Neighbours in a flap over bird breeding

There’s a Vietnamese expression “Bán anh em xa mua láng giềng gần”, which roughly translates as “A nearby stranger is better than a far-away relative.”

Student caught short pays a high price

A girl from the northern mountainous province of Thái Nguyên has confessed on social media that, thanks to some unfortunate timing with regards to her bowel, she had to pay triple the price for her journey from the province to Hà Nội, from around VNĐ70,000 ($3) to VNĐ200,000 (US$8.8).

A Twist in the Tale

Chilly thief given a warm welcome

A homeless man was caught red-handed nabbing clothes that were hung up to dry outside a house in the northern city of Việt Trì. Desperate for warmth, he had no idea he was being watched by a security camera. Three men quickly came out to stop him.

A Twist in the Tale

Cinema gets a ribbing over condom promo

With Valentine’s Day coming up there are all sorts of discounts and promotions on offer for lovebirds. But perhaps none was more thoughtful than a cinema in Hà Nội who will include a ‘special’ gift with every two tickets purchased… a free condom.

A Twist in the Tale

Prof babysits infant so mother can take exam

Among the tasks a university professor is expected to perform, babysitting an infant should be very far down the list. Last week, however, an accounting professor at the Hanoi College of Technology and Trading took on the unusual job so his student, the infant’s mother, could finish an exam.

A Twist in the Tale

Facebook comes to the rescue

A Literature teacher in a mountain district in central Nghệ An province late last month wrote a poem about not being paid as usual in the middle of January, making preparations for Tết difficult. He posted it on Facebook as an open message to the chairman of the province’s People’s Committee.

A Twist in the Tale

Drunk on high spirits

In a feat many have called inconceivable, the Vietnamese U23 football team beat former champions Iraq to secure their place in the Asian Football Cup’s semi-final. In the celebrations that immediately followed the win, people and vehicles poured into downtown streets, wearing clothes of bright red and yellow, waving national flags, and singing and screaming at the top of their lungs, all in good fun.

A Twist in the Tale

For whom the bells toll

The complicated traffic situations at BOT (build-operate-transfer) toll booths hit a ridiculous point recently when a bridal procession became trapped in a long line of vehicles waiting to pay the disputed toll. In fact, without a bit of quick thinking, their day of happiness was headed for the wall.

A Twist in the Tale

Allies in the alleys

It has been well documented that the Hà Nội firefighting force has a really tough job on its hands when fires break out in lanes and alleys that their big trucks have no way of entering.

A Twist in the Tale

That’s the bomb!

They say to succeed it’s necessary to leave no stone unturned, but it’s a good thing one family in the coastal southern province of Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu never heard this saying.

A Twist in the Tale

Raising a stink over fragrance

Hoa sữa (Blackboard Tree) is regarded as a symbol of Hà Nội. Roads filled with hoa sữa have become an unforgettable part of the city’s autumn. For people, who had to live far away from the city for a long time, the tree reminds them of the pleasant weather of the autumn.

A Twist in the Tale

Dressed to the teeth

Hàm răng mái tóc là góc con người”- a Vietnamese traditional saying- highlights the teeth and hair as the most determining features for attractive and beautiful women.

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