Mộc Châu highlands

A blue H'mong woman
She is shy when we take a photo of her.
We present these H'mong people candy
and plums.

April 30 and May Day were our national holiday, plus weekend, so we had a long holiday this year. Myself and two Vietnamese girls rented a 4 seater car with driver and traveled 192km to Mộc Châu highlands in north west Vietnam. Mộc Châu is a district in Sơn La province and this place is off the beaten track. It's also home of some ethnic minority groups such as the Thai, H'mong, Muong etc. At altitude 1050m, Mộc Châu has cool climate and it's good for diary farming and tea plantations. Mộc Châu milk is a famous brand name in Vietnam, along with Vinamilk.

April 30, 2010 - We left Hanoi at 7:30am and traveled along the National Highway No. 6. When we were going up mountains, at one section, it was so foggy that the visible distance was only a few meters and our car had to follow the white painted line. It took us 4 and a half hours to get to Mộc Châu from Hanoi with two stops on the way. Even though it was a national holiday and every tourist site in Vietnam was crowded, it was pretty quiet in Mộc Châu and we didn't see any tourists at the sites. The only thing we found was that the big hotels in the town were fully booked in advance. In the afternoon we planned to see Dải Yếm waterfall, but the locals said it was dry there and no water as this time was the end of the dry season.

Two H'mong boys in Mộc Châu
We saw a group of H'mong people having
lunch by the road. These boys are the sons
of a man there. They were eating rice with
water and enjoying their simple food.

We decided to visit a couple of villages (Bản Búa and Bản Áng 2) where the Thai ethnic minority people are living. While walking around Bản Áng 2 village to take photos of stilt houses, we were invited to come in a local house and a Thai woman even climbed up a plum tree at her garden to pick plums for us. We sat down to drink tea on wooden floor of her house and talked to her. We wanted to pay for the plums but she refused. I especially like the view from corridor of her house. From there we could see mountains, other stilt houses, gardens and fields. There was a traditional dance show in the evening (perhaps some festival), however it was raining, so we couldn't go back to this village.

May Day 2010 - We went to the tea plantation hills which are located some kms from the town. It was a day off work, so we didn't see any farmers at the site. We climbed up the hills then went down to other fields. The sun was just shining at 10am before we left for the diary farming area. We passed by some milking cows and walked to grass fields. These cows are owned by local households and they milk twice per day, at 5am and 4pm. The cow milk is then sold to Mộc Châu Milk Factory. A cow costs VND 20-25 million (US$1,000 - 1,300) and a liter of milk can be sold at VND 10,000 (50 US cents).

Binh My Eco-tourism Area

Binh My Eco-tourism Area (Binh My Commune, Cu Chi District) located near the Saigon River is a favourite destination for many people in Ho Chi Minh City and nearby areas for its abundance of unique rural tourism services such as fishing and canal cruising.

Located 20km to the north of the city centre, Binh My Eco-tourism Area is surrounded by a peaceful landscape of green orchards. The park is divided into two parts by a stone-covered road. The left half sprawls out to the banks of the Saigon River with several types of services such as an outdoor café, a karaoke room, a conference room and a restaurant. The other is a large orchard with a complex miniature system of arroyos and canals crossed by straggling bamboo bridges, mimicking that of the Mekong Delta.

Wandering around the orchard, visitors can find huts along the canals, where they can fish while enjoying numerous local dishes, namely water hyacinth salad, chicken roasted in clay, grilled goat meat and goby fish hot pot. Moreover, the riverside resort under a green canopy of fruit trees also deserves praise.

The eco-tourism area’s restaurant is located near the Saigon River. Photo: Le Minh/VNP    Rows of bamboo trees surrounding huts along the canals. Photo: Le Minh/VNP   Binh My Eco-tourism Area’s restaurant. Photo: Le Minh/VNP

Tasting Snack Foods in Hanoi

Most Hanoi lovers hope to enjoy snack foods and their most iconic wintry dishes are nem chua ran (fried fermented pork), banh mi thit xien (grilled pork with toast), or banh chuoi (fried banana cake) when winter is coming. 

The best food shop is a common thing to see formally dressed gentlemen sitting in low chairs for their breakfast bowl of pho—an interesting Hanoi eating style. But we are not talking about pho or bun cha, since these great dishes have been introduced to the world many times over. This beautiful city has a lot more to offer those who want to eat like a local.

Pieces of Nem chua are peeled from their banana leaf wrappings, skewered on bamboo, and grilled over charcoal. Customers sit on plastic chairs while eating and watch the bustle of the streets. The spicy, sour, sweet, and peppery flesh tastes especially apt in winter’s freezing air. This dish is especially popular among teenagers, who are lucky enough to remain undaunted by its somewhat oily nature.

Cruising the Red River

The Red River in Hanoi
The boat is the office of the Red River Tourist Company.
This shot was taken when our boat was leaving it.

This is my 50th blog and it's about the river that carries my name. In 1954 my father, who was a teenager from southern Vietnam, traveled on a Polish ship to Hanoi for training, hoping 2 years later he would go back home as a cadre. The American war started and the country was divided into north and south for 21 years. He met my mother, a Hanoian woman, in the early 1970s. They married and settled down in Hanoi, before he had a chance to return home to see his parents in 1975, when the country was reunited. My parents gave me the name “Red River” in memory of Hanoi, where they met and had decided to live together for the rest of their lives, while my sister was given the name of his home town in southern Vietnam.

Direction board

The river which originates in Yunnan province of China comes into Vietnam at Lào Cai province and runs through northern Vietnam (including Hanoi). It’s called “Red River” which is the chief river of northern Vietnam (1,175 km long). The river has red water due to alluvium (silt). It also forms a great delta, before entering the Gulf of Tonkin at Nam Định province.

When I was a little girl, my family lived near the river outside the dike system. We experienced many floods over the years, especially during the high water season from July to September. I still remember the day when we woke up to find all pots/basins floating around our beds and we had to walk around in the water. Power was cut off on those days and we had to move to our grandparents house or my father’s office for a few days. Nowadays, there are rarely flooding on the river, thanks to Hoà Bình hydropower plant built in the upstream.

Vietnamese crispy spring roll - Nem rán / Ram Quảng/ Chả Giò

Ram Quảng or central-style fried spring roll is a very special version of Vietnamese spring roll that is mostly popular in Quang Nam - Da Nang. Unlike "Nem ran" in Hanoi or "Cha gio" in Saigon, Ram Quang is a lot simpler to prepare, yet is very tasty and unique.

B52 wreckage in Ngọc Hà village

B52 wreckage at Hữu Tiệp lake
Wreckage of the US B52 bomber at
Hữu Tiệp lake, Ngọc Hà village, Han

 Tuesday, 2nd September 2008 - It was our Independence Day. My friend and I took a taxi to Hữu Tiệp lake in Ngọc Hà village to take photos of the B52 wreckage on the lake. The journey took longer than we expected due to the traffic congestion on the public holiday. We went along Hoàng Hoa Thám street (one way street) then turned right at the lane next to house No. 55. After going straight down the alley, we saw Hữu Tiệp lake and the B52 wreckage on it.

According to the record, at 23:05 on December 27th 1972, the Battalion No 72 - Air Defense Missile Regiment No 285 shot down on the spot a B52G bomber of the US during an air raid in Hanoi. A part of the wreckage fell in to Hữu Tiệp lake, Ngọc Hà village in Ba Đình district of Hanoi near the Botanical Gardens (Vườn bách thảo) of downtown Hanoi, Vietnam. Today the wreckage still lies where it fell.

Unique cuisines of Vietnam’s Central Highlands

The Central Highlands is the majestic highland with vast mountains and forests. It is also famous for delicious cuisines with special flavors.

Ruou can (tube wine)

Ruou can is a fermented rice wine produced in in mountainous areas like the Central Highlands or the Northwestern region. It is made of cooked glutinous rice mixed with several kinds of herbs (including leaves and roots) in the local forests. 

Ton Thanh Pagoda

The ancient pagoda of Ton Thanh is located in My Loc Commune, Can Giuoc District, Long An Province. The 200 year-old pagoda is the place where Nguyen Dinh Chieu, a great poet and patriotic scholar lived and the most celebrated works in Vietnamese literature.

According to history books, Ton Thanh Pagoda with its initial name of Lan Nha was built by Buddhist monk Vien Ngo in the year of the 7th Gia Long (1808). In the year of the 5th Thieu Tri, Buddhist monk Vien Ngo, who followed the Buddhist religion for 40 years but did not reach the peak of the way in his religion, decided to sit in meditation without drinking water for 49 days and then passed away. To commemorate the monk who devoted his whole life to the Buddhist religion, the locals call the pagoda Tang Ngo or Ong Ngo and Lao Ngo.

Ton Thanh Pagoda is the oldest one in Long An Province.

The 60th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day

By Hoàn Kiếm lake in Hanoi's center
This shot was taken on evening 8 October when
I went down to Hanoi's center with my parents.

10 October 2014 - Today we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Hanoi’s Liberation Day. On 9 October 1954 the French troops left Hanoi and the war against the French was going to an end. Next day the Vietnamese soldiers came into Hanoi from different directions and they were happily greeted by the Hanoians. There are many activities in Hanoi these days and I saw many foreign tourists around Hoan Kiem lake in Hanoi's center. Some Vietnamese students approached to talk with them. The streets are decorated with flowers and colorful lights at night as well as flags everywhere. You can go to see photo exhibitions, music concerts or fireworks at 30 different locations in and around the city tonight.

Angsana Lang Co launches Summer offer for local Vietnamese market

Angsana Lang Co, located within Laguna Lang Co – Vietnam’s first world-class integrated resort, has launched an attractive offer for local residents to experience an activity-filled getaway amidst peaceful seclusion in the heart of central Vietnam.

From now until end of August 2013, Vietnamese citizens and resident expatriates can now enjoy a rate of VND 2.52 million nett per night for a Deluxe room in the most stylish resort to open in Vietnam this year. Offer includes breakfast for two persons and is subject to 5 per cent service charge and 10 per cent government tax.

The Ancient Pagoda of Van Nien

Van Nien Pagoda is located on Lac Long Quan Road to the west of the West Lake in Hanoi. The thousand-year-old pagoda is considered one of the most famous ones in the old capital of Thang Long.

According to historical records, Van Nien Pagoda was constructed in the 2nd Thuan Thien under the Ly Dynasty, one year after King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long. Previously, the pagoda was called Van Tue and situated in Quan La, present-day Ve Ho Village, Xuan La Ward, Tay Ho District.

The book entitled “Thang Long Co Tich Khao” says: “In the 5th year of Ly Thuan Thien (1014), Most Venerable Monk Huu Nhai, Patriarch of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha asked the king to establish a makeshift platform in the pagoda to organize rites for those who wanted to follow the Buddhist religion. The king issued an edict to agree with the monk’s suggestion”. This fact shows that the pagoda was probably built before the Ly Dynasty because at that time it became the favourite place for many venerable monks to stay and lead a religious life.

The ancient scroll of letters at the sanctum inVan Nien Pagoda.

The ancient three-door gate of Van Nien Pagoda.

Bac Son rice fields in harvest season

The town of Bac Son in the northern border Lang Son is located in a large valley surrounded by high mountains. The valley is magically beautiful in the harvest season.

Bac Son is approximately 160 km from Hanoi. The first impression when you come here is the pure and cool climate, the fresh and wild of rocky mountains and slippery slopes.

 

Bac Son Valley with vast rice fields and the charming scenery at dawn. This small town is surrounded by limestone mountains.

How to make BUN BO HUE - Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

This dish originates from Hue - the old capital city of Vietnam. It is loved by people in other regions for the bold flavors.

Video by: Helen

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

 

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 ;)
Ingredients: For 6-8 servings (1kg = 2,2 lb)
- 1kg pork trotters (pig's front feet)
- 1kg beef shank
- 1kg beef/pork bone
- 1kg rice vermicelli noodle
- 5 stalk lemon grass
- 1tbsp minced lemongrass
- 1tbsp minced garlic
- 1tbsp minced shallot
- 1tbsp chili powder
- fresh greens: herbs (mint, Viet mint rau ram, Thai basil), bean sprout, banana blossom, shredded lectuce/ cabbage, split water spinach etc.
- lime, sugar, salt, fish sauce
- 2 tbsp Vietnamese shrimp sauce (mam ruoc)
-Optional: blood cubes, Vietnamese shrimp patties, Vietnamese ham

Foreign visitor arrivals up

Foreign tourists in Nha Trang City. The country welcomed over 6 million visitors in the first nine months of the year. — VNS Photo Truong Vi

HA NOI  (VNS) — Vietnam welcomed more than 6 million international arrivals during the first nine months of 2014, up by 10.42 per cent compared to the same period last year. 

The number of domestic tourists hit 32.4 million during the same period, an increase of 7.6 per cent, according to the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
Tourism has generated VND179 trillion (US$8.44 billion) so far this year, a year-on-year rise of 19.24 per cent.

Tasting Banh Duc (Plain rice flan)

“Bánh đúc lạc” is the most popular in the north and it is considered one of the most rustic and simple cakes in Hanoi cuisine

It is considered one of the most rustic and simple cakes in Hanoi cuisine, but the way to serve it varies thanks to Hanoian gastronomists. “Bánh đúc lạc” is the most popular in the north.

The main ingredients are non-glutinous rice flour or corn-flour and peanut.