(VOVworld) - We’ve made a good start in 2016. We welcome new listener Koji Nakayama of Japan, who listened to us on January 4 and sent us a reception report.
B: He wrote: “This is the first letter to the English section of VOV with my acknowledgement. I usually listen to VOV’s Japanese program and have sent many letters to the Japanese section. I’d like to hear news, information, culture, history, and music of Vietnam and much more. I try to listen to the English program as my second information source about modern Vietnam. I’ll keep listening to both languages in the future and send reception reports and feedback to you.”
A: Of the program on January 4 Nakayama said: “I really enjoyed listening to your program. I’m especially interested in the Khmer boat race involving beautifully decorated boats. I’d like to see the powerful festival there. I also enjoyed listening to some music sung by a female singer with a beautiful voice. The song gave me deep impression. Thank you for your nice song selection. I’ll keep listening to your program and hope to keep in touch with you in the future.”
We thank the Ambassador of Ski Lanka for sending us this beautiful postcard |
B: Thank you very much, Nakayama, for tuning in to VOV’s programs in both Japanese and English. Many of our Japanese listeners listen to both programs to get up-to-date information about Vietnam. We’ve added you to our mailing list and will send you our latest frequency list and program guide to make it easier for you to tune in to our channel.
A: We’re very glad when our listeners say they enjoy listening to VOV’s English program for up-to-date information about Vietnam. Your compliment is a reward for our work. Japanese listener Masaru Sekimoto of Kanagawa, Japan, sent us a letter saying: “I have a good time listening to your English program. It helps me understand Vietnam’s culture and society. I want to hear more news about Vietnam. I think Vietnam is an important country in ASEAN.”
A Ngo junk of the Khmer is about 30 m long which needs from 50 to 58 oarsmen |
B: Dewan Rafiqul Islam, President of the Friends Radio Club in Bangladesh, wrote: “I enjoy your program because it is a window on all that happens in your country. Your radio station is a bridge that connects the four corners of the world.”
A: We’re honored to have a loyal listener like you who writes to us regularly to give us useful comments on content, signal quality, frequency changes, and much more. Besides listening to our shortwave broadcast, you’re also regular visitors to our website at www.vovworld.vn. You’re welcome to leave your comments on our website to help us improve our work.
 |
| Nhat Tan peach flower village |
B: This week many of our listeners said they are interested in stories about preparations for the lunar New Year or Vietnamese Tet such as social activities to help unfortunate people enjoy Tet, flower markets and villages, and Tet trade fairs. Ashik Eqbal Tokon of Bangladesh said the report about Da Lat, the City of Flowers or Little Paris, was excellent. He said it was fascinating to learn that they grow lilies, chrysanthemums, roses, eustomas, and many other flowers.
A: Da Lat is the biggest flower hub in Vietnam thanks to a favorable climate. Tet is around the corner and flowers villages and traders are busily preparing flowers the for surging demand. Besides flowers to decorate homes for Tet, flowers are needed for offerings in the month before Tet at important worship rituals like the full-moon ceremony, the worship ceremony for the Kitchen God, and cleaning ancestral tombs. Flowers are indispensable part of offerings.
 |
| A flower farm in Tay Tuu village |
B: Each region in Vietnam has typical varieties of flowers and flower villages. In Hanoi, there are many ancient flower villages like Nhật Tân, Nghi Tàm, Ngọc Hà, Quảng Bá, and Tứ Liên. At least 10 new flower villages have sprung up within a 30-kilometer radius of Hanoi: Kim Chung, Vân Trì, Nam Hồng, Bắc Hồng, Uy Nỗ, Tây Tựu and others. Flower villages embody the traditional beauty of Hanoi and are great places for sightseeing on the weekend, especially in the spring near the Tet holiday.
A: The best way to prepare for Tet is to go to the flower villages to choose some beautiful flowers on your own. Tay Tuu flower village is 20 km from Hanoi’s center. This village is considered the oldest flower village in the suburban area. It supplies over 250 million annually. Tay Tuu village is famous for bright yellow daisy fields, intermixed with white daisies and roses. On the days before Tet, fields of violets, gladioluses and dahlias defy the cold weather.
B: Tu Lien, Nghi Tam, and Quang Ba grow peach and kumquat trees, both considered symbols of Tet. The village also has many daisies, pansies, and gomphrena globosa for sale.
 |
Tan Quy Dong flower village in Sa Dec is a popular place for people to take photos
|
A: Sa Dec town in the south has specialised in flowers for more than a century. While it might not be as much in the floral spotlight as northern and central flower hubs, Sa Dec's floral beauty has been recognized for more than 100 years. This town near the Tien River, draws thousands of visitors spellbound by the colourful spectacle that is accompanied by the scent of many species of flowers. The gorgeous flowers can be seen along highways, paths, in flooded fields and around people's houses. There are dahlias, hydrangeas, orchids, ornamental areca, hibiskus rosa-sinensis and African marigolds.
B: An added attraction in Sa Dec are rare bonsai trees that are hundreds of years old. Trees like the thistle, areca, and benjamine fig have become works of priceless art in the hands of skillful, patient, talented artisans.
A: Besides domestic flowers, the Tet flower markets also sell a variety of exotic flowers from South Korea, Thailand, Netherlands, Thailand, and the US. Merchants in HCM city say they have doubled their import volume this year of buttercups, Ecuadorian and Kenyan roses, allium, and hydrangea.
 |
Smile sunflowers imported from Russia
|
B: Tet is the most important festival in Vietnam. The weather at this time is wonderful for travelling for pleasure. It’s the end of winter and the beginning of spring when plants wake up, open their buds, and start flowering. We’ll have more stories about Tet in Vietnam in later broadcasts. Now let’s read some letters from other listeners.
A: Jorg-Clemens Hoffmann of Germany said: “I have listened again to VOV’s English Service. Signal on 7280khz was good in south west Germany. No problem receiving the Mail Bag program. Normally I listen to the German programs, but I enjoy the English service as well. This way I learn even more about your wonderful people and country.”
B: In India, Ratan Kumar Paul is indignant about the terrorist attacks in Jakarta, Indonesia. He said it was very sad and painful and we should protest the cruel attackers.
A: Sanjib Biswas of India said in a letter on December 20: “The 30-minute English program is excellent and makes it easy to get news and information about Vietnam. The reception is good in Kolkata. The Mail Bag, news, Current Affairs, and music are my favorite programs.”
B: Thank you all for listening to VOV and sending us your feedback. The Letter Box cannot acknowledge every letter but we’ll definitely verify them all with our QSL cards.
A: Thank you very much for your reception reports. Please feel free to send us your feedback. Our address is English Section, Overseas Service, Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Our email address is englishsection@vov.org.vn. Thank you for listening. Goodbye.