 Train from Hanoi to Phong Nha (Photo: puluongexcursions.com) |
B: Mario Muñoz Mendoza of Bolivia was excited with Vietnamese leaders’ greetings to Bolivia on the occasion of Bolivia’s National Day.
A: Juan Franco Crespo of Spain commented on an article about the Vietnam Press Museum: "The work at the Vietnam Press Museum is extraordinary, where you can also find radio documents related to the Vietnamese people's national liberation struggles.”
A: Another Spanish listener Antonio Angel sent a letter to the English program, stating that in addition to updated information about Vietnam, listeners also enjoy Vietnamese music programs. He hopes VOV will continue to maintain and develop shortwave broadcasting so that more people around the world will come to know and love Vietnam through radio programs.
 Train from Hanoi to Sapa |
B: In his email to VOV this week, Johnny Antonio Ramírez López of Peru told us that he is proud to be part of his country's teaching staff and shared about Peru's wonderful teachers. He also conveyed his admiration for the exemplary teachers in Vietnam that he learned about through VOV programs.
B: French listener Paul Jamet sent a letter to us, saying he really likes VOV's news. He mentioned that listeners not only gain a better understanding of the situation in Vietnam but are also quickly updated with world information through VOV's newsletter.
A: Thank you very much for your comments and feedbacks on our programs which are a great source of encouragement for us.
B: This week, listeners also raised many questions about Vietnam. Keo Rithy of Cambodia asked about railway tourism in Vietnam.
 Hue folk music is performed on the train. (Photo: VOV) |
A: The Vietnam Railway Corporation just inaugurated a night train tour on the Da Lat-Trai Mat route called “Da Lat night journey”
B:The 6.7-kilometer railway is the remainder of the 84-kilometer Cham Tower-Da Lat route linking Ninh Thuan and Lam Dong province that was built by the French and put into operation in 1932.
A: The night train to Da Lat runs at a slow speed. The 1-hour round trip includes music and food.
Dao Anh Tuan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Saigon Railway Transport Joint Stock Company said: "We hope the new service will contribute to Da Lat’s economy and night tourism and make the Da Lat railway station and the Da Lat-Trai Mat rail route part of Da Lat’s culture, tourism, and cuisine service supply chain.”
 Tourists take photos of the beautiful landscapes through the train windows. (Photo: VOV) |
B: A tourist train called "Central Heritage Connection" has been running between Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang city since March 26. It’s the most beautiful railway route in Vietnam, passing through the superb landscapes of Hai Van Pass and Lang Co Bay, one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
A: The air-conditioned train has comfortable seats and big windows through which to enjoy the scenery. The cabins are decorated in the style of the ancient royal palace, and Hue folk music is frequently performed on the train. Many tourists are excited about the train tour.
“On the train I felt relaxed and chatted comfortably with other passengers about the local culture. At Lang Co Bay, everybody took photos and videos. Going through the Hai Van Pass, one of the most famous passes in Vietnam, was very exciting.”
"It was very exciting. I’m familiar with this route, but being on the train gave me a fresh feeling and viewpoint on Lang Co Bay and Hai Van Pass. After the trip, I’ll make a short video and post it on Facebook and TikTok for my friends and others.”
 The Hue-Da Nang trail journey lasts about three hours. (Photo: VOV) |
B: The train makes a stop at Lang Co station in Thua Thien-Hue province so tourists can get off and take photos of Lang Co Bay, one of the most beautiful bays in the world.
Nguyen Van Phuc, Director of the Thua Thien-Hue provincial Department of Tourism said: “The train tour serves local demand and lets visitors experience the culture and natural landscapes of the central region. Thua Thien-Hue and Da Nang authorities will work with tourism businesses to diversify products on the "Central Heritage Connection" train tour.”
B: Riding the train in either direction between Hue and Da Nang in the morning or afternoon, passengers can enjoy a splendid sunrise or sunset lighting Lang Co.
A: Listener Sandra Smith listened to our story on the Culture Rendexvouz segment, called “Pared-down weddings, new trend among young Chinese”, which discussed a simplified wedding or a "three, four or even five Nos” wedding which has recently become a trend chosen by many Chinese young people and a hot topic for discussion on social networks. Sandra wrote: “We had that type of wedding and everyone LOVED it! People came from other countries and for those people we had a second small party as well. I got everything I wanted and it was beautiful.”
B: In his correspondence to VOV this week, Amir Jameel from Pakistan shared his interest in our story about a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh which was created from 2,000 lotus photos taken from different regions across Vietnam.
A: He wrote: “We congratulate you for the best and unique way to pay tribute to Ho Chi Minh, a great leader of Vietnam and the world.”
B: The portrait was made by artists, businesspeople and researchers from the Institute of Economics, Culture and Arts, measuring 1.7m x 2.5m.
A: It took six months to finish the work, involving several stages from sketching ideas, collecting lotus photos, arranging photos, and digitizing photo data, to converting to glass material. There are rare photos of lotus flowers taken by photographer Hoang Van over the past 30 years.
B: The portrait was displayed at the 2024 Hanoi Lotus Festival last week at the Cultural and Creative Space in Hanoi. Later on, the Organizing Committee will donate the painting to the President Ho Chi Minh Relic Site at the Presidential Palace for public view.
A: Thank you all for your interest in VOV. We welcome your feedback at English Service, VOVWORLD, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at englishsection@vov.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye!