Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast Outside Viet

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Vinfast is Vietnam's only current domestic car manufacturer and part of the larger Vingroup of companies. Dennis and I go for a spin and cruise through the available information about the company.

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Stories of the Forest People (người rùng) were abound during the Vietnam (or American, depending on your perspective) War. Stories about these tall, powerful and hairy people stretched back to French colonial times. We hope Rolando Bautista found what he was looking for.

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Two Vietnamese have reached the highest heights, space. One under the USSR banner and under the Stars and Stripes. We have a chat about them, a failed back up pilot for the SRV cosmonaut and a failed attempt at having an F1 race in Vietnam.

PS: Amanda Nguyễn, an American social entrepreneur and civil rights activist (EN Wiki) was able to achieve her dream of reaching space on the Blue Origin New Shepard flight on April 14, 2025. This was after a devastating rape during her college years and due maliciousness or ineptitude in the legal system, her rapist was never charged and the evidence was destroyed. Amanda persevered, dedicated her life to social justice and has become the first Vietnamese woman to reach space. Unfortunately, her achievement was overshadowed by her co-passenger's [Katy Perry and Gayle King] actions and the media circus around it. A related article: https://joysauce.com/in-defense-of-amanda-nguyen-who-actually-did-something-on-the-blue-origin-flight/

PPS: The former last emperor of Việt Nam apparently like F1 or going to it because he was living high on the hog. Here is a photo of him attending the 6th F1 Italian Grand Prix after he abdicated the throne ending Nguyễn dynasty. https://www.instagram.com/p/DOge_Re3gLO/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

PPPS (26 Sept 2025): "Alex Sawer Hoang Dat clinched the F4 Southeast Asia Championship, becoming the first Vietnamese to win a Formula-level title sanctioned by the FIA." He's 17, hope his future is bright. https://www.instagram.com/p/DPAnjUTjPFd/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

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September 2, 1945 (Hanoi). Hồ Chí Minh declares the independence of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Tuyên ngôn độc lập Việt Nam Dân chủ Cộng hòa) at the Ba Đình square. This is a major milestone on Vietnam's journey to freeing itself from French colonization and ultimately becoming a free and independent country. The shape that Vietnam would take came from decades more strife and pain.

PS: Chris Tran, a significant Việt creator on instagram, posted a celebration message for National Day. He then posted 2 hate filled comments he received from diaspora Viets and a positive response. Read the comments for incredible feedback from all manners of Việts. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOFd3s2kXve/?img_index=6&igsh=MXN5aG1mNzRtZGNpZQ==

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A question few have asked is, how many Vietnamese have ever gone to the coldest reaches our world, away from the typical hot and humid climate of Vietnam. Bear with us, as Dennis and I explore the questions while making our rounds to both ends of the Earth. 

Link to the news article about the Vietnamese living on the remote Alaskan islands:

https://youtu.be/8oTmyQp-qAA?si=QcVaBdToW4-SlhCe

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Smelly, salty, savory, the life blood of the Vietnamese, Thais and other southeast Asian peoples. Also a few folks from China, Korea and Japan. We touch upon this crucial condiment in this episode.

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Forget the other lists you ever seen (I looked at most of them), this is the real list of what I think are the worst food (or food categories). Don't think for a second these aren't foods! They are popular for different people. As a bonus, we included some whack foods from neighbouring countries. And Dennis has found out about century eggs (Trứng vịt bắc thảo) and their long partnership with congee. Now who wants to eat some live octupi (thanks Korea)!

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Is Lý Long Tường (Yi Yong-sang) one of Vietnam's greatest exports to Korea? The Grand Tutor, a general who defeated Mongols invaders twice, showing that it was not just the Trần in Đại Việt who could get it done. The progenitor of the Hwasan Lee clan, his influence has stretched across the centuries.

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Reunification. An innocuous word in general, a dirty word for many overseas Vietnamese. In light of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam being reunified on April 30, 1975 (whether some choose to accept it or not, the reality is that Vietnam is unified as a Socialist Republic), these are some stories from my parents, before and after this seminal event. Many of these memories are fragments that surfaced in the mind of my parents across the years. Often times, neither wants to remember that time period. 

These are only echoes of what they saw, what they lived through, what they carry. Many others have captured the memories of their parents and grandparents, their aunts and uncles, in books, in audio and in video. These are my family's now and for the future.

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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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Nothing exciting, just a typical moped ride from District 1 (Saigon) to a neighbouring district during regular traffic. What you miss from just listening is the constant game of chicken everyone plays with each other with 99% success rate of living for both players. 

I have read and been told Saigon moped riders are insane.

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

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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).

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From one of the hotels I stayed in, I heard a unique bird call. I have no idea what it is and I cannot find a non-Americas, non-European app for identification.

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

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I thought the rainy season ended after August, but that might just be true for the part of Vietnam where my dad is from. Jen tells me big heavy thunderstorms are normal in October.

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

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No Julie Andrew here. Dennis lays out his thoughts on “Vietnam’s” epic, the Tale of Kieu, a story of Confucian morals.

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Just a ramble about the various Vietnamese gang members I’ve met over the years.

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We talk about the struggles about becoming a war chief and if there is an exchange rate between elephants and horses. 

A follow up to this episode is included at the start of the avocado episode.

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We, to Dennis' chagrin, talk about Vietnam's most famous cuisine, phở (if I hear an Oh sound, I will hunt you down). It's origins are murky, but whether it be French, Chinese or a hybridization with local recipes, there's no denying it's significance. Ramen (a completely different type of soup, listen and learn), takes a back seat to this savoury bowl of noodles. 

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We delve into the SCB saga, the greatest criminal trial in Vietnam's, in SE Asia's history and the lady at the center of it all, Capitalist Lang (Trương Mỹ Lan). 

Post script: On June 6, Al Jazeera reports more charges were filed against Capital Lang for transferring $4.5 billion USD in and out of Vietnam (https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2024/6/6/vietnam-tycoon-sentenced-to-death-could-face-new-charges-state-media-say).

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As part of our ongoing gratitude to our listeners in Frankfurt Am Main, we thought we'd have a look at how Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) stacks up to this powerhouse of a German city.

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My final short report while on my trip where I talk about my disappointment at the MLB store in Ho Chi Minh City and women working 9 to 5.

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I recorded a few daily reports during my trip to Vietnam in 2023. I babble on about road crossings and a broken rice diner I ate at.

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The third of my short reports where I talk about riding mopeds and 7-11s.

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The second of my short reports where I was dumb and tried to visit the Canadian consulate without an appointment. I also ramble about how helmet requirements have changed in Vietnam over time.

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We talked about Sơn Tinh (Sonny) previously, but in this episode, Dennis and I do an overview of the other three immortals. This includes Sonny's brother in law, Chử Đồng Tử  (Chewie).

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So I made a mistake in stating April 29 was the fall of Saigon; it fell on the 30th. The 29th was the date of the initial invasion. You could say it was still the 29th in the Americas when Saigon fell.

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Chúc mừng năm mới! Kung Hei Fat Choi (gōng xǐ fā cái)! We break in the new year wondering why nations wouldn't pick dragons as their astrological critter. Dennis critiques Vietnamese traditional food offerings of the period and I try not to bump the microphone.

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In October 2023, was in LA with Beardsley and we stopped at Little Saigon in Westminster, California and then a few weeks later I went to Saigon proper to visit Jen and my family. Just some notes from the two trips.

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We talk about lemongrass, Dennis' favourite herb and  its origin and its uses. There are a lot.

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It got weird going from being the hidden middle child to being the oldest. I am the oldest biological child of my parents. Like Catelyn Stark, my mom hated this adopted child, though he did earn some of it. It gets complicated when you're uprooted from the home you know, ripped away from your bio mom and siblings and get taken to a frozen land. I wasn't sure what he was up to of late, but the old man met up with him in Nam.

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I never fulfilled the Viet stereotype in Canada, but I surprisingly met a number of people who did.

PS -  I was told viet folks will move to edmonton, calgary, saskatoon, etc. from vancouver / toronto, to escape heat from the police there

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It is weird on what Vietnamese will like from outside the nation. For example, in 2023, Jen tells me the popular foreign beer of choice is...Budweiser. For Vietnamese expats (Viet Kieu), Bud was popular in the 80s and 90s. Music wise, Hotel California seems to have made a lasting impression on older Vietnamese, including making me hate the song because it was played ad nauseum during the parties my dad went to in the 80s and 90s. While drinking Bud.

Also, Vietnamese have a special talent in making upbeat depressing songs into ads and dance remixes...

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I've tied on a few and can count the number of blackouts I remember on one hand!

PS: Redux of Season 1, Episode 7 "Slightly darker black (out)".

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I used to watch professional hockey. No one in my family ever did. I don't know why or how I started, but I enjoyed it (also MLB when the Jays won back to back world series. Yes, I am a wagon hopper). The desire to watch took many blows over the years. It wasn't even because of the decline in the 90s with the VCR line or early 2010s drought (to be fair 2006 was  a miracle and inspiring). I've become one of those guys who just doesn't care anymore. Ironic, because I met guys like that before and never understood why they gave it up. Now I do.

P.S. - CBC f*ed up arguing over the payment for the Hockey Night in Canada theme song. That was a huge consideration in stopping watching. Idiots.

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Some random notes from my 76 (actually 6, no Dennis, I'm telling the truth) trips to Vietnam. Also a way to segue into our follow up podcast series about Vietnam. 

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I have no rhythm, I have no melody. It wasn't for lack of trying to learn a couple of instruments when I was younger and more daring.

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If you're lucky, you'll have good grandparents who spoil you. If you're luckier, they'll still be alive. Just thoughts on my dead grandparents, especially my grandma, who I actually met.

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One of the Four Immortals, who's legendary battles over a beautiful princess, describes how and why Vietnam lives through a monsoon season. Wrongly called a genie (djinn) by Wikipedia, Sonny (as we inappropriately call him) is more rightly called a Saint, a chief figure in the beliefs of the Red River Delta peoples. These peoples are the ancestors of the modern Vietnamese.  His daughter is of great importance too, being a ruler of one of the Four Palaces.

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I lettered in high school despite only play 2 sports in grade 12, but 3 sports across all of high school. I didn't even play traditional contact sports and all I was good for, was finishing last in cross country and eating balls to the face. 

PS: Redux of Season 1, Episode 22 "High School Sports".

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Just going over the only major sports league I still watch and how I got there with Dennis and Beardsley. Also the reason why Beardsley wanted to fight a shark in Hawaii.

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Dennis and I talk about former Buon  Don Elephant Races, how it would have been great with coffee (it's part of a larger coffee festival).

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The first of my 76 trips (it's actually 6 with a possible 7th coming at some point. Wait, Dennis is yelling at me about something), where I met my dad's mom for the first and only time. The bro went with and he hated it. We both went again in 2013 and he still hated it, but at least I got him to eat tasty food that wasn't fried potatoes or rice with soy sauce.

PS: This is a redux of Season 1, Episode 25 "Nam in 1994".