, tofu, egg and vegetable)
2
Cha Gio Chay (Vegetarian sping rolls)
Pho Chay (Vegetarian Pho Noodles)
3
Bi Cuon Chay (Vegetarian rolls – tofu, soft noodle and herbs rolled in rice paper)

Goi Ngo Sen (Prawn and pork with picked lotus rootsstock salad)
4
Goi Mit Tron (Jackfruit salad)
Cuon Diep Chay (Tofu, egg and fresh soft noodle rolled in lettuce)
5
Goi Buoi (Pomelo Salad)
Bun Cha Gio Chay (Vegetarian spring rolls with fresh soft vermicelli)
6
Cuon Diep Chay (Tofu, egg and fresh soft noodle rolled in lettuce)
Com Sen (Steamed rice with lotus seed wrapped in lotus leaves)

See pictures of some of our dishes and more information on our 'Cook' page.http://www.connectionsvietnam.com/experiences/cook/