Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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　　*　　'　+:...+....:+　　Christmas
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A Trip to Taiwan

One week before Christmas, I had a trip to Taiwan. This picture depicts a typical street in Kaohsiung city. The main color of the city is red because of the Chiness culture. The intersting thing is there is a lane for motorbike and almost all people riding motorbkie wear helmet. Even it's a modern city but there are so many dog shits on the road. Unfortunately, I stepped on one of them. Oh God, damn it!

Vo Nguyen Giap - Vietnamese General

Vo Nguyen Giap (1911-)

General Võ Nguyên Giáp ( 武元甲; Giap is his given name) is a Vietnamese four-star general

General Giap was considered to be one of the most interesting characters of the Vietnam War. He had received no formal instruction in military science, but was by no means ignorant of the art of war. He admired Napoleon and T.E. Lawrence and described himself as a self-taught general. Born in the region close to the DMZ (An Xa) and attending Quoc Hoc Academy in Hue, he was expelled following a student strike and later earned a degree in law at the University of Hanoi, which was a French institution

At the end of his career he commanded the world's third largest army and was hailed as the architect of Vietnam's victory. After the French banned the Communist Party, Giap fled to China where he became a key deputy of Ho Chi Minh and was given command over the Viet Minh guerrilla forces fighting the Japanese from 1940 to 1945. The Communists seized control in 1945 and Giap became one of the top figures in the newly formed government.

His historical reputation results from his victory at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954. Using siege tactics, Giap defeated the French with an extraordinary logistical buildup and effective use of a well-protected artillery. He achieved French surrender just days before the Geneva Conference, which would negotiate the French withdrawal from Vietnam, but would leave the country divided.

In the late 1950's through to the late 1960's, Giap remained a key military figure but became embroiled in a fierce debate over the strategy for reunification. Eventually this power struggle would lead to the Communist Party demoting and ridiculing him. In 1967, Giap was the designer of the Tet offensive; this proved to be his last great military involvement, retiring in 1973 after the failed Ester Offensive.

Reportedly suffering from illness, Giap resigned his position as minister of defense in 1980 and lost his seat in the politburo in 1982, after which he became chief of the Science and Technology Commission. In July 1992, he was awarded the Gold Star Order, Vietnam's highest decorative honor.

Vo Nguyen Giap has been a prolific writer whose titles include "Big Victory, Great Task", "Đien Biên Phu" and "Once Again We Will Win."

Dang Thai Son recital

Thank you Dang Thai Son!

It was an excelent recital of Dang Thai Son on Dec, 02nd 2005 at KAIST. He's very famous all over the world as an outstanding Vietnamese pianist. This was an "once in a life time" chance to see him performing some work of Mozart, Debussy and Chopin. I was very happy to meet and took picture with him. He's so genttle and friendly. He's going to have another performance on Dec 6th 2005 in Seoul and this event will be broadcasted live on Arirang Tivi Channel.

You can download a part of his performance here


At KAIST Auditorium

아리랑 - Arirang - A Traditional Korean Song

Download here


The song is known as one of the most famous traditional Korean song. Almost all Korean cal sing this song well. Even a person like me who don't know much about Korean can sing this song rather well. Usually when people want to introduce about Korean culture this song could be a proper choice.
A... rirang...a riang a ra ri o...

피곤하지만 재미없어요 ^^ Wrong but Funny

Last three weeks I went to Jeju island. I was so tired and bored. When I was walking with my feind, I made a slip on my tongue: "피곤하지만 재미없어요" (that means: "I'm tired and it's so boring") and my feind bursted to laugh. Actually it should be "피곤하지만 재미있어요" but the meaning is "I'm tired but it's interesting". The grammar of the former sentence is wrong but I like it because it reflects my feeling pretty well. So far some of my feinds have accustomed to that expression and they like it.

Hehe, Wrong but Funny

Further more, have you ever heard of this expression: "고구마워!"
That means: "Thanks" but in different way:

고구마워=고구마+고마워 (sweet potato + thanks)

A Trip to Seoul

Yonsei University

I went to YN in the afternoon after taking the subway and had a short walk. It was a sunny day. The campus is so big then I dicided to walk around as quick as I could. I met several nice persons. I took a lot of pictures there. In my opinion this is the most beautiful campus I've ever visited

Seoul National University

It's the most famous university in Korea but it's not as beautiful as I first thought. Not much impression.
Sogang University
Konkuk University

Gorgeous

Amazing its'n it? I admire the author of this picture. For sure he spent much time to create such a gorgeous work. I have a camera but I don't know how to use it effectively not to mention taking this kind of picture. Thanks a lot

Geyong Bok Goong - The Korean Palace of King Choson

I went to the palace this summer. It was sunny day so I took a lot of nice pictures there. If you are in Korea, please visit this palace one time. It's worth your try.

Main palace















It's good to take picture here















I envy you, King Choson















Look at the sky!















Korean soldiers in traditional costumes

The Girl From Ipanema

This is a very cool Jazz song that I first listened to in 1998 on FM radio presented by Quang Dung. I've had this song several weeks ago and I want to share it with my feinds. Let's listen!

Download Here

The Girl From Ipanema

Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto

(Writer(s): Jobim/Gimbel/DeMoraes)

Olha que coisa mais linda
mais cheia de graça
É ela menina que vem e que passa
nun doce balanço, caminho do mar ...
Moça do corpo dourado, do sol de Ipanema
O seu balançado é mais que un poema
é a coisa mais linda que eu já vi passar...
Ah! Porque estou tão sozinho
Ah! Porque tudo é tão triste
Ah! A beleza que existe
A beleza que não é só minha
que também passa sozinha
Ah! Se ela soubesse que quando ela passa
o mundo sorrindo
se enche de graça
e fica mais lindo
por causa do amor
por causa do amor
por causa do amor

Tall and tan and young and lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she''s like a samba
That swings so cool and sways so gentle
That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh

(Ooh) But I watch her so sadly
How can I tell her I love her
Yes I would give my heart gladly
But each day, when she walks to the sea
She looks straight ahead, not at me

Tall, (and) tan, (and) young, (and) lovely
The girl from Ipanema goes walking
And when she passes, I smile - but she doesn''t see (doesn''t see)
(She just doesn''t see, she never sees me,...)

Cô và Mẹ

This is one of the most beloved songs for all Vietnamese children. I was taught this song when I was at 3 or 4 years old. However I found this song more interesting with a piggy voice of a rocker.

Lúc o nhà me cũng là cô giáo
Khi đén truòng cô giáo nhu me hiê`n
Cô và me là hai cô giáo
Me và cô, áy hai me hiên`.

Download here

Amazing - A Good Song by Aerosmith

I find an old song which is my favorite when I was in undergradute school. It still very new

...
I kept the right ones out
And let the wrong ones in
Had an angel of mercy to see me through all my sins
There were times in my life
When I was goin' insane
Tryin' to walk through
The pain
When I lost my grip
And I hit the floor
Yeah, I thought I could leave but couldn't get out the door
I was so sick and tired
Of a livin' a lie
I was wishin' that I
Would die

It's Amazing
With the blink of an eye you finally see the light
It's Amazing
When the moment arrives that you know you'll be alright
It's Amazing
And I'm sayin' a prayer for the desperate hearts tonight

That one last shot's a Permanent Vacation
And how high can you fly with broken wings?
Life's a journey not a destination
And I just can't tell just what tomorrow brings

You have to learn to crawl
Before you learn to walk
But I just couldn't liten to all that righteous talk
I was out on the street,
Just a tryin' to survive
...

Download here

Club Xiangqi

Chess again. But this time is Chiness Chess. Were you angry when you lose the game? Try it now and you will have that feeling

My Korean Contest

안녕하세요.

여기서 한국어로 한국에대해서 이야기하게되서 정말기쁩니다. 여러분이 혹시제한국말을 이해못하실까봐 걱정되고요. 또 선생님이 실망하실까봐 걱정도돼요. 하지만 지금이 한국사람들 앞에서 연습할 수 있는 좋은기회인 것같아요. 제이름은 탄 이고요. 베트남사람 이예요. 제 나이는 스물일곱 한국나이로는 스물여덟 이여요. 저는 건설및환경공학과에서 석사과정에 있어요. 작년 구월부터 여기서 한국어를 배우고있어요. 한국어공부는 내 취미 이지만 꼭 필요해요. 한국말을 모르면 한국사람을 이해할 수 없어요. 그래서 KI House에 참가해요. 지금부터 일년동안 한국에 살면서 느꼈던것과 경험을 이야기할 거에요. 첫번째는 선배와 후배들 사이의 관계예요. 한국사람들은 이것에 굉장히 엄격해요. 다른 나라에서는 서로 나이가 달라도 서로 친구처럼대해요. 그러나 한국에서는 한살이라도 많은 사람한테는 형님 누님 이라고 불러야되요. 파티에서 선배가 후배에게 술을주면 후배는 꼭 두손으로 술잔을 받아야해요. 처음에는 그것이 굉장히 이상했어요. 그런데 시간이 지나니까 괜찮아졌어요. 음식도 마찬가지 였어요. 특히 청국장 냄새와 맛은 굉장히 이상했어요. 그런대 지금은 제가 가장 좋아하는 음식중 하나가 청국장이에요.

또, 다른 하나는 “집들이”에 대한 것 이에요. 우리 베트남에서도 집들이를 해요. 하지만 한국 에서의 집들이는 베트남 집들이 보다 더 시간이 많이 필요한 것같아요. 베트남에서는 두, 세시간안에 끝나는데 한국에서는 거의 밤 열두시 까지 파티를 해요. 어떤때는 시간낭비라는 생각도 들어요. 하지만 그 시간들을 통해서 더 친해질수있었어요. 두번 집들이에 갔었는데 나중에는 어청솔렸어요. 또, 한국에서는, 1 차, 2차, 심지어 3차까지 파티가 연장되는것 같아요. 3차가 끝날때 까지는 집에도 못가요. 그렇게 이상해요.

그다음에, 한국생활에 대한 것을 얘기하고 싶어요.
작년에 우리학과에서 등반대회가 있었어요. 처음에는 등반대회가 무엇인지 잘 몰랐어요. 계룡산에 갔었어요. 저는 그냥 조금만 올라갈려고 했었는데 모두 다 산 정상까지 올라갔어요. 젊은 저에게도 힘든 일이었는데 나이 드신 교수님들도 끝까지 올라가셨어요. 제 경험으로는 나이 드신 분들은 그렇게 높은 산에는 못 올라갔었어요. 굉장히 인상적이었어요. 한국사람들은 운동을 굉장히 즐기는 것 같아요. 지금은 왜 한국사람들이 등산을 자주하는지 이해할 수 있어요. 도시 주변에 등산하기에 좋은 산들이 많아서 그런 것 같아요. 요즈음 저에게 새로운 좋은 습관이 생겼는데 그것은 자주 운동하는 것과 등산을 좋아하게 된 것이예요. 규칙적인 운동이 내 달리기 기록에 도움을 주고 있어요.

한국에 와서 저는 많은 경험을 하여 저 자신이 많이 바뀌었어요. 제 스스로 요리도 하고 운동도 열심히 하게 되었어요. 배트남에 있을 때는 요리의 ‘요’자도 몰랐어요. 그런데 지금은 두 세가지 요리를 할 수 있어요. 제 친구들은 저를 4층 기숙사의 요리사라고 불러요. 제가 한국에 온지 일년 정도가 지났지만 이 기간동안 많은 것을 배우고 느꼈어요.

아주 단순한 일부터 제 전공에 이르기까지 많은 것을 배웠어요. 그리고 한국말도 조금 할 수 있게 되었어요. 제가 여기 한국에 오게 된 것이 제 인생의 큰 기회라고 생각해요. 어쩌면 저는 새로운 사람으로 다시 태어난 것 같아요. 남은 일년동안 저는 제 논문을 위해서 열심히 연구할 것이고 가능하면 제 한국말 실력도 향상시키고 싶어요. 기회가 되면 배트남에 가더라도 한국에 다시 한번 오고 싶어요. 저는 한국이 참 좋아요. 제 어눌한 한국말을 잘 들어 주셔서 대단히 감사합니다.

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe(1809-1849)

One the greatest and unhappiest of American poets, a master of the horror tale, and the patron saint of the detective story. Edgar Allan Poe first gained critical acclaim in France and England. His reputation in America was relatively slight until the French-influenced writers like Ambroce Bierce, Robert W. Chambers, and representatives of the Lovecraft school created interest in his work.

Beethoven

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Epoch: Classic and Romantic
Country: Germany-Austria

Symphony #9 , Op.125 "Choral"
I - Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestoso
II - Molto vivace
III - Adagio molto e cantabile
IV - Presto

The Beatles

Download this song

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away

Now it looks as though they’re here to stay

Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Suddenly, I’m not half the man I used to be,

There’s a shadow hanging over me.

Oh, yesterday came suddenly.
Why she had to go I don’t know she woldn’t say.

I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday.
Yesterday,

love was such an easy game to play.

Now I need a place to hide away.

Oh, I believe in yesterday.
Mm mm mm mm mm.

Metal - To Mangle Your Mind

Don't touch Very Brutal!

A Turkish Melody

Erkan is a feind of mine on 4th floor. He's a funny guy. He can speak 25 languages as he said. He can play soccer rather well. This is a Turkish melody performed by him.

Download

Jazz Radio - Saxmania

Listen now


For those who love saxophone. This online jazz radio station is very cool. You can request your artists, songs at your will. Try first with Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz and Art Pepper. Later on, John Coltrane and others

"Beer?" - Hey, don't say it loud !

Tonight, I'm going to have a small party with my feinds. I have to go to buy some beer for those dudes. I like beer but there are so many types to choose. Can you help me?

We're Vietnamese

Everybody has a job but nobody does
Nobody does but everybody has salary
Everybody has salary but nobody affords to live
Nobody affords to live but everybody lives
Everybody lives but nobody's satisfied
Nobody's satisfied but everybody agrees

Our children go to school like this. Very nice, right? The below video is a closer look at our daily life. Some good, some bad but that's ours. Thanks to the author.

Download Here

Baduk - My new passion

I knew Baduk when I was a little boy but at that time it was not interesting at all. Recently I realize that it's much more than what I thought. There are several sites on www but I haven't tried it yet. So... for future maybe :) My feind sent me this link to play the game. Thanks SVeN
Play it now

Lisa Ono - A Famous Jazz Singer

Today is about the Jazz singer I like. I first found some of her albums last 2 weeks. The seduction of her voice is extremely impressive.

A brief musical biography

Born in São Paulo of Japanese descent, Lisa has been living in Japan since age 10. Even having lived in Brazil for such a short time, she was turned into a type of MPB (Brazil Popular Music) ambassador in Japan, influenced by her father, who owned a club while living in Brazil, and was also Baden Powell's agent.

This is one of her best albums
Download Here

Heroes III of Might and Magic

Hi dudes, do you heroes III?














This is one of my favorite strategic games.
I play it every free time. Even though it consumes your time a lot but if you play it, you'll go to another world.

The world of Might and Magic ^^

Paintings

"Stranger"

Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoy

Russian

1837-1887

The Obsessional Hanoi
Nguyen Dinh Dang

Hanoi - A place to go

Hanoi, the capital city where I was born. The below picture is the most famous lake in Hanoi. It's Hoan Kiem Lake - or "The Return of the Sword". Its other name is HoGuom. It's a long story about that name so I'll tell about it later.

HoGuom - Fall

My first post

Today I found something new - Blogger. A very good personal page. Thank you Blogger