Trung Nguyen Coffee Village

To get to where the story of Vietnamese coffee began, and to trace the nation’s spectacular rise as a major world coffee exporter, a visit to Trung Nguyen Coffee Village is a must.

Located in the highland city of Buon Ma Thuot in Dak Lak Province in the Central Highlands, Trung Nguyen Coffee Village offers more than a cup of the exquisite beverage. It is an ideal place for those who are interested in learning about coffee trees and the coffee processing industry.

With a desire to build a coffee paradise for tourists who visit the capital of coffee, Trung Nguyen Corporation constructed a coffee village in a total area of 20,000m². Two years after beginning construction, the project was completed in 2008 and is considered the largest historical and cultural museum of coffee in the Central Highlands.

The garden of old coffee trees in the village. White flowers of coffee trees in Trung Nguyen Coffee Village.  Part of Trung Nguyen Coffee Village.

The village is separated into two main areas including one for enjoying coffee and the other for display. Each area brings interesting experiences to visitors. In the area for enjoying coffee, tourists can see a house with a special architectural space and style of ancient houses in Hue. It has three main compartments namely Cherry, Arabica and Robusta. However, the most striking feature of the village is a garden of old coffee trees. It surely gives tourists relaxing moments when enjoying a tasty cup of coffee under canopies of old coffee trees in an immense space.

Inside the village, there are small streams that help create a cool and airy space and convey stories about the coffee culture of the locals in the Central Highlands. It is the water resource from pure streams that is attributed to creating the distinctive tasty for this area’s coffee.

The second part of the village is used as a display area which was built from wood according to the architecture of a Dai (long) house of the E De ethnic people. Visiting the area, tourists have a chance to see with their eyes objects relating to processing coffee. It is also the place for displaying over 500 objects that show diverse cultures of enjoying coffee from many countries. Here, many art performances of making coffee of other countries in the world have been held, such as making Cappuccino from Italy, roasting and grilling coffee of the Japanese and the traditional method for roasting coffee of the E De people in Vietnam.

The display area of coffee boxes. Foreign tourists learn about the tools for making coffee in Trung Nguyen Coffee Village. Utensils of the ethnic people in the Central Highlands are exhibited in the village. Tourists visit the display area in Trung Nguyen Coffee Village where there are many old objects that hold coffee. Tourists  learn about a German coffee grinding machine. Foreign tourists are interested in the traditional method of processing coffee  of the ethnic people in the Central Highlands. Foreign tourists enjoy cups of coffee in Trung Nguyen Coffee Village.

Besides the objects, visitors are also fascinated by valuable ones which feature cultures of the ethnic people groups in the Central Highlands with gongs, mysterious legends and Can wine.

Last but not least is the souvenir shop in the village where tourists can buy Trung Nguyen coffee and other products such as bags and shirts made from brocade as presents for their relatives or friends.

By Tat Son, Trinh Van Bo
Source: Vietnam Pictorial

Photos of North Vietnam during the Vietnam war (1960s - early 1970s)

Escorting American pilot
A communist guerilla was escorting an
American prisoner of war who was
captured in North Vietnam (Nữ du kích
 giải một tù binh Mỹ bị bắt ở miền Bắc)
Author Thomas Bill Hardt - vnexpress.net 8/2/201

Thomas Bill Hardt is a famous German journalist and photographer (born in 1937). He traveled to many countries during the historical times. He is famous for realistic photos of the wars in Vietnam, Palestine and Nicaragua. Visiting Vietnam during the 1960s and 1970s, Thomas recorded horrifying images of the Vietnam war. His photos brought emotional feelings to the viewers. Thomas used to say "I witnessed both the joy of victory and the sorrow of loss of the people all over Vietnam".

Thomas made a total of 50 overseas trips to different countries in the world including 12 trips to Vietnam from 1962 to 1985. Witnessing the horrifying destruction of the war, he said “The nature of photographing is not only recording the last image, but also focusing on circumstances of the shootings". Therefore, he owns an invaluable archive of Vietnam’s photos during the war. His photos were classified into subjects such as the Vietnam war in 1972, the border war with the Chinese in 1979, American pilots, South Vietnam etc.

Boy on a buffalo (1969)
A boy was playing a flute on a buffalo. (Cậu bé
 mục đồng thổi sáo được Thomas chụp ở miền
 Bắc năm 1969) Author Thomas Bill Hardt
- vnexpress.net 10/2/2014

In 1999, he opened a photo exhibition “the Vietnam war” in Hanoi. In 2003, he returned to make another exhibition with the purpose of meeting again some people in his photos. He ended up meeting with the person who obsessed him most in his career:” The girl who opened the road” and her name is Hong Ly.

Thomas’s photos were highly regarded as invaluable images of the Vietnam wars. Since 1960, his Vietnam photos made Thomas famous worldwide and brought him many honorable prizes. They were known all over the world and presented in over 100 exhibitions from Moscow to New York. Many of his works were published in famous magazines.

While photographing painful images of the war, Thomas also focused on terrified faces of Vietnamese children. Every photo taken by Thomas is evidence for the horribleness of the war and it made the world raise their voice. Since 1987, Thomas had actively participated in child-protecting activities of the UN organizations.

New China map makes bogus East Sea claim

Le Hai Binh, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry. — Photo bizlive

HA NOI (VNS)— Vietnam has strongly condemned the publication of a Chinese map showing that it owns almost the entire East Sea.
This has further complicated the situation in the East Sea. In May, China placed an oil rig in Vietnamese waters.
Le Hai Binh, spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry, told a press conference yesterday that the publication of the map by the Hunan Map Publishing House clearly violated international law and Viet Nam's national sovereignty.
Binh said that despite the recent visit to Hanoi by Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, China continued with its aggressive actions.
This included putting the Spratly and Paracel Islands of Viet Nam into a new Chinese land registration system, opening a school project on Phu Lam Island belonging to Viet Nam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago - and expanding and transforming many parts of Spratly Island.
"We have many times re-affirmed Viet Nam's stance towards the Spratly and Paracel Islands, strongly condemning the wrongful acts and asking China to respect international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," Binh said.
Binh said Viet Nam also denounced China's latest placement of the Nanhai 9 drilling platform off the Gulf of Tonkin, but said it was within undefined waters between China and Viet Nam. However, according to international law, no countries have authority to start exploratory activities in this area.
Viet Nam closely monitored other Chinese oil rigs in the East Sea, but was committed to using peaceful solutions to solve the situation, said Binh.
At the press conference, Ha Le, deputy head of Viet Nam's Fishing Surveillance Department, confirmed that 27 Vietnamese fishing surveillance vessels had been damaged and 15 fishing surveillance officers had been injured during nearly two-months of turmoil.
Le refuted a recent claim by the Chinese Foreign Affairs Ministry that said that Viet Nam's vessels intentionally rammed Chinese civilian vessels.

More condemnation

The Philippines' Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday also criticised China's publication of a map that covers nearly all waters and islands in the East Sea, affirming that it violates international law.
This act of China is completely unacceptable as it runs counter to international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to which China is a party, the ministry said in its statement.
The ministry's spokesman Charles Jose described China's "ambitious expansionism" as the reason for the current tensions in the East Sea. The official asserted that territorial and maritime disputes must be resolved at an international arbitral court.
Meanwhile, the Mexico – Viet Nam Friendship and Cooperation Institute (MVCFI) on Wednesday held a meeting in front of the Chinese Embassy in Mexico City to protest China's illegal stationing of the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Viet Nam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
About 100 members of the institute and representatives from media agencies and socio-political organisations of Mexico participated in the event, carrying placards and banners demanding China respect Viet Nam's sovereignty, immediately withdraw the rig and escort ships from Viet Nam's waters, and comply with international law.
At the event, MVCFI Honorary President Virgilio Caballero read a statement denouncing China's deployment of the rig along with a large number of vessels and aircraft to protect the rig and attack Vietnamese ships.
The document said such acts of China seriously violate the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of issues at sea agreed by the Vietnamese and Chinese Governments in October 2011, and run counter to the 2002 ASEAN – China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea. The moves also defy international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it added.
In the statement, MVCFI called upon Chinese leaders to respect the agreements, especially those containing commitments to solving disputes peacefully, reached with their Vietnamese counterparts and international organisations.
The institute demanded that China remove the rig and all escort ships from Viet Nam's waters and stop ramming into Vietnamese ships in order to ease the tension and enhance mutual understanding.
They also asked the Mexican Government, particularly Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Meade, to send a diplomatic note to the Chinese Government to clarify basic principles and international agreements signed within the UN framework.
After the meeting, MVCFI leaders handed over the statement to representatives of the Chinese Embassy.
Also on Wednesday, the Viet Nam Lawyers' Association (VLA) issued another declaration protesting against China's actions that are escalating tensions in Viet Nam's waters.
The association asserted that the acts of China are clearly the use of force which seriously violated Viet Nam's sovereignty and human rights, running counter to the United Nations Charter and international law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
These violent acts in reality are a far cry from what China often says as "only normal law enforcement activities," the association said.
The VLA demanded that the Chinese side immediately get the rig out of Viet Nam 's waters and end all force-using acts that threaten the life of Vietnamese people.
However, if China deliberately does not abide by the UN Charter and international law and continues infringing Viet Nam's sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction, the Viet Nam Lawyers' Association, with more than 46,000 members, called on the Vietnamese government to take legal actions in line with international law. The association pledged its support of the Government in such a move. — VNS

Source: vietnamnews.vn

Lullabies - The deep impression in the heart of Vietnamese people

When we were babies, our mom and our grandmom used to sing the Vietnamese lullabies for us. It was just not to lull us to sleep but also was the way they connected to our heart. At that time, we could not understand the meaning of the lullabies but we could feel the warmth and sweetness of our mom and our grandmom. And we grew up with these lullabies…

Lullaby songs are a sort of folk music often heard in Vietnam, especially in the countryside. They are used not only to lull small children to go to sleep but also to express human feelings such as homesickness, wife missing her husband...

Vietnamese lullabies often consist of two or four six-to-eight meter lines. They are usually based upon a characteristic frame of melody, and use slow, free rhythms. They also contain many inseted words such as "à ơi", "ầu ơ", "ơ", "hỡi"...

As the function of a lullaby song is to make the child slowly fall into sleep, the song is quiet, the tones stretched and melodious.

The melody of  lullabies vary from regions to regions.

In North Vietnam, lullabies are sung in five notes, do-re-fa-sol-la. For example,

“My child, sleep well,

So mom can carry water to wash the elephant’s back,

            If anyone wants to see, go up to the mountain                   

To see Lady Trung, Trieu riding the elephant’s golden backs”

 The song from central Vietnam lies only in three notes, la-re-fa,  with nonsense syllables "ơ" inserted:

                   “Baby, sleep well,                     

So mother can go to the market to buy an earthen saucepan, 

If she goes to the southern market,

 She will buy you a long and bent sugar cane”

In Southern Vietnam, most of the lullabies begin with the word "ví dầu" (imagine):

 “Imagine you’re walking on a board-bridge fastened with nails,

It is hard as walking on an unstable bamboo bridge”

Although the habit of lulling children in Vietnam nowadays is gradually less popular than in the old days, these lullabies never disappear but become a holy part in every Vietnamese soul who was brought up by maternal love and sweet songs.

Source: vietnamtourism.org.vn

China continues aggressive action

China yesterday sent more than 100 ships, including six military vessels, to protect its oil rig illegally stationed in Viet Nam's waters.

China yesterday sent more than 100 ships, including six military vessels, to protect its oil rig illegally stationed in Viet Nam's waters.
The Viet Nam Fisheries Resources Surveillance Department said the Chinese vessels continued to aggressively harass Vietnamese ships.
For nearly an hour and a half in the early afternoon, Chinese reconnaissance aircraft CMS-B3586 flew about 500 to 700 metres above the sea 12 nautical miles from the rig Haiyang Shiyou-981.
Vietnamese fisheries surveillance vessels continued their duties between nine and 11 nautical miles from the rig. At the same time, they communicated with the Chinese, asking them to withdraw the rig and escort their ships out of Viet Nam's waters.
Chinese coastguard vessels and tugboats travelled in rows at high speed in an attempt to ram and fire water cannons at Vietnamese ships, which refused to budge.
Meanwhile, about 30 Chinese fishing ships, escorted by two coastguard vessels coded 46102 and 46106, operated at a distance of 20-50 metres from Vietnamese fishing boats.
Supported by fisheries surveillance ships, the Vietnamese fishermen continued their normal activities 40-45 nautical miles west-southwest of the rig.

Laos worries

The Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday sent a diplomatic note to the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane, voicing concern about the East Sea situation.
The Lao ministry said the East Sea was an important and sensitive area and was of paramount importance in maintaining and promoting peace, stability and co-operation.
It said Laos was worried about developments, calling for both sides to restrain from actions that could escalate tension.
The note asked both sides to solve the dispute peacefully in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
It said the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea must be implemented and that consultations on a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea should be stepped up. — VNS

Source: vietnamnews.vn

Bánh bèo - Vietnamese Savory Steamed Rice Cake (Water Fern Cake)

Banh beo is a specialty of central Vietnam, especially popular in Da Nang, Hue, Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. It is basically made from rice flour and tapioca starch, topped with minced shrimp (Hue style) or a mixture of pork and shrimp (Da Nang/Quang Nam style). A simple yet elegant, cheap yet delicious dish which can be eaten throughout the day!

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Full recipe in English and Vietnamese at (Xem công thức tiếng Anh và tiếng Việt tại) :

http://danangcuisine.com/?p=652

Ingredients
For the batter
400g (14 oz) rice flour
100g (3.5 oz) tapioca starch
1 liter (1 quart) water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vegetable oil

For Hue-style topping
300g shrimp, peel and deveined
Salt & pepper
For Quang-style topping
100g (3.5 oz) pork belly, finely diced
200g (7 oz) shrimp, finely diced
Shrimp butter

More Vietnamese cakes at (cac mon Banh Viet) http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

Soundtrack:
"Bèo Dạt Mây Trôi" by Anh Khang & Quang Thắng
Drifting water ferns & floating clouds

Chinese ships ram, damage VN vessel

A ship belonging to the Viet Nam Fishing Surveillance Department was deliberately rammed and seriously damaged .

HA NOI (VNS) — A ship belonging to the Vietnam Fishing Surveillance Department was deliberately rammed and seriously damaged by two Chinese ships illegally operating in Vietnamese waters yesterday.
The action continued China's flagrant violation of international law in placing an oil rig in Vietnamese seas and preventing the nation's vessels from engaging in their normal activities.
At 9:30 a.m., two Chinese tugboats 284 and 285 and a maritime patrol ship No. 11 blocked Vietnamese fishing surveillance ship KN-951 and steadied it on one side. The action allowed tugboat coded Xinhai 285 to ram the other side, seriously damaging the ship.

Chinese vessels continue to block Vietnamese ships near oil rig site

Chinese ships constantly followed and obstructed the law enforcement operations of Vietnamese fisheries surveillance authorities, coming as close as 30m from Vietnamese vessels.— Photo AFP

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnamese fisheries surveillance ships as well as fishing boats refused to be cowed by Chinese aggression in the East Sea yesterday, persisting in asking that the illegally placed oil rig be moved out of Vietnamese waters.
The Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department said that China yesterday mobilised up to 137 ships, including five military ships, to protect oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 that it illegally stationed in Vietnamese waters.
At 06:40 and 08:13, Vietnam's law enforcement forces at sea also detected two Chinese reconnaissance aircraft operating at an altitude of 1,000m-2,000m in the west – southwest and the south – southwest areas, about 12-13 nautical miles from the rig's position.
Chinese ships constantly followed and obstructed the law enforcement operations of Vietnamese fisheries surveillance authorities, coming as close as 30m from Vietnamese vessels.
However, the Vietnamese fisheries surveillance vessels still retained their operations at about 10 – 12 nautical miles from the rig and conducted communication actions requesting the Chinese side to withdraw the rig and ships from Vietnamese waters.
The same day, about 54 Chinese fishing ships, supported by a coast guard ship (coded 46102), formed a line to block Vietnamese fishing boats from operating in their traditional fishing grounds, about 35-40 nautical miles from the rig.
However, the aggression could not stop Vietnamese fishermen from conducting their usual activities in the nation's sovereign waters.
Yesterday was a continuation of Chinese aggression in Vietnamese waters, including the firing of high-power water cannons and deliberate ramming of Vietnamese public-service and civil ships that has damaged many boats and injured many people on board.
Chinese ships have also continuously encircled, constrained and driven away Vietnamese fishing boats and even injured Vietnamese fishermen, threatening their lives.
Meanwhile, the US State Department has expressed concern over more Chinese rigs being placed in "disputed waters" in the East Sea.
Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said at a press conference in Washington on June 20 that the US State Department did not have enough information about the placement of the rigs and would withhold judgment.
"If a rig were placed in disputed waters, that would be a concern," she told reporters.
She said US has "a national interest in the maintenance of peace and stability in the region."
On the same day, US President Barack Obama and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key stressed the need for peaceful resolution of the East Sea dispute and called for steps to avoid the escalation of tensions.

Illegal acts

Vinh city - Sen village - Cửa Lò beach

Houses in Sen village
Neighboring houses of President Hồ Chí Minh
 in the early 20th century

Central Vietnam, 29 May to 1 June 2014 - We traveled by train from Hanoi to Vinh city and stayed a night there. I used to visit this city in the past, but it was just a day trip on business for submitting tender documents of my company. There was a place that I had not been to in Vietnam yet. It was the home village of President Hồ Chí Minh (1890 - 1969) which is 15km away from Vinh city. The purpose of our trip this time was to visit his home village and Cửa Lò beach.

On 30 May, we made a day trip to Sen village which was the place where President Hồ Chí Minh lived from 1901 to 1906 during his teenage. This is also the home village of his father. We walked around the village and visited an old well, houses of his neighbors, his house and museums.

Students from Sơn La province visiting Sen village
The girl wearing pink traditional dress and conical
hat on the right side was telling stories about
President Hồ Chí Minh and his childhood in
his home village. Other students are from Sơn La
 province in North West Vietnam.
Most of them are ethnic minority people.

The next village we visited was Trù village which is his mother's home village and also the place where President Hồ Chí Minh was born. We met a group of students from Sơn La province in North West Vietnam. They are from different ethnic minority groups and wore their colorful traditional dresses. The local guides shared touching stories about President Hồ Chí Minh's family and his childhood. We spent much time in Sen village as the two major sites were closed during the lunch time. We had to go back at 2pm for visiting them and by chance we met this group of students.

Another interesting experience on the trip was to visit Cửa Lò beach. This is a popular tourist destination for the northern Vietnamese during the summer time. The water was very warm and there were many jelly fish.

Súp lươn (Eel soup)
Eels are local specialty of Nghệ An province.

I got skin burns caused by jelly fish and it was really annoying. We took an electric car and went to Lan Châu island as well as fishing village and Mai Bảng temple. There was a festival at the temple and the local men invited us to join their party.

One of the highlights of our 4-day trip was to meet so many friendly people along the way. We also enjoyed local food made from eel which is local specialty of Nghệ An province. This place is still off the beaten path and we didn't see any foreign tourists during the visit.

Travel tips: It's easy to buy a train ticket between Hanoi and Vinh city. The train ride takes 7 hours during the day and ticket costs about USD 7-10 depending on hard seat or soft seat in aircon wagon.

Traveling to Vietnam for USD30 per day

We chose the $30 per person, per day number after personal experience and research. This budget will allow travelers to stay in private rooms all the time (usually in hostels/guesthouses), typically with air con and often with cable television (cable is often just a byproduct of the private, a/c rooms). This budget assumes you will take buses and trains from the north to the south (or vice versa).

Traveling around Vietnam can be extremely cheap. Extremely expensive. Or anywhere in between. Budget, bare-bones backpackers can probably get around on $10-$15USD per day or less. If you want to pamper yourself by staying in 5-star hotels and eating at the finest restaurants, you can blow through $150USD per day. Then there’s everything in between.

Street food is a great way to save on the budget, but don’t just eat there to save a buck.  Do it because it is delicious. $30US per day will afford you the opportunity to eat out often and drink some beers and cocktails as well, which always makes that budget number soar, even in a country like Vietnam. As far as activities, when we there in 2008, we didn’t say “No” to anything because of cost – we pretty much did what we wanted on our $30/person/day budget. Following is a breakdown of how you, too, can travel around Vietnam on $30 per day, and we’ll offer tips, advice, and practical information for those of you who want to do it on less and more than that.

Transportation

Getting in and around Vietnam is pretty easy, but you are in for some interesting times if you decide to overland it through Vietnam.

Getting in

 You can enter Vietnam by several different methods:

• Plane: If you fly into Vietnam, you’ll most likely be flying into either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). If coming from another country in the region, check out AirAsia for the cheapest flights.
• Bus: If you are in Southeast Asia and traveling around the region, you may enter Vietnam by bus from China, Laos, or Cambodia. Make sure you know what you’re getting into before boarding a bus in another country as many journeys are long, uncomfortable, and unpleasant, especially if it involves an overnight trip.  These journeys, though often frustrating, can also be quite memorable with the people you meet and the stories you’ll have to tell.
• Boat:  You can travel to and from Vietnam to Cambodia via boat, and it’s an excellent way to cross the border.  Slow, relaxed, not nearly as cramped as a bus, and floating down the banks of the infamous Mekong is just a unique way to travel.
• Train: There are a few train crossings to and from China, including the long journey all the way from Beijing to Hanoi. Another interesting way to cross the border if you’re looking for something a little different than a bus or plane.

Note: Remember when entering Vietnam, make sure you have your visa situation all squared away before leaving. They don’t offer visas upon arrival, so take care of it at home or at an embassy before coming. If you are in the region before coming to Vietnam, Bangkok is a good place to get your visa, just be aware that you’ll have to part with your passport for a few days.

Getting around

 While not always the most comfortable or easy going, getting around Vietnam is really rather simple. Because of the small, narrow geography of the country, when most people travel around this country, they go either north to south or vice versa, starting in either Hanoi in the north or Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the south.

• Bus: When you arrive in either Hanoi or Saigon and start wandering around the tourist areas, you’ll notice that you have two options when it comes to bus tickets:
  • A plethora of travel agents will be selling open jaw bus tickets. With these, you choose which cities you want to visit and purchase a ticket in either Hanoi or Saigon. Your ticket will then be covered the rest of your time in Vietnam. You don’t have to schedule the dates up front – you can figure that out once you get to a new city. One cool thing about these are that you can choose sleeper seats and always have a bed for those overnight journeys. Sleep isn’t too easy though as the drivers are a bit crazy and the horn will always be blaring, no matter what time of day or night. Another negative of this is that you have to go with one company for all the bus trips, so if you find out after the first leg that the particular company you chose is no good, you’re stuck with them.  These are generally cheaper than just buying one-way tickets, but the cost isn’t that vast of a difference if you want to have the freedom and flexibility of buying as you go.
  • Buying one-ways as you go is as simple as it sounds.  It can be a bit more expensive, and those with open jaw tickets will have priority, so it may take a bit more planning or you may have to wait an extra day to leave.
• Train: There are a few train journeys in Vietnam, but they are not as prevalent as buses and are more expensive. The comfort is better than a bus in most cases, and there are different classes of seats, each one going up in both comfort and price.
• Air: Checking AirAsia when you in the region is always your best bet, but you many want to check Vietnam Airlines or Jetstar Pacific as well if you are short on time.
• Motorbike:  For those with motorbike experience, a great way to see the country on your terms is to rent or buy a motorbike and take your own road trip. I wouldn’t recommend this for those who have never ridden one before or have limited experience, as the roads can be bad and the drivers worse. Exercise caution if choosing this method.
• Boat: There are also a few boat journeys available, particularly in the south on the Mekong. It’s a great change of pace. If going to or coming from Cambodia, look into the border crossing by boat – it’s a pretty awesome experience.

Transport costs

• Open jaw bus ticket:  They vary from company to company, but as an example, you can get a ticket from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) to Hanoi, with stops in Mui Ne, Da Lat, Nha Trang, and Hue for about $40USD/person (a sleeper ticket and more stops will add to the cost).
• One-way bus ticket:  A one-way bus ticket typically costs a bit more.  You can do the above journey for around $60-$80/person and possibly lower, depending on your negotiating skills.
• Train:  Trains on average cost about 1.5 to 2 times as much as a bus, but they are typically more comfortable, and you don’t have to worry about the poor road conditions.  Plus they have bathrooms.  And food on board and at stops.  Which can be huge on longer journeys.
• Air:  Airfare is always changing, as we all know, but I did find several one-way flights from Hanoi to Saigon (Ho Chi Minh) for around $65USD on Vietnam Airlines.

Accommodation

When traveling in Southeast Asia, the sky’s the limit as far as how much or little comfort you want and money you want to spend.  You can get a bed in a hostel or guesthouse for as little as $5USD/night or you can spend hundreds on a room at a 5-star hotel and resort.  Then there’s  everything else in between. When my wife and I spent a  month in Vietnam in 2009, we averaged right around $15-20 per night on accommodations.  

But we always had a private room, had air conditioning the vast majority of the time, and even had cable television in many of our rooms.  Breakfast was often included as well.  We were extremely happy with our accommodation options. Obviously rooms and beds are more expensive in Hanoi and Saigon, but the further away you get from each and the smaller the town, the cheaper the sleeping arrangements. Here’s a price breakdown on what you can expect in Vietnam for accommodations:

• $5USD:  A bed in a dorm room with a fan (hopefully).  Shared bathrooms  They might not be the cleanest, quietest, or brightest, but you get what you pay for.  Spending $5 a night on your sleeping will leave you a lot of money to play with if you are going with the $30/day budget.
• $5-$10:  Spending just a bit more can often make a big difference.  Depending on the city, it may still be a dorm, but the bathroom should be private.  Rooms are often cleaner and nicer, and you may even get a/c if you get near the $10 range.
• $10-$20:  This is pretty standard for those who don’t want to go bare-bone and will get you nice room, especially near the $20/night range.  Expect a private room, most with air con, and often with a cable tv.
• $25+:  When you start getting above $25 and into the $40 and $50 range, you’re really stepping up.  Air con and cable are standard, as is internet (though we had internet most of the time in our $20-$25 rooms).  Everything should be spic and span, and you may even have amenities like a private balcony, large rooms, and even a pool.
• $50+:  This is when you are getting into hotel territory, especially when you reach $75 and $100/night.  Nice hotels, some world class.  Expect everything you would in a $200+ room in most western countries.

China towing second oil rig to East Vietnam Sea amid tensions

China has dispatched another oil rig, Nan Hai Jiu Hao, to the East Vietnam Sea after illegally placing the Haiyang Shiyou 981 drilling platform in Vietnamese waters since May 1, despite strong protest from Vietnam.

>> Vietnam opposes China at UN conference over oil rig
>> Vietnam recognizes sovereignty steles in Truong Sa as national relics
>> Chinese ship rams, sinks Vietnamese fishing boat in Vietnam’s waters

In a notice on its website on June 17, the Chinese Maritime Safety Administration (MSA) said the new rig would be towed between June 18 and 20 by a tugboat from its existing location, at 17°38' North latitude and 110°12.3' East longitude, to the new location at 17°14.1' North latitude and 109°31' East longitude in the East Vietnam Sea.

The new location is near Vietnam’s Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, a news website of Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television, ifeng.com, reported on June 18.

It is unknown how long the second rig, which is owned by China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), will be placed in the East Vietnam Sea, according to ifeng.com.

As shown on the map, Nan Hai Jiu Hao is to be located in the area off the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin.

Vietnam and China are negotiating to fix a line to delineate the maritime boundary between the two countries in this gulf.   

Nan Hai Jiu Hao, a semi-submersible drilling rig, is 600 meters long and weighs 21,714 tons. It moves at four nautical miles per hour, the MSA said.

The towing of the second platform followed the visit of Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi who arrived in Vietnam on Wednesday to discuss the first rig issue and bilateral cooperation.

Yang left the country the same day after meeting with high-ranking Vietnamese officials in Hanoi.

At the talk with Yang yesterday, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung affirmed that by placing the Haiyang Shiyou 981 rig in the Vietnamese waters around Hoang Sa, China has seriously violated Vietnam’s sovereignty and the agreements reached between leaders of both countries as well as broken international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea (DOC).

PM Dung requested that China remove its rig and escorting ships from Vietnam’s waters and join talks for the settlement of disputes and differences between the two countries by peaceful measures based on international law and the common perception of the two countries’ leaders.

Earlier the same day, at a meeting with the Chinese official, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh firmly asserted Vietnam’s sovereignty over Hoang Sa as well as its sovereign right and jurisdiction over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf as defined by the 1982 UNCLOS to which both Vietnam and China are signatories.

The Deputy PM demanded that China withdraw its rig and guardian ships from Vietnam’s waters, control the situation to prevent conflicts, and join talks for the settlement of current tensions.

Source: TuoiTre News

Go Church in Kon Tum

Go (Wooden) Church in the city of Kon Tum in the Central Highlands of Vietnam is an ancient relic with unique architecture of high aesthetic value. With the glossy dark color of the wooden sculptures imbued with the local cultural identities, the church looks striking in the area.

«Chanh Toa Church, often called Go Church by the locals in Kon Tum, is located in the centre of the city. Its name originates from the materials used to build the church. At present, the church is preserved intact with its wooden architecture, patterns and overwhelming shiny dark brown color.                                          »

The city of Kon Tum is located in a small delta, formerly an administrative centre of the French in the Central Highlands so it drew many Catholic priests who came to popularize their religion for the locals. Go Church, with a total area of 700m², was built from 1913 to 1918 with a design by Decrouille, a French Catholic priest. The interior decorations of the church were made from precious wood and the bell tower, 20m high, has a Gothic architectural style that looks elegant and magnificent. Together with its floor which is 1m above the ground, the corridor running around the church shows the typical architecture of the Central Highlands’ house on stilts. The church is the harmonious mixture of Romantic architecture and the houses on stilts of the Bana ethnic people.

Chanh toa church, also called Go Church, is a unique architectural work  which is the pride of the locals in Kon Tum Province. The inner decorations of the church are from precious wood. The blend of Romantic architecture and the Central Highlands’ house on stilts gives the work high aesthetic value. The floor of the church is made from wood and is 1m above the ground. The bell tower, 20m high, has a Gothic architectural style that looks elegant and magnificent. Coloured glass pictures reproduce stories from the Bible. A painting inside the church. Rows of wooden pillars inside the church carved with diverse patterns.

Viet Nam condemns China at Law of the Sea meeting

• 

Vietnam News Agency reporters yesterday took this picture of a Chinese ship, one of more than 120 vessels that are protecting the oil rig illegally placed within Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. — VNA/VNS Photo Khanh Hieu–Quang Vu

• Why China's claim to Paracels is not ‘undisputed'
• Paracels may not be China's goal

NEW YORK — Viet Nam has again asked China to withdraw its drilling rig and accompanying vessels from Vietnamese waters, Ambassador Le Hoai Trung, Permanent Representative of Viet Nam to the United Nations, has said.

Addressing the plenary session of the 24th meeting of states and parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in New York on Friday, Trung also demanded China settle disputes through negotiations and other peaceful means in accordance with international law, including UNCLOS.
As head of the Vietnamese delegation, the diplomat also called for continued attention by the international community, including UNCLOS members to the situation in the East Sea.
He also asked them to oppose unilateral acts that created tensions.
Trung asked for the international community's support against the use of force in the settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS 1982.

Bắc Hà Sunday market

At Bắc Hà Sunday market
A H'mong woman and her son
at the mark

Sunday 6 September 2009 - After an 8 and a half hour train ride from Hanoi, I arrived in Lào Cai. This city is very close to China, only 1km from the Lào Cai - Hekou international border crossing, also on the way to Yunnan province of China. If you look at a map, Sapa is on the left side, 38km from Lào Cai, and Bắc Hà is on the right side, 70km from Lào Cai. Both Sapa and Bắc Hà are popular tourist destinations in north west Vietnam. Tourists often go to Bắc Hà on Sundays to see the market of the flowery H'mong ethnic minority people (different with black H'mong people in Sapa based on their dresses). This market is held every Sunday from morning until 2pm. The locals bring their own products (corn wine, pigs, horses, even dogs) to this market for sale and they also buy necessary things for their families. It's not only a market, but a chance for them to meet, talk and enjoy their lives.

As I've been to Sapa (a good place for trekking) twice, my major interest on this trip was to see the Sunday market in Bắc Hà, then I would go back to Hanoi on the same day. When I arrived at Lào Cai railway station, it was 5:30am. As I traveled alone on this trip, I booked my bus tickets in advance through a travel agent in Hanoi, so I could go from Lào Cai to Bắc Hà by tourist mini bus which is more comfortable than the local buses.

China keeps up aggressive tactics near East Sea oil rig

A Chinese vessel fires water cannon at a Vietnamese surveillance vessel on May 12. – VNA/VNS Photo Van Son

• Why China's claim to Paracels is not ‘undisputed'
• Paracels may not be China's goal
• China's East Sea justification absurd
• China shifts oil rig again, VN boats harassed
• ARF spotlights East Sea issue

HA NOI — Tension continues to escalate in the East Sea as China maintains the presence of a large number of ships around the drilling rig Haiyang Shiyou-981, according to the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department.

As many as 39 coast guard vessels, 14 cargo ships, 20 tugboats and six warships were defending the rig yesterday, which has been illegally stationed in Viet Nam's waters since the beginning of May.
Chinese vessels surround the rig on all sides, aggressively ramming and firing water cannons at Vietnamese vessels to keep them nine to 11 nautical miles from it, the department said.
Meanwhile, about 35 Chinese fishing vessels, with the support of coastguard ships, violently rammed Vietnamese fishing boats operating in their traditional fishing grounds about 30 to 40 nautical miles from the rig.
According to eyewitnesses, the Chinese attempted to present themselves as victims by sailing past Vietnamese fishing boats and then suddenly reversing into them so that it would look like the Chinese ships were rammed.
The department said Vietnamese fishing boats have persisted in using their fishing grounds, while coastguard and fisheries surveillance authorities continued asking China to remove the rig from Viet Nam's waters.
Early in May, China illegally dispatched the rig as well as a large fleet of armed vessels, military ships and aircraft to Viet Nam's waters and positioned it at 15 degrees 29 minutes 58 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 12 minutes 06 seconds east longitude, 80 miles inside Viet Nam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone.
In May alone, 19 fisheries surveillance ships and five coast guard vessels belonging to Vietnam were seriously damaged after being rammed and fired at with water cannons.
On May 26, Chinese ships sank a fishing boat belonging to Da Nang fishermen operating in their traditional fishing grounds near Viet Nam's Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago.

Lawyers respond

The International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL) issued a statement on the escalating violence in the East Sea at a press conference in Hanoi yesterday.
The statement pointed out that, despite Viet Nam's protests, China dispatched more than 80 vessels and aircraft, including military ships, to the area. It added that the situation escalated as Chinese vessels rammed and fired water cannons at several Vietnamese coast guard and fisheries surveillance ships, inflicting damage and casualties.
IADL said it had been informed that there had been several incidents directed against Vietnamese fishing boats, damaging some, injuring fishermen and sinking a Vietnamese fishing vessel.
After considering these facts, the statement said the association had decided to send a letter to Chinese authorities asking all sides to solve disputes peacefully and strictly comply with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which China and Viet Nam are signatories.
IADL has demanded that China clarify the legal basis for placing the rig in Vietnamese waters, deploying vessels and aircraft to the vicinity of the rig.
It has also demanded that China explain its provocative acts, such as ramming and firing water cannons at Vietnamese ships.
It calls upon China, as a member of the United Nations and a permanent member of the UN Security Council, to completely respect and observe the UN charters and behave in line with its status as a major country in maintaining regional and international peace, stability and security.
In the letter, the organisation also requested China to respect international law, restrain from actions that may escalate tensions in the region and jeopardise security and safety in the East Sea.
Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc also discussed the issue with Jitendra Sharma, President Emeritus of IADL. Sharma said the association supported Viet Nam taking measures to deal with the East Sea issue in line with international laws.
Phuc said the association's support would help international friends understand Viet Nam's legal basis in protecting its sovereignty. — VNS

Source: http://vietnamnews.vn

Nha Vien - An Elegant Garden

The elegant garden of Nha Vien in Buu Long Ward, Bien Hoa City, Dong Nai Province is an interesting place for tourists because it displays typical cultural characteristics and architectural styles of all regions in the country.

 

Nha Vien was built in an area of 5,000m² with a three-door entrance which was designed in the ancient Hue style. The entrance is harmoniously combined with the main architectural work of the tourism area - Phu Xuan Duong, a Ruong House.

Nam Huyen Duong, a house designed in the southern architectural style with a spacious and airy space.

Vong Cac Son - A house on stilts of  Tay Bac (Northwest) region .

An old wheel in Nha Vien's garden.

A dug-out of the ethnic people.

Visiting the garden, tourists will be fascinated by a romantic landscape of nature and typical houses. From the entrance, tourists follow a small stone-paved road with its two sides being flowers and trees to arrive in Phu Xuan Duong and then Nam Huyen Duong, a house designed in the southern architectural style with a spacious and airy space. The road also leads tourists to a house on stilts, called Vong Son Cac, of the Thai ethnic people which was the original copy from the Tay Bac region. Near the house on stilts is a dug-out – a means of transport on rivers of ethnic people in Tay Nguyen (the Central Highlands). In the garden, tourists will see Huong Tuyen Stream that reminds one of the romantic and peaceful Huong Giang River near the old capital of Phu Xuan. Over the stream, there are five small bridges, including Kim Nghe Kieu Bridge in front of Phu Xuan Duong that is the most unique because it was built with stone in the shape of a coiling unicorn in the ancient style of Hue. The stream surrounds three directions of the north, the west and the south of a southern styled house, Tu Quang Duong, and then creates a small pond in front of Dao Nguyen Dong. In the west of Tu Quang Duong is Linh Phong Mountain, formed by seven stones that symbolize the That Son Mountain Range in the South.

A traditional rice-hulling mill.

An ornamental fish pond in Nha Vien.

The peaceful beauty of Nha Vien.

Furniture inside Phu Xuan Duong.

Coming to the garden, tourists also have a chance to see with their own eyes a series of valuable ancient objects that the area’s owner has spent a lot of time and effort to collect from different places.

Thanks to the combination of unique cultural features of three regions of Vietnam and beautiful landscape, Nha Vien has become a familiar destination for tourists.

Story: Nguyen Vu Thanh Dat - Photo: Dang Kim Phuong

Source: vietnam.vnanet.vn

Hanoi Combo Noodle Soup Recipe (BÚN THANG)

Hanoi Combo Noodle Soup Recipe (BÚN THANG) - One of the most popular noodle soup dishes of Hanoi

Video by: Helen

Chanel Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/HelenRecipes

Full recipe at (Xem cong thuc day du tai) http://danangcuisine.com/?p=3469
Items in my kitchen and pantry http://danangcuisine.com/store/

If you recreate any of my recipes, please share a photo of your food on social media by inserting #HelenRecipes. Your food will be featured in my video someday ;)

Music by Audio Network

Chinese ships continue aggression

China's fishing boats, backed by two coast guard ships, continued to hinder Vietnamese fisheries surveillance and fishing ships from accessing the rig.

HA NOI (VNS) — Vietnam fisheries surveillance ships yesterday continued intense efforts to oppose China and get it to withdraw the oil rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 from Viet Nam's waters.
The ships stayed about 8-10 nautical miles from where China's oil rig has been illegally placed, according to the Vietnam Fisheries Surveillance Department.
Meanwhile, Viet Nam's fishing boats carried out normal fishing activities about 35-40 nautical miles from the rig, asserting control over their fishing grounds.
In addition to protesting China's s violation of Viet Nam's sovereignty, the fisheries surveillance ships stood side-by-side with fishing boats to protect them from Chinese vessels.
China has maintained nearly 120 ships in the area, including 40 coast guard vessels, more than 30 cargo ships and tugboats, 35-40 fishing boats and four warships. A Y-8 aircraft was also spotted flying 300-500m above the oil rig.
China's fishing boats, backed by two coast guard ships, continued to hinder Vietnamese fisheries surveillance and fishing ships from accessing the rig.
The Chinese vessels staged spontaneous assaults, pushing Viet Nam's fishing boats about 35-40 nautical miles away from the rig.
At one point, the Chinese vessels even organised into groups, about 9-11 nautical miles from the rig, poising themselves to ram and fire water cannons at the Vietnamese ships.
The Vietnamese fisheries surveillance and fishing ships remained unharmed despite acts of aggression from Chinese vessels.
Chinese tugboat 281 on Saturday deliberately rammed into Viet Nam's fisheries surveillance ship KN-635 that was conducting law enforcement in the area around the Haiyang Shiyou-981 oil rig that is illegally standing in Vietnamese waters.
The Chinese fleet also blasted sirens, fired water cannons and were ready to ram Vietnamese vessels at any time, preventing them from approaching the rig, the department said.
Despite the Chinese aggression, Viet Nam's fisheries surveillance ships had continued to maintain their operations at about 9-11 nautical miles from the rig to voice their protests and demand China's removal of the rig out of Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, according to the department.

NA informs partners

Chairman of the National Assembly's External Relations Committee Tran Van Hang has sent a letter to his counterparts in the parliaments of various countries to brief them on China's violation of Viet Nam's sovereignty in the East Sea.
In the letter, Hang thanked the parliaments as well as international organisations for raising their support for Viet Nam regarding the settlement of the issue.
He noted that since the beginning of May, China dispatched its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 and a large number of coast guard vessels, warships and military aircraft and positioned the rig well within Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the East Sea.
"Peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom in the East Sea are being seriously threatened," read the letter.
The Vietnamese National Assembly and people strongly condemn China's violations of the country's territorial sovereignty, sovereign right and jurisdiction, the letter stated.
The East Sea situation remains tense, with China insisting on continuing to claim sovereignty over Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and realising its groundless "nine-dash-line" claim, the letter noted.
More dangerously, China has threatened, rammed, damaged and even sunk Vietnamese ships and injured Viet Nam's law enforcement officials and fishermen, it said.
In the letter, Hang also called on leaders and members of the parliaments to accompany Viet Nam's National Assembly and people to seek a necessary solution to the issue, protecting justice and preserving humankind's common aspirations of peace.
He said that any solution must adhere to international law and the principle of respecting national sovereignty of each nation, and maintaining peace and stability as well as maritime safety by demanding China remove its rig and forces from Viet Nam's waters immediately.
The same day, Hang also sent a letter to the President and Secretary General of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, as well as leaders of regional and global inter-parliamentary organisations to inform them of China's acts and thank them for their support.

Continuing tensions

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the International Francophone Organisation (OIF) on Friday expressed their deep concerns about East Sea tensions caused by China's illegal dispatch of the Haiyang Shiyou-981 drilling rig in Viet Nam's waters.
They called on all parties concerned to exercise the utmost restraint and settle the dispute by peaceful means and international law.
The Argentina-Viet Nam Culture Institute (ICAV) has expressed solidarity with the Vietnamese people over China's provocative acts in the East Sea, and voiced its hope that the current tension between the two countries will be settled through peaceful means.
In a message sent to Chairman of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organisations Vu Xuan Hong, ICAV Chairwoman Poldi Sosa Schmidt shared her deep concern about China's illegal placement of an oil rig inside Vietnam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, violating the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Schmitdt said that these acts showed that Beijing wanted to flex its muscles to the international community and seek control of the archipelagos in disputes with its neighbouring countries. However, such behaviour had incurred strong protest and condemnation from peace-loving people across the world, she said.
In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency, Secretary of International Relations of the Communist Party of Argentina Jorge Alberto Kreyness expressed his belief that Viet Nam and China would solve the dispute peacefully, on the basis of respecting international law, particularly the UNCLOS.
Ezequiel Ramoneda, co-ordinator of the Centre for Southeast Asian Studies at Argentina's La Plata National University, has advocated Viet Nam's stance on settling the dispute through dialogue. He commented that China's deeds were politically motivated and had escalated tension and instability in the region.
Juan Carlos Minghetti from the Centre for Economic and Social Studies said China's illegal placement of its oil rig and its dispatch of warships and aircraft showed that Beijing was seeking to address the dispute with a smaller country using military power.

Source: vietnamnews.vn/

Xoe Dance in the Northwest

Ten centuries ago, Xoe was a popular dance performed on the occasion of the establishment of the hamlets and villages or during the festivals of the Thai ethnic people. Now, it has developed into 36 dances and has become the symbol of solidarity among the ethnic groups in the northwest.

Muong So, homeland of Xoe dance of the Thai ethnic group

According to the legend of the Thai people in the northwest, in the 10^th century, Lac Truong, the chief of the Muong Lo area (in Yen Bai Province today), led the villagers to Muong So area (in Phong Tho District, Lai Chau Province today) to reclaim land for farming and building their hamlets. It was the place where the Xoe dance of the Thai people in the northwest originated.

Initially, the Xoe dance was performed by the boys and girls in the hamlets, who held hands to form a circle and danced together. The musical instruments for the dance included gourd lutes, drums, two-chord fiddles, gongs and cymbals.