Send us a text 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.

Send us a text 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 coll...

Send us a text 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...

Send us a text 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

Send us a text 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.

Send us a text 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)!

Send us a text 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.

Send us a text 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 remembe...

Send us a text 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.

Send us a text Vaping is banned in Vietnam and we couldn't be happier!

Send us a text 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.

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

Send us a text 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.

Send us a text 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.

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

Send us a text 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.

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

Send us a text 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).

Send us a text 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 suit...

Send us a text 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).