Photo by MAA I look this photo of the Red River in Hanoi on a recent sunny morning. The haze in the background is clearly visible. The Air Quality Index (AQI) at the time was 167, which is in the "unhealthy" category. It may very well have been higher in this part of the city. … Continue reading Air Pollution in Hanoi
hanoi
Hanoi Becomes Greener
For all of its problems, some unique to Hanoi and others common to big cities, there is one bright spot, green, to be precise. Someone in the city's Department of City Planning and Architecture made the decision to begin planting the median strips with all manner of plants and trees. The slogan xanh, sạch, đẹp … Continue reading Hanoi Becomes Greener
VinUniversity as the Crown Jewel of Vinhomes Ocean Park
This is an ad for Vinhomes Ocean Park, a new development on the outskirts of Hanoi. (0% interest until 30 March 2022; 35-year mortgage!) Note that VinUniversity is featured as the centerpiece of this new community, an example of doing well (profit) and doing good (community service). This has played out pretty much as I … Continue reading VinUniversity as the Crown Jewel of Vinhomes Ocean Park
Capstone Has a New Home in Hanoi!
I'm delighted to announce that Capstone Vietnam has a brand new office in Hanoi. This is yet another exciting milestone in the company's distinguished 10-year history. Please join me in raising a glass (of your drink of choice) to our new Hanoi home! Shalom (שלום), MAA
"Hanoi’s Formula One track nears finish line"
Photo courtesy of VNExpress International According to Chung (Nguyen Duc Chung, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee), the event is a further demonstration of Vietnam’s ability, as one of the fastest growing economies in the world, to host events on a global scale and attract tourism to the country. I'm not a big fan of … Continue reading "Hanoi’s Formula One track nears finish line"
Location X 3 Revisited
Then Nine years ago this July, I wrote about a parcel of land located a short walk from our (then) new office and Hoan Kiem Lake in downtown Hanoi. After much haggling and some conflict, someone bought a small (53 m2/602 ft2) French colonial era building for $2.3 million. I wrote, "Where this charming Hanoi … Continue reading Location X 3 Revisited
Air quality app under ‘coordinated attack’ in Vietnam amid heavy Hanoi smog
Sometimes, the truth hurts but it's also useful in solving problems, both individual and societal. You know the expression, "The first step in solving a problem is recognizing there is one." Here are two key paragraphs from this 7 October Reuters piece about Hanoi's recent and cyclical air pollution problem and some misguided attempts to … Continue reading Air quality app under ‘coordinated attack’ in Vietnam amid heavy Hanoi smog
West Point in Viet Nam?
I can assure you that whoever created the original marketing and promotion campaign for Vinhomes West Point (2nd image) did not receive an Employee of the Month award. I noticed this on Facebook and wondered how long it would last. It was a lame attempt at honor and prestige by association by comparing the United States … Continue reading West Point in Viet Nam?
Dancing in the Park
For as long as cities have existed, people have needed spaces where communities can gather and individuals can meet, find diversions, and conduct business. In various times and places, public markets, city parks, wide sidewalks, village and city squares, malls around national monuments, and other organized and unorganized public spaces have filled these roles. In … Continue reading Dancing in the Park