1st International CME of the Ophthalmological Society of West Bengal (OSWB), Hanoi and the trip of Vietnam:
Ophthalmological Society of West Bengal (OSWB) organized its first ever international CME at Hanoi, Vietnam with a leisure trip to the country in the year 2023 in the month of November. The team comprised of the members of the OSWB along with their friend and family members. The team lead by our Hony. Secretary Dr Debashis Das reached Hanoi on the early morning of 17th of Nov followed by a weeklong program. On the third day of our trip, we had our scientific program organized at Manzi, Hanoi. There were 8 scientific topics presented by the members and attended by the full team which was followed by a gala dinner. We had a pleasant trip along with the CME.
The CME:
Happy and proud to be associated with the 1st Overseas International OSWB CME, which was held successfully at Manza Hall, Hanoi, Vietnam on the 19th of November, 2023.
Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, is known for its centuries-old architecture and a rich culture with Southeast Asian, Chinese, and French influences. At its heart is the chaotic Old Quarter, where the narrow streets are roughly arranged by trade. There are many little temples, including Bach Ma, honouring a legendary horse, plus Đồng Xuân Market, selling household goods and street food. The lake in the heart of the city is the heart of Hanoi.
Hạ Long Bay, in northeast Vietnam, is known for its emerald waters and thousands of towering limestone islands topped by rainforests. Junk boat tours and sea kayak expeditions take visitors past islands named for their shapes, including Stone Dog and Teapot islets. The region is popular for scuba diving, rock climbing and hiking, particularly in mountainous Cát Bà National Park.
Ninh Bình is a small city in the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Ninh Bình Province. A small peaceful town during nature. Hoa Lư is the old capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1009. It lies in Trường Yên Thượng village, Hoa Lư District, Ninh Bình Province. The area is one of rice fields broken by limestone mountains, and is approximately 90 km south of Hanoi. Tam Cốc – Bích Đồng is a popular tourist destination in north Vietnam.
The Vietnam War was a long, costly, and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The war exposed the ruthless face of the US Army harshly coming down upon the Vietnamese people not only for that generation but also crippling the future generations with chemical poisoning the entire terrain such that crippled children were born for the next few decades over the entire region. This is an entirely inhumane experience we all witnessed in Vietnam.
As a military headquarters, Cu Chi Tunnels played a pivotal role in the Vietnamese forces’ resistance to the American army in South Vietnam. It served as an isolated stronghold to plan strategies and launch successful military campaigns, notably the victorious Tết Offensive in 1968. The tunnels of Củ Chi are an immense network of connecting tunnels located in the Củ Chi District of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, and are part of a much larger network of tunnels that underlie much of the country. The Củ Chi tunnels were the location of several military campaigns during the Vietnam War, and were the Viet Cong’s base of operations for the Tết Offensive in 1968.
My Tho – Mekong Delta was founded in the 1680s. The city was named after the My Tho River. At that time, this area was part of the former Khmer Empire. During the French colonial era, along with Saigon, My Tho was a major strategic area in Vietnam. In this time, My Tho – Mekong River area stated developing, prospering, and attracting more immigrants. Because of its proximity to Saigon, My Tho used to be the gateway to Mekong Delta. Since then, there has been a huge convenience for tourism and trading there. My Tho – Mekong Delta, Vietnam is famous for floating markets, a signature dish called “hu tiu My Tho” and immense rice fields.
About one thousand years ago, water puppets were added to the list of traditional art performances in Vietnam. The first shows were hosted in the harvested rice fields, which could be filled with water to create a watery stage. Water puppetry as a folk-art form evolved from serving everyday people to a show for royalty. For me, this is the first of its kind I have ever watched earlier. It is fascinating to see them perform.
Report by: Dr Rudra Prosad Ghosh
