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During this 161 year rivalry, the figurehead Lê emperor watches helplessly as two prominent families who helped reclaim the throne from the Mạc usurpers, vie for power. A prelude to the later division of Vietnam in the 20th century, the two halves of Vietnam (at the time Đại Việt or Great Viet) would continue to march forward, or in the case of the Nguyễn, march south, into history until the Tây Sơn uprising. Who was the winner amongst these cousins? Let's hash it out.

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Vaping is banned in Vietnam and we couldn't be happier!

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Chúc mừng năm mới! We ring in the new year by denouncing nagas, learn about characteristics of people born in the year of the snake and rank a selection of those people. Remember, it's the Wood Snake this year.

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Just a summary of what's to come in the next little white.

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Happy 2025! I learned many songs that I like in the Vietnamese repetoire are actually covers of Cantonese and Mandarin pop songs. In doing the research, I was surprised how some of these Chinese songs were in themselves covers or inspired by other songs (generally Japanese). I also learned how many famous bands started out as cover bands, including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.

PS: I feel validated, though I didn't know Như Quỳnh's rendition was a cover of  Faye Wong's cover song. Per Saigoneer: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQ4EIVjj79Q/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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Green gold with a black secret. Do you know where your food comes from? This episode we look at the similarities and differences in the avocado industry between Vietnam and Mexico.

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I came across more "MLB" stores and had unpolite thoughts I would like to share.

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Our airport shuttle driver had a lot to say about many things, including some tidbits about Capitalist Lan. Roads were a bit clogged up due to her second trial. SCB branches seemed to be open while I was there. Her trial to appeal her death sentence started at the time of this episode's publication.

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Roosters are nature's alarm clock. The problem is, you can't tell them when to wake you.

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Tao Dan park is one of the big green spaces in Saigon. It is mostly walled off from the huge flows of traffic that go around it. I found I quite like it, after using it for my daily old man walking circuit in 2023. In Tao Dan park there are:
- child and adult playgrounds,
- places where people put up nets to play badminton,
- walkers, joggers and runners,
- people meditating,
- people doing tai chi chuan,
- people filming movies while cooking the actors inside giant mascot suits alive,
- competing aerobic workout regimes,
- and wedding photos.

This track is based on one walking loop around the park. Please excuse the occasional coughing; I had a very terrible cold/bronchial infection that was going around at the time.

Part of a series of what you can hear around Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).