5:8 OCT-NOV 2018
Masterpiece mural in Hue will stay
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CONTENT No 5, VOL.8, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
ART
10 Dragons tell the royal story 12 Masterpiece mural in Hue will stay ARCHITECTURE
14 The divine place of an ethnic tribe 16 Buildings out of time COMMERCE
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18 Market of the heart CRAFTS
20 In the hands of the potter 22 The secret is in the sauce ENTERTAINMENT
24 Legacy of the dance MEMORIES
26 Pathways to the soul of old Hanoi PHOTOGRAPHY
28 Le Bich: Photographing relics is a natural passion CAFE
30 New city cafe showcases the history of the old city 34 40 42 44
TRAVEL
Exploring Japan: A New Golden Route via Hokuriku WHAT THE PAPER SAY
EVENTS
DIRECTIONS
Cover photograph:
Part of the mural Cuu Long An Van in Dieu De Pagoda's hall ceiling. Photo by Pham Truong
Published by the Cultural Heritage Association of Vietnam
Publication licence No: 1648/GP-BTTTT from the Ministry of Information and Communications of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for the English-language edition of The Gioi Di San (The World of Heritage) magazine Editor-in-Chief: Le Thanh Hai; Public Relations Director: Bui Thi Hang Managing Editor: Kha Tu Anh; Sub-editing: Erik Johnson, Le Hoai Nam ; Assistant: Van Thanh Nga, Nguyen Dang Khoa; Designer: Thanh Mai; Contributing Photographers: Nguyen Ba Han, Hoang Quoc Tuan, Hoang The Nhiem, Huynh Van Nam, Le Hoai Phuong, Nguyen Anh Tuan; Nguyen Ba Ngoc Correspondent: Pip de Rouvray; Advertising and Circulation: Green Viet Advertising JSC Email: tapchidisanvietnam@gmail.com & vnheritagemagazine@gmail.com; Thuy Phuong 0969 47 3579 Hanoi Advertising and Subscription: The He Moi MHN Viet Nam Co.Ltd, Mr Song Hao: 0903 476 999 Nha Trang Advertising and Subscription: Bach Cat Co. Ltd,; 22/6A Bach Dang Str. Nha Trang City Tel: (58) 360 7070 Fax (58) 387 0099, Email: bachcatprco.ltd@gmail.com Contact in the US for subscription and advertising: 2628 Sturla dr. San Jose, CA 95148
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Vietnam Heritage is published monthly, produced in Vietnam and printed at Army Printing House No 2. © All rights reserved.
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Vietnam Heritage
Vietnam Heritage
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Pushing nets to catch fish Bac Lieu Province, November 2015 Photo: Than Tinh
FUNERAL
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MOURNING THE PRESIDENT TRAN DAI QUANG
n 21 September, residents throughout the country had a shocking day as the news that President Tran Dai Quang passed away at the age of 62 was broadcast on air and online newswires. The National Commission of Health Services for Officials announced that President Tran Dai Quang died of a serious illness. His official term was due to end in 2021. The president was born in a rural commune in Ninh Binh Province, about 100km south of Hanoi, in 1956. He is described as a tough person by people in his hometown. One of his childhood friends said President Tran Dai Quang was born into a poor family and his father died early, but he fought strongly to grow up. At the age of 16, he enrolled in the People’s Police Academy and later worked as a career policeman. He served as Deputy Minister of Public Security from 2006 to 2011, and Minister from 2011 to 2016. He assumed office as the country’s President in 2016. The president was also a professor in security science. As he was holding high-ranking positions, locals in his hometown said the president was still as a simple person as he had always been in their eyes. To staff in the president office, President Tran Dai Quang was a tough and confident person, said Tran Viet Thai, vice director of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies. The president signed a letter to Vietnamese children on the occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which was in late September.
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He later went into a coma at around 5 p.m. in a hospital in the same day and never woke up. Many foreign leaders, officials and international friends shared in the grief of the Vietnamese people over the passing of the president. They also expressed their respect for the leader and appraised the role of President Tran Dai Quang in the country’s external affairs, advancing Vietnam’s position and prestige. Michael Croft, Chief Representative of the UNESCO Office in Vietnam noted President Tran Dai Quang had persistently backed the popularisation of Vietnamese culture to the world. Kamal Malhotra, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the country said President Tran Dai Quang had strongly backed multilateralism. Leaders of other countries also sent letters and messages of condolence over the passing of President Tran Dai Quang. Lao PDR announced two days of national mourning for the president on September 24. Hundreds of Buddhist monks, nuns and followers, as well as Vietnamese nationals in Laos previously attended a requiem in commemoration of President Tran Dai Quang in Vientiane City. Republic of Cuba announced a day of State funeral on 22 September, prior to the two-day State funeral for President Tran Dai Quang in Vietnam. A burial service for the late president was held at his hometown in Ninh Binh, following the funeral at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi.
FUNERAL
FAREWELL TO THE FORMER GENERAL SECRETARY DO MUOI
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ietnam Communist Party’s former General Secretary Do Muoi passed away on 1 October at the age of 101. According to the National Commission of Health Services for Senior Officials, the former General Secretary died of old age. Former General Secretary Do Muoi had made great contributions to the party’s revolutionary cause. During the resistance wars and periods of national construction and defence, he was at various positions and made more contribution. His remakable efforts were made during the renewal period, when he was the party’s General Secretary in the period from 1991 to 1997. The former General Secretary was born in 1917 in Dong My, a Hanoi commune in Thanh Tri District. Thanks to great contributions to the glorious revolutionary cause of the party and the nation in more than 80 years, the former General Secretary had been awarded with a Gold Star Order, an insignia of 80-year Party membership, and many other noble orders and medals. Former General Secretary Do Muoi participated in
revolutionary activities in 1936 and joined the Vietnam Communist Party 1939. He was member of the party central committee of the 2nd 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th tenures. He served as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, which is now Prime Minister, from 1988 to 1991 and as General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from 1991 to 1997. His passing away is a great loss to the Party, State and people of Vietnam. Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee, the National Assembly, Government, and the Lao Front for National Construction’s Central Committee extended condolences to the Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee, National Assembly, Government and the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee over the passing of former General Secretary Do Muoi. The former General Secretary was laid in state at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi. During the two-day national mourning on October 6-7, national flags were flown at half-mast at State offices and public places, and recreational and entertainment activities were halted. OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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Dragons ART
tell the royal story
TEXT BY HA NGUYEN PHOTOS BY NGUYEN VAN LOI
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An worshipping item used by royal family of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945)
ragons and phoenixes are among the four sacred animals in Vietnamese culture, the other two being kylins and turtles. In the group of four, dragons are always at the top position. This royal creature has been introduced to audiences in an ongoing exhibition of treasured items created in the era of the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945), currently being held in the city of Hue. Dragons first appeared in Vietnamese culture in the Dong Son era, which occurred from 1000 BC to the 1st Century AD. At first, the dragons were depicted only in simple structures, and they were often shown in pairs. The imaginary animal became complicated in structure and patterns in art and cultural works when the country gained independence from feudal China, particularly in the eras of the Ly Dynasty (1010-1225) and the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400). Experts said the eras’ dragons experienced a breakthrough in structure and art values compared to those
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existing in China at the time. They also carried the profound identity of Vietnamese culture. Dragons later became vivid and typical in the era of the Nguyen Dynasty, the last monarchy in the country. Along with dragons carved intricately on wooden items, pottery makers in this era succeeded in creating dragons in different styles on items used for ritual and royal buildings. They might appear alone, in pairs or in groups. Materials for carving or embossing dragons were diversified, from items for worshipping altars, poles in pagodas and temples to stone panels, and ceramic items as well as gold, ivory, enamel, and silk items. Dragons in this era represented the monarchy and they were presented in many places and items owned by the royal family. They were engraved in the objects showing the supreme power of the kings, including the royal hall chairs, seals, swords, scepters and crowns. The crowns, for instance, were categorised in several
ART
Clockwise from top left: A crown, a royal seal, a box, and a sword used by kings under the Nguyen Dynasty
types for official meetings, daily use, and ritual ceremonies, but they were all engraved with up to 35 dragons in tiny structures. Royal costumes designed for kings also had embroidered patterns of dragons on their laps. Dragons were present on all items designed for kings and are rarely seen on those for queens. Phoenixes were popular for queen and princess items and sometimes carved on the items for male members of the royal family as well. Experts said those sacred animals not only represented for the monarchy but they also carried the desires of a better life of the artisan who created them, as well as the artistic side of the products, reflected by the powerful beauty of kingly items and the utmost charm of queenly items. At the exhibition, which started in early September and will end 5 December, more than 80 precious items carved with dragons and phoenixes are on display. The exhibition is taking place at the Royal Antiquities Museum at 3 Le Truc Street, which is located on the right
hand side of the former royal palace in the city of Hue. The exhibits include those owned by the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities, a place conserving almost all treasures left by the dynasty in Hue, and other items borrowed from the Vietnam Museum of National History in Hanoi. Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, a local government body managing relics built by the dynasty in the city, said all displayed items were from the dynasty. Phan Thanh Hai, the centre director, said the exhibits were used in dressing, daily use and administration by kings and other royal members. They are made of rare, precious materials including gold, silver and precious stones. Every item in the exhibition is engraved with dragon or phoenix patterns, using techniques of carving or embossment. Hai said the exhibition was part of the efforts to showcase the luxurious effects owned by the kings as well as the quintessence in craft by Vietnamese artisans in ancient times. n OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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Part of the mural Cuu Long An Van in Dieu De Pagoda's hall ceiling
s Vatican City has its ceiling mural in the Sistine Chapel, Hue City has Cuu Long An Van, a mural on the ceiling of Dieu De Pagoda’s hall. Perhaps the Vietnamese masterpiece mural, called in English ‘Nine Dragons Rollick in Clouds’, could not be as magnificent as the mural in Sistine, but it is obvious to some that the painter Phan Van Tanh was at the same talent level as Michelangalo. Michelangalo lay with his face to the ceiling to paint the Sistine. Tanh did the same, but he held brushes with his feet to complete several sections of the mural. Included in the royal record is an account that during a visit by Khai Dinh, the second to last king of the Nguyen
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Dynasty (1802-1945) to the site, Tanh ignored the royal kowtow. Tanh was the author of the country’s two oldest murals depicting a similar topic, one on the Dieu De Pagoda’s hall ceiling and another on the ceiling of Khai Dinh Mausoleum. At the time when the king paid his royal visit, Tanh was lying on the scaffolding to paint Buu Hoa Long Van in Khai Dinh Mausoleum. He explained to the king that his ignorance of royal courtesy rules was due to his neglected costume at a construction site as well as his devotion to a royal art work . The king also considered the artist’s use of his feet to hold a brush during his painting process as disrespectful to the royal work. Tanh replied that the mural was on the
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ceiling and the painter ought to keep himself far enough to view details of the mural as an audience would. The use of foot was a must, according to Tanh. The story was covered in several royal documents and those accidentally recorded the second-to-none capacity of Tanh – painting with foot. The story has recently spread again among the country’s art and conservationist community as the mural Cuu Long An Van faces the threat of demolition. Under a proposed project to restore Dieu De Pagoda, the hall where the masterpiece mural located was scheduled for demolition to make way for new buildings. The mural includes two sections depicting a legend of the Buddha’s birth. The ceiling mural also depicts five dragons rollicking in
Masterpiece mural in Hue will stay
ART
TEXT BY HOA HA; PHOTOS BY PHAM TRUONG
View of the hall in Dieu De Pagoda, where the ceiling mural is located
clouds. The other four dragons were painted on the pillars reaching up to the ceiling. The collapse of the hall would mean the mural would be totally destroyed. In late September, researchers, monks at the pagoda, representatives of the local Department of Construction and the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre met for a discussion, but did not reach a conclusion on the preservation of the mural. At that time, rescuing the mural was hopeless, as the monks wanted the building to be replaced by a newer, bigger one, according to researcher Nguyen Huu Thong. Hue Monuments Conservation Centre, which is a local government body that manages all relics built by the Nguyen Dynasty in the city and works as a technical advisor for the reconstruction project of the pagoda, said
they were waiting for permission from the monks to obtain a digital copy of the mural. Meanwhile, the head of the Vietnam Institute for Culture and Arts Study in Hue Tran Dinh Hang said the key was that local authorities have not recognised the pagoda as a heritage site, which is a title that helps protect old, historic buildings from development projects and destructive interference. A public campaign called for the protection of the mural broke out soon after the meeting. Local newspapers had their say regarding the possible loss of the mural as well. Fortunately, the public campaign worked out. A week after the campaign went public, conservationists from HCM City and in Hue succeeded in making the monks change their minds. Monks at the pagoda agreed to restore the hall where the mural is located and will allow the conservationists to restore the mural, as part of it has shown signs of ruin due to leaking from the roof. According to researcher Nguyen Huu Thong, the land in the front of the pagoda is sufficient for the construction of a new hall, paving the way to the restoration of the old hall at its current site.
‘Keeping the old hall at its original site would change the master plan as well as the structure of the new pagoda, however, it gave the best chance to conserve the most valuable mural in the country,’ he said. Thong is also calling for the involvement of government agencies in rescuing the mural, because it is part of the country’s cultural legacy. Phan Van Tanh was a gifted painter in the era of King Khai Dinh (1916-1925). The mural, Cuu Long An Van, is considered the oldest and largest in the country. It is also praised as one of the most significant art works of Vietnamese painting in the 20th century. Dieu De is the pagoda whose land plot and building structure used to be a private royal residency built for the dynasty’s third king, Thieu Tri. The king was born and had part of his childhood there before he moved into the royal palace. He later made the residency into a pagoda and other kings designated it a national pagoda of the kingdom. Cuu Long An Van is one of the key factors making the pagoda a interesting place to visit in the former imperial capital city of Hue. n
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ARCHITECTURE
The divine place of an ethnic tribe Construction of Rong house. Photos taken by Nguyen Sy Dung in Kon Tum Province, 2015-2016
BY HOA KHANH
Every village of the ethnic minorities in the Tay Nguyen region, including the Ba Na, Gia Rai and Xe Dang has a communal house called the Rong. It’s the tallest and biggest structure in the village, where spiritual and communal ceremonies and cultural activities are conducted. Sometimes the village elders also use the Rong as the court to judge disputes, complaints and grievances and punish those who violate the customs. 14 •
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ARCHITECTURE
Tay Nguyen Region
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ecause of these functions, the rong house has a very important role in the cultural and spiritual life of many ethnic minority peoples in Tay Nguyen. When a group of people want to found a village at a certain place, the first thing they do is to build a rong house at a flat clearing. The size of the rong house depends on the leadership capacities of the elders and the chieftain. The beauty of the rong house represents the intelligence, dexterity and unity of the villagers. A typical rong house is about 10m long, 4m wide, 15-16m high and built with materials available in nature such as timber, thatch and bamboos of many kinds. The rong roofs, covered with thatch, consists of two main roofs and two small side roofs, formed on strong, high-soaring frames supported by eight large pillars of precious timber. The frames are reinforced by beams adorned with carvings that depict ancient legends of valiancy, stylized animals, and scenes of life amongst nature. All are decorated with colorful patterns. Inside, the rong house is decorated with drums, bow and arrows, scimitars and spears, horns and skulls of animals. Standing out among these decorative items is the image of a radiant sun. On festive days, in the middle of the floor, a tall pole is erected with carvings of the sun, eight-pointed stars and diamonds. When people gather for a spiritual ceremony or a festive celebration, two fires are lit to provide warmth, light for dancing and trance-like elevation of the spirit. The main door stands in the middle of the front wall, and there is another smaller door at the right side wall. There is a veranda in front of each door for people to sit and wait when too many people are using the ladder, which usually has seven to nine steps. The walls of the rong house are made of bamboo lattices in a lively pattern. The floor is assembled with wooden planks and bamboo. n
Rong house where people gather for festive celebrations. Photos taken by Nguyen Sy Dung in Kon Tum Province, 2015-2016
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ARCHITECTURE
Buildings out of time
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TEXT BY KHANH LE; PHOTOS BY NGUYEN VIET BINH
tanding on the banks of the Saigon River, the village of Phu Long Temple belongs to Lai Thieu Commune of Thuan An Township, Binh Duong Province. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism website, in 2001, Phu Long Temple was recognized as a national historic and cultural relic and a significant work of antiquity. Binh Duong Province has many temples, but Phu Long is among the first ones to be recognized as a national relic, and the only one to be considered as a work of architecture and art. Perhaps that is because the temple was built in a region which has many ceramic and porcelain trade villages that used to be famous all over the South. Phu Long Temple is dedicated to the tutelary god of the village, the Lady of the Five Elements (who maintains favorable living conditions for the people), the god of agriculture, the Tiger Lord and the ancestors that founded the village. The website of the Binh Duong Province History Science Association recounts that Phu Long Temple was built in 1842, initially with bamboo, soil and thatch. In 1865, it was rebuilt with bricks, timber and ceramics. The temple was renovated in 1935 and 1997, but today it
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ARCHITECTURE
Intricate details mark an antenna to the gods still retains all the architectural features of the 1865 renovation. The temple was built in letter san (三 ) formation, which means it has front, middle and rear edifices standing in parallel so that roofs lie atop roofs and floor succeeds floor. The buildings of Phu Long Temple, with a total area of 1,258 m2, stand in the middle of a 1 ha garden. A permanent outdoor stage where classical opera for the purpose of entertaining the deities is also a significant part of the temple. The temple is completely roofed with double tiles. The roof tops and corners are decorated with statues in the themes of ‘two dragons competing for a pearl’, kylins, tortoises, phoenixes, carps turning into dragons, sun and moon. The whole façades of the Phu Long buildings are inlaid with countless colorful pieces of ceramics. The beauty of the mosaic is witness to the tremendous skills and imagination of the ancient artisans. The temple’s interior is decorated with many carvings and reliefs on the themes of dragons, kylins, carps turning into dragons, orchids, daisies, pomegranates, grapes and bananas. Decorations on these themes also cover all the spaces between the front, middle and rear edifices. The most admirable items inside the temple are the three wooden altars meticulously carved with many classical patterns. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism website, Phu Long Temple currently retains hundreds of invaluable antique relics, most notably a conferment letter by King Tu Duc, 20 pairs of nacre inlaid parallel sentences, 8 lacquered and gold plated horizontal boards, 3 brass censers, tens of statues of phoenixes standing on a tortoise (a symbol of longevity) and palanquins. Ever since its inauguration, every 17th and 18th days of the Hanoi eighth lunar calendar month, Phu Long Temple hosts a Ky Yen ceremony, which is a ritual to pray Binh to the local deities for peace and Duong prosperity. The most special part of HCM City the ceremony is the performance of a piece of classical opera dedicated to the divine spirits. n OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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COMMERCE
Market of the heart
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BY DANG LE
rowds of ethnic people in colorful traditional outfits conduct trading of hand woven brocades, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, forest bamboo shoots and vegetables. That’s the most unique characteristic of the kermises of Ha Giang Province. There are other significant characteristics; these kermises gather only once or twice a week and are not only the place where people exchange goods, but also where they meet, talk, exchange news and other information, and date. The biggest kermises, attracting most locals and tourists, usually gather at the center of the districts of Dong Van, Meo Vac, Yen Minh, Quan Ba, Hoang Su Phi and Xin Man. These kermises gather only once a week, usually on Saturdays or Sundays. The smaller kermises in communes such as Tung Vai (Meo Vac District) and Nan Xin (Xin Man District) gather twice a week; Pho Cao kermis (Dong Van District) gathers once every six days; Lung Phin kermis gathers only on the days of the Tiger and the Monkey...
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COMMERCE
Kermises are the centre of social life in Ha Giang Province On the kermis days, people of the ethnic groups of Tay, H’Mong, Dao, Lo Lo, Nung, La and Chi get out of their houses very early. They come to the kermis on foot or on horse or ox cart. The women, especially the young ones always come in their best, newly-woven colorful traditional dresses, an umbrella in their hand and a basket on their back. They carry the goods they want to sell such as bamboo shoots, rice and various roots. Men, old and young, carry chickens and pigs under their arms and tow buffalos and cows. The kermis area is usually divided into subareas for each kind of product such as pigs, cows, vegetables, brocades and colorful dresses. There is always a food court with kiosks and shops selling all sorts of typical food items of the highlands such as colored steamed sticky rice, stuffed rice cakes, fried dumplings and cattle intestine soup.
Some vendors have a decent-looking shop. Some have only a rudimentary kiosk made of bamboo, and some just spread a nylon poncho on the ground and arrange their goods for sale on it. Vendors announce their goods and solicit the passersby. Visitors wander around and browse. They talk about the products the quality and the price. The atmosphere is merry and sometimes even boisterous. The food court is perhaps the liveliest area in the kermis because people come here not only to eat, but also to socialize. Kermises usually close when the sun is nearing its zenith, when the pots and pans are empty, when the wine jars are upside down and there is nothing left to be sold. People part and promise to meet again at the next kermis. n Clockwise from top left:
Selling pigs at the Lung Phin Market, Ha Giang Province, 2015. Photo: Tran Van Tuy
A noodle stall at the Dong Van Market, Ha Giang Province, March, 2017. Photo: Nguyen Huu Thong
Cattle for sale at the Meo Vac Market, Ha Giang Province, June, 2016. Photo: Tran Dam
Puppy for sale at a market, Ha Giang Province, 2015. Photo: Nguyen Thien Hung
Hanoi
Ha Giang
HCM City
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CRAFTS
In the hands of the potter
Hanoi
HCM City
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Vinh Phuc
Huong Canh is a traditional ceramics trade village of Binh Xuyen District, Vinh Phuc Province in the northern Midlands
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he special thing about Huong Canh is its blue clay, the raw material used to make its famous products. This clay is found in the swampy areas, 3-10m below the ground. The advantage of this blue clay is that it is very smooth, pliant and sleek, so the baked products look like they are already enameled. This clay makes Huong Canh ceramics superior in quality, waterproof, and opaque. We had a chance to talk to Mr Tran Van Hai, an artisan who has been making ceramics at Huong Canh for almost 50 years. Mr Hai shares with us, ‘Our blue clay has a shrinking coefficient of 26-28 per cent, which is very high. Other clays only have it at 11 per cent on average, which is unsatisfactory. Only highly shrinking, highly viscid clay makes high quality ceramics. According to Mr Hai, Huong Canh ceramics quality shows even in its color and sound. Because of the fabric of the blue clay, Huong Canh ceramics make a metallic clanking when stroked. Moreover, the ceramic products manage to retain the wild quality of the clay, rough and strong, which gives it a unique appeal compared to the ceramics made elsewhere. Remarkably, Huong Canh ceramics, though neither colored nor enameled are no less eye catching. Unglazed, it is reddish brown. Glazed, it is bluish black.
According to the sculptor Thai Nhat Minh, the blue and the black colors of Huong Canh ceramics only appear during the baking, a pleasant surprise for the creator. The surface of Huong Canh pottery is somewhat rough, but that is part of the appeal too. The artisans of this land maximize design simplicity, removing all excess, keeping only the essence of what makes people recognize and love Huong Canh pottery and ceramics. Baking is the last stage of making pottery and ceramic products. The arrangement inside the kiln and fire control are keys. Because a kiln has only one door, the worker has to be keenly aware of the time and temperature to make sure of the best quality of the final products. A small mistake and even highly skilled workers may spoil a whole batch. Those are lifelong, hard-earned experiences of Mr Hai, ‘The worker has to feel the kiln sharply all the time.’ He added, ‘We go gradually from low temperatures, reaching 500o after 28 hours. In has to add 350o more within 6 hours to reach 850o. Finally, within the last 2 hours, it has to heat up 400-450o more for the products to ripen. The fire always has to remain glaring.’ Pottery trade is quite tricky sometimes, because in the other crafts one can check and mend a product at any time but here one can’t check the products and make any mending until the fire in the kiln is out. During the whole baking process, the worker has to rely completely on their own experience and instincts to decide on the situation and quality of the products being baked. n Text by Dung Nguyen-Minh Phuong; Photos by Ngo Huy Tinh
Vietnam Heritage Magazine 4th Floor, 1/1 Hoang Viet Street, Ward 4, Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Tel: (84-28) 38118846 - Fax: (84-28) 38118775 Email: vnheritagemagazine@gmail.com www.vietnamheritage.com.vn
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FOOD
Tương Bần The secret is in the sauce
The mixture of soya and fermented sticky rice
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TEXT BY LE KHANH ; PHOTOS BY NGUYEN HUU THANH
an soya sauce has a rich taste and an eye-catching yellowish color. It is very suitable for northern traditional dishes such as rice flan, plain rice dumpling, boiled meat, pickled aubergine etc. It is also used to brine or simmer meats and fish. Ban soya sauce is made of simple materials, which include sticky rice, soya and salt. But that only means that the making takes a lot of work, time, skills and even some ‘secrets’. First, the sticky rice is soaked for a few hours and steamed. The edible steamed rice is then spread on a flat basket and left for 48 hours to be covered with yellow mould. Second, the soya is mixed with sand and fried until the soya aroma gets strong. The sand is sieved out and the soya is ground finely and soaked in a big jar, usually for 7 to 10 days, until it acquires a yellowish color.
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FOOD Hanoi
Hung Yen
HCM City
Ban Yen Nhan Township, about 25km northeast of Hanoi, has been famous for ages for its trade of soya sauce good enough for kings’ dining tables. Today, the soya sauce trade village is a part of the My Hao District of Hung Yen Province. It’s popularity is growing even wider due to the fast- developing tourism industry. To satisfy the demand for soya sauce, the number one traditional specialty of Hung Yen, favored by tourists and customers from all over the country, many townspeople of Ban Yen Nhan set up roadside kiosks to sell it under the trade mark ‘Ban’ soya sauce.
Sticky rice and soya, two main ingredients for tương bần sauce; Brooding cooked sticky rice over a night; The sauce in ceramic jars in the sun
The mouldy sticky rice is mixed with the water that was used to soak soya and ‘brooded’ for 24 hours, and then mixed thoroughly with the yellow soya and a certain amount of salt. The mixture is then put in a big covered ceramic jar, which is put out in the sun. The fermenting process is closely watched and cared for. Every day, a worker opens each jar, stirs up the content and adds water if needed. When it rains, the jars are covered with nylon to prevent rain water from contaminating the fermenting sauce. The fermenting and ‘caring’ period takes about 1-2 months, depending on the ‘quality of the sun’. After this time the sauce becomes thick and yellow like honey, aquires a rich taste and is ready to be bottled and sold.. n
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Legacy of the dance
ENTERTAINMENT
BY HONG HแบกNH CHI
Photo: Than Tinh
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ENTERTAINMENT
Robam is a vessel to carry the tradition of the Khmer people from age to age. Robam, aka ‘Rom robam’ is a classical genre of stage performance that was an official form of entertainment in the Khmer royal court. Among Khmer performance art forms, robam is considered the most vibrantly flourishing. As a proprietary value, Khmer people are trying hard to preserve and develop this traditional art form.
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obam uses the language of dance to relate classical historical facts, fairy tales and legends, which exploit themes and episodes extracted from Buddhism and Hinduism, and most of all, from the epic Ramayana of India. The educational and moral philosophies of the Khmer people are wrapped in the content and form of this unique performance art. Professor Dr. Le Ngoc Canh, vice chairman of the Vietnam Dance Association remarked, ‘Discussing Khmer culture means discussing robam stage art. Robam as an art is a product of intellect, a focal point of Khmer culture. Robam stage includes artistic aspects of dance, song, make-up and dress. Originating from the royal court, the dresses, actions and scripts of robam stage characters are typical of the nobility. Robam stage is arranged in a strictly formal and highly conventional way. Robam performances always contain two lines of characters: those representing the virtues, such as the kings, princes and princesses, who normally don’t wear masks, and those that represent evil, always masked and very diverse. Most notably of these bad characters is the ogre, called the Yeak. Robam is loved for the expressive power of the dance moves and the masks. Each robam character performs on stage according to the rules defined for its type. Each stance and move has its own predefined fixed meaning. There are 33 moves
Yeak, a bad character in Robam dance. Photos: Van Ngoc Nhuan
and forms. The basic hand form can make 8 moves. The ogre dance contains 12 moves, each having its own meaning and posture. Originating from India, robam masks combine harmonically the forms and colors. Robam plays use many stereotypical masks which can be recognized at once, such as those of the Ogre (expressing cruelty), Hanuman the monkey king, the horse Manoni, the bird Korich, phoenixes, snakes etc. The robam masks become even livelier, more expressive as they are all personified. Beside the dances and masks, the dresses on robam stage are also highly conventional. Their unique feature is that they usually include a neck piece, a chest piece, a belly piece, a back piece, leg-guards and arm-guards. In addition to the two main lines of good and evil characters, a robam play often also features a clown that add elements of humor. The plays are accompanied by an orchestra of hand drums, stick drums, gongs and slayrom blowpipe. The drums are stimulating and stirring in fight scenes while the pipe music adds plangency to dramatic ones. Robam used to be very popular in Mekong River delta provinces, especially Soc Trang, Tra Vinh under the patronage of the Buddhist clergy. But the popularity of this art form is in decline nonetheless. Mr Son Del from the Robam troupe of Bung Chong Basac, the only one of Soc Trang Province said, ‘Robam is passed down by our forefathers, so we just move on with it. We come to perform wherever folks demand, that’s all. Moneywise, our income and resources are very limited. We are just trying to preserve a Khmer traditional art form. If nobody invites us, we can still perform on the occasion of festivals.’ n AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018
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MEMORIES
Pathways to the soul of old Hanoi
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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY LE BICH
bout Hanoi, artist Le Thiet Cuong wrote, ‘Alleys are the roots and streets are the tree tops.’ The more I thought about it the deeper I felt it. The city used to be attached to the village. Half-done goods used to be delivered to the alleys to be completed before being showcased, exposed to street passersby. Alleys served as the entrepôts behind the street shops. Hanoi people loved quietness and country style neighborhood and so they preferred living in the alleys. That’s about the past. Today’s Hanoi alleys are as noisy as the streets. Some alleys become specialized in only one product or one service. For example, Tam Thuong alley specializes in crab spring rolls, Phat Loc alley rice vermicelli and
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Yen Thai on a national holiday
MEMORIES fried tofu, Hang Chi alley rice noodle with chicken at night, while Ha Hoi alley became full of nice coffee shops and Huyen alley cheap inns for rucksack tourists. It took me, a photographer, a hard time to make a picture with the feel of the past alleys. I like to photograph them during the holidays or the New Year. At mid night on New Year’s Eve the alleys of Hanoi are almost empty. One may encounter a fire of burning votive papers. The alley feels like a young mother, having worked hard day in and day out the whole year, now putting away all mundane burdens, contemplating her own image in a mirror and having a beautiful dream for herself. That’s the moment the alley becomes itself, small and warm, with alluring charms. In Hoi Vu alley, there is a narrow sub-alley where the flower peddler women always come to take a rest at noon. Their bicycles, colorful with flowers, lean on an old wall that looks like a palette of colors of time, creating a unique vision of Hanoian elegance. In this sub-alley, I love to sit on the balcony of the upper floor of an old French house which is also a coffee shop, to watch hucksters thread their ways to make a living, to look at dark brown old roofs and the little green spaces between them where some windows seem to remain forever opened. This is the ideal atmosphere for nostalgic conversation with old chums. That’s all what happiness is to me, and I always dream about a time when the small alleys of Hanoi will be back to what they used to be. ‘My home in a small alley behind a small street, That I always see in my secret dreams...’ Au Trieu Alley
Hang Bong Alley specializing in street food
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Le Bich: Photographing relics is a natural passion
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY THUY LIEN
Le Bich is a seasoned photo reporter who has for many years collaborated with tourist journals such as Wanderlust , Travellive. Vietnam Airlines’ inflight magazine Heritage. To him, photographing relics has become a natural passion, especially after long ramblings in the countryside, busying himself with village wells and craftsmen’s tales.
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o date, Le Bich has already hoarded a sizable collection and held five personal exhibitions, all on the theme of heritage, including ‘The carriers of the cream of Hanoi’, ‘Vietnam’s traditional trade villages’ (in Mozambique), ‘Trade villages in spring’, ‘The soul keepers of mid-autumn’, and most recently, ‘Colors of life’. The really remarkable quality in Le Bich’s photos is the natural order of the stories behind each and every picture. Hidden in them is the cherished ideal of the photographer-artist dedicated to capture those stories and more in his photos. ‘Without being photographed in the journalistic style, maybe someday nobody will get to know about them.’ A few minutes talking to Le Bich is enough to get an impression of a passionate photographer, very sensitive about simple, small, old things, from the village wells that have become nothing but symbols, to the few remaining artisans who make traditional mid-autumn toys for children, to rustic women in the craftsman workshops, exhausted but oozing life. Asked why he chose photography, Le Bich said that as a young man, he didn’t love it that much. Having graduated from the University of Foreign Languages, Le Bich worked for a foreign company and moved up to a managerial position. It took quite some time before he finally realized his real destiny. It was even harder to start over again. But then, what is the value that lasts? To him, it was photography. Up until now, the more he walks on earthen paths of the trade, the more poignant he feels about the saying ‘Do what you love and love what you do’. Thanks to the journey through more than 300 villages all over Vietnam and meeting thousands of people and listening to their stories, heritage photography became his heart’s passion, and a very natural one at that. The blending of patriotism and empathy gave him motivation to record the
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invaluable heritage of Vietnam in his photos. Le Bich’s ways and style may make the false impression that he is too picky, unlike anybody else. He seems to be always looking for untouched corners and dust-covered antiques. But the truth is, 12 years of searching has reconfirmed that he was right to pursue this passion. He overcame things that could dispirit anybody else. He walked long, lonely, bumpy roads, taking pictures of the same things over and over again until satisfied. The reward comes when he sees the way his photographs are received by the public; he realizes that he was never alone. The story about Ms Vu Thi Minh Tam, the last of the artisans who make cotton swans, published in Vietnam Airlines’ inflight magazine Heritage was a good example. As it surfaced, some people came from as far as Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi to buy out all the remaining swans. A foreign news man came to Ms Tam’s house with the article about her in his hands to write about her. When she met Le Bich again, she shook his hand warmly to thank him for photographing her. As Le Bich recalled vividly, that handshake made him feel moved as never before. To young people who want to pursue a photography career, Le Bich advises, ‘Doing what you love is very important and may be the first criteria to judge your occupation. Especially, your passion should be useful to the community you belong. That’s the real meaningful value for artists and people who work in the news. At some certain point in your career, you must start thinking bigger, forming clear ideals, and attach your work to what is going on in the country. Sounds like a cliché but that’s what art is. We must capture the character truthfully and beautifully. Aestheticism must be perfect.’ ‘In photography, if you are looking for ways to move from amateurism to professionalism you would feel like being in the dark and seeing many bright lights around. You must choose the most suitable one. It’s not clear at the beginning, but as you go on taking
PHOTOGRAPHY
Kien Thai Vuong tomb (Father of Emperors ) in Hue City
Spring in Lao Xa Commune” (Ha Giang) won 2nd prize of “The Beauty of Viet Nam Photo Competition” organized by The People Television in Febuary 2018
pictures, it gradually appears to you, and the rest depends on your dedication. Determination is always worth your while.’ ‘The most important thing is to take the plunge. After that, you would need certain qualities and conditions, such as good health, stable financial conditions, firm family support. Speaking some foreign language would be an advantage. You need passion to help you overcome difficulties, but to succeed, your passion has to grow into a real thirst. For young people, it’s great to have a healthy aspiration, as it helps overcome obstacles and bad temptations.’
Every conversation with Le Bich leaves an impression of a truly fervent, candid and lucid man. Despite the ups and downs of life, he remains loyal to his passion. He is in a sense the personification of our country at the current time – moving vigorously toward modernity, but cherishingly preserving its own character. How could it be otherwise when there are people like Le Bich around! People like him make us feel confident in our own love of life, love of the people, and belief that the nation’s noble values will be perpetuated.. n OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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CAFE
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New city cafe showcases the history of the old city BY PIP DE ROUVRAY
ll of us carry a lot from our pasts as we journey forwards in our lives. I was reminded of this the other day on a visit to a cafe themed around artefacts of Ho Chi MInh City from the last century and no matter how much or how little we liked history at school, human beings are fond of doing this collectively. I received an invitation to a soiree from a FrancoVietnamese friendship society to an exhibition featuring the wonderful collection of postcards of Old Saigon. Although I have passed through District Two where the Cafe Lua is located on many occasions, it was to be only the second time I had ever set foot. As the taxi emerged from the umbilical chord that now links District Two to the mother a replacement modernisitic town came into view. From Google maps it appears yet to have a proper namejust being called after the name of its main street - Do Thi Nguyen Sala. The taxi driver had not a clue about the cafe so I had him put
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me at the beginning of the main street. Normally you have to travel hundreds if not thousands of miles to experience culture shock. Would you believe you can get it just by crossing a river? There were no narrow streets on this side of the water. Do Thi Nguyen Sala is a huge canyon of high rise blocks of flats flanked at its base by stylish cafes and restaurants and stores selling luxury goods. There was very little traffic and I could freely walk the pavement without as in district one having to ward off motorcyclists with my umbrella. I did not have to look for the Cafe Lua. Breaking the eerie silence I heard the sounds of a merry party. I crossed the street and entered the Cafe Lua. The largest exhibits were at or near the entrance- an early cyclo, old motorbikes and mopeds, and a wooden mobile street food stall but for the material like you still see today. Inside, there was everything to remind one of the recently disappeared past. There were pictures of long past French and Vietnamese film stars, ancient newspapers and advertisements for quaint old products on the walls. Dotted around the expansive room were old cine
Photos provided by Cafe Lua
CAFE
projectors, a black and white poster for Dai Nam, Cho Lon, wornout cameras, old bank notes, record players and tin toy cars of yesteryear. There were even window frames you no longer see. To add to the atmosphere the floor tilings and furniture were from way back in the twentieth century. You could ensconce yourself in an old armchair and really go back in time alongside a radio that must once have been a much-prized family possession. Then I bumped into Philippe Chaplain the co-organiser. ‘I have not seen your postcards of old Saigon’, I said. He explained they were on the tables under glass where cafe goers would not miss at least
one or two of them. ‘They would remain on loan to the exhibition until well into October’, he informed me. He introduced me to the young owner of the cafe and fellow organiser, film maker, Ong Hiep Minh Huynh. As we were chatting a fashion show got underway lauding that quintessentially Vietnamese garment - the Ao Dai. Models looking tall on their platform shoes and displaying a collection of red and beige cloth Ao Dais swanned past us. I decided before returning to District One to have a walk around the area. District Two is largely swampland. I wondered if the new urbanisations would last as long as Venice as I walked past the reed beds to the sounds of the night-the chirping of insects and croaking of amphibians. I came to the water front where young people were out in droves, chatting and snacking on the fare of food vendors. The river is wide here and the night view of District One with its skyscrapers illuminated with colours changing by the minute is spectacular. I looked back at the modern township. It has the need to link with its past which has now wafted across the river and lodged itself at the Cafe Lua. I looked at the river eternally rolling by. I looked at the swamp sucking life into itself. Do we human beings really progress? Aptly, a French saying came to mind – ‘Plus a change, plus c'est la meme chose’. Roughly translated that means, ‘The more things change, the more they remain the same.’ History! Cafe Lua is at the Do Thi Nguyen Sala Area, 28-30-32 Nugyen Co Thach Street, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City. OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa marks years “The year was 1995. My mother and I visited Phan Thiet for the first time. We came here to see the full eclipse, and somehow my mother fell in love with this unknown coastal town. Everyone thought she was crazy when she wanted to build a traditional Vietnamese-style resort here. Mind you, there were very few hotels in Mui Ne 20 something years ago. This land was completely raw, untouched and undeveloped, and my mother, while a very successful advertising executive, had no experience in tourism or construction. That didn’t stop her from purchasing the land and for the next couple of years, she commuted from HCMC every weekend to build this resort from nothing. She drained her life savings and put her time into what a lot of people saw as a passion project with little chance of profitability. Despite the naysayers, my mother persevered and continued on her path. Good thing she didn’t quit, because not only has she built one of the greenest, most visited destinations in Vietnam, she also built a community of passionate, hardworking and blissful bamboo villagers who love their jobs and treat their guests as if they’re part of the family. I grew up in two cultures, Vietnamese and American. I received a business degree from UC Berkeley and with a typical American mindset, I wanted to build my own career in California. I worked at the top three advertising agencies in San Francisco for the next eight years after graduation. My career was very intense and demanding but it also taught me a lot. However, I woke up one day realizing what was missing from my job was passion and purpose. I created work for brands that I didn’t love or believe in. I grew up with Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa as my second family; I believed in it and knew we could take it to new heights. I decided to join my mother’s journey to help Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa achieve international recognition, making it more accessible to the world and bringing more people from different cultures to our green village. My mother has created something very special here — a legacy made possible by bamboo villagers. It’s a legacy that gives us joy and purpose, and one that we would be proud and honored to continue for the next 20 years. Here is our promise to you, mom. We will embrace your legacy with pride and innovation. We will make Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa the top destination for spa, weddings and honeymoons. We will share our resort’s unique beauty and culture with the world and make it a destination to remember for all of our guests. We will give back to the local community and support eco-tourism. And when we hit a rough patch, we will overcome it with the same strength and dignity as you would have.” Extract from the speech of Ms. Sofia Pham - Daughter of Mrs Ngo Thanh Loan, the founder of Bamboo Village Resort on the 20th Anniversary Party. Sophia Pham is now Head of Marketing and Deputy Director of Bamboo Village
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ADVERTORIAL On 26 September, 1997, Ms. Ngo Thanh Loan opened the door of Bamboo Village Resort to guests, with 14 Hawaiian style bungalows and a round dome restaurant designed by architects who loved bamboo and pure Vietnamese beauty. In 1999, Bamboo Village added six more garden bungalows, a swimming pool with Jacuzzi and rows of tall coconut trees looking out to the sea. Ms. Ngo Thanh Nga joined as Managing Director of the company for the next 17 years. In 2001, Water Lily Spa opened, which is now ranked #1 Spa in Phan Thiet and awarded Best Spa Destination in Vietnam. In 2006, when Mui Ne beaches suffered severed erosion, Bamboo Village pioneered in finding a solution for
environment protection, by building a soft jetty with geotechnical fabric. This dear memento is now lying deep beneath this peaceful beach. In 2017. Bamboo Village occupancy reached 82.28%, a great result given the current economic time. The number of guests staying in 20 years exceeds more than one million people. To date, there are total 147 rooms, serviced by 203 professional employees who can speak some of English, French, Russian, German, Chinese and Korean. 2018 marks 20th anniversary of Bamboo Village and new leadership, with Ms. Pham Phuong Dung as Managing Director and Sofia Pham as Deputy Director.
AWARDS : Beside the “Top 10 Four Star Vietnamese Resort” recognition in the last 8 years by the Vietnam Administration of Tourism, the Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa has also won The Guide Awards for 12 consecutive years; Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice 2017-2018 prize of TripAdvisor; Holiday Check 2017-2018; Asian Lifestyle Tourism Awards 2017-2018, Honeymoon category: The Best Honeymoon Destination in Vietnam; Asian Lifestyle Tourism Awards 2017-2018, Spa category: The Best Spa in Vietnam.
BAMBOO VILLAGE BEACH RESORT & SPA 38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 3847-007 - Email: info@bamboovillageresortvn.com - www.bamboovillageresortvn.com OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
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TRAVEL
EXPLORING
JAPAN A NEW
GOLDEN
ROUTE VIA HOKURIKU BY LE THANH HAI
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Tojinbo Cliffs, Fukui Prefecture
t was a treasured opportunity for me to participate in a media excursion to Japan recently, on behalf of Vietnam Heritage Magazine, together with reporters from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, the Philippines and Hong Kong to explore the New Golden Route in the northwestern part of Honshu, the main island of Japan. Four days touring from Osaka to Fukui, Ishikawa, Toyama and lastly Tokyo on this new route in the Hokuriku (northwestern region) awoke all my senses and love of life again. The devastating flood in early September of this year caused major damage to Osaka International Airport, so my flight was changed to Narita Tokyo and a domestic flight transit to Itami, a small airport near Osaka. We then took the express train from Osaka Station to Awaraonsen in Fukui.
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TRAVEL
In the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum
I soaked in a relaxing hot water bath in my room at the Awara Onsen Mimatshu Hotel and then fell asleep to the sounds of dripping water that reminded me of a small stream burbling on the rocks. The first night in Awara City, Fukui Prefecture, reinvigorated me after my long trip. Awara is famous for its many onsen or hot spring spas. The onsen at Awara date back to 1883 when a farmer who was digging for a well accidentally discovered a source of hot mineral water. There are now over 20 hot springs in the area. The food we had at the Awara Onsen Mimatshu hotel was delicious and served in beautiful, dainty ceramic bowls and cups, one after another. We prepared the beef ourselves at a table grill. Japanese beef has a juicy and sublime taste! Our tour guide from Fukui was proud of the area’s crabs. “The Ichizen Gani Crab from Fukui is considered fit for the Imperial Family. But unfortunately it is not the season now. Crab season will be from November through March. You must come back”, she said. The next morning, after another warmup in the hotel’s onsen, we headed to Tojinbo Cliffs. A grandiose ocean view with high cliffs stretching along to the coastline beckoned me to the edge of the cliff for a better view,
but I could only lie down, holding the camera tightly against the very strong wind to take shots of the mighty crashing waves at the foot of the rock pillars. Those dramatic cliffs tower 20 meters or up to 30 meter over the rough waves of the Sea of Japan. According to Wikipedia, the cliffs' rocks were originally formed 12 to 13 million years ago due to various volcanic activities. The legend of the place is touching. There, was a monk named Tojin who stayed in the temple near this area, and he fell in love with a village girl but was thrown off the cliffs by a warrior who also admired her. 49 days after his death, there was a big storm in the sea. Villagers believed that was the monk’s spirit trying to show his anger and they named the cliffs after him to appease him. Sadly, we didn’t have time to ride the boat in this beautiful sea. Only in winter the waves are too strong; at other seasons of the year the calm sea allows safe boat service. Leaving the Tojinbo Cliffs, we had lunch in a small restaurant by the wood. Edo+ is a stylish place with ancient decorative lamps and brilliant white ambience. Our food tray had more than 40 colorful, appealing ingredients. I thought I never had such puretasting water in my life.
Painting is also a Zen activity. Our next stop was the Echizen Lacquer Ware Urushi -no-sato where we were introduced to a lacquer ware-making process and then taught to make our own drawings on mirrors and wooden trays. The master at the shop encouraged me while I colored my daisy with white and gold. I desired to linger there and continue painting. As I left the class, I stood still in front of the row of lacquer ware flower frames on the walls and couldn’t utter a word. The flowers’ colors, shades and layers blended perfectly, with such subtle and purity that they seemed to be alive. When at last I found my voice, I could only exclaim ‘How can it be?’ The master said, “I made them.” I could only bow deeply to the master. Moving on, we headed to the Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum. It is recognized as one of the top dinosaur museums in the world, and is the largest of its kind in Japan. The museum is located in Katsuyama City, Fukui Prefecture, the center of dinosaur research in Japan and home to the country's largest and most prolific excavation site, just a few kilometers from the museum.
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Nagamachi Samurai District, Kanazawa
A corner in Nagamachi Samurai District, Kanazawa
Kanazawa Tsuzumi-mon Gate at Kanazawa Station
The Fukui Dinosaur Museum spans four floors. The main floor's large open space houses the museum's principal Dinosaur World exhibition where more than 40 dinosaur skeletons are on display. They include examples of the local Fukuiraptor and Fukui-saurus, which were found nearby, as well as several life-size animatronic dinosaurs, including an incredibly life-like Tyrannosaurus Rex that greets visitors as they enter the exhibition. My second day was spent in Kanazawa (City of Ishiwara Prefecture). When we stepped out of the Kanazawa Station, we entered a brilliant space. The enormous beautiful dome above my head and the red Tsuzumi-mon Gate were beyond imagination. I had seen them in photos but the feeling of being there is 1,000 times different. I often saw traditional red tori gates at the entrance to Japanese shrines, marking the transition into a sacred space. And there the Tsuzumi-mon Gate stood tall and massive in front of a station with the glass dome of the plaza roof rising behind. A mix of modern style and convenience with the vivid message of the ancient tradition is impressive, as is the immense glass dome with solar panels. The next morning, we went to Nomura Samurai House, a historic home and garden in Nagamachi, a very well-preserved district. Nagamachi was formerly the area where the samurai of Kanazawa lived with their families. According to the tour guide, today the area looks much the same as it did in the Edo era, with canals and cobbled streets that
TRAVEL
Nagamachi Samurai District, Kanazawa
run between earthen tile-topped walls. Nomura Samurai House is one of the main attractions in this district. We walked in the clean stone streets, with very little traffic save one or two bike riders, but lots of pine trees and bonsai in each house. The house we visited belonged to the Nomuras, a wealthy samurai family who served the ruling Maeda family from the 16th century until the end of the Edo period in the mid-19th century. At that time, the old social class system came to an end, and many samurai houses were destroyed. The Nomura family also had to sell a lot of their property and this house began to fall into ruin. A wealthy businessman named Kubo Hikobei bought this property in the early 20th century. Today the house is owned by the city and has been beautifully restored. Inside there are heirloom antiques and artifacts of the past: a suit of armour, beautifully painted fusuma screen doors, elegantly carved ranma transoms. There is an inner garden adorned with stone lanterns, a small waterfall, and a pond stocked with colorful koi fish. Inside the Nomura Clan Samurai House
Many of the rooms of the house are arranged so that this garden can be viewed from different angles. The view from the second floor tea room is wonderful. This Nagamachi Samurai district is a must-visit place in Kanazawa. Some minutes’ walk to the bus station from the village and the bustling city with its high rise buildings comes back again. Our next stop was the gold leaf shop “Sakuda” where we learnt to decorate our own chopsticks with real gold. “Ishikawa is the biggest manufacturer of gold in Japan”, the shop owner told us when he led us from the ground floor where two elderly workers in the shop skillfully counted the delicate gold paper by breathing on it, to the exhibition hall on the second floor with lots of golden items; paintings and sculptural works in gold, many gold paintings priced at over 1 million yen ($8,800) each, and a bathroom with golden walls. The lesson to apply gold onto chopsticks took about 30 minutes, and I held my breath carefully as only a little breeze can stir and make the super-thin gold paper fly away. For tourists, a lesson is ¥500. The garden inside the Nomura Clan Saimurai House
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TRAVEL
An exhibition hall at the 21th Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
After the gold leaf-crafting experience, we moved on to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa. The Museum is located in the centre of Kanazawa, near Kenroku-en garden and the Ishikawa Prefectural Museum of Art. The collection at the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa is focused on works produced since 1980 that "propose new values". The ongoing exhibition near the entrance leaves a haunting impression. Through glass window, in a vast white hall, I saw two figures in worn-out brown cloth, one lying on the floor as if dead, and the other standing nearby and people walking around to look at them. The pool is a curious exhibit as well. People gather around to look down into the swimming pool. When I came closer , I saw lots of people standing “in the water”, taking photos of each other, moving around and trying to climb to the surface. What meaning can be gleaned from these works? In another room, which is as dark as night there was one vertical tub with tiny coloured lights changing quickly. The work is called “Zen.” We rested in a vast open room with a large square hole high above. The tour guide said that it is the place to see the sky and enjoy the rain and the snowfall. I left the Museum with thoughts about those creative works. All provoked strong and contrasting emotion, curiosity and feeling of the great gift of life which is hard to explain. We then walked to Le Musée de H, Kanazawa on a charming road with towering trees on both sides. Le Musée de H is a confectionary shop where lots of attractive cakes are on display. A tea-making ceremony was performed in front of us; the lady at the shop gently offering us various type of teas for tasting, including a cup of traditional tea with cream on top which was exquisite. A pleasant-looking small soft cake with a touch of gold leaf on the chocolate made it a perfect tea time. When we left the Confectionary shop for the Kenrokuen garden, it started to rain. We walked in the rain with umbrellas to see the garden, which was created for the Emperor of Japan The path from the 21th Century Museum of Comtemporary Artt to the Le Musee de H. Kanazawa
The pool at the 21th Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa
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0ver 40 thousand lilies along the waterway and the pine tree planted in the 16th Century at Kenrokuen Garden, Kanazawa
Kenrokuen garden is justifiably classified as one of Japan's "three most beautiful landscape gardens�. The spacious grounds used to be the outer garden of Kanazawa Castle and were constructed by the ruling Maeda family over a period of nearly two centuries. It was opened to the public in 1871. The name Kenrokuen literally means "Garden of the Six Sublimities", referring to spaciousness, seclusion, artificiality, antiquity, abundant water and broad views, which according to Chinese landscape theory are the six essential attributes that make up a perfect garden. It was like a museum of trees, with boards telling the history or origin of each plant. A big cherry tree that was moved from the Nagamachi Samurai district to this garden was remarkable, as twenty houses had to be destroyed to make room for transportation of the tree. A giant bonsai pine tree planted from the 16th century, a mountain where the King enjoy watching the moon, areas of valuable mosses carefully protected from birds, and forty thousand lilies planted alongside the waterway are among many stories shared with us by the tour guide as we admired the place. If there is a chance, I will come back to Kanazawa again and highly recommend you visit this graceful green city replete with treasures new and old. With the Hokuriku Shinkansen, it takes only more than 2 hours to get to Kanazawa from Tokyo. The trip was supported by GCP
In the next issue of Vietnam Heritage: World Heritage Ainokura Gasso Style Village, Gokayama Yusuke, Inami Japan Heritage, Doraemon tram in Toyama Prefecture; Digital Art Museum, Odaiba, Edo -Tokyo Museum, and Sensoujy Temple in Tokyo.
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WHAT THE PAPER SAY Vietnamese doctors leave for South Sudan on first UN peacekeeping mission English VNExpress, 1 October
Hanoi to open new route for doubledecker bus English VNExpress, 30 September
Hanoi's Department of Transport has granted permission to open another route for Hanoi’s double-decker bus to serve more tourists next month. The new route will open on October 10, will be 14.8 kilometers long, and depart every 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to half past five in the afternoon. It will have 10 stops, starting on Ngo Quyen Street, and share several stops with the first route. The first route, launched in May, has 13 stops and goes through 25 streets, taking tourists to 30 tourist attractions in Hanoi.
Pangolin scales, ivory in unclaimed baggage English VNExpress, 1 October
On Friday at the Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, officials found 805 kilograms of pangolin scales as well as 193 kilograms of ivory and ivory-derived products in two dozen boxes. The latest haul is evidence of weak enforcement in Vietnam that experts have blamed for allowing a black market in wildlife trade to flourish and feed into a global multibillion dollar industry in animal parts and exotic pets. Southeast Asian countries have become a busy thoroughfare for tusks trafficked from Africa and destined for other parts of Asia mainly China - it has been reported. Pangolins are treasured in Vietnam and the region for their meat and the alleged medicinal properties of their scales. Vietnam has banned trade in tusks and pangonlins, but the practice has continued.
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Following a memorandum signed between the Head of Vietnam’s Permanent Delegation to the United Nations and U.N. Under Secretary General for Field Support at the U.N. headquarters in New York last week, Vietnam will send 63 military doctors and medical equipment to South Sudan. On Monday morning, the first group of 30 Vietnamese military doctors left from Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first time Vietnam is sending military doctors as part of U.N. peacekeeping forces. Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh delivered the decision to send 30 doctors to the field hospital in South Sudan, signed by late President Tran Dai Quang in July.
Gov’t strengthens inspection on mineral mining Vietnam News, 21 September
Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung has requested the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment strengthen inspections on environmental protection in mineral mining. Mineral expoltation causing great losses or serious environmental pollution and fraudulently reporting the quantity extracted must be strictly handled, he said. The ministry was asked to foster the basic geological survey of minerals in accordance with the master plan approved by the Prime Minister, while also closely co-ordinate with relevant ministries in reviewing plans for the use of relevant mineral resources.
MoT approves airport expansion Vietnam News, 24 September
The Ministry of Transport has approved a detailed plan to expand HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport to both the north and south by 2020 to serve 50 million passengers per year. Under the new plan, the airport will cover a total area of 791ha, an increase of 250ha compared to the existing airport area of 545ha.
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
The additional land includes 37ha of national defence land, 35ha of land in the southern area, and 171ha of land in the northern area. Under the plan, passenger terminals T1 and T2 will be expanded to increase the capacity to serve about 30 million people per year. In addition, a new T3 passenger terminal in the southern area of the airport will be built to accommodate 20 million passengers per year.
Traces of early humans found in Tuyen Quang Vietnam News, 25 September
Scientists have found various traces of early people living 4,000 years ago in some caves in the northern province of Tuyen Quang. Researchers from the Vietnam Archaeology Institute said most of the traces were found in Pu Chua Cave, Cuong Village, Minh Quang Commune in Chiem Hoa District. Stone objects include dozens of well-polished axes. Scientists hold that most of ceramic wares were made with potter’s wheels, though some broken ceramic pieces show signs of having been made by hand. Ceramic wares were decorated with ancient patterns like twists and water waves. Scientists came to the conclusion that Pu Chua Cave was home to people of the Holocene period, around 4,000 years ago.
Nearly 600 people register to donate organs Vietnam News, 1 October
Nearly 600 people registered to donate their organs for scientific research at an event held at a pagoda in HCM City’s District 10 on Saturday. The event was organised by the Viet Nam National Coordinating Centre for Human Organ Transplantation under the Ministry of Health and the Buddhism Today Foundation (BTF). The venerable head of the pagoda and also chairman of the BTF said that people could help between six and 13 other people after they die. More than 250 people registered in 2015. The number rose to 583 in 2016 and 527 last year.
Package includes: Ëhh New grand ballroom with LED screen Ëhh Complimentary MC and karaoke system; upgraded sound & lighting system Ëhh Complimentary music band for 1.5hrs Applicable until 28 Feb 2019.
STARTING FROM VND5,700,000++/TABLE Phone: +84 28 3844 9222 Ext: 142 - Hotline: +84 908 101 299 Email: essm@eastingrandsaigon.com
Brand new Ballroom !!!
*Terms and conditions apply. *All prices are subject to applicate goverment tax & service charge. Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon 253 Nguyen Van Troi Street, Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City Website: www.eastingrandsaigon.com www.facebook.com/EastinGrandHotelSaigon
EVENTS HANOI
unique experience, allowing the audience to enjoy calligraphic artworks by Christian Hadengue and Le Thua Tien’s paintings, with music composed by Mark Lockett in the background, accompanied by Hubert Haddad’s poems.
EXHIBITIONS
Vanishing Landscapes From 10 October to 20 October
MUSIC
A night of classical music 19 and 20 October
‘From Villages to Streets’, an exhibition by Vu Dinh Luong, presents 36 works, including 18 watercolor paintings, nine lacquer artworks, and nine oil and acrylic paintings from 10 October to 20 October at the Fine-Arts Exhibition House, 16 Ngo Quyen St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi. Each of his paintings is a small story of a sudden feeling, of familiar sceneries. The villages and city streets that he portrays are from all over the country, from North to South. He paints familiar scenes, such as empty rice fields, old residential buildings, with the thought that one day these will no longer exist – urbanization will take over the vast fields, up from the ground buildings and factories will be built. Old mansions turned residential buildings will one day be confiscated then rebuilt. The artist wants to capture the images of the early 21st century with all its changes, with the old and the new co-existing in village and city life. Master of the art of reduction Till 19 October Unsent Letters’, an exhibition by Le Thua Tien, is running at the Art Vietnam Salon Gallery till 19 October. Le Thua Tien, in his new series of Unsent Letters, presents yet another body of work that engages the viewer into a deep contemplation of one’s silent interior world. Words scribbled in charcoal, washed away by vanishing pigment, sand and ink, submerged in earth, echo whisperings longing to be heard.
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‘Art Vietnam Salon Gallery, No2, Alley 66, Yen Lac St, Hanoi. Where no man has gone before Till the end of October Exhibition of images from the book ‘Larousse of Space’ will be displayed till the end of October at the L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. The book discovers all the wonders of the universe, with six major thematic sections divided into sub-themes, such as satellites and galaxies. The book also contains a great diversity of information, which is serious, anecdotal, unusual and humorous, but always extraordinary, helping children to approach the mysteries of space from different angles. Reflections and impressions Till 31 October
The exhibition, ‘Infinity of Mirror’, by Christian Hadengue, Le Thua Tien and Mark Lockett, is on till 31 October at the L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Free entry. The exhibition is an encounter between poetic and visual expressions, inspired by Western & Asian imaginations. It is expected to be a
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
Conductor Dong Quang Vinh and artists from International Choir Hanoi Voices will bring audiences classic music pieces from France and Vietnam at 8 p.m. 19 and 20 October at the L’Espace, 24 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. Ticket: VND300,000. HOI AN Blossoming sculpture Till 8 November The Le Brothers (Le Ngoc Thanh and Le Duc Hai) are holding a contemporary art exhibition till 8 November, Xu Dang Trong Arts Centre, 9 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Hoi An. The exhibition called ‘Lan – Lan’ is an installation project that combines sculpture arrangements with orchids among one of the most beautiful and largest houses in Hoi An. ‘Lan – Lan’ is a project that links the overall structure of Vietnamese culture as well as the Nguyen Dynasty and the modern history of Vietnam and interacts with the nature of visual perception of the artist.
EVENTS
EXHIBITIONS
HO CHI MINH CITY
Abstract art Till 18 November
Receiving ‘Fear’ Till 1 November The exhibition ‘Fear of Missing Out’, by Australian photo media artist Darren Tynan, is on till 1 November at the Toong Minh Khai, 126 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City. Free entrance. By intercepting error broadcast signals, Tynan explores transmission glitches as a serendipitous phenomenon and as a creative tool in the photographic process. Visual maze Till 18 November The exhibition ‘Site/Shine/Sight’, a duo exhibition featuring collaboration between visual artist/filmmaker, Truong Que Chi and architectural studio, vn-a, is on till 18 November at the Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 15 Nguyen U Di St, Thao Dien Dist. Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City. Ticket: VND35,000. The exhibition explores how elements of light can be communicated, perceived, interpreted and even manipulated within the context and conditions of a contemporary art space. They will transform the space of The Factory Contemporary Arts Centre into a dim maze, where all light emits from the various sculpture, installation and photography within the recesses of particularly placed, structurally specific louvers.
Kenny Ng’s first solo exhibition, titled ‘lamina|ink’, is on till 18 November at the Factory Contemporary Arts Centre, 15 Nguyen U Di St, Thao Dien Dist. Dist.2, Ho Chi Minh City. Ticket: VND35,000. The exhibition showcases a series of abstract characters, inspired by the diverse shapes and forms of mysterious deep sea organisms, combined with colonial and old temple architecture of Ho Chi Minh City. The architectural lines of these drawings tell a story of history and culture, both familiar and strange.
MUSIC High-faluting fusion 19 October Pianist Nguyen Bich Tra will perform at the 8 p.m. at the Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Ticket: VND80,000 – VND650,000. Tra will perform George Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F major, mixed with jazz.
Revenge of the bat 28 October Operetta Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss II will be performed at the 8 p.m. 28 October, at the Opera House, 7 Cong Truong Lam Son St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Ticket: VND150,000 – VND900,000. The play has the participation of director David Hermann, conductor Tran Nhat Minh and artists from HBSO Opera, Ballet & Symphony Orchestra.
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DIRECTIONS
HALONG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 033)
Chi Minh declared Vietnam’s independence in September 1945, is a complex of historic sites.
Syrena Cruises
Hung Thang new urban area, Bai Chay, Halong. Tel: (033) 3847-043 Hanoi Sales Office: Syrena Tower, 3th Floor, 51 Xuan Dieu St, Hanoi Tel: (04) 3719-7214 Email: se@syrenacruises.com www.syrenacruises.com
Lapaz Hotel & Resort
Tuan Chau Island, Halong Tel: (033) 3842-999 www.holidayvillahalongbay.com
Vinpearl Halong
Cot Co Tower
28 Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi Cot Co Tower, the so-called Flag Tower, is now part of the Vietnam Military History Museum complex. The Tower was built in 1950, under the Nguyen Dynasty, with the help of French engineers. The tower has 36 flower-shaped windows. At the top of the tower flies the flag of Vietnam.
66 Nguyen Thai Hoc St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3733-2131 www.vnfineartsmuseum.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND20,000 ($0.95)
Hanoi Opera House
Vietnam Military History
1 Trang Tien St, Hoan Kiem Dist, Hanoi Designed by a French architect along the lines of the Paris Opera House, it is embellished with wonderful Gothic statuary. For many decades, Hanoi Opera House has been a centre for theatre, traditional music and dance, symphonies, traditional and classical music. This, the largest theatre in Vietnam, was completed in 1911.
Hoa Lo Prison
‘La Maison Centrale’, the prison on Hoa Lo Street in Hanoi, was built by the French in 1896 and became the place where generations of Vietnamese freedom fighters were held.
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St Joseph’s Cathedral
Reu Island, Bai Chay, Ha Long, Viet Nam. Tel: (033) 3556-868 www.vinpearl.com
HAI PHONG CITY Avani Hai Phong Harbour View 12 Tran Phu St, Ngo Quyen Dist., Hai Phong. Tel: (031) 3827-827 www.avanihotels.com
Hanoi Museum
2 Pham Hung (next to Vietnam National Convention Centre), Me Tri Commune, Tu Liem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 6287-06 04 Opening hour: 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Free entrance
TRAVEL
Emeraude Classic Cruises
46 Le Thai To St, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3935-1888 www.emeraude-cruises.com
19 Ngoc Ha St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3846-3752 www.baotanghochiminh.vn Open: 8 a.m. to noon (Monday and Friday), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (other days) Entry fee: VND25,000
3rd Floor, 66A Tran Hung Dao St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3828-2150 www.exotissimo.com
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long
Topas Travel
12 Nguyen Tri Phuong St/ 9 Hoang Dieu St, Ba Dinh Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 37345427 www.hoangthanhthanhlong.vn Open: 8.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed on Mondays) Entry fee: VND30,000
52 To Ngoc Van St, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3715-1005 www.topastravel.vn SIGHTSEEINGS
Ba Dinh Square
36A Dien Bien Phu St, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi. Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho HERITAGE
Vietnam Fine Arts Museum
Museum 28A Dien Bien Phu St, Hanoi www.btlsqsvn.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Nguyen Van Huyen St, Cau Giay Dist., Hanoi Tel: (024) 3756-2193, www.vme.org.vn Open 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND40,000 ($2)
Women’s Museum
36 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hanoi Tel: (024) 3825-9936 www.womenmuseum.org.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed on Mondays Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43) TRAVEL
Vietnam National Museum
of History 1 Trang Tien St, Hanoi. 25 Tong Dan St, Hanoi.
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Hue Riverside Boutique
Resort & Spa 588 Bui Thi Xuan St, Thuy Bieu Dist., Hue. Tel: (0234) 3978-484 www.hueriversideresort.com
Imperial Hotel
8 Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3882-222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn
Indochine Palace Hotel
105A Hung Vuong St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3936-666 www.indochinepalace.com The hotel is surrounded by lush green gardens that make it an outstanding landmark in Hue and give the city the feel of a resort. This luxurious, international standard hotel is created to appeal to Vietnamese and international visitors to Hue.
La Residence Hotel & Spa
5 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3837-475 Email: resa@la-residence-hue.com www.la-residence-hue.com Step back in time to Art Deco's golden age with a stay at La Residence Hue Hotel & Spa, MGallery by Sofitel. Nestled along the fabled Perfume River overlooking the former Imperial Citadel, La Residence is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece with luxurious cultural and culinary experiences. This former governor's residence with 122 guestrooms and suites offers visitors a warm hospitality and a chance to relive the pleasures of a bygone era.
Lang Co Beach Resort
Oxalis Adventure Tours
Phong Nha Commune, Son Trach Village, Bo Trach Dist., Quang Binh Province. Tel: (0232)3677-678 www.oxalis.com.vn
HUE
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0234) HOTELS, RESORTS
Century Riverside Hotel Hue
Ho Chi Minh Museum
Exotissmo
44 • V I E T N A M
40 Nha Chung St, Hoan Kiem Dist., Hanoi Fresh missionaries built this cathedral in the late 19th century. The small but beautiful panes of stained glass were created in Paris in 1906. Also of note is the ornate altar, with its high gilded sidewalls. MUSEUMS
HANOI
Tel: (024) 3824-1384 www.baotanglichsu.vn Open 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Closed every first Monday of months. Entry fee VND40,000 ($1.82) for adults and VND10,000 ($0.48) for children
463 Lac Long Quan St., Lang Co Town, Phu Loc Dist, Thua Thien Hue Province Tel: (0234) 3873-555 www.langcobeachresort.com.vn
Hotel Saigon Morin
30 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234)3823-526 www.morinhotel.com.vn
DANANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0236) 49 Le Loi St, Hue Tel: (0234) 3823-390 Email: res@centuryriversidehue.com www.centuryriversidehue.com Century Riverside Hotel Hue, with its 135 rooms, is located in a vast area of 20,000 square meters. It is surrounded by a garden full of fruit trees, various kinds of flowers and a green pasture. Hue Century Riverside Hotel lies by the side of Truong Tien Bridge and the bank of the romantic Huong River.
Vinpearl Luxury Danang Truong Sa St, Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son Dist., Danang. Tel: (0236) 3968-888 www.vinpearl.com
Danang Museum of Cham
Sculpture 2, 2 Thang 9 St, Danang Tel: (0236) 3572-935 www.chammuseum.danang.vn Open 7.15 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND30,000 ($1.43)
HOI AN
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0235) HOTELS, RESORTS
Anantara Hoi An Resort
Bai Dai, Ghenh Rang, Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (0256) 384 0077 Email: quynhon.villas@anantara.com www.anantara.com/en/quy-nhon MUSEUM
PHAN THIET
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0252) HOTELS, RESORTS
Aroma Beach Resort & Spa
1 Pham Hong Thai St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0235) 3914-555 Email: sales_ha@anantara.com www.hoi-an.anantara.com
Aurora Riverside Hotel & Villas
NHA TRANG
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0258) HOTELS, RESORTS
Champa Island Nha Trang
242 Cua Dai St, Hoi An City, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0235) 3924-111 www.aurorahoian.com
Hotel Royal Hoi An, Mgallery Collection 39 Dao Duy Tu St, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province. Tel: (0235) 3950-777 www.mgallery.com
Resort & Spa 304, 2/4 St, Vinh Phuoc, Nha Trang Tel: (0258) 3568-888 Email: sales@champaislandresort.vn www.champaisandresort.vn With architecture reflecting nearby Po Nagar temple, Champa Island Nha Trang offers exquisite cuisine and many entertainment services that promise a memorable stay in Nha Trang
Cam Ranh Riviera Beach Resort & Spa
Quarter 14, Mui Ne Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 2220-222 Email: info@muinebayresort.com www.muinebayresort.com
Seahorse Resort & Spa Quater 5, Phu Hai Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 3828-288 www.aromabeachresort.com With 52 authentic Vietnamese rooms and bungalows, the hotel offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the blue sea
Bamboo Village Beach Resort & Spa
10B Tran Hung Dao St, Hoi An Tel: (0235) 3862-367 www.hoianheritage.net Open daily 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
QUY NHON
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0256) AVANI Quy Nhon Resort & Spa Ghenh Rang, Bai Dai Beach, Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province Tel: (0256) 3840-132 www.avanihotels.com/quynhon Anantara Quy Nhon Villas
Km 11 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-507 reservation@seahorseresortvn.com www.seahorseresortvn.com MUSEUM
Cham Culture Exhibition Centre
38 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-007 www.bamboovillageresortvn.com
Lac Long Quan St, Cua Dai Beach, Hoi An, Quang Nam Province Tel: (0235) 3927-927 Email: info@pgr.com.vn www.palmgardenresort.com.vn
Hoi An Centre for Cultural Heritage Management and Preservation
6 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province Tel: (0252) 2481-888 www.catymuineresort.com info@catymuineresort.com
Song Mao intersection, Phan Hiep Commune, Bac Binh Dist., Binh Thuan Province; Tel: (0252) 3641-456. Open: 7.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. / 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Free entrance
DALAT
Blue Bay Muine Resort & Spa
Palm Garden Beach Resort and Spa
MUSEUM
Caty Resort
Muine Bay Resort
Quang Trung Museum
Block 1, Phu Phong town, Tay Son Dist., Binh Dinh Province. Tel: (056) 3580-320 Open 7 a.m. to 11.30 a.m. and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Entry fee VND10,500 ($0.50). Free for children under six
DIRECTIONS
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0263) HOTELS
Ana MandaraVillas Dalat Resort & Spa Northern Peninsula Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3989-898 Email: info@rivieraresortspa.com www.rivieraresortspa.com
InterContinental Nha Trang Hotel
32-34 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang Tel: (0258) 3887-777 www.intercontinental.com
Suoi Nuoc, Muine, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3836-888 Email: info@bluebaymuineresort.com www.bluebaymuineresort.com
Hoang Ngoc (Oriental Pearl) Beach Resort & Spa
6 Duong Hien Quyen St, Vinh Hoa Ward, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3552-468 www.nhatrang.muongthanh.vn
Le Lai St, Dalat, Lam Dong Province Tel: (0263) 3555-888. reservationdalat@anamandara-resort.com www.anamandara-resort.com From VND3,150,000 ($150)
Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang
Monet Garden Villa
MườngThanh Grand NhaTrang Hotel
Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3598-188 Email: info@vinpearlresort-nhatrang.com www.vinpearl.com MUSEUM
Alexandre Yersin Museum
Pasteur Institute, 10 Tran Phu St, Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa Province Tel: (0258) 3822-406
152 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3847-858 Email: info@hoangngoc-resort.com www.hoangngoc-resort.com
Muine Mud Bath & Spa
133A Nguyen Dinh Chieu St, Ham Tien Ward, Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province. Tel: (0252) 3743-481 Email: sales1@bunkhoangmuine.com www.bunkhoangmuine.com
3 Nguyen Du St., Dalat City, Lam Dong Province. Tel: (0263) 3810-826 www.monetgarden.com.vn
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DIRECTIONS
HO CHI MINH CITY (TELEPHONE CODE: 028) TRAVEL
17 Le Duan St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3824-1555 Email: h2077@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com
Saigon Prince Hotel
Asiana Travel Mate 113C Bui Vien St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3838-6678 www.atravelmate.com
Buffalo Tours 81 Mac Thi Buoi, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3827-9168 Email: travelagency@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn
Exotissimo 261/26 Phan Xich Long St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3995-9898 www.exotravel.com
Saigon Tourist 45 Le Thanh Ton St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3827-9279 www.saigon-tourist.net
63 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (84) 28 3822 2999 www.saigonprincehotel.com Windsor Plaza Hotel 18 An Duong Vuong, Dist.5, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3833-6688 www.windsorplazahotel.com
Trails of Indochina 10/8 Phan Dinh Giot St, Tan Binh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City; Tel: (028) 3844-1005 Email: dosm@trailsofindochina.com www.trailsofindochina.com HOTELS
Eastin Grand Hotel Saigon
GALLERIES
Apricot Gallery 50 Mac Thi Buoi St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3822-7962
Craig Thomas Gallery 27i Tran Nhat Duat St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Mobile: 0903 888 431 Email: cthomasgallery@gmail.com www.cthomasgallery.com Open: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Closed Mondays and Sundays
Galerie Quynh 253 Nguyen Van Troi St, Phu Nhuan Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3844-9222 Email: Info@eastingrandSaigon.com www.eastingrandsaigon.com
Level 2, 151/3 Dong Khoi St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3824-8284 www.galeriequynh.com Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Park Hyatt Saigon
Sàn Art
2 Lam Son Square, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3824-1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com
Rex Hotel 141 Nguyen Hue St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-2185 www.rexhotelvietnm.com
Sofitel Saigon Plaza
48/7 Me Linh St, Ward 19, Binh Thanh Dist., Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 6294-7059 www.san-art.org SIGHTSEEINGS
Notre Dame Cathedral
HERITAGE
Chinatown – Cho Lon It was set up at the end of the 18th century when the Minh Dynasty in China was overthrown. Chinatown has many shops and private workshops. The most interesting places are Binh Tay market, Soai Kinh Lam fabric whole-sales market, the street of herbal medicine located on Hai Thuong Lan Ong and Thien Hau Temple on Nguyen Trai Street. MUSEUMS
Fine Arts Museum of Ho Chi Minh City 97A Pho Duc Chinh St, Nguyen Thai Binh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-4441 www.baotangmythuattphcm.com Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Closed Mondays 41 Hoang Du Khuong S, Ward 12, Dist. 10, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3864-2430 www.fitomuseum.com.vn Open daily from 8.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. Ticket: VND50,000 The first museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine
Ho Chi Minh City Museum 65 Ly Tu Trong St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-9741 www.hcmc-museum.edu.vn Open daily 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Independence Palace 135 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3822-3652 www.dinhdoclap.gov.vn Open daily, 7.30 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Southern Women Museum 202 Vo Thi Sau St, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel: (028) 3932-7130
The History Museum 2 Nguyen Binh Khiem St, Ben Nghe Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: (028) 3829-8146 www.baotanglichsuvn.com 8 a.m. - 11.30 p.m. and 1.30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday. Closed on Monday
Ben Thanh Market
War Remnants Museum
I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018
Tel: (028) 3930-5587 Email: warrmhcm@gmail.com Open daily 7.30 a.m. to midday and 1.30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
VUNG TAU
(TELEPHONE CODE: 0254) HOTELS, RESORTS
Petrosetco Hotel 12 Truong Cong Dinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau. Tel: (0254) 3624-748 www.petrosetcohotel.vn
Petro House Hotel 63 Tran Hung Dao St, Ward 1, Vung Tau Tel : (0254) 3852-014 Hotline: 0961.085.869 Email: info@petrohousehotel.vn www.petrohousehotel.vn
The Coast Hotel
Fito Museum
Cong Xa Paris Square, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Built in 1877, and the Cathedral opened to the public in 1880. The bricks used to build this marvellous structure were shipped from Marseilles. Le Lai St, Ben Thanh Ward, Dist.1, Ho Chi Minh City Ben Thanh market is a trade centre and
46 • V I E T N A M
a favourite tourist destination, offering a wide range of Vietnamese handicraft, fresh fruits and local specialities.
28 Vo Van Tan St, Ward 6, Dist.3, Ho Chi Minh City.
300A Phan Chu Trinh St, Ward 2, Vung Tau City Tel: (0254) 3627-777 Email: info@thecoasthotelvungtau.com www.thecoasthotelvungtau.com MUSEUM
White Palace 6 Tran Phu St, Ward.1, Vung Tau City Tel: (0254) 3852-605 Open daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PHU QUOC
(TELEPHONE CODE: 077) Eden Resort Phu Quoc Cua Lap Hamlet, Duong To Ward, Phu Quoc District, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3985-598 www.edenresort.com.vn MUSEUMS Coi Nguon Museum 149 Tran Hung Dao St, Duong dong Town, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang Province Tel: (077) 3980-206 www.coinguonphuquoc.com
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15/09/2018
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