A: First on our show today, we’d like to welcome back Mr. Leonardo Santiago of Spain. He is 30 years old, and a modern language student. In his come-back email to VOV this week, he wrote: “I started listening to radio in 1995 and listened toVOV at the end of 1999. Since then, it has been one of my favorite radio stations due to its high quality programing which focuses on culture, history, current affairs and Vietnam’s development.”

A corner of Manzi cafe and art space in Hanoi

B: Mr. Santiago who also listens to VOV’s Spanish program, shared with us a very interesting experience with VOV. He wrote: “One day, the Spanish section interviewed Venezuela’s ambassador in Hanoi, Mr. Jorge Rendon Uzcategui who was born in my town and they talked to him about me. It was a very beautiful fact that Mr. Uzcategui sent greetings to me from VOV during the interview so we could establish a friendship because of that interesting experience.”

A: Well, it’s amazing to learn that VOV serves not only as a bridge linking Vietnam and the world but also a useful channel for networking between our foreign audiences. Thank you, Mr. Santiago for tuning in to VOV’s English program again and sharing with us your interesting stories. We look forward to hearing more from you.

B: We’ll send you a QSL card to confirm your report on our broadcasts on June 7^th and June 8^th on the frequency of 9730 as well as a frequency list and a program schedule as well.

A: This week, we received several emails from Eddy Prabowo of Indonesia. Mr. Prabowo reported some minor noises and fading in our broadcasts on the frequency of 7315 khz. Listening to our broadcast on July 15, Mr. Prabowo wrote: “ Excellent signal strength. The audio heard relatively stable and clear. Found a minor fading makes the audio sometimes heard wavy. There are two times that the VOV program was interrupted by WHRI program during this broadcast. At 01:16 UTC, suddenly there was a sound of Latin song and 01.25 UTC there came another sound.”

B: Mr. Prabowo, thank you very much for your detailed reports. We’ll verify them with QSL cards. Sorry for the interruption during July 15 broadcast. There are many factors affecting a SW radio program and we will take your report into consider6tion for service improvement. Ulmar Qvick of Sweden listened to us on July 9^th and showed his interest in our Sunday Show about coffee culture in Hanoi. He wrote: “I can’t find if this is a result of influence of French rule in the past but of course a café has got its special atmosphere. And this was well pictured in the program today. Each café has got its very own atmosphere, anything between cosy and warm, or obscure and magic down to cold and artificial. My wondering about French influence is because Paris is famous for its café culture. When we read about the French intellectuals and their relations to the cafes, we get it clear. Great thoughts and projects are discussed or it can just be a matter of gossiping. If writers and artists of Hanoi have got their favourite cafes is this something we may hear about in another Sunday show?”

A corner at Manzi cafe

A: Thank you, Mr. Qvick for your suggestion. There are many good coffee shops in Hanoi where you can grab a Vietnamese coffee specialty, but Manzi is the only place in town where you could grab that same coffee and get some art,” a New York Times presenter said in “36 Hours in Hanoi."

B: Manzi is a bar and coffee shop in an ancient French villa on Phan Huy Ich Street, which is close to West Lake and the Old Quarter. The first floor is usually taken as a working space where drinkers sit with their laptops for hours. The second floor is more like a place for dating or reading with a drink. The shop also hosts small exhibitions of paintings, photographs and sculptures, along with talk shows and live music.

A: The food menu is limited but this is a delightful spot to hang out - and check out some interesting local art from non-commercial artists that you probably won't see in the galleries of Hanoi's tourist area. In addition to exhibitions, Manzi also hosts talks, film screenings and performances. Art and coffee lovers can pass by for a look at the latest exhibition from contemporary Hanoi artists and then sit back for a coffee, juice or a glass of wine.

B: Manzi's a great place to chill so you could easily spend a few hours here planning your onward travels, reading a book or just hanging out and chatting. The small room upstairs is especially appealing on a sunny Hanoi autumn afternoon.

A: If you have a chance to visit Vietnam, you should reserve your time to check out one of the local cafés. You will certainly have an impressive experience. 

B: This week, Sutomo Huang of Indonesia sent us reception reports for the programs on July 1^st, 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th and asked about Vincom Megamall Royal City in Hanoi, which is reportedly the largest underground retail complex in Asia.

Vincom Mega Mall Royal city

A: Located in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi and covering an area of 230,000 sqm, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City is Vietnam’s largest Retail and Entertainment Complex and has been developed to satisfy customers’ shopping and entertainment needs to the highest international standards.

B: Structured in an all-in-one concept, Vincom Mega Mall Royal City offers a full range of tourism, shopping and recreational services, where customers can combine sightseeing, consumption, interaction, social gatherings and, especially, family entertainment.

A: Vincom Mega Mall Royal City is not only the largest shopping centre in the country with over 600 stores, but also a unique entertainment destination with many of Vietnam’s largest recreational facilities, including: the indoor Vinpearl Water Park Royal City, with a total area of 24,000 sqm, which opens all year round and is one of the best in Asia in terms of entertainment value; the indoor Vinpearl Royal City Ice Rink, which has a capacity of over 150 people per session and is the first international-standard ice rink in Vietnam; World Games, with numerous entertaining games; KizCiti – "Minimature careers city” where children from 3 to 15 years old are taught life skills through dynamic model careers; a Bowling area; an F&B Street comprising over 200 restaurants; the Platinum Cinema Complex, and much more.

Vinpearl Water Park in Vincom Royal City

B: Next, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Ram Babu Kumar and Bhaikan Hazarika of India, Shivendu Paul, President of the Metali Listeners’ Club of India, Paul Walker and Richard Nowak of the US, Mizanur Rahman and, Dewan Rafiqul Islam of Bangladesh. We greatly appreciate your feedback and comments on the technical aspects of our program. We’ll confirm them with QSL cards soon.

A: We welcome your feedback at: English section, Overseas Service, Radio the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu Street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.org.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at www.vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs. Check out our VOV Media App which is available on both IOS and Android platforms to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you. Good bye until next time.