nha trang travel

Mít Đặc Idol - Tập 01 - Sikula diệu kỳ - Hột Mít đi thi hát

2010-08-21T01:06:00.000-07:00

Cute girl viet

2010-08-13T00:35:00.000-07:00

Bad Romance -Lady Gaga

2010-08-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Legend of New Year present-giving

2010-04-16T02:57:00.001-07:00

Giving money on the occasion of New Year or festivals is a popular custom in East Asian countries. This custom has also been much popular in Vietnam for generations on the occasion of lunar new year which is named "lì xì" custom.

On New Year festival, the elderly normally give kids a small amount of money put in a very nice and small red paper bag which symbolizes for luck, good fortune, named "tiền mừng tuổi" (money given on the advancement in ages).


Vermilion "lì xì" bags

It is told by Chinese folk stories that there had a giant peach tree in Dong Hai (Đông Hải) which was the residence of various ogres such as succubus, mice, old wolf, etc. They always wanted to escape from their residence to harm the world. Unfortunately, there always had gods on earth to keep eyes on them. Therefore, no ogre could be able to escape for their purpose. But on New Year's Eve, when all gods had to return to Heaven to be reassigned, ogres got good chance to be free. There had an ogre called Tuy who usually turned up on New Year's Eve to rub kids' heads during their sleep that made them startle, and then burst into loud wails, and consequently they caught high fever or became silly. Consequently, families with kids had to stay awake overnight to keep an eye on their kids to make sure that the ogre Tuy could not do any harm to theirs.

Another legend has it that, money-giving on advancement in years originates from royal palace of Tang dynasty in China. That year, Duong Quy Phi (Dương Quý Phi) gave birth to a prince. Tang King personally visited and granted Duong Quy Phi some gold and silver wrapped in red paper. Duong Quy Phi considered this as both congratulation money and an amulet given by the King to their prince to drive away evils. This story started spreading fast outside the palace. As a result, many people imitated this story with implications eliminating evils as well as bringing about muck luck to kids.

Once, some gods passed by a home, and they metamorphosed into coins standing next to the kids. Kids' parents wrapped these coins into red cloth. When Tuy came, these coins were sparkling. Tuy was so scared that it ran away. This miracle spread and whenever Tet festival comes, people put coins into red cloth bag to give to kids. These coins are named "tiền mừng tuổi" (money given as congratulation on advancement in years.

According to other studies, custom of congratulation on advancement in years in China was born in Tan (Tần) dynasty. At that time, a thread was used to make a dragon-shaped or a sword-shaped chain, which is put next to bed legs or next to kids' pillow. That money chain is called "Áp Tuế" money which is similar to the way Chinese people call nowadays. This means the money to give kids as congratulation on advancement in years with wishes for them to have money and good fortunes to overcome that age with good and lucky things.


	Lì xì - a beautiful cultural trait of Tet festival in Vietnam

The term "lì xì" which is popularly used in the South of Vietnam originates from China. This term was born due to the variant of pronunciation of the words "lợi thị" or "lợi sự" (which is "li shi" according to Mandarin and "li shi" or "lei shi" according to Cantonese. These words mean a thing or money that may bring a lot of luck, good fortune. "lì xì" giving is to present good and lucky things to kids. Nowadays, this present additionally symbolizes for good health, success, happiness by means of wishes on the bags such as "Hòa gia bình an", "Kim ngọc mãn đường", "Vạn sự như ý"...

In Vietnam, in some certain areas, it is a custom that the younger be not allowed to "lì xì" the older since it may both malfunction this custom and be rude to the older. Nevertheless, this custom has been more open especially to married youth with income; they may give some money as New Year present to their parents, grandparents to wish for luck, health, and peace.

Source Youth Newspaper

Conception of “hồn” and “vía” of the Mong (Mông) minority in Suoi Giang (Suối Giàng), Yen Bai (Yên Bái).

2010-04-16T02:56:00.004-07:00

Conception of “hồn” and “vía” of the Mong (Mông) minority in Suoi Giang (Suối Giàng), Yen Bai (Yên Bái).

An old H'mong lade in Suoi Giang - Photo by Thai Linh Suoi Giang is a mountainous commune of Van Chan (Văn Chấn), Yen Bai province where focus a lot of H'mong Si (Red H'mong) minority.

Like other minorities settling down in Vietnam territory, the H'mong also believe in supernatural forces, in existence of "hồn" and "vía" (soul and spiritual factors). "hồn" and "vía" follow people's whole life. Each individual has three "vía" and seven "hồn" and these seven "hồn" function as shadows which all turn up at the same time once they are lamped. "Hồn" only exists when people are alive and disappear when people are dead and it does not exist in the world of dead. Hence, the Red H'mong has their custom of relieving people's run of bad luck or executes a séance for the alive.


	An old H'mong lade in Suoi Giang - Photo by Thai Linh

After three days after being given to birth, people here hold a ritual to call for "vía" and give the baby a name. Offering is a cock that is raised by the host, not to be bought or taken from anywhere else, to worship outside of their house; and a couple of chickens as offerings to worship inside of their house along with 4 sticks of incense, 4 votive papers to be burned to take "vía" down from Heaven to incarnate into baby's body. That "vía" will accompany that baby for his/her entire life. Upon his/her death, one "vía" will leave him/her to find another person to reincarnate, one "vía" will fly back to Heaven, one "vía" will stay with the dead, reside at the dead's grave. The alive are often caused to be sick by the dead's "vía". Hence, alive people consequently have to execute séance to ask the dead's "vía" not to get the alive in troubles, not to take the alive's "vía" away, and at the same time for taken-away "vía" to return to the alive so that those alive people may recovery from sickness, or ask for peacefulness to their family, their clan, their village.

It is one of unique believes of the Red H'mong, existing this land that visitors should not miss their chance to drop in to get more interesting discovery.

Thuy Vi

“Vía”-worshipping ritual of the Thai (Thái) in Muong Lo (Mường Lò)

2010-04-16T02:56:00.003-07:00

“Vía”-worshipping ritual of the Thai (Thái) in Muong Lo (Mường Lò)

In lunar July, the Thai minority in Muong Lo holds their ritual to worship buffalo's "vía". This is a really unique custom of this ethnic minority. This custom has been long-standing and maintained to date by generations of the Thai people in Muong Lo.

This ritual is solemnly held early morning of "xíp xí" Tet, thoft for lunar 14th July. For the Thai minority, this is really a significant ritual. As to ancient calendar of the Thai minority, this Tet is called Mid-Jan Tet. At this time, transplantation has been completed in every family; buffalos have helped their human being to finish a hard farming and they therefore need some time to refresh themselves for next crops. Buffalos are considered to be close friends of farmers and their image closely sticks to the Thai's life and they also accompany human being in the world of the dead. As a result, buffalos' "vía" need worshipping.


	Buffalo always accompanies the Thai's life

Early on the day of ritual, buffalo is carefully washed. A tray of offerings is prepared including: a small boiled chicken, a bowl of steamed rice, a bowl of rice, a plate of salt, candles, incenses, number of buffalos is in accordance with number of cups of wine.

Rituals execution may either resort to "Mo" lady or the host himself. Prayers are of great simplicity expressing the role and affection of human being toward their useful animals; hard work of buffalos in agricultural work. In the mean time, the prayer also mentions human being's deeds toward buffalos, etc. Lastly, buffalos are offered achievements that have been brought about thanks to their great help: Buffalo/ buffalo's "vía", please enjoy....Wine is so sweet....Steamed rice is much delicious, aromatic, white, glutinous, hygienic, etc.

Upon completion of prayers, Mo lade pours wine and salt onto buffalo's mouth; and then feed female buffalo with steamed rice/chicken/tender grass first and then others. At the same time, people take turns to feed buffalos with grass, steamed rice, chicken meat; comfort and fondle them on their back. Steamed glutinous rice and chicken meat are wrapped by adults for children to bring to field where buffalos are tended.

Next day, places without tending ground, people then send their animals to Mong (Mông) and Dao ethnic minorities' villages.
Ritual of buffalo's "vía" worshipping of the Thai minority in Muong Lo bears the stamp of wet rice civilization which strongly symbolizes Vietnamese national characters. This custom not only expresses respectfulness toward buffalos who industriously work to help human being to get valuable foods, but also honors their great effort at work, which both convey beautiful senses of humanity.

Luu Hai (Collected)

Hue (Huế) Court’s Genres of Music

2010-04-16T02:56:00.001-07:00

Hue (Huế) Court’s Genres of Music


Court dance

Court Music is commonly known as genres of music and songs included dance and dramatics music. It was used in many occasions of worshipping rituals, court affairs, national festivals of the court and entertainment of the King and the royal family. The name nha nhac "nhã nhạc" (Cremmonial music and songs) was adopted from China and used in Ho (Hồ) Dynasty. It has many different meanings. It sometimes refers to the Court music in general or in specific. Sometimes, it refers to a music organization or an orchestra. Nowadays, the term "nha nhac" is usually understood as the second meaning.

The genres of Court music are: rituals music of worshipping and court affairs, Court dance, concert and classic drama.

The ancient Hue Court music was of many genres such as "Giao" music in the festival of sacrifice, Mieu "Miếu" music on the festival of temple, Ngu Tu "Ngũ tự" music in the worshipping of Than Nong "Thần Nông", Thanh Hoang "Thành Hoàng", Xa Tac "Xa Tắc"; Dai Trieu "Đại triều" music in the great festivals, "Thuong Trieu Thường triều" in the common festivals, Yen "Yến" music in the big feasts, and "Cung" music in the inner palace.

Hue Court dance is of many exercises which were used in many different occasions. There have been 11 Court dances so far and they are:

Bat Dat "Bát dật" used in many festivals

Luc cung Hoa Dang "lục cúng hoa đăng" is of festival of thurifying, flower, candle, tea and fruit offering. These were according to six tones of the King's birthday, The King's Mother's birthday, and birthday of the other wife of the King's father.

"Tam linh" and "Tứ linh" (the three and four supernatural creatures) used in the King's birthday, The King's Mother's birthday, and birthday of the other wife of the King's father, The birthday of the prince to wish good fortune, rich and long live.

Bat Tien hien tho "Bát tiên hiến thọ" (Eight fairies wishing long live) and Tam quoc Tay Du "Tam quốc tây du" used in King's birthday, The King's Mother's birthday, and birthday of the other wife of the King's father.

Trinh tuong tap khanh "Trình tường tập khánh" used in the festivals of four, five weeks in the National Day to wish rich people and strong nation.

Nu tuong xuat quan "Nữ tướng xuất quân" (the female general going to battle) used in the occasions of victory or receiving the foreign ambassadors.


"Trinh tuong tap khanh" Dance	"Nu tuong xuat quan" (the female general going to battle) Dance

Dau chien thang phat "Đấu chiến thắng Phật" used in festivals of King's birthday, The King's Mother's birthday, and birthday of the other wife of the King's father to eliminate evils.

Vu phien "Vũ phiến" was the dance of King's mother, the Queen and other wives of the King and the princess in the newly-web feasts.

Luc triet hoa ma dang"Lục triệt hoa mã đăng" was the dance which was showed in Phu Văn Castle in the National Day.

The music system which was used for the above genres was also of many songs. However, after some periods of recession, many songs were lost. Some songs are still reserved now. They are Muoi ban Ngu "Mười bản ngự", Dang dan cung "Đăng đàn cung", Dang dan don "Đăng đàn đơn",Thai Binh co nhac "Thái Bình cổ nhạc" and so on.

The orchestras of Nguyen Dynasty were of many kinds with many different members. They played in many festivals and serve the need of entertainment in the Court. They were "Nha nhac", "Huyen nhac", "Ti truc te nhac", "Tieu nhac", "Dai nhac", "Bat am" and so on.

Nowadays, Hue Court music is only "Dai nhạc" and "Tieu nhạc" which has been handled down from generations, the dance with many songs, chamber music and drama. Some songs and other genres are gradually restored.

Collected (based on DSTG)

Khai Dinh Temple

2010-04-16T02:55:00.004-07:00

Khai Dinh (Khải Định) is the last temple in the system of 7 temples being built in Hue city. The temple was constructed in as long time as 11 years (1920-1931). However, this is the one which had smallest space and cost the largest number of money and people energy.

General view of Khai Dinh temple

Khai Dinh became King of Vietnam in the age of 31, when Vietnam was totally colonized by the French. That is the reason why Western cultural and artistic features had a strong influence on Vietnam. King Khai Dinh was very keen on building temple. Castle and palace for him self as well as royal family. There are some famous constructions such as Kien Trung (Kiến Trung) palace, An Dinh (An Định) castle, Truong An (Trường An) gate, Hien Nhon (Hiển Nhơn) gate, Chuong Duc (Chương Đức) gate and Ung Lang (Ứng Lăng).

The remains of Indian, Buddhism, Roman and Gothique architectural features on the construction contain the gate poles, stoupa pole, the fend surrounding the construction, the memorial house and the door in Roman style.

King Khai Dinh built the temple on the mountainous area of Chau Chu (Châu Chữ) also known as Chau E (Châu Ê), which is opposite to a small hill. The temple's left side and right side are Chop Vung and Kim Son mountains, in which the former is seen as a green dragon and the latter is seen as a white tiger. Besides, there is a stream called Chau E flowing from the left to the right. The King changed the mountain name to Ung Son, so that the temple's name is also changed to Ung Lang (Ứng Lăng).

The high tower with Hindu architectural feature.

Khai Dinh temple appears to be a European castle because it was made of concrete in the mountainous region. Meanwhile, many of available natural materials such as wood, brick, and stone were not fully used. The iron door, square brick, ac-doa tile, lightning rod (paratonnerre), light system, and stoupa pole are also the foreign features of this construction. Another noticeable thing is the lack of evergreen plants, lakes which make the air seems to be hotter. Moreover, the two sculptures of dragon along with the steps also make the construction more firmed. However, the surrounding mountainous scenery with hills and streams is extremely cool and spectacular.

The front of Thien Dinh palace

Thien Dinh palace, the main part of the temple is the place where its builders put their efforts the most. The inside space of the palace was carefully decorated with ceramic and glass relives. They are, in Vietnamese culture, pictures of the four plants, fir-tree, chrysanthemum, bamboo, apricot, the eight weapons, and the five pleasures of humankind. They are also the pictures of king's crown and tea tray. These pictures are cleverly made so that you can find them beautiful in spite of their rough materials.

Inside part of Thien Dinh palace

The person in charge of these pictures is the artist Phan Van Tanh (Phan Văn Tánh). He is the owners of 3 big paintings named "Cửu long ẩn vân" (Nice dragons hidden in cloud) which are decorated on the ceiling of Thien Dinh palace.

One of the most beautiful paintings in the palace.

In addition, Khai Dinh temple has 2 bronze figures of King Khai Dinh, one with his throne made in Paris in 1920 and the other is an upright made in Hue city by an artist from Quang Nam (Quảng Nam) province. The figures are the most distinctive feature of the temple.

The figure of King Khai Dinh

Although the temple is condemned for some reasons, it is the valuable constructions ever in terms of architect. Hue city has become famous for it as the following poetic parallel sentence goes:

"Tứ diện hiếu kỳ quan, phong cảnh biệt khai vũ trụ.
Ức niên chung vượng khí, giang sơn trường hộ trừ tư."

( Wonders are every where, scenery opens the distinctive world
Time build up the place, the mountain and rivers save forever)

Collected by Thanh Nguyen(Source : Museum center Hue city)
Translated by Cao Duong

Dan Xa Tac, an agricultural cultural feature of Vietnam

2010-04-16T02:55:00.003-07:00

Dan Xa Tac (Đàn Xã Tắc), a construction used for honoring and respecting the Earth Genie and Rice Genie was built at early 1806 by King Gia Long under Nguyen Dynasty. This construction is known located in Thuan Hoa (Thuận Hòa) ward, Hue city.

Vietnam is a long-lived agricultural country; therefore, the people consider honoring Genies a very important customs. The customs was born in China from a very long time ago. Xa is the most important Genie of the five Earth Genies, who are honored whenever people make their houses. Tac is the rice, the most important cereal which is honored as a Genie. Dan Xa Tac is the significant place to Vietnamese people for it represents the whole country's land.


	The map of Dan Xa Tac in the past

Dan Xa Tac contains 2 floors which were in square shape with their front part is toward the north. The 1st floor is 1.6 m high and painted in 5 different colors basing on five basic elements in universe. The center is yellow, the eastern is blue, the western is white, the southern is red and the northern is black. The first floor has 32 stone pedestals using for burning incense. As for the 2nd floor, it has the height of 1.2 m and pedestals on its two sides as well.


The view representing an honor event at Dan Xa Tac

Surrounding the two floors is the handrail frame and connecting them is the steps system. Dan Xa Tac was also surrounded by the 1.2m-high wall in rectangular shape. The northern side has 3 doors, while others have only 1 door. Further outside the wall, there is a brick screen in its south, a lake in its north.

Nowadays, this place has become a famous one, esp. in every Festival Hue when the customs of honoring Genies is formally displayed and performed. The event has some main activities such as Quán tẩy (King washes hands), Thượng Hương (burning incense), Nghinh Thần (Welcome Genies), Điện Ngọc Bạch (offering pearl and silk), Hiến tước (offering wine), Truyền chúc (reading honoring text), Tứ phúc tộ (Creating happiness), Triệt soạn (offering food), etc. The construction is in the process of reforming its original shape so as to maintain to the old charming city of Hue.

Collected by Thanh Nguyen

Some Species of Bird in Ha Long Bay

2010-04-16T02:55:00.001-07:00

According to many scientists, among 9000 bird species in the world, there are about 850 species in Vietnam. In the area of Hạ Long Bay and Cát Bà Island, there are about 1000 bird species (60 common ones) which belong to 23 families. They live in many kinds of living environments.

In the living environment of forest in rock mountain, there are usually: Oriental Pied-hornbill, Falco tinnunculus interstinctus, Falco peregrinus leucogenys, Red-whiskered Bulbul, Stripe-throadted Bulbbul. In the living environment of rock mountain, there are: Monticola solitarius, Dupetor flavicollis flavicollis, crow. In the living environment of sea and coastal, there are: Tringa hypolecos, Charadrius alexandrinus dealbatus, seagull, eagle. Ardea cinerea, and hawk. In the living environment of caves and pine trees, there are: Apus pacificus, Alcedo atthis, Red-rumped Swallow and so on. It is up to the growing features, there are species of flesh - eating, seed - eating, fish - eating, insect - eating and omnivorous. Almost kinds of bird make their nest, lay and brood eggs. Their breeding season usually starts in springs and last until falls. Almost of them live as couple in this season. Many species, one couple consists of a male and a female. But there are some others in which a male bird can live with many females. The birdies will be taken care until they can search for food themselves.

Cống Đỏ Island - the place of many bird species of Hạ Long Bay

After observation and studying, the scientist say that among those species, some are just found in certain areas which are considered their favorite places and also the places of their suitable living conditions. For example, the Oriental Pied-hornbill is only found in the area of Công Đỏ, Nất, Lưỡi Liềm, Phơi Lưới and Sao Chổi Islands; Tringa hypolecos can be found in the west and south of Hạ Long Bay; eagle is in Cống Đỏ and the south of Hạ Long; Butorides striatus is in the east and west of the Bay; Phylloscopus borealis is in Bái Đông Island; Some species like Apus pacificus can be only seen in Hạ Long Bay in some late afternoon of winter; Ichthyaetus ichthyaetus is in the west of Hạ Long Bay and Hòn Gai port in the early mornings...

To watch natural birds, people need some equipment such as binoculars (to observe the form features), recording machine (to record their songs), camera (to take photograph), pictures and books (co compare and identity). The best time to watch them is in the early morning and late afternoon. This is the time for their activities. In some places in Hạ Long Bay, people can watch them easily. They are Đầu Gỗ, Cát Lán Islands of the tourist route of Cảng Tàu - Sửng Sốt - Mê Cung - Ba Hầm Lake; Hang Chạm, Cống Đỏ, Hang Trại Islands of the tourist route Sửng Sốt - Cửa Vạn - Ba Trái Đào (three peaches), Bái Động Island, Ba Hầm area and so on... To study bird species, tourists will find out some interesting things. For example, the birds with big, strong beak are the fruit - eating ones; the birds with long and sharp beak are fish - eating; birds with curved and sharp beak are flesh - eating; birds with long and bent beak are honey - eating and so on...

Walking in peaceful Hạ Long Bay to watch the cloud, sea and some rock islands with the songs of the birds somewhere... in a rock, an Alcedo atthis is watching its prey, suddenly, from behind the rocks, some storks flying out... This scene and sound will give tourists the most relaxing and unforgettable moments.

Base con Quảng Ninh Newspaper

To Tan Tu Le (Tan Tú Lệ) barn of glutinous rice

2010-04-16T02:54:00.001-07:00

Following reverse direction of highway 32 to Mu Cang Chai (Mù Cang Chải) from Van Chan (Văn Chấn) district for about 40km, going over meandering road crossing cloudy mountains, tourists then arrive in Tu Le busy town. From Cao Pha (Cao Phạ) mountain pass, Tu Le is picturesque as natural scenery with gleaming houses on stilts and immense rice fields. Fall sets in; the whole valley is overwhelmed with yellow color of sunlights and ripening rice.


	Tu Le rice field

Sipping tasty wine, enjoying steamed glutinous rice with hill-raised chicken meat or fat duck soup made of Tu Le glutinous rice (which is named Tan La - Tan Lả as slang) and then passionate in stretching dance of the Thai girls.


	Steamed glutinous rice

Legend has it about Tu Le glutinous rice that a tribe of Thai minority was given by a male fairy a valuable jar (coóng) of rice and told to find good soil to cultivate to get good and glutinous steamed rice. Referring to the fairy's advice, Thai people travel the whole North West to find the right place for their cultivation. However, rice did not bloom in some places or did bloom without having any good seeds as told. One day, they came to the foot of Cao Pha mountain pass, stopped at Muong Lung (Mường Lùng) brook to get some water. They found that water here was much clear, sweet, green valley with a lot of fruit trees, fresh air. The village patriarch made up his mind to settle down there. They took water from Muong Lung brook to irrigate their rice fields. Manifestly, these seeds came out well, giving plump rice which was white and aromatic when grinding and making very delicious steamed glutinous rice.


	A corner of Tu Le

Up to now, Tan La glutinous rice has become an indispensible part of the Thai minority in Tu Le as a daily dish at each family. Dishes made of glutinous rice such as steamed glutinous rice, green glutinous rice flakes have been well-known as specialties sold in Tu Le town.

Good fame had it wings reaching other villages and these dishes have been nation-wide famous. Tourists have never missed their chance to enjoy hot steamed glutinous rice with grilled meat, while sipping cups of wine which is also distilled from glutinous rice. To memorize those who greatly contributed to the reclamation, hamlet set-up, training descendants how to cultivate paddy rice; every lunar 15th December, people hold Long Tong (Lồng Tồng) ritual and their descendants reunite.


	A peaceful Tu Le

Tu Le is known for its peacefully beautiful landscapes and aromatic rice field of Tan La glutinous rice. Once reaching this place, try to work out a schedule to stay here for a couple of days to enjoy its specialties and admire its aromatic valley with hospitable Thai Tu Le people.

Collected

Chronicle of Lac village (Bản Lác)

2010-04-16T02:53:00.004-07:00

It is pretty cold in Hoa Binh (Hòa Bình) though spring has set in with some sunlight. I came to visit Hoa Binh right at blooming season of flowers with green trees. It was really an interesting journey. I always felt to be in deep passion of this fragrant land. Really strange.

I could immediately experienced fragrances as soon as I stepped foots onto this land when it was strongly foggy. I reached Lac village right after the sun was just shining with sweet lights, aroma of fresh rice, smoke spreading from a simple house on stilts in the village. I enjoyed bamboo-tube rice, drank a cup of hot tea, while admiring surroundings with feelings of peace and comfort. Lac village, though being a village for tourism, was not in mess or at least it has not been messy, not been commercialized to city residences for their return to countryside to relax. It was probably the plainness of local people that brought about friendliness and good nature.

Strolling around the village, aroma clung to me every step that I made. Hence, I really wanted to stop for long whenever I had to, just long enough to deeply inhale the village's spiritual values. I was invited to a local house which was full of females. A little girl was prettily threading courbary beads into nice rings which were then sold to tourists at several thousands for each. The landlady gently smiled, showing off her dyed teeth. She was pretty old, poured out a bowl of clear tea covered with smoke on its surface.

I have never seen any residences at a tourism village of such hospitability and adorability. It is these characters that also attract a lot of overseas tourists since they always expect to experience a really pure Vietnam, which is not affected by development plans as these plans may frame and automate all kinds of daily activities like a machine system, which can not be of great attraction. Lac village did avoid those concerns since local residences naturally live their lives as the way they are. That is really a great attraction.

The village was in peace even when it was receiving a great deal of tourists. Sounds of bamboo-made wind-bells were sometimes heard somewhere. Sounds of wooden bell for buffalo, of guitar of a musician, pealing laughter of a girl of awkward age; all seem to be harmoniously mixed up. An overseas family with a little girl of pink lips, fair complexion, who bustled on large rice fields. Cows leisurely grazed grass at mountain foot, which really attracted kids' curiosity. Some photographers selected a nice corner for their works. I did not belong to artistic world, only strolled to discover a new place. I am not also fastidious to select angles. I therefore snapped every landscape anywhere at the village.

Nothing was more interesting than relaxing and enjoying simple dishes of the village at bamboo table arranged at the entrance of village. Feeling of amazingly strong attachment was flooding my mind when I sat to enjoy evening shadow behind mountains, the feeling that might not cling to me everywhere. I seemed to have returned to my childhood without any concerns.

The blind was lowered at night; the whole village sank in quietness. Somewhere twinkled fire, no matter you grilled bamboo-tube rice or lighted fire for bamboo-pole dance, you might feel a very cozy atmosphere. It was so cold outside with lots of fog; people might sit side by side close to camp-fire at fields, baked sweet potatoes with great interest. In here, there seemed to have no distance among tourists and between tourists and local residences. This was actually considered to be another attraction to tourists. Additionally, it was fragrances of rice, corn, potato, tapioca, of entire field, straw, and firewood smoke.

I looked for a house on stilts to sleep overnight. This kind of house was so large that it may hold several tens of people at night. That was really a noisy and crowded sleep, If you are not for that kind of sleep, you may ask for sleeping with the host whose house on stilts is not that big, that would be much more interesting. Thick buffer, soft blanket and mosquito net should be carefully prepared to prevent attack of mosquitoes. It is a greatly natural deed at mountainous areas like this village.

I had a very good sleep thanks to actually pleasant atmosphere. A good sleep may work in the sense that you may have a very good start next morning.

Leaving Lac village, I had feelings of tough to part this village because of its charming peacefulness. I will memorize for ever hot bamboo-tube rice before leaving the village, brilliant smiles and gentle glints of local residences. They will be in my mind for ever. It is still very vivid in my mind with an image of a nice Lac village, its affection, and picturesque orchids in Spring which are in bright bloom at the village.

Hai Luu
Photo source: TTVNO

Discovery of Hoc (Hốc) village - to the West of Yen Bai (Yên Bái)

2010-04-16T02:53:00.003-07:00

Hoc village is a peaceful village of the Thai minority, which is 5km from Van Chan (Văn Chấn) district. This village is loved by those who are fond of discovering path to the West of Yen Bai and take this as their first stop-over to refresh themselves for next routes.

House on stilts in Hoc village (ttvnol)

Following North West path of highway 32 for about 190km from Ha Noi (Hà Nội), people may reach the village. In this village, there has Nhi (Nhì) brook taking its source from Hoa waterfall in Tram Tau (Trạm Tấu) with hot water. Temperature of this brook is about 500C - 600C on the average, of pretty good mineral quality. Tourists may choose lake of mineral water set up by local people at the cost of about 7,000 to 10,000VND per capita. For those who love wild nature may soak their body in the brook to comfortably enjoy natural atmosphere. It may cost tourists about 20,000 - 30,000VND per capita to have a night at houses on stilts, enjoying the Thai specialties such as bee wince of Hoc village, bamboo-tube rice with grilled fish, swallow meat, etc and join traditional dances such as: stretching dance, bamboo-pole dance with Thai girls. During daytime, tourists may stroll around the village to admire ancient house on stilts, Thai girls in their traditional dress flashing behind weaving frames.

With a mineral stream and beautiful surroundings, Hoc village is being selected as the destination of many people. From the first stop-over in Hoc village of West route of Yen Bai, visitors may keep on going to Muong Lo (Mường Lò), Tu Le (Tú Lệ), Mu Cang Chai (Mù Căng Chải), etc and then back to Hoc village as the end of their itinerary.

Thuy Vi

A tour in Ngoi Tu (Ngòi Tu)

2010-04-16T02:53:00.001-07:00

Locating near Thac Ba (Thác Bà) lake, Ngoi Tu hamlet; Vu Linh (Vũ Linh) district, Yen Binh (Yên Bình), Yen Bai (Yên Bái); is granted with cool and fresh air. This peaceful countryside is entirely covered by a quiet lake. Houses on stilts are both hiding and turning up among forest of trees palm-tree hill, which are lake-side and people in Ngoi Tu are good-natured and hospitable.

Visiting Ngoi Tu in any seasons should be fine. Visitors may indulge themselves in peaceful landscapes in the morning, at a windy lake; feel relaxed with fishing, etc. Once feeling tired, visitors may then relax at houses on stilts facing immense Thac Ba lake, enjoy popular dishes made by the locals such as: fish mixture (fish and vegetable); banana inflorescence mixture, chicken soup with sour bamboo shoot, or amazingly delicious vegetables; sipping alcohol yeast while enjoying dances of the Dao beautiful girls.

Not only splendid and exciting, Ngoi Tu possesses its own unique features of a long-standing culture. On the occasion of Tet, festivals, local people together head for hamlet's meeting-hall to reminisce about folk songs, attend an expiatory mass, honor-conferring ceremony, bride-bringing ceremony of the white Dao minority which has been long-standing for years.

On these days in Spring, if you get chance to visit Yen Bai, do not miss Ngoi Tu to indulge yourself in the atmosphere of Spring and jubilant festivals of a highland village to the North of Vietnam.

Source Yen Bai E-Newspaper

Be full with fried “chưng” cake in a winter afternoon.

2010-04-16T02:52:00.005-07:00

People from the North of Vietnam have "chưng" cake year around. That is a small kind of "chưng" cake, only with size of a palm. People like to have it hot or fried and enjoyed with vegetable pickles and soya sauce. Only a small pick-up can make you feel comfort...


	Much simple, fried "chưng" cake in winter days.

In the North, especially in Ha Noi (Hà Nội), there are a lot of ambulatory vendors of "chưng" cake or roadside small tottering shops. No matter what kind of sales vendors may follow, fried "chưng" cakes stay as a popular dish that may easily meet up with enjoyers' tastes.

As to elegant restaurants, every crispily-fried "chưng" cake is cut into small pieces, served with vegetable pickles, dipped in soya sauce, had with fork. This is really a combination of both oriental and occidental style applied to a traditional dish of Vietnamese cuisine. It is actually an amazing curiosity to enjoyers.

Small tottering shops offer more simple "chưng" cakes with only an oven, which is carried everywhere with cakes put in bamboo baskets. Once having a "client", vendor stops and sits down, peels cake(s), heats up oil, and fries these cakes until they turn out to be yellow. The way enjoying these cakes is also much simple with a small plate, a pair of chopsticks, chilly sauce, or soya sauce, sitting flat on the ground or on a low plastic chair, eating while blowing to cool down. After a short while, it is done, then payment. Just to be so full.

There are various kinds of snacks between meals in winter in the North that may help you to get rid of hunger. Nevertheless, the best snack to keep you away from hunger is still fried "chưng" cake. In Winter, having a piece of this cake will definitely lead you to another one...

Hai Luu

Spring colors with pairs of red watermelon

2010-04-16T02:52:00.003-07:00

Spring sets in, every family jubilantly welcomes Tet festival with green "chưng" cakes, fat meat, vegetable pickles, etc and being laid onto any altar is a five-fruit tray with a pair of red watermelon as an indispensible component.

"Tết, Tết, Tết , Tết đến rồi..." (Tet, Tet, Tet comes) is a very popular song that always make people agitated. Tet is coming much close; peach has not bloomed, yellow plum flower has not shown off its beauty, but people are all eager for it. Tet is greatly important to Vietnamese people since it is the occasion for their family, friends to unite, for them to memorize their ancestors. Hence, anyone who lives far away from their hometown longs to return to reunite during Tet festival.

No matter how poor or rich, people try to prepare a well-off Tet festival for their family. Five-fruit tray is indispensible on every ancestor altar in families. A pair of red watermelon is displayed in the middle of altar with deep spiritual significance. According to Vietnamese cuisine, it is believed that a watermelon with red pulp will be luck and good fortune for their family for entire year to come. As a result, housewives always have thorough selection of watermelons.

Watermelon holds a legend of a brave An Tiem (An Tiêm) who himself settled down. During three days of Tet festival, pair of red watermelon really warms up Tet atmosphere and solemnize ancestor altar. Watermelon at this time is not only a refresher as usual; it actually becomes a symbol of Spring which may bring about Luck-Fortune to all families in early days of a lunar new year.

According to experience descended a watermelon of big size, round shape, bass slap, bright skin with hair covered, that could be a good one with red and solid pulp. Being a belief, members in a family together sit on dining table to cut watermelons to get luck. Their family will overwhelm with lots of luck if watermelon's pulp is red and succulent, its skin is green. Each member is given a piece of crescent-moon- shaped-watermelon as luck division in early days of a lunar new year.

Red watermelon, one of component on five-fruit tray during tet festival, is much useful since it is a good refresher that can ease your thirst; watermelon with its skin and pulp functioning as febrifuge remedies which are widely used in oriental medical treatment. With skillful hands of housewives or girls, watermelon's look may be magically changed to be greatly splendid in a shape of a flower vase, a boat, etc to warm up dining table during Tet festival.

Source "Ha Noi - Delicious dishes"

“Lạp cá” dish of the Thai minority

2010-04-16T02:52:00.001-07:00

Mentioning the Thai minority's villages, tourists may recall of tides, Thai girls in their traditional graceful dress. For those who have ever visited Thai villages, it is definitely memorable dishes made of fishes among which "lạp cá" is a really special one.


	Flesh of Onychostoma laticeps is pretty nice, often selected for making "Lạp cá" dish.

As a matter of fact, the Thai people normally settle down by big rivers, brooks and fishes are much fresh and delicious. "lạp cá" dish is made of the biggest fish to entertain distinguished guests on early days of Spring or on important occasions of their family.

As soon as being caught, fish are processed by skilful Thai girls to make sure that they are hygienic. They are then skinned, made dry by means of rice bran and then sliced into small pieces. Slices of fish are then cut into thread-shaped pieces and then dipped into condensed bamboo shoot solution or sour water made of grinded clausena excavate burn leaves to turn fish rare. Fish flesh can only be fished out after 30 minutes to let dry, and then mixed up with spices such as chilli, fresh ginger, roasted sesame, powdered grilled rice, and many kinds of leaves to make it aromatic; then put onto plates dusted with fish grinded crispy-roasted skin.

"Lạp cá" is enjoyed with fig leaves or tender guava leaves and sometimes with "rượu cần" (a kind of wine drunk out of a jar through pipes). Fat and chilly taste of the fish mixing up with acridity of leaves certainly fascinates a lot of tourists.

Thuy Vi

Hoa Binh (Hòa Bình) “rượu cần” (wine drunk out of a jar with pipes)

2010-04-16T02:51:00.003-07:00


"Rượu cần" (wine drunk out of a jar with pipes)

In the old days, Muong (Mường) minority possessed their custom of drinking "rượu cần" (wine drunk out of a jar with pipes). Pipes are made of ivory bamboo or unchocked pipes. Fresh unchocked pipes are shortly exposed onto fire to easily bend up to jar shape. Particularly, pipe forms depend much on the host's personality. As a result, these pipes certainly differ from one another. Jars are heirlooms which are getting more and more valuable and rare by the time goes and later on it will be considered as dowry.

To have a tasty jar of wine requires meticulous methodology. The processing procedure should be as follows: a small handful of grinded cinnamon leaves are mixed up with rice powder, then thoroughly kneaded and rolled into balls of chicken egg size, placed in a bamboo basket whose bottom is lined with dry banana leaves and placed at ventilated places without sunlight to make yeast cakes. Bran is to be wiped out of yeast cakes. Glutinous rice is soaked and then mixed up with rice and bran with the ratio of 1 rice, two brans. This rice is then steamed without being covered; waiting for it to be cooled down, dusted with yeast powder, covered with banana leaves, exposed to sunlight to be dry, then put into jars, again covered with banana leaves, sealed with wet ash. After three or five days, half opening the cover of jars, which are poured into with hygiene water up to its neck where bamboo splints are pinned, and then jars are filled with some leaves. Pipes are plugged into jars' mouth and enjoy drinking.

Custom of drinking this kind of wine requires pairs: the even goes with the even, the odd with the odd, or two or three pipes are used at the same time. No matter how much wine is drunk, water is then filled accordingly to make sure its level is up to jar's mouth. Sometimes, drinkers are divided into two groups, group that drinks less then the other will be poured with water on their heads.

Custom of drinking this kind of wine is often done in groups to be crowded and exciting. People all enjoy a nice custom of their village.

If receiving guests, the host will stretch out a mat in the middle of the floor and place jar of wine onto that mat and invite others to sit around the jar. After exchanging regards, the host invites others to drink the wine to drive away tiredness. Muong people normally consider it to be the first step of drinking custom (alternatively to ventilate pipes). Next should be for couple drinking (host and guest), male and female, four-people drinking, six-people drinking, and more. They sing while enjoying the wine, exchanging information, singing for invitation, seeing-off, or promise. Nowadays, "rượu cần" has become a well-known specialty of Hoa Binh.

D.Loan (Collected)

Five-color steamed glutinous rice

2010-04-16T02:51:00.001-07:00


A tray of five-color steamed glutinous rice during competition festival.

Visiting Muong Lo (Mường Lò), a land in the West of Yen Bai (Yên Bái) province in first days in Spring, tourists may not only be in deep passion of peaceful landscapes in Northwest mountains and forests, but also enjoy charming dances, popular foods which are considered to be specialties of the Thai in Muong Lo such as bamboo-tube rice, five-color steamed glutinous rice.

Both traditional and modern values, which express conceptions of universe, yin-yang doctrine, and noble humanity, are all converged in five-color glutinous rice. "Khẩu cắm lanh" is the red glutinous rice symbolizing for desire; "Khẩu cắm lăm" is the purple symbolizing for the populous and rich earth; "Khẩu cắm hương" is the yellow symbolizing for prosperity; "Khẩu khiêu" is the green symbolizing for greenness of forests and mountains in Northwest; "Khẩu nón" is the white symbolizing for pure and loyal love.

To have delicious and glutinous rice, procedures need strictly obeying from leave selection for dyeing to steaming. The ingredient prepared for making glutinous rice must be Tu Le rice with big and pure grains; this is one of the four most famous kinds of glutinous rice in this area. Four kinds of leaves used for making colors of green, red, purple, and yellow are carefully selected to make sure they are not too tender or too aged. This rice is then clearly washed and steamed with brook water taken from brook-head in Tu Le commune. Once colored solution is available, glutinous rice is soaked for about 10 hours and then let dry. The rice is then cooked in a traditional steamer which is called Mo Lung (Mỏ Lửng) - Tay Lung. This steamer is oval, made of either body of palm tree or aromatic wood, which is whittled to have two holes at both ends, the upper part is covered with a lid. The lower part is lined with a bamboo wattle, each steamer may hold over 1kg of rice. Steaming process must have steady fire. Once ripening, rice becomes glutinous, strongly tasty, and will not be sticky in your fist no matter how hot or cool it is.

Ripening steamed glutinous rice is then served onto plates or up to different ideas with five different colors: green, red, purple, yellow, white). These five colors are joined together to make a Bauhinia flower-shaped tray of glutinous rice, which symbolizes for the doctrine of yin and yang, five basic elements. At the same time, it expresses desire for love and compassion, loyal love, respectfulness to the beloved of the Thai people in Northwest.

D.Loan (Collected)

Customs of black Thai (Thái Đen) minority in Muong Lo (Mường Lò)

2010-04-16T02:50:00.001-07:00

Muong Lo is selected by the Thai to be the first residence of Thai people during their immigration from Muong On (Mường Ôn), Muong Ai (Mường Ai) in Yun Nan (Vân Nam), China. The black Thai accounted for the most populous here and they still keep a lot of long-standing customs.

Once visiting the Thai's villages, tourists are often offered wine. As a guest, it is a must for you to drink wine offered though it is a small sip since it is understood by the Thai as the purpose of getting acquainted with others. Essentially hospitable, it is believed that guests bring about much luck when they come and they are therefore offered meals. If you are found to be a congenial companion, you are even twinned with the host by means of putting on a thread on your hand.


	Dance with bamboo poles (Nhảy sạp) and stretching dance (múa xòe) whenever receiving any guests.

If observant, it may be realized by guests that there is always a small house on stilts made of bamboo fences in garden, which is understood by customs as the house to worship Thai married female's parents. These females do not worship their parents inside of their house, but inside small house (only 1 meter) on stilts in garden. On any anniversary of one's death or Tet festival, these females lay a worshipping tray of offerings inside those houses and those houses are burned along with their coffins as soon as those females pass away.

The Thai minority also follows customs of worshipping God of Kitchen like King people, they also build up a small house which is made of soil, and placed either in front of or behind their official one. This is one-roof house of reasonable area to place a worshipping tray of offerings. Locating inside the house is a small stone with painting of human being on, which symbolizing for God of Kitchen. Worshipping rites are normally held on occasion of Tet festival, ground-breaking ceremony, having new animals or sick people in the hope of praying God of Kitchen for blessing, preventing evils and risks that may happen to the host's family or their land.

It is a typical cultural trait of the black Thai in Muong Lo that tourists should get to know to be not so green once getting chance to visit this place.

Thuy Vi

Coffee taste in Hội An town

2010-04-16T02:49:00.001-07:00

Each time talking about Hội An, many people immediately think of the ancient town, which was crowded and wealthy in the old days. When arriving at Hoi An nowadays, you will have an opportunity to visit the ancient houses, study the special features about the spiritual life of residents in Hội An town through temples, pagodas... At this ancient town, every thing becomes strikingly close and warm. If you wander across rows of houses, you will see the specific coffee shops of Hội town, Hòai river.

Coffee shop in Hội An

Along Trần Phú street, after making a tour of famous relics such as Phùng Hưng unique house, Phúc Kiến club-house, Hội An historical and cultural museum, you can take a break at Serenade to enjoy the coffee taste of Hội town. You can choose to sit near the window or close to the balcony on floor to both drink coffee and look out the street, or by the ancient houses covered with the moss. You will come to Nguyễn Duy Thiệu street at the end of Trần Phú street, where a lot special coffee shops gather. You also find out a young Ba Lu, then Lộng Nguyệt, Hạ Vàng.... located on the small and peaceful streets.

Furthermore, on the way to Cửa Đại beach from Hội An are also the nice coffee shops located by the airy and fully poetic river such as Hội An, Phố Rêu shop... All these shops are in the airy houses towards the river, the tables and chairs made of bamboo are simple but too cozy. Tasting the coffee here really brings a close sense to the nature, people of this area.

In case you like the bars with distinguished style, bar 96 is an interesting choice. This bar is by the bank of river, the walls and tiled roofs fully covered with the mosses are so impressive. At luxurious Lo bar, the tables are decorated meticulously and on each table is an ancient paraffin lamp lighted.

It is likely said, the coffee shops in Hội An have the similar and different features.

Thanh Nguyên (Collection)

"Hồ Thị Kỷ" Flowers Market in "Sài Gòn"

2010-04-16T02:48:00.002-07:00

In a big, noisy city with many wide, long streets and the high buildings like Sai Gon (Sài Gòn), I came to Ho Thi Kỷ (Hồ Thị Kỷ) flowers market to find a strange feeling. They call it market, but actually there are small areas in the place of an apartment building in the small Ho Thi Ky Street. But there are miraculous living places which are so different from the fast, noisy life of Sai Gon.


	Lys Flowers - pictured by HaLu

About at 9 p.m. many trucks of flowers from everywhere gathered at the market's entrance. Almost of them were from Da Lat (Đà Lạt) City. They were of many big boxes of flowers. About 11 p.p. to 2 a.m. flowers - salespeople arranged and showed their flowers attractively. Many flesh and colorful flowers with some fogs on them were so beautiful in the light of the market. The night at flowers market was so wonderful, attractive and enchanting.


	Da Lat roses

If you wish to see the flowers and wallow yourself in those colors, come here at about 3 or 4 a.m. At that time, flowers are showed beautifully. If you want to buy, feel free to choose. The price here is also so cheaper than some places where retail those flowers at daytime.


	Phang Flower

Colorful flowers - pictured by Halu

In the early morning, there were more and more people came here to buy flowers. The market closed In that late morning too.


	Sparkling flowers

By Hai Luu

Some major culture and tourism events in 2009

2010-04-16T02:48:00.001-07:00

The year of 2009 will witness many important events of culture and tourism. Some of them are featured by the Saigon Times Weekly as followings.

ASEAN Tourism Forum 2009 in Ha Noi from Jan. 5-12. During the ATF 2009, there will be other activities such as ASEAN Tourism Minister Summit, meetings between ASEAN tourism ministers and other countries, ASEAN Tourism Conference, ASEAN Tourism Association Meeting, trips, etc.

50th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh Road in Quang Binh Province on May. 19.

Sea Festival Nha Trang 2009 at Nha Trang Beach in Khanh Hoa Province from Jun. 6-14 with 60 culture and sport activities, fairs and exhibitions on sea tourism.

Mrs World 2009 in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province in November hosted by the World Women Association.

Source: Weekly

Cultural Tet fete for tourists

2010-04-16T02:47:00.002-07:00

It will introduce tourism, history, tradition and culture via various activities, according to Ho Van Nien, vice chairman of the provincial People's Committee.

The festival will be opened by a ceremony held at the Imperial Hotel, the first five-star hotel in the province, on January 26, 2009, the first day of the lunar calendar. It will include a comedy performance and dragon dance. The organising board will give presents to visitors.

A performance themed Loc An - Legend of Ships held on January 30 by Dat Do district's local government in cooperation with Xuyen Moc district will be the highlight of the festival. The ceremony commemorates 150 years of resistance by locals against invaders, focusing on the 45 years that legendary ships without number plates transported weapons and goods for the battlefield.

Whenever the troops sailed forth, nearly one tonne of explosives were set on the ships; if they were discovered and attacked, they would destroy the ship to keep the resistance's secrets, according to veteran Tran Phong, who served on these ships.

A cannon launching ceremony held to recall sacrifices of soldiers and sailors of non-number plated ships will be broadcast live on Vietnam Television. On the same day, Dat Do district's authorities will hold the "banh tet" festival (cylindrical glutinous rice cake filled with green bean and pork) introducing the specialities of the region. To greet the new year, 2,009 "banh tet" weighing 5,000kg will be displayed, setting a new Vietnamese Guinness record.

This year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will host a ceremony commemorating Nguyen Thi Ria (1665-1759), the founder of the province, on February 1 in Long Hai town's Long Dien district.

Ria reclaimed virgin land and founded many districts in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. She organised people to build bridges and roads. When she died at the age of 94 without any heirs, she left her fortune to the poor.

Societe dus Etudes Indochinoises and Ecole Francaise d'Extreme Orient have done many studies on her and her links with the province.

In the past, the People's Committee restored her grave and erected a statue of her at the foot of Dinh Co Mountain.

During the festival, tourists can join many traditional folk games including tug of war, kite-flying, coracle racing and human chess. They can also enter sports competitions in football and volleyball.

There will be various performances including lion and dragon dances, and dummy airplane performances.

With the aim of popularising the local traditional culture, the organising board will open exhibitions on calligraphy and photography.

On the occasion, many farm trips will be launched bringing tourists a chance to understand nature and human life in the province.

Source:VNA

Floral street welcomes spring to HCMC

2010-04-16T02:47:00.001-07:00

This year's floral festival is the sixth ever so far hosted by the HCMC People's Committee and financed by the city's businesses. It has become the city's most awaited festival every spring.

About 100,000 pots of flowers and bonsai will be brought in from different regions nationwide, not including fresh flowers supplied by flower growing centres in Dalat central highlands city and the southwestern region, to decorate the 800m long road.

The one-way floral road will begin with a garden of 100 ancient trees of apricot trees with yellow flowers, the traditional Tet flower in the southern region.

The road then will be divided into seven sections with different themes depicting Vietnam's countryside with stacks of yellow straw, green bamboo trees, rice fields, make-shift bridges crossing small canals.

The road will ends at the Bach Dang Port with a field of green watermelon plants and a 5m high artificial watermelon fruit.

In addition to various arts and music performances along the floral road, the festival also includes a 15-minute firework in the New Year's eve.

Source: VNA

Diverse cultural activities to welcome Tet

2010-04-16T02:46:00.001-07:00

Diverse culture, tourism and sports events are taking place across the country to welcome the upcoming lunar New Year Festival (Tet) - the Year of the Buffalo.

The main streets in Nha Trang City of central coastal Khanh Hoa Province are bedecked with flowers, colorful lanterns, slogans and flags to welcome Tet. The director of the Khanh Hoa provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Truong Dang Tuyen, said many activities will be launched for the occasion, such as a Tet trade fair, a spring flower trade fair, a spring newspaper exhibition, a film week, photo and calligraphy exhibitions, a lion dance contest and a human chess competition.

Apart from film shows in Nha Trang City, two mobile film screening teams will be sent to the two mountainous districts of Khanh Son and Khanh Vinh to serve local ethnic minority people.

During a week-long cultural event in Khanh Hoa, many folk games and traditional ritual festivals will also be held, such as the Cau Ngu Festival, the Thap Ba Ponnaga ritual, a boat racing, a sea swimming competition, a junior football tournament and a sea volleyball competition. Organisations and individuals are encouraged to participate in all these events.

Firework displays will be launched in Nha Trang City and Dien Khanh District with generous sponsorship from local businesses.

To meet the people's demand for entertainment during the Tet holiday from January 15-31, the central province of Quang Ngai will organise many sports, culture and tourism activities for local residents.

There will be a fireworks show on Lunar New Year's eve in Quang Ngai City and in the Dung Quat economic zone along with many exciting programmes. Diverse cultural activities will also be held in a number of places in the province, including an exhibition on art and handicrafts, film shows, folk games, and sports games such as volleyball, badminton, Chinese chess, traditional martial arts and boxing. The national music and dance troupe and the provincial cinematographic centre will give performances to entertain local residents in seven mountainous districts and islands.

Local people will enjoy lion dances and performances and celebrate the 79^thanniversary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. An exhibition to display photos of the late Prime Minister Pham Van Dong will also be held.

Source: VOV

Tet Festival opens in HCMC

2010-04-16T02:45:00.002-07:00

The Shining Street, one of the five major programs of the Tet Festival 2009 in HCMC commenced in the night of January 18. The city's downtown was lightened up by many colorful lamp systems.

The roads of Nguyen Hue, Le Loi and Dong Khoi have been decorated with special lights from January 18 until February 14. Colorful lights were bunched on various themes to convey the warm and jubilant messages of the Tet Festival 2009.

An 8m-high, 3m-diameter lotus-shaped lamp was built on the roundabout of Nguyen Hue - Le Loi Road. A 0.8x1m yellow-apricot blossom gate stood on Le Loi Road. Dong Khoi Road was illuminated by a system of LED lamps.

The organizing board campaigned offices and people who own houses on these roads to self decorate the front of their houses and offices with lamps.

On January 23, the Nguyen Hue flower street will open. The Banh Tet (cylindrical glutinous rice cake) Festival will be kicked off on January 25. The Door Shows will start on January 31. On the lunar New Year's Eve, firework shows will be organized at several places in the city.

A special art show will run from 10:00pm to 12:00am of the lunar New Year's Eve at an outdoor stage on Le Duan Road, in front of the Thong Nhat Palace.

Source:VNN

Vung Tau City to host International Kite Festival 2009

2010-04-16T02:45:00.001-07:00

The International Kite Festival 2009 is scheduled to open on the morning of March 27 in Ho Tram Beach Resort & Spa, Xuyen Moc District, Vung Tau City.

Seven countries and territories around the world have registered to take part in the event, namely Cambodia, Germany, the Philippines, Indonesia, New Zealand, Canada and Taiwan, according to the organising board.

Preparations for the event have all been completed. During the festival, numerous activities will be held, such as kite flying shows by children and sponsors, and performances featuring the history and origin of kites in each country.

On March 28-29, kite-flying groups will perform at the main base of operations in Vung Tau City.

Source: VOV

Vietnamese Tet festival with immemorial customs Vietnamese Tet festival with immemorial customs

2010-04-16T02:44:00.002-07:00

Tet festival of Kinh people is a perfect combination of rites of Buddhism and ancestors' religion. It is up to each family and their timing schedule for these rites to keep changing and being modified a bit, however, all rites are run in accordance with lunar days.

During Tet festival, Vietnamese people often go to pagoda to pray for luck for a new year.

The very first event which officially signals Tet festival if the rite to see God of Kitchen off, back to Heaven on the 23rd of lunar December yearly. Vietnamese people, from the North to the South, all find it very familiar the image of God of Kitchen to ride a carp flying back to Heaven to report to the Jade Emperor result of that family in a year. Hence, apart from "thèo lèo" cake and votive paper to worship God of Kitchen, it is a must to have a couple of carps. As soon as the rite completes, this couple is released to signify Tet festival in terms of mercifulness.

Releasing carp on the lunar 23rd

The 24th is considered the day for cleaning and re-decorating ancestral graves. On this day, descendants buy gosh money, steamed glutinous rice, meat, cookies to worship their ancestors on their graves. At the same time, descendants also clean their ancestors' graves before Tet festival.

Parents, descendants, siblings together clean their ancestors' graves

The 25th is to worship to see Gods (God of Fortune, God of Earth, the Virgin, "đức quan công") off, back to Heaven. It is up to each family to buy proper sets of votive papers to worship Gods accordingly.

Next, at 30th noon, when tidying up their house for welcoming Tet festival has almost completed, each family has to lay a worshipping tray firstly to welcome gods to enjoy Tet festival including God of Kitchen, God of Fortune, God of Earth, etc and then their ancestors to reunite with their descendants to welcome New Year's Eve and stay on Earth for three days. New Year's Eve (on 30th) also known as "trừ tịch" night, is the holiest moment of transition of a lunar new year. At that moment, people leave behind sorrows of their old days; eagerly hope for a new year of prosperity. It is also the optimistic spirit of "tống cựu nghênh tân" (seeing off old days, welcoming new ones) during traditional Tet festival.

Rites in turn are as follows:

- First morning: worshipping Heaven and Buddha

- Second morning: worshipping the dead indoor

- Third morning: worshipping God of Operation. Additionally, during three Tet days, it is custom to worship with rice ancestors, particularly on the third, rice worshipping rite is to see ancestors off, back to Heaven until anniversaries of one's death or the last day of a year to welcome them back.

- The 6th: worshipping birthday of Fortune God

- The 8th: worshipping "Sao Hội Nhị Thập Bát Tú"

- The 9th: worshipping birthday of the Jade Emperor

- The 10th: worshipping God of soil and officially end Tet festival.

Need to say that worshipping is really a beautiful custom which is indispensible during Tet festival. It reminds us that Tet does not belong to any individual, but an association of people, descendants and ancestors, the alive and the dead; a spiritual compatibility between people and their believes just simply because both earth and heaven seem to wake up at the solemn transition moment, between the start and the end.

Chau Kha

Xin Man (Xín Mần) - Spring sets in

2010-04-16T02:44:00.001-07:00

Xin Man, a mountainous district to the West of Ha Giang (Hà Giang), is known for its chains of mountains among which the highest is Tay Con Linh (Tây Côn Lĩnh) peak, about 2430m high. Climate is much harsh in this district. However, its landscapes are greatly charming. It is this feature that attracts a lot of people who wants to discover in order to have a better understanding about this mountainous district.

Visiting these places, particularly Xin Man in Spring, you are definitely enchanted by its charming and breathtaking nature. Flowers and trees together show off their beauty and vitality; glistening peach blossom, white plum flowers. Spring coats this space a dreaming green colour.

Hai Luu
Photo source: Internet

Customs of black Thai (Thái Đen) minority in Muong Lo (Mường Lò)

2010-04-16T02:42:00.000-07:00


	Dance with bamboo poles (Nhảy sạp) and stretching dance (múa xòe) whenever receiving any guests.

It is a typical cultural trait of the black Thai in Muong Lo that tourists should get to know to be not so green once getting chance to visit this place.

Thuy Vi

Chronicle of Lac village (Bản Lác)

2010-04-16T02:41:00.000-07:00

I had a very good sleep thanks to actually pleasant atmosphere. A good sleep may work in the sense that you may have a very good start next morning.

Hai Luu
Photo source: TTVNO

Calligraphy festival entertains capital residents

2010-04-16T02:36:00.000-07:00

A calligraphy festival opened on January 19 at the capital city of Hanoi's Van Mieu Street where the country's first university - the Temple of Literature - is located.

Close to 50 male calligraphers, who are of different ages and in Vietnamese traditional dresses and turbans, show off with their calligraphic writing skills on stones, papers, bamboos, woods and silks.

A large number of calligraphy lovers as well as city residents and foreign tourists have flocked to the festival, designed to celebrate the upcoming Tet (Lunar New Year Festival), which falls on January 26, 2009.

Another festival that showcases drinks, flowers, and parallel sentences (the fun art of creating parallel sentences along a giant floor-canvas), is going at the city-based Vietnam Culture and Arts Exhibition Centre.

The annual festival is entertaining visitors with traditional and modern festivities, aimed at reviving the nation's cultural beauties as well as becoming an entertainment hot-spot for the locals.

Many well-known Vietnamese wine-merchants joined forces with organisers to bring the very best of the country's prestigious wine to entertain visitors.

More than a thousand parallel sentences were sent to the organising committee this year, celebrating the country's development and honouring its personalities.

Competitive contests organised by wine producers, calligraphers and parallel sentences writers are heating up the festival. The finest wines will be picked up by a panel of connoisseurs for awards on January 20.

The organisers have arranged gong show performances and wine tasting evenings to spice up the beverage festival.

Source:VNA