(VOVworld) - The deadline for VOV’s contest “What do you know about Vietnam?” is drawing near. The number of entries received by our office in recent days has been higher than in the past weeks.

B: We expect to receive even more entries in the coming days because many of our listeners have told us they’ve been collecting information and refining their answers and will send them before the deadline on June 30. Do you think we’ll receive the best entries in the final moments?  

A: Well, maybe. This week we received one entry of nearly a hundred pages, the longest one so far. But we’ll have to consider the content, not just the length. We have received some well-written and beautifully decorated entries by post mail. They are really impressive.

B: Come on, friends! Finish your answers now and send them to VOV. We have only one week left before the deadline on June 30. Besides expense-paid trips to Vietnam for the three best entries, we’ll award some lovely gifts as consolation prices to all other participants.

Hoan Kiem lake in the center of Hanoi in the summer

A: The weather has dominated our daily conversations in recent days. It’s summer in Hanoi, and we have had several very hot days with temperatures topping 40DC. The heat wave usually lasts a week or two and often ends with a heavy, destructive storm. On June 13, a tornado struck Hanoi. The 5-minute whirlwind uprooted about 1,000 trees and broke roots, windows, roof-top water tanks, and shops’ neon signs.

B: Extreme weather has been reported in several places around the world. Amri Jameel of Pakistan told us: “Very hot weather in Pakistan nowadays. A heat wave is going on in most parts of the country. In my city, Sahiwal, it’s 46 DC now. Because of the hot weather life is almost paralyzed.”

A: We’d like to express our deep condolences for the 700 victims of the heat disaster in Pakistan, the highest-recorded temperature in Pakistan in the past 15 years. Soumya Bhattacharya reported a very hot summer season in India, where they are eagerly waiting for the rainy season to come. He wrote: “The Monsoon or rainy season is very special to us here in India. The rains cool down the atmosphere and brings comfort. It is a favourite season of poets and writers and I also love this season very much. Please say something about the rainy season in Vietnam.”

B: From Japan, Hiroyuki Ogasawara told us that it’s now the rainy season in his country. Humidity is high and they have to keep things from growing mold. He also wants to know about the rainy season in Vietnam. Vietnam has a remarkably diverse climate because of its wide range of latitudes and altitudes. Although the entire country lies in the tropics and subtropics, local conditions vary from frosty winters in the far northern hills to year-round, subequatorial warmth in the Mekong Delta.

The southern region often has heavy but short showers in the afternoon

A: Northern Viet Nam has two seasons: winter and summer. Winter is quite cool and wet, and usually lasts from November to April. February and March are marked by a persistent drizzling rain. The hot summer runs from May to October with occasional typhoons.

B: The central coastal region has very little rainfall from April to October. Nha Trang's long dry season lasts from late January to October, while Da Lat's dry season is from December to March. Da Lat, like the rest of the central highlands, is much cooler than the Mekong Delta and the coastal strip.

Da Lat city in the rainy season

A: The southern region with its subequatorial climate has two main seasons: the wet and the dry. The wet season lasts from May to November. During this time, there are heavy but short downpours almost daily, usually in the afternoon. The dry season usually runs from December to April. Late February to May is hot and very humid, but it cools down slightly when the rainy season begins.

B: Now let’s continue reading reports from other listeners. S.B Sharma of India said due to health problems and pain in his right hand, he was unable to write to us over the last few weeks. Now he’s ok.

A: We’re glad to know you are better now and you’ll continue to send us your feedback as usual.  Mr. Sharma commented on last week’s letter box, which talked about cultural activities in Vietnam, including the Mid-Autumn festival. He wrote: “Beautiful fruit decoration is one of the attractions of the mid-autumn festival.2015 is good for Vietnam’s fruit exports. It’s good to hear that there is a product in the Vietnamese market - sweet condensed milk - that matches Lassi in India. Lassi is sold and consumed all over India. In the summer lassi sales are very high. Pubjab Lassi is very famous. Other states make different flavoured lassis.”

B: Mr. Sharma asked about the Vietnamese festival of color and light – is it part the mid-autumn or the lunar New Year festival? 

B: We don’t have a special color and light festival. But our mid-Autumn festival is often called the lantern festival. Lanterns are used as decorations at the Mid-autumn festival, the lunar new year festival, and local folk festivals. Lanterns of different shapes make lovely toys that children want to play with or carry in lantern parades. 

Tourists prefer to visit Hoi An lantern festival on the full-moon day

A: Children are given colorful lanterns in the shape of stars, animals, and flowers, and masks depicting clowns, lions, rabbits, princes, and princesses for a special performance on the evening of the full moon. The high point of the Mid-Autumn festival has children carrying beautiful lanterns, wearing masks, performing lion dances, and singing folk songs just as the moon is at its roundest and brightest.

B: Streets and houses are also decorated with lanterns. As in most Asian countries, the luckiest colors are red and gold, and this is reflected in lanterns, streamers, and other traditional Tet decorations.

A: On the 14^th day of every lunar month, the old town of Hoi An switches off its lights and closes its streets to motor vehicles. The old town is transformed by flickering candlelight, multi-coloured lanterns, and hoards of visitors who’ve come to see the full moon lantern festival. Tourists are accosted by locals selling cardboard lotus flower-shaped lanterns, which come with a tiny candle. These, when released on the river, are said to bring happiness, luck, and love.

B: Thank you all for listening to VOV and showing an interest in Vietnamese culture, history, and people. We welcome your feedback at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Good bye until next time.