Chuck Kuhn's Asia in Photos: Vietnam's First Roadside Station Opens In Hoa Binh

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Vietnam's First Roadside Station Opens In Hoa Binh

HOA BINH, Feb 12 (Bernama) -- Weary travellers on national Highway No. 6 can now take a well-earned break from their journey, following the official opening of a new roadside station in Tan Lac district, in the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh, on Feb 11, Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported.Although roadside stations are ubiquitous in Japan, for instance, this is the first of its kind on Vietnam's highways. It not only offers motorists a place to rest and take a break, it also provides public information and promotes local trade.Roadside stations also possess the potential to act as efficient outlets for promoting the regional images of provinces across the nation.The station also houses multi-purpose rooms for civil organisations, such as the Women's Union and the Farmers' Association, as well as non-governmental organisations to hold meetings, workshops and training courses.Covering an area of approximately 5,000 sq.m, the roadside station is one of three such pilot projects in the provinces of Hoa Binh, Ninh Binh and Bac Giang, jointly carried out by the Vietnam Road Administration and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), using with funding supplied by JICA.The two other roadside stations in Ninh Binh and Bac Giang provinces are expected to become operational soon. Each station costs a total of US$330,000.The Vietnam Road Administration expects that by 2015, there will be about 80 standardised roadside stations across the country. This is good news for motorists as they will have benefit directly from the range of public services offered by such establishments.-- BERNAMA

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They say "

“I can’t say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman’s voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. They say whatever you’re looking for, you will find here. They say you come to Vietnam and you understand a lot in a few minutes, but the rest has got to be lived. The smell: that’s the first thing that hits you, promising everything in exchange for your soul. And the heat. Your shirt is straightaway a rag. You can hardly remember your name, or what you came to escape from. But at night, there’s a breeze. The river is beautiful. You could be forgiven for thinking there was no war; that the gunshots were fireworks; that only pleasure matters. A pipe of opium, or the touch of a girl who might tell you she loves you. And then, something happens, as you knew it would. And nothing can ever be the same again.”
― Graham Greene, The Quiet American

Tips on Travel to Vietnam

It's always warm in Southeast Asia apart from high mountains, so leave the heavy clothing at home. Cotton and breathable fabrics are always better than synthetics -- although cotton does wrinkle a lot when traveling! December through April is roughly the dry season in that region, although it can still rain a little. December is a good time to go in terms of temperature -- cooler than in the humid summertime. Either way, wearing more clothing (shirt sleeves and long pants) is always more respectful towards the Asian culture, especially when visiting temples and rural areas.