“Passion Indochine” to open in Paris

A Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia cultural and tourism festival entitled “Passion Indochine” will be held in Paris, France, on September 30-October 1.

The festival is being organized by Vietnam Airlines under the sponsorship of the Vietnamese, Lao and Cambodian embassies.

Le Dung, director of the Vietnam Airlines representative office in Europe, said the event aims to promote culture and tourism in the three countries in the Vietnam Airlines flight network, especially since it plans to open a direct route to London.

Dung said that Vietnam has great tourism potential which will be diversified if it can work together with Laos and Cambodia to tap the tourism potential of all the countries.

The festival will be divided into three sections: one to introduce the World Heritage sites in the three countries, another presenting their special cuisines, and one for cultural performances to attract more French and European visitors to the region.

ed: A wonderful website has been created for the event in French called Passion Indochine. Visit!!

Phuoc Tich Ancient Village: witness to centuries gone by

VietNamNet Bridge – With its gentle O Lau River, Phuoc Tich Ancient Village in Phong Hoa Commune in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue’s Phong Dien District seems cut off from the outside bustling world by its stillness.

 

Phuoc Tich Village gets architecture relic status

Architects seek to save historic village

Ancient Phuoc Tich village listed as cultural heritage

This quaint village has the typical features of the region with a river wharf, temples and their yards, old pagodas and a winding path lined with green tea trees. The scenery is like a step back in time and each temple and house wears a coat of green moss. 

 

Lying silently 40 kilometers north of Hue, the ancient village is well-known for its traditional pottery crafts and ancient houses and temples that have been preserved for as many as 500 years, making them invaluable architecturally and culturally.

  A 1,000-year-old tree near an old temple in Phuoc Tich Ancient Village.

 continued>>

Vietnamese Culture Week Began on May 5th in NCKU

TAINAN, Taiwan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--NCKU 2010 Vietnamese Cultural Week began on May 5th in Activity Center plaza, Kuang-Fu Campus, National Cheng-Kung University, Taiwan, where Vietnamese students prepared Vietnamese cuisines, coffee and traditional dances.

The 2010 Vietnamese Cultural Week had six programs, including Vietnamese traditional market exhibition, Vietnamese cuisines exhibition, Vietnamese coffee space, film exhibition, career seminar and art show. Vietnamese-flavored dishes, such as Vietnamese Pho, spring rolls and banana cakes, were provided.

The coffee plaza of Art Center was used for the Vietnamese coffee exhibition. The smell of Vietnamese coffee had attracted a large crowd. The Vietnamese coffee had a slightly burned sweetness unlike the sweetness in Blue Mountain coffee and the sourness in Mandheling Coffee. more>>

Lao-Vietnamese-Thai cultural village built in Laos

The ground-breaking ceremony for building a Lao-Vietnamese-Thai cultural village has been held in Laos ’ central province of Borikhamsay.

Eight border provinces of the three countries along Road 8B, namely Bolikhamsay and Khammouane provinces of Laos, Nghe An, Ha Tinh and Quang Binh provinces of Vietnam and Noong Khai, Xacon Nakhon and Nakhon Phanom provinces of Thailand, will build their traditional houses, clubs, parks and exhibitions halls in the 197ha village.

The village, which is being built under the agreement reached between the three countries in 2006, will depict the three countries’ housing architectures.
Source: SGGP

Satsuki festival will take place in the capital city of Hanoi for the first time.

The two-day event, starting on May 8, will include Yosakoi dances performed by four famous Japanese troupes and seven Vietnamese troupes, tea making, sword performances, Japanese cuisine and traditional games.

Several Vietnamese and Japanese firms in health care, foodstuffs and garments will also display their products at the festival.

The Happy Town Lap Joint Stock Company, the event organizer, said that it will hold the event annually in Vietnam and part of the proceeds from this year’s event will be donated to disabled children in the Peace Village .

Previously, in 2007 and 2009, several Japanese dance troupes came to perform at cherry festivals in Hanoi.
Source: SGGP

Hanoi gets culture complex

Visitors and local Hanoians will have somewhere new to enjoy Vietnamese art forms and Vietnamese cuisine, as a new cultural complex has recently opened in the capital city.

Named the Vietnamese Cultural Space, the 3,800m² complex, located in 79 Hang Trong Street by Hoan Kiem Lake, is expected to be a cultural space promoting Vietnamese culture and offering entertainment for all people.

Invested in and managed by the National Song, Dance, and Light Music Theatre, the complex includes a 300-seat theatre, an open-air stage and a gallery. An area displaying traditional handicrafts will also be included in the complex.  more>>

Vietnam hungry for creative young artists

Vietnam has yet to find the potential heirs to an older generation of artists who bemoan the lack of creativity among emerging new talent

  

Artist Linh Nga (front right) became successful in Vietnam after studying abroad. (Photo: SGGP)

In the past, Vietnam had sent its best artists abroad for training among some of the world’s most celebrated entertainers.

Names that emerged to lead that generation of singers, musicians and artists were Prof. Dinh Quang, People’s Artist Tran Hoat, filmmaker Cong Ninh, and MC Thanh Bach.

They built the Vietnamese entertainment industry in its early stages.  more>>

Designers gear up for Fashion Week

Special TV programmes to celebrate the 34th Liberation Day

Vietnamese artist to receive Japan’s ‘Order of the Rising Sun’

Sapa Culture Week to be held with lots of surprises

A week-long cultural festival will be held in Sapa, one of Vietnam’s top holiday and relaxation destinations, from April 30 to May 4, in an effort to increase the northern mountainous area’s tourism potential. Called “Walking in a Cloud in Sapa”, the festival is designed to lead visitors from surprise to surprise with a series of activities highlighting the rich and distinctive aspects of Sapa’s diverse ethnic cultures.

Visitors can join local ethnic minority people to discover how they dye, weave and decorate their garments, or make their sandals.  more>>

Hanoi’s coffee culture – like no other

VietNamNet Bridge – There is nowhere like Hanoi for coffee connoisseurs to enjoy a wide variety of cafes.

Not only do Hanoians love drinking coffee but there is a special kind of coffee culture here where it is done at a cornucopia of different and decorative cafes. Hanoians drink a lot of the dark, caffeinated beverage and love sipping their stronger blends outside in front of a small shop with some sweet milk and a spoonful of sugar. Every morning, on hot days in the summer and cold and dull days in the winter, you can see people all over the city with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other.

The ancient capital city of Hue has cafes in green orchards. The resort city of Da Lat features romantic, quiet cafes. Saigon has both street and luxury cafes. What about Hanoi?

It is difficult to draw a complete picture of Hanoi’s cafes because the city has hundreds, all with different styles. In the past, Hanoians only knew Lam Café or Nhan Café, and to enjoy a real cup of coffee, aficionados had to go to the old quarter in the morning. This is no longer the case. Nowadays, Hanoians drink coffee everywhere and all the time.

Cafes are as prevalent as their customers, ranging from chains like Trung Nguyen and Highlands to small cafes in alleys, gardens and even on sidewalks. Hanoians seem to favor quiet cafes to relax after a tense working day; hundreds can be seen along lakes like Truc Bach, Hoan Kiem, Giang Vo, Ho Dac Di, etc.

Cafes in Hanoi can be categorized in terms of style and quality but most are popular. For many Hanoians, the most important factor of a café is not its luxuriousness but the quality of the product.

Old people love cafes which have been around a long time, located on old streets or inside deep alleys. Office workers like cafes with romantic and quiet styles like Pho Co café. Young people love the noisy and busied atmosphere of modern and luxury or pavement cafes.

Hanoians also choose their café based on their feelings that day. When they are happy, they go to boisterous ones like Windows or Bao. When they are sad, they go to quiet ones, located deep in alleys. Those who need a luxurious atmosphere enjoy European style cafes like Paris Dehli, Bobby Chinn, Ciao or Lan Vien. The wealthy go to cafes at five-star hotels like Sofitel Plaza or the Daewoo to see Hanoi’s wide expanse from the panoramic view on the roof. Sipping coffee while watching the buzz and business of life outside is enjoyable and Serenade café’s on Ngo Quyen Street blends are just right.

It is difficult to choose a suitable café and one should experience dozens before seeking the one best acquainted with him or herself.

Pavement cafes are a strangely popular spot. Plastic chairs are all it takes. Hanoians all know the famous pavement cafes on Nguyen Du, Trieu Viet Vuong, Hang Bac and around Truc Bach Lake. Just one good cup of coffee on a plastic table is enough for coffee drinkers there. These cafes are always crowded, regardless of the weather.

However, street cafes like the La Terrasse du Metropole on Ngo Quyen and Le Phung Hieu are totally different. These are European-style pavement cafes that are very expensive.

There are cafes where customers can drink coffee both inside and out like Highlands Café, 84 Nguyen Du or Huy Café; of these, Highlands Café is of the highest regard.

Hanoi’s coffee culture calls on coffee addicts from every corner of the globe!

French style meets Vietnamese culture

LookAtVietnam - French designer Rebecca Bargas will introduce her first Vietnamese Spring-Summer Collection which features more than 100 items tomorrow, April 10, at the Hilton Hanoi Hotel.

Gallic flair: The Spring-Summer Collection 2010 by French designer Rebecca Bargas will be presented at Ha Noi’s Hilton Hotel tomorrow. Her Metiss Age collection is a mix between French and Vietnamese culture and took eight months to come to fruition.

“The collection is for everyday wear, it is a simple fusion of Vietnamese fabrics and French style,” said Bargas.

"I hope the collection will provide a range of easy to match items highlighting the feminine glamour and chic of people here. These ready-to-wear items are ideal for the office or daily wear,” added the designer whose cosmopolitan background mixes French, Spanish, Asian and Caribbean ancestry.

Bargas spent almost a year preparing the collection, with her centrally involved in the design, choice of materials, and research into the Vietnamese market.

“My Vietnamese isn’t that good, so sometimes I had a few difficulties. However, I have been here for two years which has helped me adapt to working here and I have received great support from my team. more>>

Vietnamese cuisine introduced in Paris

Vietnamese cuisine lovers and French-speaking chefs from around the globe gathered in Paris on March 31 for a four-day food festival dubbed “Cooks’ village in Paris”.

A book titled “Time zone cuisine” was launched by Menu Frettin Publishing House at the festival, which has been an annual event since 2007. The book, introducing typical dishes and culinary culture of many different countries, was co-authored by 26 famous Francophone chefs.

Vietnamese cuisine was prominently featured, thanks to the articles by Didier Corlou and David Lacroix, who are fascinated with Vietnamese food.

According to Corlou, Vietnam has a unique culinary culture, and he never misses an opportunity to show off the country’s typical dishes.

Vietnamese food plays a positive role in bringing Vietnam’s culture to the world.
A programme of Vietnamese food will be broadcast on April 4 on TV Channel 5 with French chef David Lacroix demonstrating two dishes.

(Source: VOV)

Hanoi Sound Stuff to go on stage this month

As many as 80 artists from 16 countries and territories around the world are expected to participate in the Hanoi Sound Stuff Festival 2010, which will take place from March 26-28.

Entitled “Green space”, the festival will be co-organised by the Vietnam National Academy of Music and the Culture Production and Development Company M.A.M, in the lead up to the millennial anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi.

Musician Tri Minh, a representative of the organizing board, said at a March 12 press briefing that this is the third festival of its kind to be held in Vietnam, with the participation of a larger number of Vietnamese and foreign artists. more on Hanoi News>>

Cho Binh Tay - Chinatown Market

Every city in the world most likely has its Chinatown. And Saigon is no exception. The character of the market is quite different than Cho Ben Thanh, but it is surrounded by some beautiful parks and architecture that beckons one to slow down from the seemingly endless madness and bustle one finds inside its perimeters.

Do a cab as it's faster and provides some relief from the heat, which can become unbearable. If you just say Cholon (the word means big market), they will immediately know what you are talking about. Cholon refers to the district where allegedly the world's largest "Chinatown" is found.

An estimated one million people live here, and have their shops and foods and all things ethnically Chinese. In sharp contrast with District 1 where we were staying, which has modern, high rise buildings, Cholon in District 5 provides a time warp that may take you back a few hundred years. Which makes it all the more exciting.

Let's go through the market and continue on outside where a sitting area is available, but the only people we saw sitting were children. The adults appear to have way too much to do to spend any of their time out here. But it's lovely and reminiscent of some of the topiary we had seen on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok (albeit on a very very much smaller scale). All of the elements for harmony and balance are found; water, beautiful foliage, huge urns where joss sticks are burning continuously, as offering to the spirits, or to keep the evil spirits away. And for more protection, the requisite dragons are in full form, black stone and menacing.

All around the area, you will see pagodas, temples and monasteries built by the Chinese to accommodate the influx of their people into Vietnam. They have their own clan associations, which allow them to respond to their own cultural and religious needs.

An interesting bit of a trivia is that even though the Vietnamese have dubbed the area as Cholon, the Chinese refer to it as "ti-an", which means enbankment. Some of the temples and institutions which were built in the area date back to the French occupation, and others predate it.

When you've had enough fresh air, head back inside the market and start navigating the aisles. They have separated durable goods from consumables, which makes a lot of sense. There is also an upper level with more shops, that are in reality similar to stalls. Most have goods stacked to the ceiling, in certain cases very neatly, and in worst cases, very helter-skelter. The next few pictures will give you an idea of optimization of space. These people have mastered the art.

this is the upper level of the market seen from below

the market shows its age through one of the tiles in front of the hat displays

If I recall accurately, we did buy a suitcase here, after doing some price comparisons, which , are you will find are not necessary here. By our standards, most if not all prices are ridiculously low, and one tends to get caught up in the enormity of the number of dongs rather than their value. 150 thousand dongs is only US$10. Unfortunately, no matter how many times you do the math, you still get sticker shock. At one point, Chuck had a brilliant idea, and devised his own tables of dollars versus dongs. It did help us with the rest of the trip.

Cuisine is one of the most exciting things to sample, and it's no secret that the Chinese represent one of the three top world cuisines. The other two are French and Italian. At Ben Tay Market, you can not only browse the aisles for purchasing foods, but you can watch people cooking and eating whatever the day's menu brings. The colors and smells will transport you to another world. In some cases, I had absolutely no idea what was in front of me, but I was nevertheless mesmerized by the colors and sheer quantity of variety.

the only thing I can identify here are the scallion pancakes on the extreme right-yummy

they love chilies in this country, and it's the death of me.

of course, everything is absolutely fresh

If I had to guess, I'd say these were mushrooms

The colors here would make an artist drool; the middle pile looks like tiny shrimp

So now you have a preview of a small slice of life in Cholon. Don't wait too long before you visit.

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They remind me of home

Although home for me has been the city of New York for the last 40 or so years, part of my heart and soul still yearns for Alexandria, Egypt. I am told that as soon as I go back for the first time, I can expect the aching to abate. I was surprised, as I engaged in the game of mapping my travels, that I had been in some 350 cities in the world, and yet, one country managed to envelop its aura around me like a noose. And that is Viet Nam. Let me share with you, graphically, some of the things which became so dear as they were all too familiar from another place and time.

I was in Saigon when I spotted these; I thought I was hallucinating, as I hadn't seen them since I had left Egypt. Of course, I bought some!!

Though I never did see chickens travelling by motorbike, I do remember them in cages being sold in the markets.

The only word for this is "moknessa"....

Having dinner or after dinner al fresco is the thing to do, whether in Hanoi, Saigon, Hue, Sapa or wherever you find yourself in Viet Nam. At times, it is too hot to go outside in the evenings, so you have to be rescued in a room with a/c.

The Pat'a'Chou bakery was across the street from our hotel in Saigon. As soon as they opened, we were the first to get the croissants, petits pains, and brioches before anyone else.

Spaghetti with bolognese sauce; I don't know how they learned, but they did....absolutely fabulous.

I don't have to tell you that seeing these men playing immediately brought backgammon to mind.

Except maybe for the pink color, these balconies could be part of a residential street in Alexandria. And of course, we'd have to get rid of the Viet Namese signs....

The shutters in the cities, especially in Hanoi, drove me crazy. I wanted to take a picture of all of them. Especially the green ones, since our house in Egypt had green shutters in every single room.

Yes, the most delicious oranges here are green.....

At this point in time, I had to go native. It was already my second trip to Viet Nam, and let me tell you, this stuff is heavy to carry. My hat is off to the women as I see them scurrying around the city with quite a load on their shoulders.

Depending upon your locale, this is iced coffee in the North, and white coffee in the South. Whatever you call it, it is better than the "café glacé" we used to crave from the Brazilian Coffee Shop in Alex.

The balconies are everywhere, and every building, old or new has got one. Some have cement walls, while others look like this one. This particular balcony was part of our penthouse room at the hotel and was replete with plants, a clothes hanger, and a chaise lounge. One had a fairly good view of Hanoi from this vantage point.

These humongous incense joss sticks are not ordinary; they smell like the "bakhour" we used to burn in Egypt to ward off the evil eye. I brought some back with me from the last trip, and enjoy it immensely.

And who can forget this sight? The wall which surrounded our garden in Alexandria was adorned with similar pieces of broken glass to deter thieves. This is very common in Viet Nam.

Sugar cane is available in Viet Nam just about anywhere, and you can often see people chewing on a section. What they have not yet learned to do, or at least I didn't see, is the art of sugar cane juice, which we loved so much in Egypt.

The trains and the railroad tracks; I remember when we lived in Alexandria, the rear of the house had balconies which faced the train tracks, just like these, and sometimes, I'd see kids playing or walking alongside them. And of course, the passing of the train was always a thrill for me, as I wondered what it was like to be inside. I made up for lost time; we traveled over 1500 miles by rail in Viet Nam.

This immediately struck me as déjà vu; looking down the stairs from the 5th floor where there is no elevator.

There are no closets in hotel rooms in Viet Nam; only very ornate armoires like this one, or larger. In my parents' room, there was an armoire similar to this one in color, but it was huge, with doors on both sides of a mirror which was in the center.

The chaise longues on Ha Long Bay are so reminiscent of the ones we used to have in Alexandria, though some had the actual seat made of very strong canvas instead of wooden slats.