It was my fourth visit to Ha Long Bay, but the first time my mother and I could together float on the sea, from sunset to sunrise on a large wooden junk.

Our three days and two nights on a the wooden junk named Valentine, of Indochina Sails may just be our most memorable trip together since I was 10 years old and accompanied my mother to visit the sea for the first time.

Many foreign investors still show optimism about Vietnam ’s economic prospects and are reiterate their commitment to term investment in the country despite current challenges, particularly spiraling inflation.

“Inflation is likely to surge higher but I believe Vietnam will overcome all difficulties,” Head of the European Commission to Vietnam , Ambassador Sean Doyle, said.

According to the ambassador, low disbursement of capital is the key reason behind inflation.

Meanwhile, Philips Healthcare Director General Steve Rusckowski said his company will continue investing in Vietnam .

The stock market endured another disappointing day on Tuesday as the VN-Index fell 6.66 points to finish at 920.48 despite a flurry of interest and a spate of gambling in the smaller stocks.

Blue chips continued to slide. Pha Lai Thermal Power (PPC) dropped VND1,500 to close at VND58,500, Petro Viet Nam Drilling and Well Services (PVD) fell VND3,000 to VND154,000, and Sacombank (STB) shed VND500 to end the day at VND54,500.

Similarly, Tan Tao Industrial Zone (ITA) declined VND2,000 to VND134,000, REE Technology (REE) dropped the same amount to VND133,000, and Saigon Cables & Telecommunications Materials (SAM) cast off VND1,000 to close at VND145,000.

The European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Eurocham) last week urged the Government to lift higher the lid on advertising and promotional activities by enterprises, saying it was worried over a draft law maintaining the cap at 10% of total corporate expenses.

Eurocham, representing over 600 European companies operating in Vietnam, said it was concerned about the proposed definition on marketing and promotional expenses that can be deducted before the corporate income tax is imposed.