jimbo's profile
jimbo's Posts
6 reviews or comments posted; 2 questions asked; 26 answers given.
Reviews / Comments (6) see all
I can assure you, Green Mango has at least one great big rat, it runs around the potted plants in the back 'open-air' area. I've seen it on two separate occasions, once pointing it out to the waitress, who giggled. But, so what? They're everywhere.
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I used to eat at this place at least twice a week. There were no prices on the menu, and they sometimes substituted things without asking. I never cared, because the food was great and the prices were so low that I was convinced they were going to present me with an annual surcharge at Tet (they didn't). But the best thing was the staff, incredibly friendly and efficient. They even took care of a sick friend of mine for two weeks, he couldn't stand, so they went up 4 flights twice a day with food, and made sure he had water and other stuff, never a hint of asking for extra payment (which of course they were offered and adamantly refused). They were just starting the music when I moved away.
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I ate here a little over a year ago, and it was disgusting. I'm far from fastidious, but this place was awful. Hopefully they've cleaned things up.
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This place appears to have gone belly-up, which isn't surprising since it went downhill after the new owner took over. Great location, someone could really make a killing here. Unfortunately, the last few owners seem to have been unaware that they themselves were killing the place, either through neglect or general mismanagement. What a waste.
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I agree whole-heartedly. Very nice restaurant staff, excellent food, great location. I think this Hang Be Kangaroo Cafe really can't be considered to be "an imposter." There is no copyright on the name, and the other place is utterly different in every respect, and the owner of that other place also copied the name from someone else. And the food and service are better on Hang Be.
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Questions (2)
We're looking for a copy of the film "Touching the Void" and have had no luck in the shops. Anyone seen it in town, or willing to lend it out? Thanks.
Where can I have a small quantity of t-shirts printed with a logo I've created? And can they copy a 'pdf' file graphic, or would I need to put it in some other format?
Answers (26)
Posted Thursday November 15th, 2007.
To teach at any of the top-tier schools you must have a university degree AND the TESOL cert, as well as a criminal background check from your home country. This is the law. Vietnam has some of the strictest requirements in Asia. Without these documents, you'll be limited to working at the lower-end schools, with lower pay, little support, and the possibility of delayed wages.
In response to the question: I am a native english speaker who is currently completing a TESOL course.I do not hold a degree. I will be arriving in Hanoi on Decemeber 7.I have see...
Posted Friday November 16th, 2007.
It's urea! A good way to be reassured you don't have mice (or worse).
In response to the question: To all you biologists out there - why does gecko poop have a white bit at the end? Yes, I have way too much time on my hands....
Posted Saturday December 29th, 2007.
"...The North Vietnamese were ecstatic, but few missiles were coming over the assembly lines as they tried desperately to get ready for the expected midnight raid. Yet at midnight there was no raid on Hanoi, only a small B-52 raid well to the North. The second wave of B-52s scheduled to bomb Hanoi had been recalled by SAC. The North Vietnamese missile crews had done what the Japanese, Germans, North Koreans, Chinese, and Russians had failed to do—for the first and only time in the history of U.S. air combat operations, U.S. bombers on their way to a target turned back because of enemy defenses..."
That passage is from a fascinatingly detailed report on the 1972 Christmas bombing campaign. You can read the report here:
http://www.airspacemag.com/issues/2001/december-january/bomb.php
It might not provide a specific answer to your question, but it will certainly enhance your emotions as you drive past the wreckage.
In response to the question: Anyone know the story behind the B52 in the lake near Ngoc Ha. I pass it most days and think WOW, but no one can tell me if the area was residential ...
Posted Saturday February 2nd, 2008.
Jaspas will show the game with a breakfast menu available. They open at 6am; kickoff at about 6:20.
In response to the question: Does anyone know of a Super Bowl Party or event in some bar/restaurant for this years SB on Feb 4th am.? Thanks...
Posted Monday February 11th, 2008.
Three shots of banana wine at Nok Bar on Hang Bac, followed by two Halida chasers. You still might not actually see the sun, but you won't care any more.
In response to the question: Does anybody know an arcane ritual, occult ceremony, special dance, etc. that will make the sun actually come out for once during this dour, depressin...
Posted Friday March 28th, 2008.
Hmmmm, I know how you feel. I meant to write down the new address when they were still on Hang Bac and had a sign posted. Are you sure they reopened with the same name? Maybe they renamed it Lay Can? :)
In response to the question: Does anyone know what's become of Lay Bac? I've been missing it terribly! I know they closed just after Tet in order to move to a new location. It ...
Posted Saturday May 3rd, 2008.
I think it's just self-congratulatory behaviour to adopt a cat and feel all morally justified. Your words, but I'm in a similar same boat, and I force myself to resist the temptation. I think you have it worked out, you just need someone to agree with you and let it go. There are lots of children in this city who aren't much better off.
In response to the question: I'd really like to discuss this topic with someone who has an informed opinion (vet; pet owner; thoughtful and ethical person; etc) I've seen a lot...
Posted Monday June 9th, 2008.
Sorry, I don't have an answer except to agree with l'papa; but I do have a question for you. Was your VietC account a "USD" account, or was it opened with vnd? If it was USD and they're refusing to let you withdraw it, that's quite disturbing. Thanks.
In response to the question: Related to maliusmaximus' recent post, yet different- where should I currently go to get the best rate on converting VND into US$? I just closed dow...
Posted Monday June 16th, 2008.
It's a real problem for students because tourists are often a bit suspicious being approached for 'conversation,' and ex-pats are usually worn out from daily interactions (personal and/or professional) and aren't going to be in the mood to endure a halting conversation with someone trying to practice English.
I've seen young adults/late teens with clipboards and questionnaires at Temple of Lit and on the grounds of HCM Mausoleum complex, approaching tourists and being greeted in a friendly manner. Foreigners feel safer than 'on the street' and are more approachable than in a cafe where they may feel an intrusion. You could role-play how to go about this, then have them report their 'findings' to make it legitimate!
In response to the question: I've had a few students ask me the same general thing: Where can they go to meet and chat with foreigners? Some have offered a "language exchange" t...
Posted Monday June 23rd, 2008.
Well, I guess this is just going to turn into a cheerleading session for the New Hanoian. However, my complaint was about a business owner lying, several times in several different posts, and subsequently being rewarded with massive free publicity (his being forgiven for offering free booze is a joke, right?).
Prior to the announcement of the big NH meet-up at Stones, it was never explained that the owner had been confronted about his deceit, and that he had agreed to comply with standards of honesty thereafter. So I complained. To hear all this talk of reconciliation after the fact is nice, but it is unfair to criticize my initial complaints since I had no way of knowing that this guy had been confronted. I felt that his original posts were deeply offensive in their dishonesty, and the next thing I saw was the advert for the big NH meet-up. So I questioned what was going on. Do I not have that right? Isn't it ultimately a good thing that someone questioned this?
In response to the question: I'm setting up this question so that we have a more effective venue for discussing some of the concerns "jimbo" has recently raised about how we've de...
Posted Monday June 23rd, 2008.
It certainly reflects well on the New Hanoian that my comments weren't deleted, so thanks for that!
In response to the question: I'm setting up this question so that we have a more effective venue for discussing some of the concerns "jimbo" has recently raised about how we've de...
Posted Thursday June 26th, 2008.
Here's a basically optimistic NY Times article on the Vietnamese economy, published just last week.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/business/worldbusiness/18invest.htmlpagewanted=1&sq=vietnam&st=cse&scp=2
In response to the question: Dear all, Just a quick question-- what is the current black market rate for VND-USD? Has it risen above 18500 to even higher rates? Or has it sta...
Posted Monday June 30th, 2008.
Thanks a lot, I've seen those shops in the past. I'll give them a try.
In response to the question: Where can I have a small quantity of t-shirts printed with a logo I've created? And can they copy a 'pdf' file graphic, or would I need to put it in s...
Posted Friday July 4th, 2008.
Thank you, jtyo, for correcting that awful grammar mistake ('we are all suppose to...'). Not to mention the obnoxious sentiment: Resenting the current US government hardly translates into hating 'Americans.'
In response to the question: I know we are all suppose to hate the Americans, even if we are American. But I was wondering if there are any 4th of July celebrations going on. Ther...
Posted Sunday July 6th, 2008.
KOTO! Fast and efficient.
In response to the question: Since I work from home, and often feel too busy with my work (or just to lazy) to venture out for dinner or lunch, I like having food delivered to my ...
Posted Sunday July 6th, 2008.
Do you have some prior arrangement with your employer to be reimbursed? If not, then you're on your own.... good luck!
In response to the question: Tax rebate?? I will finish my year contract soon and would like to know how to go about getting a tax refund for the tax I paid here in Vietnam? ...
Posted Sunday July 6th, 2008.
"because the norm in Hanoi is that you will never see your deposit back." That's NOT the norm. Don't spread false information. I rented an apartment for a year and had monthly angry conflicts with the owner, and fully expected her to keep every cent of my deposit, especially because there was obvious wear-and-tear on the place, and it needed a cleaning. She gave me the full deposit back. My current landlord is renting to me a beautiful fully-furnished house including TV/DVD/washer with NO DEPOSIT. Don't publicize your unhappy experience as the 'norm.'
In response to the question: The house for rent in the "housing section" is the one I have recently been negotiating on. I would warn people about the contract, as the landlady...
Posted Saturday July 26th, 2008.
You say that when you 'first arrived' you started paying her $100/month. So the raise is NOT 50% in one year, it's far less calculated over how many years you've employed her. Give her the raise. Think what it would be like to find someone new, get them oriented, assess their abilities, and determine if they are trustworthy.
In response to the question: THis may be a question more for older hanoians than younger hanoians... Or at least ones who have been here longer. When I first arrived i hired a...
Posted Saturday July 26th, 2008.
She works 5 days/22 hours a week cleaning and cooking for TWO PEOPLE? You've got to be kidding. Are you a pair of 5-year-olds left abandoned in Hanoi? I'm sure she looks at your 4-bedroom house with two helpless occupants and wonders if you might have some spare change for her (in addition to the spare rooms). Does she have children of her own? Have you visited her home?
Try doing your own ironing for a month and then reconsider her salary.
In response to the question: THis may be a question more for older hanoians than younger hanoians... Or at least ones who have been here longer. When I first arrived i hired a...
Posted Wednesday July 30th, 2008.
Do you really think this was a scientific poll? Why take a swipe at me? My input was apparently at least as useful as anyone else's, given the fact that your final decision was close to what I was suggesting.
In response to the question: THis may be a question more for older hanoians than younger hanoians... Or at least ones who have been here longer. When I first arrived i hired a...
Posted Saturday August 9th, 2008.
Very nice, succinct comparison of the two cities, mnguyen. One correction, though, before Dan and Emily get too excited, I'd say $20/hr teaching is the maximum, not the minimum, for most newcomers. Also, to get anything close to that wage they'd have to a uni degree, a CELTA or equivalent, some experience and a clean background check. Otherwise they'll end up at a second-rate school.
Emily, what kind of work are you and Dan qualified for?
In response to the question: We are moving to Vietnam in 2 months. I was wondering which city would you choose to live in given the chance? Hanoi, Ho Chi Min or a city 1/2 between...
Posted Monday August 11th, 2008.
You are proposing that anyone who agrees with you can do so anonymously, but if someone disagrees with you then they must be publicly identified?
The purpose of the utter rubbish option is to avoid people getting into tit-for-tat arguments and ruining the website.
Once the rubbish choice is made, that person cannot click on it again. So if you're getting more than one negative vote, it's coming from more than one person.
In response to the question: Can we do something about the utter rubbish section. It seems that there are some people who are playing with this click. I agree with all the others ...
Posted Tuesday August 12th, 2008.
Maybe the problem is the extreme nature of the choice, perhaps an extra button like 'I'm dubious' or 'doubtful' for those who disagree but don't think the review is total rubbish would help ease the pain of making this choice. I'll bet a lot of readers are doubtful about some of the ridiculously petty complaints leveled at businesses on here, but don't want to utterly trash the review.
In response to the question: Can we do something about the utter rubbish section. It seems that there are some people who are playing with this click. I agree with all the others ...
Posted Tuesday August 12th, 2008.
"...Anonymous Utter rubbish for me is the same thing like the people who write, make comments, criticize on this website under a fake name without putting a picture or give their real name."
And your picture of some bald guy behind two enormous headlamps is supposed to validate your reviews?
In response to the question: Can we do something about the utter rubbish section. It seems that there are some people who are playing with this click. I agree with all the others ...
Posted Tuesday August 12th, 2008.
I think whoever gets the most 'utter rubbishes' every month should be given one of the free drink/meal prizes. Then we'll see how quickly Philippe changes his tune.
In response to the question: Can we do something about the utter rubbish section. It seems that there are some people who are playing with this click. I agree with all the others ...
Posted Wednesday August 13th, 2008.
Watch out for the bogus restaurant reviews here, the ones where someone obviously has a personal axe to grind, or has been miffed by some minor flaw in service and gets all indignant, taking it as a personal affront and seeking revenge by badmouthing the place.
In response to the question: Newbie in Hanoi - Any 2 cents on things to watch out for? Appreciate the tips. Thks. ...
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New Hanoian Member SinceFriday November 9th, 2007
