Hello and welcome to VOV’s Letter Box, a weekly feature dedicated to our listeners throughout the world. We are Mai Phuong and Phuong Khanh.
A: Today is August 19th. Vietnamese people inside and outside Vietnam are jubilantly celebrating the 70th anniversary of the August Revolution, August 19 and National Day, September 2.
B: On this occasion, we’d like to cheer you up with songs about the 1945 August Revolution which greatly inflamed the fighting spirit of the national struggle. Years have gone by; these songs remain alive and have a firm hold on the hearts of Vietnamese music lovers.
A: Musician Xuan Oanh wrote “August 19” on August 19, 1945, when he was marching with other revolutionaries from the outlying district of Van Dien to Hanoi. The crackling atmosphere of the day inspired Xuan Oanh to write this song along the way on pieces of newspaper and cigarette paper covers.
B: Whenever he completed one phrase, he sang it out for others to hear and by the end of the day the song was not only finished, but widely known. The song echoed in the streets of Hanoi along with Van Cao’s “Marching song”, Nguyen Dinh Thi’s “Smashing fascism”, and Do Nhuan’s “Guerilla Song”.
A: August Revolution songs have been enjoyed and loved by generations of listeners. Each song was closely associated with one of Vietnam’s glorious historical milestones.
B: Written in 1944, Van Cao’s “Marching song” spread to the Viet Bac Revolutionary Base and throughout the secret bases of resistance in Hanoi. On August 19, 1945, this song echoed in the streets of Hanoi and was chosen by the National Congress in Tan Trao as the official song of the Viet Minh Front.
B: This week, we received a number of letters from Fumito Hokamura who was absent from our program for some time because he was sick. Fumito, it’s good to hear from you again.
A: Fumito listened to our programs on June 28, July 4, and August 2 on the frequency of 12020 MHz. He listened to these programs from 11:30 to 11:57 UTC and SINPO ratings were varied 45433, 45232, 55333 and 35222. In his letters to VOV, Fumito wrote that he wanted to know more about coffee drinking in Vietnam.
B: After tea, coffee is the second most popular beverage in Vietnam. Coffee was introduced into Vietnam in 1857 by a French Catholic priest in the form of a single Coffea arabica tree. Vietnam quickly became a strong exporter of coffee with many plantations in the Central Highlands. The beverage was adopted with regional variations.
A: You can find Vietnamese people drinking coffee in the morning, at noon and at night, at proper cafes or on little plastic stools on the street. Cafes- sit-down, indoor establishments or more casual street-side cafes are gathering places for people of all ages.
B: Coffee is traditionally brewed in individual portions using a filter, which consists of a small cup, a filter chamber and a lid to catch dripping coffee. If the coffee is served this way, it forces you to slow down and savor the experience.
A: You literally watch the coffee being made drip by drip, which not only stokes your desire, but it also forces you to sit for a few minutes while the coffee gets made. Of course not all coffee is served this way and you can also find fast cafes where the coffee has already been brewed and is ready for you to drink right away or purchase to go. The classic slow drip method, however, is a real treat and reminder to slow down, which is especially welcome in the hustle and bustle you'll find in Vietnamese cities.
B: Vietnamese coffee is famous for its sweetened condensed milk, as it should be. Thick, creamy and yes, incredibly sugary, sweetened condensed milk is the perfect counterbalance to the incredibly strong, dark-roasted Vietnamese coffee. If you're dubious about the merits of sweetened condensed milk in coffee, spending even just a few hours in Vietnam will change your mind. It hits all the right notes, and once you get into it, you'll never want to go back.
A: Black or milk coffee is served hot or with ice in Vietnam. In addition, you might also find eggs, yogurt or even butter or cheese in your Vietnamese coffee. Giang Café in Hanoi is famous for its egg coffee, which includes egg yolk, Vietnamese coffee powder, sweetened condensed milk, butter and cheese. The egg yolk is whisked up and put into the coffee, followed by the rest of the ingredients, and the drink is kept in hot water to maintain its temperature.
B: Well, it sounds great! Let’s get back to more letters and emails from other listeners. Grant Skinner of the UK sent us a letter this week and reported listening to our program on July 27 on the frequency of 7280 and rate SINPO at 15331. Grant wrote that the broadcast was not clear and there was loud crackles and a low humming sound. He wrote: “On 9730 frequency, 31 Mb, the SINPO was 11451. The broadcast sounded OK but was faint in the background and more prominent was a foreign radio station broadcasting on the same frequency. The presenter was speaking French or German”.
A: Thank you, Grant, for your very useful and informative report. We will forward your report to the technical department for follow-up.
B: Chris Kelling of the US listened to our program on August 17 at 0342 UCT on the frequency of 6175 and reported that the program was very clear with mild static in the background.
A: Listening to our broadcast on August 10 from 1710 to 1720 UTC on the frequency of 9625, David Smith of the UK reported the SINPO was 43433.
B: This week, we also received a letter from Koichi Ikeda of Japan. He wrote: “The receiving condition was OK. I hear the program clearly. I usually listen to VOV English in Japan at 2030 JST (Japan Standard Time). I found that in Trinidad and Tobago, I can also listen to VOV English in the evening time”.
A: Thank you all very much for your feedback and reports on our broadcasts. We’ll send you QSL cards to confirm your reports and look forward to hearing more from you.
B: We welcome your feedback at: English section, VOV World Service, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. Keep tuning in to our English program on the Internet at vovworld.vn. Good bye. See you next time.