Hue Construction site - Health and Safety???

By Carole Goldsmith Copyright ©2011 All Rights Reserved

Spotted from my hotel window in Hue, in around the middle of Vietnam ...these guys were constructing a house. Balancing on a bambool pole one guy was hammering a plank. Another guy on the ground was throwing bricks up to another guy on a bamboo pole. No scaffolding, no safety boots or other personal protective equipment - thongs and sandals were the footwear and that seemed to help the workers walk across the bamboo poles.

Some research into health and safety in the construction industry in Vietnam.
http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/article/10.1680/mpal900080

                                           

Children I spotted in Ninh Bing

By Carole Goldsmith Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved

I was in Ninh Binh for the night and spotted these lovely children enjoying the evening with their mum.

Poor dogs in Vietnam - stuck in a cage or tied to a wall

How can people do this to the poor little dog I spotted in Ningh Bing, stuck in a cage and no freedom.

Another dog, a beautiful husky dog was tied up near the lake in Hanoi, when I saw him, he was chained with little room to move and had no water. The ladies selling purses in the street, told me that he belonged to the shoe shop opposite. I went to suggest that they look after him and at least give him water and they said he was OK. Sitting in the heat, tied up with a chain all day and no water, cruelty to the poor animal. I gave him water when I saw him. Then there was heavy rain and they must have moved him as he was no longer there. I hope that he is OK and getting improvements in his life.

Great hotel in Old Quarter Hanoi - very friendly & helpful staff.

By Carole Goldsmith Copyright ©2011 - All Rights Reserved
The friendly driver sent from the Hanoi Emerald Hotel welcomed me with my name on a card, at Hanoi Airport.  Pick up from the airport is a charge service but very helpful when arriving, if you have never been to Hanoi before.

On arriving at the hotel, I was offered a hot cup of tea by staff while I was being checked in and they made me feel really welcome. I used the Hanoi Emerald Hotel as my base in Hanoi and left my large luggage there when I went to Halong Bay and Ninh Binh for trips and overnight stays. The staff are very helpful and very friendly and they are all like a big happy family. The lovely ladies, Hien and Nhung are on reception and they speak excellent English and assist with all guest's hotel and travel needs. 

Hien is a star with assisting tourists and with floral arrangments and there are always some fresh flowers like roses and lillies to welcome you in reception and lobby. Nhung is also very helpful to tourists with their travel plan and a great organiser - she looks after the management of the hotel and kept my lap top safe while I was in Ningh Bin. The wonderful Tuan and Dai assist ed me with my lap top plug in on the ground floor, also with the luggage, breakfast and with anything that needs preparing / fixing.  Dai is always singing (he is a good singer too) and he cooks some exciting meals for the staff too... they all enjoy a meal together like a big happy family. Thanh does the night duty and the wonderful house keeping staff always kept my room sparkling clean

 Staying at the Emerald - it is very conveniently located in old quarter, five minutes from the lake, close to many good restaurants and markets.  The rooms are attractively decorated with paintings and dark wooden furniture, the decor of the room is also very welcoming and comfortable and rooms are quiet.. A really great place to stay in Hanoi.

Thank you everyone for making my stay so great at your hotel.

Carole