RACH GIA - PHU QUOC

Located in the Mekong Delta, Kien Giang has a convenient location and a great economic potential. The area of the province is 6296 square kilometers with a 200 km long coastline and 105 small and big islands, of which the largest one is Phu Quoc Island. Kien Giang has a population of 1,726,026 people distributed in 16 administrative units, districts, towns and cities.

 Located in the Gulf of Thailand, Kien Giang has an important geographical and political position as the fulcrum of Vietnam in the Gulf of Thailand. It is 500km away from famous industrial and tourism development areas in the Southeast of Thailand, approximately 700 km far from the development area in the East of Malaysia, 1000 km from Singapore, and adjacent to the southwest gate of Cambodia. It takes only about two hours to fly from Kien Giang to the capitals of all 10 Southeast Asian countries and Southern China by civil aviation. It also has a favorable position to open the important sea and air international routes through the Southeast Asia and Northern Asia. Although it is the delta province, there are forests, mountains, sea, and islands with abundant, diversified and rich resources.

The potential of land for agricultural development is relatively large, so it’s favorable to develop crops such as rice, pineapple, sugar, pepper, cajuput.... With abundant marine resources, a long coastline and a large tidal plain, Kien Giang has a favorable condition for diversified and rich exploitation and aquaculture. It is the only province in the Mekong Delta that has rather big and plentiful reserves of limestone and building stones.

Kien Giang has many landscapes and historical and cultural relics with some places such as Phu Quoc, Ha Tien, Hon Dat, U Minh ... create rich and diversified views, facilitating tourism development.

The above geographical location makes favorable conditions to expand economic exchanges with countries in the Southeast Asia, being the bridge of the southwest provinces with the provinces outside and favorable for developing a diversified economy.

Source: en.vietnam.travel.vn

Back to my father's homeland (Quảng Ngãi - Part 1)

My 6-year-old nephew at Sa Huỳnh beach

---

My cute nephew is standing at Sa Huỳnh
beach (60km south of Quảng Ngãi city). We went to
 this place after visiting my father's home village
and grandparents graves.

This is Part 1 of my 7-day trip to the Central Vietnam (from 3 Aug to 9 Aug 2012). On this trip I traveled with my parents, sister and nephew to Quảng Ngãi province and visited the village where my father was born. It has been a long time since my last visit, so things have changed. My father was born in a wealthy family in the Central Vietnam and many poor people in the village worked on my grandfather’s land. However, my grandfather was a good man and he followed the communist party. In 1954, when my father was 19 years old, he traveled on a Polish ship to the North for training, hoping he would go back home as a cadre two years later. The American war happened and it lasted 21 years (from 1954 to 1975). During 21 years my father didn’t have any contact with his family, as Vietnam was divided into the North and the South. One of my father’s brother was also a communist, while another one was fighting for the Southern government. It is possible to say that in this war brothers in a family were standing on the opposite sides and they were fighting against each other. It happened in many families of Vietnam during the war time. Fortunately, none of my father's brothers was killed in the war.

Sa Kỳ port (21km from Quảng Ngãi city)

---

This is the place where I took a boat to Lý Sơn island.

My father stayed in the North and traveled to Russia for study, then he came back to Vietnam and married my mother who is a Hanoian. My name “Red River” was given in memory of Hanoi and my sister was given a name in memory of my father’s home land. My father also decided to spend the rest of his life in Hanoi and worked as a water resources engineer. When the country was reunified on 30 April 1975, my father traveled back to his home land. He needed a permit in order to cross the former border line of the North and the South (Bến Hải river). It was difficut to move around at the time and he said he even saw burning tanks on the way. My father told me that if he had stayed in his home village, as a communist he would be the first one to be killed. Quảng Ngãi province used to be one of the most severe places during the war.

My nephew in Mộ Đức district

---

My nephew is standing at his grand grandparents
 house in Mộ Đức district, Quảng Ngãi province.

Every year we celebrate the reunification day, my father tell us “Remember that thanks to this day I had the chance to see your grandparents again”. At least, my father was lucky as he was safe in the North despite American bombing and could see his parents again. On the other side of a medal, four million Vietnamese died in the American war. Many people had to leave the country by boats after the war and they lost their lives in the sea.

Friday 3 Aug 2012 - We decided to fly from Hanoi to Chu Lai airport instead of traveling by train. Then we traveled by bus (45km) to Quảng Ngãi city. We were happy to meet our relatives again and had a big party. In the afternoon, I went to the Quảng Ngãi museum near my uncle’s house. There are many interesting things relating to the Champa kingdom, soil graves of the ancient civilization, traditional dresses of some ethnic minority groups (H're, Cadong and Cor) living in the mountain region, models of boats used for fishing and patrol on the sea during the 16th and 19th centuries, and sugar production (one of the local specialties in Quảng Ngãi is sugar). After visiting the museum, I went to Mỹ Khê beach with my relatives and enjoyed a great sunset over the sea.

Sunset over Mỹ Khê beach

---

I visited this beach on the first day of the trip.
It's located about 20km away from Quảng Ngãi city.

Saturday 4 Aug 2012 – We rented a car and traveled to Mộ Đức district for visiting Vân Hà village where my father was born. My grandfather passed away some years ago at age 102. I can say that he is a witness of history as he used to live in the Franch war, was tortured in the American war, and lived a simple life of a farmer after the wars. When I was a little girl, my grandparents house was so large and made of soil and wood. Now all the houses in the countryside are brick built and smaller. We passed by sugar cane trees and walked toward our ancestors graves. After burning incense sticks, my father said some words to the deceased people. This is the most important part of our trip.

We left the village and headed south to Sa Huỳnh beach (60km south of Quảng Ngãi city). I missed the chance of taking photos of great salt fields on the way.

Ba Na Hills

Ba Na is located 1,487 meters above sea level in the Truong Son mountain range. Ba Na was formerly a 1920's French resort and once boasted 200 villas, restaurants, and clubs. It is well known as the second DaLat or Sa Pa in central Vietnam. Its temperate climate, unspoiled forest, and spectacular views over the South China Sea and the Lao mountain range made Ba Na a popular retreat for both the French and the wealthy Vietnamese. Today the area still attracts locals and tourists alike, although extra effort and a four-wheel drive are required to reach Ba Na as the roads are quite rough. Come to Ba Na Hill! Visit this exclusive hidden gem of Central Vietnam!

Source: http://www.vietnamtourism.org.vn

Enjoy Nuoc Leo Rice Noodle

Nuoc leo (nước lèo) rice noodle is a special tasty dish of Tra Vinh. To enjoy it, visitors can come to Cau Ke town or the cage market of Tra Vinh city or the area near Ba Om pond.
 

Nuoc leo rice noodle of Tra Vinh is made of prahok sauce after suppressing the fish bodies to obtain the first extract. The cooked snakehead fish is smoothed well then treated with citronella and chili. Tasty nuoc leo must be transparent, fresh and sauce good-smelling.

Raw vegetables contains sliced musa balbisiana (a kind of wild banana) trunk then mashed in cold water, lemon is squeezed on raw vegetables to make it milky white. From a handful of thin-lined rice noodle, an amount of raw vegetables, some pouf herbs, some scoops of nuoc leo and some slices of pork or snakehead fish….

You will have a wonderful bowl of nuoc leo sauce rice noodle! From the main recipient prahok sauce, Khmer people and Vietnamese have improved the dish by cooking it with ribs, straw mushroom in order to make nuoc leo fresher.

Nuoc leo rice noodle is also good-looking because of the design. Musa balbisiana(a kind of wild banana) trunk is smoothed well with some bean sprouts. Good rice noodle is put below. Prawn, cuttle, oyster, cooked clam form the top layer. The sauce is spoiled in small fire, treated with enough spice and some citronella, saffron, galingale for more good-smelling.

Enough amount of sauce is irrigated onto the bowl of rice noodle. Depending on personal taste, the diners can put shrimp sauce, lemon juice and chili more. However, many people who are sophisticated in cuisine enjoy the rice noodle with nuoc leo and raw vegetables only because they consider this way of enjoying the only one to feel the real taste of nuoc leo rice noodle..

Especially in Cau Ke town of Cau Ke district (Tra Vinh province), nuoc leo rice noodle is served with cong (cong) cake. Cong cake has a similar shape with cong (one kind of kitchen stuff for oil and wine scooping, measuring) which is made on the recipe of xeo (xèo) cake.

The recipe includes rice powder mixed with a little of yellow saffron powder, coconut juice, the filling is made of well-cooked gram, one or two bac dat (bạc đất) tiny shrimps on the surface. After finishing preparation, cong cake is deeply fried. At some places, pork is roasted to be served with nuoc leo rice noodle.

Internet

Fishermen need to be protected at sea

(VOV) - Vietnam has been implementing necessary measures to protect its fishermen in the East Sea, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has said.

Minh was responding to media workers’ questions on the sidelines of the current National Assembly session in Hanoi on May 29, following recent tensions in the East Sea.
Most recently a Chinese ship rammed into a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the area within Vietnam’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, a move which was later denied by the Chinese side.

Fishermen need to be protected at sea

Vietnam opposed the Chinese ship’s ramming, saying it runs counter to an agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues between Vietnam and China.
The Vietnam National Assembly has adopted the Law of the Sea developed on the basis of the provisions of the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) with reference to international and state practice.
“Our stance is that our fishermen should be protected. We will continue with the diplomatic struggle,” said Minh.
FM Minh made clear the Vietnamese government’s consistent policy of settling East Sea sovereign disputes through peaceful dialogues and with respect for the UNCLOS.
“Vietnamese fishermen are entitled to fish in the country’s waters and they need to be protected legally,” said the FM.
He added that the Government will present a supplementary report on the East Sea issue at the ongoing NA session.

Source:http://english.vov.vn

"Phở" noodle soup - a feature of Hanoi

Phở bò nạm gầu (beef noodle soup)

Phở noodle soup first appeared in the 1920s, ie it’s less than 100 years old. However, it developed incredibly fast. First, there was only beef noodle soup and it was hawked around the streets. During the 1940s, when there was a shortage of beef, people started making Phở with chicken as they had become addicted to it. And now Phở is so popular that almost no street in Hanoi is without a Phở restaurant. In some areas, there are even 3-4 restaurants, from luxurious to simple ones inside alleys, but not every restaurant can satisfy the strict requirements of Hanoian gourmets, who eat Phở every morning or late at night during the four seasons.

A Phở restaurant on Khâm Thiên street

A good bowl of Phở first requires the flavor of soup, which comes from cooking the ox bones, not from seasoning, along with taste of cardamon, grilled ginger and onion, all mixed together. Noodles must be soft and plastic. Next, brown beef is dipped into the hot soup, and finally spices, including onion and “thơm” vegetable. The southerners love to eat Phở with various types of vegetables, but Hanoians do not eat it that way.

Exceptional cases are Phở bought specially for sick people without meat or for children without onion, but these are not really Phở. To appreciate Phở properly, it should be eaten in restaurants with the atmosphere of people going in and out, the sound of bowls, chop sticks and knives, and the passionate faces.

Phở is the delicious speciality food of Hanoi. In Vietnam you can find Phở everywhere, but even some tens of km away from Hanoi, Phở is no longer so delicious.

Phở gà (chicken noodle soup)

In addition to Phở made from beef and from chicken, there are other types of local Phở like Phở thịt vịt (duck meat), Phở thịt lợn (pork), Phở chua, Phở cuốn etc., but only Phở noodle soup made in Hanoi has the special attraction that is found no where else in Vietnam. It is, indeed, “a feature of Hanoi”.

Some types of Phở noodle soups in Hanoi: Phở bò tái (rare beef), Phở bò chín (well done beef), Phở bò nạm gầu (beef), Phở bò sốt vang (beef and tomato), Phở gà (chicken).

Hà Nội xưa nay nổi tiếng có nhiều món ăn ngon và cách ăn đầy vẻ thanh lịch khó có thể kể ra cho hết. Trong đó có một món gọi là đặc sản cũng được mà bình dân cũng vẫn đúng, bất cứ ai dù giàu nứt đố đổ vách đến nghèo rớt mùng tơi cũng đều thích ăn và muốn ăn, có thể ăn vào bất cứ lúc nào, ngày nào, mùa nào, dù sáng sớm hay đêm khuya, dù rét cắt da cắt thịt, hay người đầm đìa mồ hôi, lúc thanh thản nhất hay lúc giải lao khi đang lao động nặng nhọc vất vả: Đó là món Phở.

At a Phở restaurant

Phở mới xuất hiện vào khoảng những năm 20 của thế kỷ 20, tức là nó mới có tuổi khoảng dưới trăm năm, nhưng lại phát triển nhanh không ai ngờ. Lúc đầu chỉ có phở thịt bò, còn bán rong bằng chiếc đòn gánh và hai cái tủ nan thưa hình vuông. Sau này, nhà văn Nguyễn Tuân chỉ ăn phở bò với miếng thịt chín thái ngang thớ, mỏng như tờ giấy pơ-luya có vị bùi bùi, chất ngọt thơm rất dễ tan trên đầu lưỡi, nếu là gầu hoặc nạm thì một chút mỡ bò màu vàng nhạt điểm xuyết chất béo nhưng không gây và không ngấy, nó còn giòn sần sật lẫn với vị nước dùng ngọt lịm.

Khoảng những năm 40, thịt bò khan hiếm, người ta mới làm món phở gà vì đã nhiều người nghiện phở. Ngày nay, phở phát triển rầm rộ, hầu như không có phố nào lại không có phở, có phố còn có đến vài ba bốn hàng phở, từ trong hiệu sang trọng đến bà phở chõng nơi ngã tư, dưới mái hiên hay quán chợ, dù rằng không phải chỗ nào phở cũng đáp ứng được yêu cầu khắt khe, tinh sành của người Hà Nội tìm ăn phở mỗi sáng, mỗi khuya suốt bốn mùa.

A kitchen that makes Phở

Một bát phở ngon, trước hết phải có nước dùng ngọt lịm (ngọt đậm nhất là xương bò và cái đuôi con bò chứ không được ngọt lịm vị đường hay mì chính), và trong vắt hơi vàng như mật ong pha loãng. Trong đó có hương vị của hoa hồi, thảo quả, quế chi, gừng già nướng chín, hành tái cũng nướng qua, còn có cả tôm he hay con sá sùng nữa, nhưng tất cả đều hoà tan vào nhau chứ không vị nào lộ mình ra át vị khác. Bánh phở phải mềm, dẻo, dai mà không nát, không bở, không làm đục nước dùng. Thịt bò chín có màu nâu già vì được luộc kỹ trong nồi nước dùng. Thịt không dai, không bục mà có hương thơm và vị bùi, không gây mùi mỡ bò. Thứ nữa là gia vị, gồm lá hành, hành củ chẻ nhỏ, vài nhánh thơm Láng hoặc rau mùi ta mà không thể là rau thơm khác như rau ngổ, mùi tàu, tía tô, kinh giới. Lâu nay, có người ăn phở với cả giá đỗ sống hoặc rau húng quế. Người Hà Nội sành ăn không ăn như thế bao giờ. Cuối cùng là bát phở phải bỏng lưỡi, nóng hổi đến miếng cuối cùng.

Phở bò (beef noodle soup)

Bát phở đặt trên bàn, không thể cho ngay tương ớt, nước mắm hay chanh hoặc giấm mà phải nếm xem mặn ngọt ra sao. Cũng nhiều người cho rằng không nên cho giấm hoặc cho chanh vì vị chua làm giảm độ ngọt của nước dùng. Cũng có lý! Phở là diễn viên tài ba, nó độc diễn đã hay nên không cần anh diễn viên loại ba nào đi kèm: đó là quẩy hoặc bánh đa hay một loại bánh nào khác. Ăn phở cũng không cần giữ phép tắc như dự tiệc. Không cần sêu bánh phở lên thìa rồi mới ăn, vì như thế nó nguội đi phần nào và quá ít nước dùng. Ăn phở phải nên húp, dù có xì xụp một chút cũng không sao (nhiều năm trước người ta còn ăn đứng, không cần bàn ghế còn được cơ mà!)

Hàng Phở gánh xưa
Phở noodle soup was sold by hawkers in the
 early 20th century - Photo from website
 vnexpress.net (22/9/2010).

Có một ngoại lệ là phở mua về cho người ốm không thịt hoặc mua cho em bé không hành thì đó không còn là phở, nó đuễnh đoãng, vô duyên và nhạt nhẽo. Phở phải ăn ngay tại cửa hàng phở với không khí người vào người ra, với hơi nước dùng, tiếng bát đũa, dao thớt, tiếng xì xụp và những khuôn mặt thơi thới say mê, hồ hởi hoặc hăm hở ăn cho nhiều.... mới là bát phở ngon.

Phở là món ngon Hà Nội. Không hiểu tại sao cứ đi ra khỏi Hà Nội vài chục cây số là phởmất ngon rồi. Nó như cô gái mặc phải cái áo may vụng, cài cúc trên vào khuyết dưới. Cả nước ta đâu cũng có phở, có phở thịt vịt, phở thịt lợn, phở chua, phở cuốn... nhưng chỉ có phở Hà Nội mới có chất phù thuỷ ở trong làm say mê những cái lưỡi tinh sành hàng trăm năm nay. Có lẽ gọi nó là một tố chất Hà Nội cũng ít ai phản đối!

(Theo tạp chí “Nhà quản lý” - số tháng 7/2008)

Hanoi_girl

Source:travelblog.org

Four Vietnamese breathtaking places among Top 25 Asia Destinations

Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Ha Long are four of the Top 25 Travellers’ Choice Asia Destinations recognized by TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site.

The fifth annual awards recognise 412 outstanding destinations in 38 markets across the globe, including separate lists for Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, and Central America, as well as China, Europe, India, Mexico, the Middle East, South America, the South Pacific, and the United States.

While Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Ha Long rank 15th, 17th and 25th on the list, Hanoi is rated fourth.

TripAdvisor website says about Hanoi “The charming Vietnamese capital has aged well, preserving its Old Quarter, historic monuments and colonial architecture, while making room for modern development. Lakes, parks, shady boulevards and more than 600 temples and pagodas add to the appeal of this city,”

The travel site also describes HCM City as Vietnam's largest, bustling largest hub which sets the cultural and economic pace of the country.

Hoi An on the central Vietnamese coast is a outstanding example of an important Southeast Asian trading port from the 15th-19th centuries, and Ha Long is famous for its stunning limestone islands, rock formations and caves.  

The awards are given in two categories: Top 25 Travellers’ Choice World Destinations and Top 25 Travellers’ Choice Asia Destinations. The Travellers' Choice Destinations awards recognize the top travel spots worldwide based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers. Award winners were determined based on the popularity of the destinations, taking into account travellers' favourites and most highly rated locations.

The awards ceremony will be held in Singapore on June 18.

Compiled by Nguyen Hao

Bo Da - a unique pagoda in Bac Giang

Bo Da pagoda in Bac Giang has its own ancient beauty attracting numerous visitors and pilgrims.
Bo Da, also known as Bo or “Quan Am at mount Bo Da” is one of the most unique pagoda in Tien Son commune, Viet Yen district, Bac Giang province and a major Buddhist center of the Truc Lan Yen Tu zen.

The ancient entrance of Bo Da pagoda

The pagoda is situated at the foot of a beautiful pine hill that is surrounded by soil walls, mountains and rivers. Bo Da is called “soil pagoda” because it was made from a brown soil, antique walls and bricks.

Bo Da has unique architecture that is different from the traditional pagoda in the North of Vietnam. The pagoda contains 18 temples, nearly 100 ancient rooms with harmonious architectural layout, special materials: unique soil, bricks…Moreover, Bo Da has an ancient garden temple where ashes bones of more than 1,400 monks and nuns were buried.

 
The pagoda has still preserved the oldest Buddhist Vietnam prayer book that carved on wood. Pagoda also keeps a very interesting devise of Nguyen Hong famous writer that was a handwritten copy of the rules in the pagoda.

The place preserve lots of prayer book

Unique garden temples in Bo Da

Source: Tours-in-vietnam-travel.com

Thai Nguyen

Situated in Far North- East Vietnam, Thai Nguyen Province is surrounded by Bac Kan Province on the north, Tuyen Quang and Vinh Phuc provinces on the west, Lang Son and Bac Giang provinces on the east, and Hanoi on the south.

Mountains account most of Thai Nguyen's topography with Tam Dao, Ngan Son, Bac Son ranges. The complex network of rivers includes Cau, Cong, Du, and Rang. The main nature resources are coal, iron, steel, and titan. Thanks to good soil, Thai Nguyen tea, especially tea of Tan Cuong origin has long been a nation- wide famous product.

Thai Nguyen has revolutionary tradition, historical vestiges including Van, Vo mountains, Dinh Hoa ATK vestige, and Duom Temple.

Coming to there, tourists are attracted to visit Nui Coc Reservoir. This 2,500ha lake includes 89 islands, concealing mysterious legends. Nearby the lake, Coc Mountain stands imposingly amid the blue sky, the bright sunshine over every blade of grass and twig, all creating marvelous and splendid scenery.

Phuong Hoang Cave and Mo Ga Stream attract many visitors to Thai Nguyen every year. The cave consists of three layers: Doi (Bat), Sang (Light) and Toi (Dark). Reaching the mouth of cave, visitors can see the landscapes of this land.

Source: vietnamtourism.com

Vibrant colorful highland markets

Visiting the highland market of Xin Man and Bac Ha, I had so much my own impression. In particular, it is the wonderful colors of market.

On the road to Xin Man market, I encountered a group of Hmong girls wearing colorful clothes.

The beauty of XiMan girl

.

Compiled by Nguyen Hao
Photo:Infonet

 

 

Savour the flavors of Vietnamese cuisine & cooking

Food offers an exceptional window into most any culture. From fine-dining to road-side stalls and hands-on cooking classes our journeys will delight your taste buds while exposing you to Asia's age-old culinary traditions. Visit amazing restaurants along the way to better understand the culture behind your favourite dishes, and take a course in Vietnamese cooking so you can create the best you experience in Vietnam at home in your own kitchen.

Source: http://www.travelindochina.com

Banana sweet gruel recipe

Today I will show you a delicious dish that is easy to make! I am sure that you will feel happy!

Ingredient:
- 2 pineable leaf
- 2 liters water diluted with 25gr of coconut milk
 - 250gr coconut- Vani-1kg of manioc
- 1kg of sweet potatoes
-250gr of Palm sugar- Bananas
- jaggery fruit
- salt
How to make?

Step1: - Boiling water along with coconut milk, cooking under medium heat - Then, add pineapple leaf and a little vani cooking together Step 2: - with sweet potatoes, you need to peel and cut it into 1.5-inch cubes (3-4cm)., then cook with the mixture of coconut milk and palm sugar Step 3:- Steam mamnioc well ans cut it into 1.5-inch cubes (3-4cm) Step 4: - Add sliced bananas to cook with the mixture Step 5:- Then add mamnioc and cook under low heat Step 6: - Add coconut milk and gently stir the mixture  Step 7: - Finally, add the jaggery fruits and turn off the heat and transfer to serving bowl

You can enjoy when it is hot or not, it is great!

You can add a little pomegranate jelly, sesame to enjoy together

Translated by Nguyen Hao
Source:Kenh14