The Word Ha Noi May 2012 Issue

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

MAY 2012

CA PHE NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

The editorial and design of WORD is carried out by Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

Contents

wordhanoi.com

MAY 2012

EDITORIAL PAOLO MALING

DEBBIE CLARE Managing Editor debbie@wordhanoi.com

Art Director paolo@wordhcmc.com

AARON JOEL SANTOS

NGUYEN TAN LOC

Photo Editor aaron@wordhanoi.com

Layout Designer loc@wordhcmc.com

DOMINIC BLEWETT

DOUGLAS PYPER

Staff Photographer dominic@wordhanoi.com

Staff Writer douglas@wordhanoi.com

HOA LE

ISABELLA PIERANGELO

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Intern isabella@wordhanoi.com

Staff Writer hoale@wordhanoi.com

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NICK ROSS

KAITLIN REES

Chief Editor & Deputy Director nick@wordhanoi.com

Staff Writer kaitlin@wordhanoi.com

ADMINISTRATION DUONG VY BAO

LE DANG PHUONG TRANG

General Director bao@wordhanoi.com

Chief Accountant accountant@wordhcmc.com

ADVERTISING

hai@wordhanoi.com

THE TALK

For advertising enquiries please call Giang on +84 934 640668 or Bao on +84 902 361561 Word would like to thank Giorgio and Thuy at Punto Italia, Rose Arnold, Natalie Krebs, Will Peach, Robert Stockdill, Kaustubh Mani Trivedi, Dr W B McNaull, JC Smith, Truong @ Bookworm, Nguyen Bao Ngoc, Le Thanh Nga, Steve Jackson, Nguyen Tuan and, finally, the banh my trung.

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Crossword Answers See p114 for the original puzzle. Pluzzle by Frank A. Longo Edited by Will Shortz

2 | Word May 2012

© Tất cả hình ảnh và nội dung trong Ấn phẩm này thuộc bản quyền của Ấn phẩm Word (Ho Chi Minh city và HaNoi) của C.ty CP TM–DV–QC–Truyền Thông Dương Huỳnh. Mọi sự sao chép không được phép sẽ bị xem là vi phạm luật Sở Hữu Trí Tuệ hiện hành của nhà nước Cộng Hòa Xã Hội Chủ Nghĩa Việt Nam.

007 l The Big Five

Nhà xuất bản Lao Động 175 Giảng Võ, Hà Nội ĐT: + 84 4 3851 5380 Fax: + 84 4 3851 5381 Chi nhánh phía Nam 85 Cách Mạng Tháng Tám, Q.1, TP. HCM ĐT: + 84 8 3839 0970 Fax: + 84 8 3925 7205 Email: cn–nxbld@vnn.vn

Chịu trách nhiệm xuất bản: Lê Huy Hòa Biên tập: Hồ Phương Lan Sửa bản in: Nick Ross Trình bày: Dương Vy Bảo Bìa: Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

Thực hiện liên kết xuất bản: Chi Nhánh Công Ty CP TM–DV– QC–Truyền Thông Dương Huỳnh 54/26 Nguyễn Cư Trinh, P.PNL, Q. 1, TP. HCM. ĐT: + 84 8 3838 6908 / Fax: + 84 8 3838 6971 Email: info@wordhcmc.com Website: www.wordhcmc.com In tại Công Ty In Trần Phú 71–73–75 Hai Bà Trưng, Q. 1, TP. HCM. www.tranphuprint.com

012 TRENDSPOTTER Slapstick silliness with HITS

030 Q&A

010 l Our Man

Head in the clouds with VietJet Air

014 l The Exhibitionist 016 l The Buzz 022 l In the Papers 024 l Calendar 026 l Overscene

032 l MANY FACES Giấy XNĐKKHXB của Cục XB số: 161/CXB-QLXB ngày 18/01/2012 Quyết định xuất bản số 135 QĐCN/LĐ Nhà xuất bản Lao Động cấp ngày 13/14/2012 In xong và nộp lưu chiểu năm 2012.

FEATURES

008 l Just In

INSIDER

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH & ẨM THỰC

A N Y E

© Word - Duong Huynh Advertising JSC

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Word is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners.

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004 l The Prelude

SUBSCRIPTIONS

B A B

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AartNGUYEN THUC DOAN HIEN Graphic Designer hien@wordhcmc.com

CHAU THI HUONG GIANG Sales Manager & Office Manager giang@wordhanoi.com

The Dreamweaver

068 l Mystery Diner Getting it right at Ren

069 l Street Snacker Knowing your bun from your bun

034 READY

TO ROCK

Who's rocking up to CAMA Festival 6

038 BLACK

GOLD

For the love of coffee

054 OFF

THE BEAT MADRID

Going off-piste in Spain's capital city

058 TIME

& SPACE

Living and working on the tracks

061 BIKE

SPECIAL

Pedal pushers keeping it wheel

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THE ROAD

The wheres and whys of the motorbike test

068 COLUMNS

073 l Business Buff 076 l Destination Zero 086 l Food Buff 094 l Cinema Buff 098 l Book Buff 100 l Medical Buff

CITY GUIDE TIENG VIET HO CHI MINH CITY 108 l IN HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE Consul General Douglas Barnes spills the proverbial beans FINAL SAY 110 l TALKING RUBBISH Cash for trash 116 l Last Call Team CAMA and the city May 2012 Word | 3

The Prelude O

n a Saturday morning last month at around 6.30am, a massive, enduring rumble announced itself like a rude, unexpected belch, and jolted thousands of us out of our sleep.

That noise, that drone of the Gods and ‘hmm?’ of nature, was what marked the beginning of summer. Ever since that insolent awakening, followed by the year’s first mammoth downpour, everything has changed. The hibernation is over.

We’re outside again. Our washing takes minutes to dry rather than days, our arms are getting burnt while we’re waiting for the lights to change, our duvets, heaters and jackets are evicted from

our sight like disgraced dogs, and for the moment at least, we’re living with the novelty of being warm again.

Hanoi in the summer. It’s great to have you back again.

Much changes in Hanoi with the seasons. But one thing those cold, dark days of winter and those long, scorching days of summer have no social impact on is coffee.

Even during winter, the city’s cafes still dish out loads of those two caffeine drinks of choice, ca phe sua da and ca phe den da.

Acting almost as community centres, comparable to places of worship, it’s the café that we go to, regardless of the weather. And paying homage to this drink for all seasons, this

INBOX

month we delve into the world of coffee and what it means not just for Hanoi, but for Vietnam as a whole.

If you are going to hit the cafes and take advantage of the free WiFi, then check out our annual readership survey (although you could always do this from the comfort of your home or office). We always welcome feedback from our readers, and this month we’re going to reward you with a whole smorgasbord of prizes for the 15 minutes it’ll take you to complete our feedback form online. So go to www.wordhanoi. com and let us know what you love, loathe and long for in your monthly Word. And don’t forget the coffee.

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

MAY 2012

CA P HE CA PHE NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

THIS MONTH'S COVER Photo: Aaron Joel Santos Design: DH Advertising

DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO AIR? IF SO, PLEASE EMAIL US AT nick@wordhanoi.com

SPREADING JAM (Bass in your Face, Apr. 2012) Oh yeah, almost forgot, The Nam Jam Collective (S.M.P), myself, and Luke Poulson all have a mention in this month’s Word Ha Noi magazine — 3-page article on dubstep in Vietnam — very stoked indeed!!! — Andy

LOVING DUB-STEP (Bass in your Face, Apr. 2012) I wouldn’t even wish for my greatest enemy to be subjected to this monstrous deformity of music known as “dub-step”. The only feasible time this “dub-step” should acquire plaudits is during a hostage situation, where the wouldbe no-gooders are lambasted for days on end with an endless splurge of mechanical whirring noises, cranks, and the choral sounds of souls being trapped in Hell for all eternity.

4 | Word May 2012

After a few hours these terrorists would be uncertain as to whether they are actually hearing music, or what seems like two garbage disposal trucks crash testing into each other like a fraternity of bonobos during Spring Break.

Even this, however, would most probably have the same effect as A Clockwork Orange’s Ludovico Technique, where the hostages themselves would prefer to experience a coronary heart attack, choosing to end their own lives by jumping head first out of a building rather than endure a second more of this timeless misery.

Thus, “dub-step” is not even fit for killing terrorists, and as such should be made illegal by the World Police. — Kyle

Designed for natural living

The Talk

THE BIG 5 / JUST IN / THE BUZZ / CALENDAR / OVERSCENE

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The American Drama GroupEurope this month performs an adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel that first turned society’s eyes to the cruel treatment of orphans in London in the mid 19th century. Directors Paul Stebbings and Phil Smith have dramatatised this classic, with an a capella score from Thomas Johnson, to enliven the already memorable characters and explore how poverty and crime are linked. A fun, family-friendly musical that you don’t want to miss.

Curtains go up at 8pm at Hanoi Opera House on May 11 and May 12.

Tickets are VND600,000 for adults and VND300,000 for students and can be purchased at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem.

BIG 3

THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR THIS MONTH

Working Together Cooperation and mutual awareness help create community

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any years ago Mike (name changed) was one of three people who tried to create a pool league. It started with two bars coming together on a Wednesday night, both sporting teams of seven, and playing once a week either away or at home. Despite the mutual support among certain quarters and the intensity and excitement of the matches themselves, the competition never quite took off. Other bars looked at getting involved — quickly it looked like the league would go from two teams to four. But the owners of the new bars refused to play away matches.

They didn’t want to lose revenue on a Wednesday night. Within two months the league ran out of steam and Mike decided to call it a day.

Such scenarios are typical of Vietnam, a country that, despite its inherent focus on community, can often place priority on short-term gains over long-term value. And yet when people do come together — as in Ho Chi Minh City’s darts league — the results are astounding. Now with three divisions, 28 teams, annual sponsorship from Tiger and well over 500 players, what started off primarily as a ‘foreigner’ sport has now penetrated the local community — over half the darts players are Vietnamese.

And this is despite teams having to play ‘away’ from their designated bar — thus

6 | Word May 2012

losing the bar revenue — once every fortnight. Move up to Hanoi, unfortunately, and the darts league there has been dormant for years.

Keeping Up With The… It’s not just in sport that co-operation, or the lack of it, comes into play, but in business.

Let’s take another typical situation.

Two downtown convenience stores have been operating for years. They sell imported goods — anything from canned and frozen foods — through to fresh vegetables, fruit, bread, confectionary and more. But rather than working together and finding a way for them to have different product mixes, thus allowing each store to provide a greater range of goods to the market, they are in direct competition.

They miss out on one crucial point — work together and, as in the darts league, you can expand the market.

It comes to a head before Tet when one of the stores buys a huge neon electric sign with rotating text; a less complex version of the kind you may see on hoardings in huge stadiums. Within weeks the store next door has purchased the same sign and has tried to place it in a more visible position than their neighbour. The animosity builds higher as the Nguyens next door try to emulate and better their rivals.

Rivalry versus Cooperation Now let’s get this clear. Rivalry is a good thing. Competition makes people try to improve and pushes them to get the upper hand. It’s something that we have experienced at Word, both in Hanoi and in Ho Chi Minh City. But rather than focusing on what ‘them over there’ is doing and emulating their product, we have concentrated on ourselves. We do lament the lack of cooperation with our supposed ‘rivals’, but when one side refuses to play ball, you have no alternative but to forge your own path. And of course as a publication we’re not immune to this ourselves — there are plenty of ways that we, and other community resources could be working better together.

Last month’s arrival in Saigon of two New York musical legends on the same night — Grandmaster Flash and Marky Ramone — was typical of how a lack of communication and cooperation can have a negative effect. The first problem was that they were in town on the same night, thus forcing the community to make a choice. But more importantly, the venues missed out on an opportunity to market the events together. Such a strategy would have created a real buzz and would have not only benefited the city as a whole, but also both businesses. Unfortunately, it was not to be.

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THE HANOI FLEA MARKET

It’s back and this time it’s bigger, better and more bohemian. On May 6, over 100 vendors will gather on the super green turf of the Au Co Football Field to sell hand made goods, clothing, accessories, home decor items, reading materials, and lots of random collectibles.

This month's flea is a celebration of the hippie and gypsy aesthetic of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as the commitment to peace, nature and community. With a ‘Summer of Love’ theme, the flea market aims to be more than a place to get your shopping fix. Organisers have their sights on a true festival feel, with music by local and foreign musicians, a space for portraits and temporary tattoos, and a mixture of great food and drinks. Attendees are encouraged to deck themselves out in bohemian wear to contribute to the peace 'n luv atmosphere.

The Hanoi Flea Market is happening on May 6 on the Red River side of Au Co Football Field at 264 Au Co, Tay Ho. The event runs from 9am to 5pm. Arrive early as the last market had some shops sell out in the first few hours!

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OLIVER TWIST

JEANS TEAM

Berlin’s legendary electronic duo Jeans Team are coming to the capital for one night of open-air musical madness at the American Club.

Jeans Team need no introduction to anyone into floor-filling live dance music, but for those who might have missed it, their contribution to 2 Many DJ’s As Heard on Radio Soulwax was the outrageous turbo pop of Keine Melodien, a track ironically full of melodic goodness. Seven albums into an iconic career, the boys from Berlin are bringing their unique sound to Vietnam for the first time after spending some time in Asia collaborating with China’s most cutting edge electronic musicians.

Support comes in the form of DJ Metro Tokyo, flying in from China and Hanoi favourite, Synergy’s DJ Cybersnack, for a full evening of outdoor revelry.

The event takes place on May 12 at the American Club, 19-21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem with drinks and tunes from 8pm. Check www.cama-atk.com for more details.

CHUYÊN ĐỀ DU LỊCH, ẨM THỰC HANOI EDITION

APRIL 2012

4

NHÀ XUẤT BẢN LAO ĐỘNG

WORD READERSHIP SURVEY Comments, opinion and feedback, no matter how good or bad, it’s what every company or publication needs to help them adjust and get things right.

So, to get a sense of how you, the reader, feel about our publication, throughout May we’re running our annual online readership survey in conjunction with market research company Cimigo.

It takes just 15 minutes to complete and it’s a chance for you to have your say. And in return for filling in the survey we are offering up a range of prizes. Your names will be put in a, erm, conical hat and the winners will receive anything from a two or three-night stay at a boutique hotel through to food and drink vouchers at some of the city’s leading restaurants.

So, to take part and to have a chance to win these prizes, simply go to www. wordhanoi.com and click on the top banner.

And, as ever, a huge thanks!

EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL 2012

Fourteen movies originating from 14 different European countries will delight movie lovers in Hanoi as the annual European Film Festival rolls into town. With the genres as

far and ranging as the places from which they come, all movies will be screened at the National Cinema Complex from May 16 to May 27.

Check out the Delegation of the European Union to Vietnam’s website www.delvnm.

ec.europa.eu for more details and information about free tickets. On Sunday, May 27, families with children can enjoy the children short film programme starting at 6pm. The National Cinema Complex is located at 87 Lang Ha, Dong Da.

May 2012 Word | 7

Just In

the talk

MODULE 7S

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF VIETNAM The stakes have been raised in the competition between international schools in Hanoi, as building work for the newly inaugurated International School of Vietnam is now complete. Located to the south of the city in Thanh Xuan and following the IB Primary Years curriculum, the school will eventually run classes all the way from Kindergarten level up to year 12, with an emphasis on mathematics, science and music.

The impressive grounds boast two indoor swimming pools, music and performance areas, a gymnasium, a media centre and even a dance studio. The school is initially taking enrolments from PreKindergarten to Grade 5.

Contact Rosemary Song at rosemary.song@ tuanduc.com.vn or check www.isvietnam.org

Here to save Vietnam from an Eastern European style hangover of leopard print leggings and see-through blouses is Module 7S. The new fashion brand features a range of women’s clothing and accessories, and is due to hit Hanoi on May 5. The brand also has an exclusive natural perfume on its books to help you avoid the pesky smell of exhaust fumes.

If you are not too busy sipping margaritas in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, visit their showroom for their spring collection debut.

Check out their threads at their May 5 fashion show from 6pm at the Module7 showroom, 83 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho or visit their website at www. module7s.com

CHOI Au Co is home to a new open-space dining room, specialising in classic and modern Vietnamese cuisine. With inspiring artwork by Simon Redington, Choi is the second venture of La Restaurant’s Wayne Sjothun, offering a selection of best value wines, a daily Carlsberg happy hour from 5pm to 7pm, and the option for an onrequest custom menu.

Choi is located at 15A Au Co, Tay Ho. Tel: 0913 221971 or email wsjothun@gmail.com for more information

A NEW LOOK

THAI AS YOU MIGHT Those who’ve been aching for more Thai restaurant options in the city will be pleased to hear there’s a new outlet in Hanoi. Gusto fuses authentic Thai spices with hints of European ingredients. With their chefs trained in Thailand and Japan, Gusto offers reasonable prices, an enviable central location, and a promise of a very warm welcome. Get yourself down there to see how their fare fairs.

Gusto is located at 9 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem. For more information visit www.letseat.at/gustothai call 3933 6353 or email gusto.thai@yahoo.com

8 | Word May 2012

Last month Sofitel Plaza re-launched itself in style with a fashion show from FrancoJapanese label Kenzo. In the decadent surroundings of the newly refreshed Plaza Ballroom, guests rubbed shoulders with celebrities and enjoyed live music, along with a startling custom-built ice bar. With the renovations now complete, guests can enjoy the property’s most significant overhaul since its grand opening in 2001, including a full renewal of the hotel’s luxury accommodation, ballroom and business facilities; as well as inside-out makeovers of its flagship Chinese restaurant and rooftop bar.

Sofitel Plaza Hanoi is located at 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh. For more information check out www. sofitel.com/3553

THE LION’S SHARE Lion City is a Singaporean restaurant with a number of branches in Saigon that has now set up shop in Hanoi. Specialties include such delights as chicken curry, chilli crab, a range of laksas and other dishes as well as everyone’s favourite, frog porridge. Opened on Apr. 22 on Le Duan, the establishment aims to bring Singapore’s signature fusion cuisine to the capital.

Lion City is located at 92 Le Duan, Hoan Kiem.

For more info contact gm@gtc.vn

May 2012 Word | 9

OUR MAN

BY STEVE JACKSON

WE ARE NOW OPEN AT 6T HAM LONG The new Hanoi Gourmet shop is open at 6T Ham Long offering a large selection of wine, cheese, deli products, chocolates, biscuits, etc.

THE INTERNET HAD ALREADY BEEN around for about ten years before I moved to Vietnam, yet when I arrived here, it had only just begun to impact on lives.

The bonus of email meant not having to deal with the trials of the local postal system, but it wasn’t until three years had passed that I attempted to use Skype to call home. Despite always being a blogger, the general idea of online networking back then was still a couple of years away.

Back then, expats lived in little pockets of the city with little knowledge about what was going on outside of their social sphere. As a volunteer, I had heard of diplomats with their four-wheel drive vehicles, their staff, and their swimming pools, but I’d never actually met one. I had heard of a place called Ciputra, but I thought of it as some kind of semimythical kingdom beyond the city walls.

With my volunteer organisation banning me from owning my own motorbike, I occasionally took xe oms to far flung Tay Ho, but quite frankly, I felt out of my comfort zone and bia hoi budget.

I knew of teachers. I knew that after 10pm they’d appear in places like Half Man Half Noodle. Seeing the same old faces resulted in me thinking that there was only a couple of dozen of them around.

Another group was the French. Like the teachers, they went out late. They ate as well as drank, but mostly they went to French places so you didn’t tend to bump into them that often. Sometimes though,

10 | Word May 2012

you’d meet a French-Canadian who wasn’t entirely sure which camp they were supposed to belong to.

The cliquiest, and frankly weirdest, group of them all was the Ultimate Frisbee players. I met a group on Christmas Eve and within an hour they had all individually told me that Ultimate Frisbee could save the world.

We drank in bars that someone in our circle of friends had introduced us to – someone who knew about the place because they’d been in Hanoi a while.

People who’d been here a while were Gods.

They knew where to find things. They could take you to the Russian Shop to buy winter clothes, they knew a lady at the market who didn’t overcharge foreigners, they knew where to take you for a fryup in a café that even had baked beans.

Occasionally someone knew someone who knew someone else who was opening a new place, and we’d all turn up.

Beyond word of mouth there was of course marketing back then. Marketing in the form of posters with little tear off tags.

Maps were on paper. I carried a torn tourist map that included Hoan Kiem and a small corner of West Lake, and I have to admit that was pretty much my world.

Printed maps have no zoom out feature.

Now, though, I feel that despite the availability of information on review sites, blogs, Twitter and Facebook, I not only know more people, I also know their lives.

A couple of chance meetings and you’re

H PHAN CHU TRIN

HOAN KIEM LAKE E US HO ERA P ERA OP ON O T IL H YEN HU NT HA

HAM LONG DUC LO

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1B

Tel: 3943 1009 E: info@hanoigourmet.com www.hanoigourmet.com

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NGO THI NHA M NGO QUYEN

TRANG TIEN

HANG BA I

HANOI BFB (BEFORE FACEBOOK)

We also remain open at our 1B Ham Long address with all the usual high quality products as well as lunch and dinner table service.

‘followed’ or ‘friended,’ and with that comes a view into other worlds. Snapshots of other groups — some who brunch, others who bike, some who do amateur dramatics or take pictures of the street food they eat.

As per the Facebook function that suggests people to friend based on mutual acquaintances, you can find yourself chatting to someone and then realise this is actually the first time you’ve met in person.

Meanwhile back in the day, 99 percent of printed newspapers were in Vietnamese.

Those publications that were online made you actually go to their site to read them.

You couldn’t stumble across a link between pictures of drunken friends on networking sites.

Looking back, I have to say: ignorance was bliss. While technology has given us a great deal, it has in turn taken away an element of mystery. I think foreigners often find the behaviour of fellow foreigners embarrassing. Now that we know more people and we know how they live, that capacity is increased.

In the end, I think we arrived here because on some level we’re all travellers — as much as we hate that label. Some may travel light and cheaply, others may need that expat package to finance spouses, kids, schools and healthcare — but we’re all adventurers to some level.

The question is: if we now have the technology to meet everyone, to solve all the mysteries and to answer all the questions is there any adventure left?

May 2012 Word | 11

TREND SPOTTER

ABOUT A GIRL

In the latest play to raise the curtain for Hanoi International Theatre Society (HITS), The Girl from Maxim’s is a slapstick comedy of errors that follows the story of a doctor and a showgirl. Kaitlin Rees talks to the play’s director, Joe Ruelle In three sentences, what is The Girl from Maxim's about?

I’ll do it in one: France, the old days, a girl, a drunken night and a whole lot of sorting out to do in the morning.

Why this play?

I think it’s one of the five funniest comedies ever written, and I’ve read many. Sometimes with Shakespeare the characterisation is so good that it gets in the way — if I can dare say that — of the laughs. Feydeau finds this wonderful balance between brilliant characterisation and necessary lightness. Also it’s perfect for Hanoi: adult friendly, child friendly, native speaker friendly and not-quiteso-sure-about-the-English-language-in-general friendly.

How would you define the word “naughty”?

I wouldn’t. I would pinch your bum then stare innocently out the window.

What was naughtiness like at the time of the play's setting in early 19th century France?

It feels like there was something loveable about it. I’m not sure quite what that means or how it reflects changes in Western culture

12 | Word May 2012

since, but without being an expert or having been there, it does seem people were more forgiving of each other’s vices. Perhaps out of necessity.

How does this compare to naughtiness in Hanoi today?

It’s similar in many ways. Much of the humour in the play is based on factors common to modern Vietnamese society: tangled relationship webs, strong family pressures, a city-countryside divide, the presence of certain illicit services and so on.

It’s also very well-behaved in its naughty little way, which I think describes Hanoi.

I've heard your new book, Nguoc Chieu Vun Vut is funny, and you picked a funny play. How would you define your sense of humor? Has it changed since you've lived in Vietnam?

Yeah, well, thanks. Humour writing is freakish. By the time your piece gets published the humour has been so dissected, mutilated, sewn together, then dissected and mutilated again — by yourself in the basement — that you begin to see it as disgusting. So comments like that are nice to

hear, even if passed on.

I don’t know about my precise sense of humour. My book signings have been well attended by twenty-year-old girls in blackrimmed glasses, so that might be a clue. I think it’s sensitive, a bit nerdy and with some noticeable tension in the lower intestinal region.

Much of Vietnamese humour is of the seetouch-hear-smell variety, but recently there’s been a backlash. The result is a generational humour gap much wider than back home.

Being aware of this, I’ve tried to develop a crossover style by using very Vietnamese references in a decidedly abstract manner.

What, in your opinion, is the thing to most look forward to in the show?

The full frontal nudity. Just kidding. Once that has finished and we let the audience in, then what I look forward to most is the simple allure of good actors tracing an ingenious script. (It is a family friendly show, honest.) The comedy is very clockwork, and I get off on the ticks.

How old are you?

Please take this card. On it you will find my date of birth, marital status, monthly salary, thoughts on arm hair, general opinion of Vietnamese women, general opinion of Vietnamese food, frequency of trips back home, and availability for escort-related enquires.

Festival partners

The Girl From Maxim’s will be shown at the Nha Hat Kich (behind Hanoi Opera House), 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. It will run from Friday May 25 to Sunday Jun. 3 (Doors, 8pm) with matinee performances on Sunday May 27 and Sunday Jun. 3 (Doors, 2.30pm). The preview will be on Thursday May 24.

Media partners

Festival sponsors p

May 2012 Word | 13

The Exhibitionist

the talk

FESTIVAL OF IDEAS

A FRENCHROSPECTIVE

CATCH A GLIMPSE The latest solo exhibition by musician and artist William P. Badger will open this month in the authentic Italian restaurant surroundings of Luna d’Autunno. With a live soundtrack by Vietnamese electronic music pioneer Tri Minh, the launch on May 4 will introduce the show, entitled Fleeting Glimpses, described by William as “an amalgamation of images from 15 years ago or yesterday, during my life and times in Hanoi.” If you can’t make it to the opening event, the work will be on display until Jul. 4.

Luna D’Autunno, 78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem. The opening event starts at 6.30pm.

French independent artist Arno Baude will be exhibiting his latest work Hanoiians at La 4uatrieme this month. This ongoing series of photographs was launched in Hanoi in 2007 and is formed of a social group wearing Hawaiian shirts as a uniform.

Gathering together men and women from different nationalities, Hanoiians deals with the themes of cultural identity, territories and migration flows.

To find out more about Arno Baude’s work, visit www.arnobaude.com La 4uatrieme can be found on the 4th floor of ETE Bar, 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh

Bookworm is the place to keep your eye on this month with its Festival of Ideas packing a tight line up of local talent. Every Wednesday of the month sees a different face from Hanoi's creative pool, sharing some of their work. Contributors include artist Vu Kim Thu (May 9), George Burchet (May 16), and author Suzi Garner (May 23).

The festival will also hold an additional event at Chula on May 19, where owner Diego will speak about design and fashion (with complimentary cake and bubbly!).

Listen out for announcements for events featuring musician Tri Minh and artist Jamie Maxton-Graham.

Bookworm is located at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh. The Wednesday evening talks all start at 7.30pm. Chula is located at 6 Ven Ho Tay, Tay Ho and the May 19 event starts at 10.30am.

SCREEN FREE

GOING DIGITAL If you’ve always wanted to create your own digital tools for interactive art installations and experiences, get yourself down to ETE on May 12 and May 13, for a workshop in open-source electronics prototyping. Arduino is a platform based on flexible, easy-to-use hardware and software, intended for artists, designers, hobbyists, and anyone interested in creating interactive objects or environments.

The workshop takes place from 11am to 4pm. La 4uatrieme can be found on the 4th floor of ETE Bar, 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh. For more information about the event and how to participate, contact Carol on Tel: 01684 191813 or visit la4uatrieme.blogspot.com

Cinephiles of Hanoi! DOCLAB is showing screenings of quality films on Thursdays and Fridays throughout May – for free! This month the offerings include The Gleaners and I (May 4), Chronicle of a Summer (May 18), Project 35 (May 10) and Art in the Auditorium (May 24). In addition to the film screenings, the centre offers courses and workshops in Vietnamese, a video library and collection of student films.

To confirm the screening schedule, email hanoidoclab@gmail.com and visit www. hanoidoclab.org for more information. Hanoi DOCLOB is located in the Goethe Institut Hanoi at 56-58 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh

LACQUERING IT UP Now open on for business is a new lacquer school and exhibition space, featuring the works of Tran Anh Tuan — artist and professor at the Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Art and member of the Vietnam Fine Art Association Hanoi. The new school offers students the opportunity to learn the traditional Asian lacquer art, using components such as mother of pearl, gold and silver leaf and eggshell. There will also be visiting Vietnamese artists and day trips to art villages.

The school is located at 5, 2/9 Lane 9 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho. For more information call 0988 082447 / 0949 812314 or email info@ lacquer-art.com / elkeritter@hotmail.com

14 | Word May 2012

QUARTERLY LOVE This month The Goethe Institut brings to the Opera House two concerts by award-winning German ensemble Notos Quartet. This acclaimed quartet, which plays violin, viola, violoncello and piano, will present works by Mozart, Turina and Brahms. Recognised internationally for their intelligent and fresh interpretations, the group has become renowned for transferring their love of music to the audience.

The shows take place at Hanoi Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem at 8pm on May 9 and May 10. Tickets are free but you must reserve in advance by contacting tiket@jakarta.goethe.org.

May 2012 Word | 15

The Buzz

the talk

HAPPY DAYS Weren’t you just saying how your happy hour spot was getting boring? Well, retract that statement. Mövenpick Hotel is now offering a happy hour encouraging you to ‘Linger Longer’ at Lounge 83.

Their signature drinks, including a Chili Passion Martini and Cinnamon Appletini, are sure to perk you up after a long day of nine to five.

Mövenpick Hotel presents its happy hour every Monday to Friday from 5pm to 7pm at 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem

MAY DE VILLE Dreading a visit from the in-laws this summer? The May De Ville City Center is running an enticing promotion that is sure to solve all family woes: the longer you stay, the bigger the discount on hotel rooms. All rooms include daily breakfast, bottled water and free Wi-Fi. May de Ville City Center is offering discounts including ‘stay two nights pay for one and a half’, ‘stay three nights pay for two’, and finally a ‘stay more than four, receive 30 percent off’.

Drop by at 24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba Trung or contact the hotel on 2222 9988

- Authentic Indian Cuisine Serving both North & South Indian dishes - Cozy & Ambient setting - Halal Food - Free Home Delivery - Indoor Party facilities & Outdoor catering services - For details contact Gopi 0903 266 997 Or Ms Dung 093 657 2277 Add: 47 Lo Su Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi Tel: (84 4) 3935 2400/01 Email: Info@namastehanoi.com Fax: (84 8) 3935 2402 Website: www.namastehanoi.com

CADDIED AWAY The Novotel Phan Thiet close to Mui Ne is kicking off the summer season with a promotional package for all the family.

Costing just VND4,495,000 for mum, dad and the kids, spend three nights at the four-star resort and enjoy a daily American buffet breakfast, special golf rates on the Ocean Dunes Golf Course and a free 30-minute oil massage for mum. You could, of course, forgo all that and relax by the resort’s two swimming pools or take to its well-shaded, private beach.

Offers are valid from Jun. 1 to Aug. 31, 2012.

Contact the Novotel Phan Thiet for more info.

Tel: 062 382 2393

HE SAYS SHE SAYS Turns out it really is all about who you know, or more likely, who knows you! The top consumer information company in the world, Nielsen, has just released their survey on Global Trust in Advertising.

Results are in and 92 percent of consumers say that they trust word of mouth or recommendations from friends and family above all other advertising.

Read the whole survey on their website at www.nielsen.com

ROASTING THE OPPOSITION The jog around West Lake not cutting it anymore? Fed up with the high-jinks of the Hash House Harriers? Then you need the Rostaing Mongolian Trophy in your life. From Aug. 26 to Sep. 3, up to 180 participants will be forming teams in order to race each other around Altai; a massif on the border of Russia and China which is a good 1,250 miles west of Ulan Bator. The teams will be trekking on glaciers, horse riding through plains, white water rafting, mountain biking, hiking and running in order to satisfy their thirst for adventure.

See www.rostaingmongolia.com for more details. Entry is VND52.5 million per person

16 | Word May 2012

May 2012 Word | 17

HANOI

AmCham members and friends are invited to celebrate Cinco de Mayo on May 4 at Don’s restaurant, Tay Ho. Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of Mexico's ‘Battle of Puebla’ in 1862 when a fledgling Mexican army defeated invading French forces. With celebratory margarita, sangria, nachos, enchiladas, tacos, quesadillas, tamales as well as other Mexican-themed goodness, this looks set to be the most popular date in the AmCham diary.

The event takes place from 6.30pm to 8.30pm on May 4 at Don’s, 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. For more information email thuy@amchamhanoi.com or visit www.amchamhanoi.com

TANNOY

What are you, like, the ant whisperer now?

I had an amazing conversation the other day... with a crow!

THE FOUR-DAY WEEKEND

I'd definitely let him read me a story

Of all the people he could have crashed into, he had to crash into a ninja Seven dollars for CHEESE? My friend refers to you as an English sandwich What is it with all these false rumours about the economy in this city?

I know who it is. He even admitted it to me!

18 | Word May 2012

SWEATING IT OUT

SUMMER SCHOOL

IN THE SUMMERTIME

You look like something straight out of a Botticelli

With your glasses you're Clark Kent, but without them, you're superman.

Can you fly?

WIRED

GOING MEXICAN

WAY OUT THERE If you’re looking for that perfect spot to host your business meetings and extravaganzas, look no further than the Crowne Plaza West Hanoi. The hotel is offering all visiting businesses exclusive upgrades in club rooms and full club benefits, including breakfast, cocktails, and access to a private lounge and meeting rooms.

Crowne Plaza West Hanoi is located at 36 Le Duc Tho, My Dinh. For more information visit www.crowneplazawesthanoi.com or Tel: 6270 6688

DELICIOUS DEALS Want to go wine tasting? Want to eat an Aussie steak wrapped in bacon? Well Matchbox’s newest venture, Delicious Wine Shop and Restaurant, is offering wine tasting every Saturday night.

If you don’t get too distracted by the vino, they also have a gourmet menu which includes their Aussie Scotch fillet steak wrapped in bacon, for under VND200,000. Sounds like we’re headed down to Food Street.

Wine tasting takes place every Saturday night from 6pm to midnight. Vouchers cost VND180,000 and get you five glasses of wine. Delicious Wine Shop and Restaurant is located at 14 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem

How many of you agree that every weekend should be four days? Highway 4 seems to agree and throughout the month of May they are offering an extended happy hour on Bia Ha Noi and Bia Sai Gon on Friday and Monday. Enjoy a 50 percent discount between 5pm and 7pm, meaning each bottle is just VND14,000. It’s definitely time for the four-day weekend to catch on.

Highway 4 restaurants can be found at the following locations: 5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem; 575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh; 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho; 25 Bat Su, Hoan Kiem and 54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung.

As summer approaches, diners in Hanoi are no doubt feeling more than ready to once again sit outside and enjoy food with friends on a breezy balcony. So, it’s timely that Au Lac do Brazil is providing a truly Brazilian atmosphere with special offers throughout the whole of May. Lucky groups of five or more adults will receive a free bottle of Yali National Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2010; a highly palatable Chilean wine guaranteed to gets tongues waggling.

Au Lac do Brazil is located at 6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh. See www.aulacdobrazil.com for more details

Hanoi International Kindergarten will host their summer school from Jun. 18 to Aug. 3. Morning and all-day classes are available, complete with field trips, water activities, snacks and lunches. All children aged from 14 months to 7 years are welcome and a bus service is also available.

If you (or your children) are interested, email contact@hik.edu.vn or call 3719 1248.

GET GORGE WITH GEORGE For those of you who always open your wardrobe doors hoping for new clothes to magically appear, they won’t. But, you can restock your wardrobe by high-tailing it to George’s. With the latest spring trends and shoes now on display, it’s up to you to catch them while they last. George’s now also has an in-store tailor, so alterations can be taken care of immediately.

George’s is located at 36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6233

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT Anyone traveling south to Ho Chi Minh City at the end of the month should take note that one of Vietnam’s best known charities will be holding their annual Gala on May 26. An evening to benefit Operation Smile will include an art auction, silent auction and lucky draw. Gather up a group of ten for a table and land a gold sponsorship. Hanoians who can’t make it down south, don’t worry, Operation Smile is in the process of planning a Hanoi Gala as well.

The Operation Smile Benefit Gala will be held at the Park Hyatt Saigon on May 26 For information please contact huongtra.ho@operationsmile.org

Sweat-Working is a perplexing trend which has been erupting in boardrooms and offices throughout Los Angeles, New York, London, and more recently, Singapore and Hong Kong. The idea is to replace the normal business networking events, heavy with food and drink, with active events that focus on improving not only mind, but body as well. Gone are the days of wining and dining clients to bounce around ideas.

The gym is now the place to do business.

The original Sweat-Working was a community created in New York City by Sarah Siciliano.

Her online blog sweat-working. com documents the activities, classes and experiences of the craze. The site is full of shoutouts from clients, tips on yoga or spinning and other strenuous activities which suddenly make the gym seem like an even more powerful place. Health conscious business types can log on to explore the detox tricks, health tips and resistance boosting recipes that like-minded individuals have posted.

From the ether to reality, the fad has gone global.

International gyms are creating ‘learn and burn’ seminars, where you pick up business tips as well as a work out. If Sweat-Working catches on in our neck of the woods, it’ll be a great way to see old business friends orbiting throughout Hanoi, and to throw out some business cards to potential new acquaintances.

All that business aside, who wouldn’t want to see their coworker in some spinning shorts?

Check out the Sweat-Working blog for ideas and inspiration at www.sweat-working.com

TOP TWEETS

I TOYS, THEREFORE I AM Modern toys for kids young and old are now available through the Asia-Pacific Commercial Investment Joint Stock Company (APEC). The name’s not child friendly but the toys are, and the state-of-the-art I Toys are available at the new showroom in Hanoi. To celebrate the opening, there will be 10 to 20 percent discounts on offer from May 25 until Jun. 1 on choo choo trains and child size megalopolises.

The APEC showroom is located at 14 Tran Dien, Thanh Xuan. Tel: 3827 1884 or check out www.apecitoys.com for more details

WORLDVIEWS2012 Loving the great articles by @ wordvietnam Thanks for being a great source of info about Hanoi! #WVP 12 Apr

PETERADAMSMITH @WordVietnam have been enjoying your work online for a while, and now I've found you on Twitter. Thanks for updates/insights.

12 Apr

EPIC VOLLEY How many hours of volleyball can you sit through? Test your limits over four days at the Mekong River International School Association’s junior volleyball tournament. Eight international schools from Laos, Thailand and Cambodia will come to Vietnam and show their skills at the UNIS campus.

Hanoi International School will be hosting the MRISA Junior Volleyball Tournament from May 10 to May 13 at the UNIS campus.

For more information visit www. hisvietnam.com

RIDICALICE Just looked at this months @ WordVietnam. After 27 months in Hanoi I have FINALLY made it into a “Scene” photo. I feel complete.

7 Apr

HEADING TO NHA TRANG

WORD VIETNAM Steve, ok, we're a tasty proposition. But you're supposed to sell the baguettes, mate, not the magazine stand. @ourman @ TheCartFood #Hanoi 4 Apr

THECARTFOOD @WordVietnam Waiting for product placement in the next issue. Subtle inclusion of the footlong sub.

4 Apr

HENNO KOTZÉ @WordVietnam I seem to be your first follower, but surely not the last!

31 Mar

ANNALISE WILD @wordvietnam you are going to be bombarded with model wannabes!

14 Mar

TNH VIETNAM @WordVietnam if I had 100k for every time someone sent us a CV because we have a jobs section...

10 Mar

20 | Word May 2012

PECHAKUCHA There is little we could say in terms of advertising to make PechaKucha more successful than it currently is. But it’s still worth shouting about. The fourth installment of this storytelling/information and idea-sharing forum is coming up on May 17. This will be the last one until September, so if you're one of those people who says, “I'll just catch the next one”, this is the one to catch. For those who haven't yet been, PechaKucha is a night of informal presentations consisting of 20 slides per presenter, with just 20 seconds per slide. Hanoi is one of 432 cities worldwide that host this event.

Hanoi PechaKucha Night #4 is on May 17 at the Cinematheque, 22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Doors open at 6pm with presenters starting at 8pm. Tickets are VND50,000 and free for students with valid ID. To learn more about PechaKucha, visit www.pecha-kucha.org or email pechakuchahanoi@gmail.com

Another member of the Novotel branch, Novotel Nha Trang, is offering three tempting promotions to try and tempt you away from Hanoi for a few days. When you stay three nights but only have to pay for two it definitely makes you feel less guilty about skipping work on Monday. Make the most of the three-day getaway and indulge in a mani/pedi or body massage/facial to scrub and polish you up.

From May 1 to May 21 you can combine a body massage and facial or a manicure and pedicure for VND1,500,000. Stay three nights and just pay the price of two from Apr. 17 to Jun. 30. Contact Novotel Nha Trang for more details. Tel: 058 625 6900

THE CROWN JEWELS If you’ve been aching to find a way to hang out at the British Ambassadors’ residency, your opportunity has arrived. The British Business Group Vietnam together with the British Ambassador, Dr Antony Stokes, will host a cocktail party for the British community on Jun. 7 to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It’s strictly a guest list affair, so to apply for a ticket send your name and contact details to HanoiQDJ@fco.gov.uk before 5pm on May 16.

The public draw for tickets will be held on May 23 and the winners informed by May 25.

Successful guests should collect their tickets from the British Embassy in Hanoi before Jun. 1.

AND BREATHE

GET AWAY Reliable travel company Exotissimo is rolling out a plethora of promotions all valid from May. From Phu Quoc or Hoi An to Sapa and Bac Ha, there’s something for everyone. The less adventurous can even get involved in Hanoi by partaking in spiritually uplifting Tai Chi or yoga classes at the Metropole before undoing their good work with a lobster lunch.

Exotissimo has branches all over Hanoi including the main branch at 26 Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem. To see a list of their promotions, visit www.exotissimo.com or pop into one of their branches. Alternatively you can email tnd@exotissimo.com or xuandieu@exotissimo.com

A heads up to all Yogi’s — Zenith is switching up its schedule with the seasons.

If you’ve been falling asleep during your yoga classes, yawn no more as Zenith is now offering the chance to learn how to belly dance. Also, make sure you check out their schedule for more events in May, such as a Mai Chau Retreat and a selection of workshops.

Belly Dancing classes will take place on Tuesdays at 6.30pm.

Zenith Yoga, 3rd Floor, 111 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Check out www. zenithyogavietnam.com for more information

WIGGLE IT Apsara Dance Studio is expanding to a second location in the salubrious surroundings of the Hanoi Academy. Children of all ages can now take belly dancing and fitness classes from qualified and certified Vietnamese and international instructors, all within the Ciputra compound.

Apsara’s new studio is located at Hanoi Academy, Gate 3, D45-D46 Ciputra.

Find out what classes are available by registering at apsarastudio@gmail.com or checking out www.apsarastudio. com.vn

In the Papers

the talk

THE BEST OF THE VIETNAMESE PRESS

GOOGLE, FACEBOOK TO HAVE REP OFFICES IN VIETNAM? Google and Facebook may have to open representative offices in Vietnam to provide their services locally, if the Vietnamese communication ministry’s latest draft decree gets approved.

Under the draft decree announced by the Ministry of Information and Communication, foreign businesses providing cross-border public information for a majority of users in Vietnam will have to establish representative offices here.

The businesses are also required to make pledges in writing to cooperate with local authorities in removing information that violates Vietnamese laws, including anything that is against the authorities, damages social and national security and promotes violence.

A VIETNAMESE MAN BUYS AMERICAN TOWN FOR US$900,000 The town of Buford, Wyoming — population one — was sold for US$900,000 to an unidentified buyer from Vietnam last month after an 11-minute Internet auction that attracted worldwide interest.

The tiny Western town garnered online viewers and bidders from 46 countries for the sale of four hectares of land with a convenience store, gas station and modular home located in south-eastern Wyoming.

The buyer, who wished to remain anonymous, flew to Wyoming from Vietnam for a purchase he likened to “the American dream.”

“Owning a piece of property in the US has been my dream,” the buyer said in a statement.

TSUNAMI WARNING STATIONS OPEN

SALARY BUMP FOR STATE EMPLOYEES The minimum monthly salary for state employees will rise by 26 percent to VND1.05 million starting May 1, according to a new decree.

The minimum salary will apply for employees in government organisations and one-member limited companies owned by the state. The previous rate, VND830,000, has been in place since last May.

22 | Word May 2012

Tsunami warning stations will be built in coastal areas and islands with large populations in 13 provinces and cities, according to a project that has just been approved.

In the 2013 to 2014 period, the system will be developed in Danang and the provinces of Quang Nam, Quang Ngai, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa and Ninh Thuan.

In the following years, additional stations will be set up in Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua-Thien Hue, Binh Thuan and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces.

The Global Physics Institute in Hanoi is responsible for monitoring and analyzing the information collected from the stations and is the sole agency responsible for issuing tsunami watch decisions.

CABBY SCAMMED INTERPOL, JAILED FOR FIVE YEARS Last month a court in Hanoi sentenced 23-year-old Pham Van Xam to five years behind bars on charges of “theft” and “illegally taking the private property of others”. Xam ripped off two Singaporean Interpol delegates on a ride to the 80th Interpol Assembly meeting in Hanoi last October.

The victims were forced to pay VND6 million for a ride of just 10km that should have been only VND150,000.

Xam was arrested on Nov. 6 by nearly a dozen police while he was harvesting coffee in remote Dak Nong Province in the Central Highlands.

May 2012 Word | 23

MAY CALENDAR TUE

MON 01

Hanoi Speakers @ Koto 6.45pm 45pm

W WED 02 0 2

May Day DJ Extravaganza @ Rooftop ooftop 9pm Ladies Gaelic FFootball training @ football field (opp. fo AAlley 9), Dang Thai Alle Mai, 7.30pm

07 0 7

08 8

“Jo Ha Kyu” By Nguyen Trinh Thi & Jamie Maxtone-Graham Exhibit @ The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam, Apr 25 to May 25

Margarita Margar Night @ Don’s Don 5pm to 10pm

14

15

Argentine Tango Class @ Thanh Cong Secondary School every Monday, Wednesday and Friday 8 to 10pm

21

Baking Class @ Kitchen Art 6pm

hibition ibition Exhibition “Shining “S ing Night” @ Vietnamese etnamese Women’s Wo n’s Museum Ma Mar until til June 06

22 2 2

Festival of Ideas and Writing @ Bookworm every Wri Wednesday 7.30pm to 9pm Wed

Future Lounge with DJ Cache @ Rooftop every Tuesday 9pm

29 2 9 Subscription Concert Vol 51. @ Hanoi Opera House May 28 & 29, 8pm

24 | Word May 2012

Baking class @ Kitchen Art 6pm

Hanoi Pub Quizzers @ R&R Tavern every Tuesday 9.30pm to 11.30pm Here and There Band @ Don’s every Monday and Tuesday 8.30pm

03

FRI

Jazz Trio @ Don’s every Thursday 8.30pm

09

Friday Night on the Terrace @ Press Club 5pm to 12am The Gleaners And I @ DocLab 6pm john McGowan’s Fleeting Glimpses House beats @ exhibition @ Luna ATK d’Autunno 6.30pm

04

AmCham Cinco de Mayo Fiesta @ Don’s 6.30pm to 8.30pm Bad Mamasan Heavy Arno Baude Metal @ Hanoi Rock Exhibition Opening @ City 8pm La 4uatrieme, ETE

Yoga in the Pagoda @ Hoang An Pagoda with Zenith Yoga every Wednesday 7am

10

Project 35 @ DocLab 3pm

11

QBIK @ Hanoi Rock City

Straight No Mixer & Inklings @ ATK 8pm Free cocktails for women @ La Fee Verte Hotel de l’Opera every Thursday 6pm to 9pm

Notos Quartet Concert @ Hanoi Opera House May 9 and May 10, 8pm

16

Screening of the documentary All Tomorrow’s Parties @ CAMA ATK 8.30pm

17

Poker Night @ Play Gaming Lounge every Wednesday 8pm

Free Vietnamese Lessons @ Puku every Wednesday 7pm to 9pm

Flights and Bites Wine tasting @ Southgate every Wednesday 6pm to 10pm

Oliver Twist @ Hanoi Opera House May 11, 11am & 8pm and May 12, 8pm

SAT 05

Oven-free baking class @ Kitchen Art 2.30pm

Module 7S Launch Party @ Module 7 showroom 6pm

DJ Vaughan @ ATK 8pm

Hotel Woodstock @ Hanoi Rock City

12

Kids Cooking Class @ Hanoi Cooking Centre Saturday May 12 and 26, 3.30pm Cen

19 1 9

Art in the Auditorium @ Doclab 3pm

31

Synergy Live Show @ Hanoi Rock City

Wine tasting @ Delicious Wine every Saturday 6pm to 12pm

Hanoi Flea Market @ 264 Au co, 9am to 5pm

13

Noi Hanoi @ CAMA ATK 8pm

ASVELIS weekend market @ AVELIS YARD every Saturday and Sunday 9.30am to 12.30pm

20 2 0

Beer and nd Bur Burger gger Sund SSunday’s @ Southgate every Sunday

‘A Chula Morning’ with Bookworm @ Chula 10.30am

Pilates Teacher Training Course @ Zenith Yoga May 18 to May 21

Everyone’s a DJ @ ATK 8pm

Movie Night @ L’espace every Friday 8pm

Synergy Nights with DJ Kulture @ ATK 8pm

06

Synergy House Sessions @ Sy Hanoi Rock City

Chronicle of a Summer @ Doclab 6pm

25

Jeans Team @ American Club

Baking Class @ Kitchen Art 2.30pm

18

Symphony concert, Hanoi Opera House 8pm

Dialogues with the Walls photo exhibition @ L’espace 6pm

SUN

Emperor’s Night Concert @ Workers Theatre May 4 and 5, 8pm

Sub Elements @ ATK 8pm

24 24

Ladies Night @ Taboo every Wednesday 8.30pm

30

Thirsty Thursday 2 for 1 @ Press Club every Thursday 6pm to 9pm

Pierre Dutot & Dominique Skorny Piano/Trumpet Concert @ L’Espace 8pm

23

Belly dance @ Zenith Yoga every Tuesday Yog 6.30pm to 7.30pm

28

THU

Funky Fusion Jazz Fu quartet @ Don’s every qua Wednesday 8.30pm

An Opera Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro @ Luna d’autunno 8.30pm

Hanoi Speakers @ Koto 6.45pm p

To have your event included in our calendar, please email isabella@wordhanoi.com by no later than May 17 with a description of the event and a high-res photo

The Girl From Maxim’s @ Nha Hat Kich May 24 and May 25, 8pm

DJ Nights @ Southgate every Friday and Saturday 9pm

26

Crystal Healing Workshop @ Zenith Yoga Skank the Tank @ Hanoi Rock City Baking Class @ Kitchen Art 2.30pm

Simple Plan MTV Exits Concert @ My Dinh Stadium

JC from Hanoi Sessions @ ATK 8pm

27

Live music every weekend @ Don’s

The Girl From Maxim’s @ Nha Hat Kich Saturday and Sunday 2pm

The Girl From Maxim’s @ Nha Hat Kich 8pm SUCCESS S Rock — R electro cconcert @ L’Espace L Auditorium Au 8pm

May 2012 Word | 25

SCENE

The yoot found out what reggae and soul’s all about when Naby brought his Senegalese soul train to the Youth theatre PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

OVER

NABY

HANOI SOUNDSTUFF FESTIVAL Lovers of all things electronic got messy on the dance floor under pulsing dub-step bass lines, and some of Europe’s freshest beats

COMMUNE Creative types of all stripes celebrated the opening of the new office/workstation cum café/ bar space on the shimmery east shores of West Lake

TADIOTO PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

PHOTOS BY NGUYEN BAO NGOC

PHOTOS BY NICK ROSS

He’s done it again - one of hanoi’s most popular bars (complete with popular bar owner) is back! Glasses clinked, cheers were proclaimed and many heads were very sore the next morning.

HANOI TRIATHLON

SOFITEL PLAZA RELAUNCH

26 | Word May 2012

Celebrities, media and lovers of free cake and wine enjoyed the latest offerings from trendy fashion label Kenzo. The five-star was launching its new makeover

PROVIDED BY RED RIVER RUNNERS

And the winner is! ... blood, sweat and tears were all shed in the fight to the finish at the Red River Runners' Hanoi Triathlon

May 2012 Word | 27

Insider

THE FOURTH AIRLINE / THE DREAMWEAVER / READY TO ROCK

PHOTO BY LIZO GLENNARD

Q&A

The Fourth Airline With operations commencing last December, VietJetAir provides a budget alternative for air travel in Vietnam. But can they succeed where others have failed? Nick Ross spoke to deputy general director Pritam Singh about the challenges of setting up an airline. Photo by Quinn Ryan Mattingly

How and why was VietJetAir formed?

It was originally formed by a group of Vietnamese entrepreneurs. They got their license back in 2007 but due to the economic crisis, they didn’t start up operation until last year. Originally VietJetAir was going to team up with AirAsia, but that wasn’t realised. So, they did an in-depth study and decided to get into operation. I joined back in September.

Because we’re a budget airline, we are not in direct competition with Vietnam Airlines.

The national carrier has their own niche market — there will always be people that for one reason or another travel Vietnam Airlines.

For us it’s about education, about persuading people to get off the roads and the long bus or train journeys and instead travel by air. To do that we have to come up with a price that is affordable and then look at volume base.

Budget carriers like Indochina Airlines have tried to succeed in Vietnam but failed.

How will you avoid their mistakes?

I did a personal study of Indochina Airlines — we didn’t want to fall into their trap. One of their mistakes was that they brought in wet-lease aircraft. This means not only did they rent the aircraft but they also rented the technical team, the pilots and the crew. So the costs were really high. We went straight into a dry lease programme — we lease the aircraft long-term, which is far cheaper. Then we do the rest ourselves.

It’s like going to London and deciding to take a taxi. You hire a taxi driver with a taxi for 24 hours a day and it’s expensive. But if you rent a car for a whole month, it’s far cheaper. That’s the avenue we went down.

Also, Indochina decided they were not a budget airline but a full-service, two-class

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Do you think there is genuinely a place for a no-frills budget operator like yours in Vietnam where its people are obsessed with all things luxury?

Look around. How many percent of the population are really into luxury? We’re not interested in that market. The open air, on-the-street restaurants are full every day.

It’s those people that we’re targeting. And anyway, those people who pay for luxury will travel business class. We’re a budget airline.

aviation industry and the way Vietnamese people travel?

Our main goal is to fly to as to as many destinations within Vietnam so we can give everyone a chance to fly with us and also allow incoming tourists to go to as many locations as an aircraft can travel to. Then to expand internationally. We will look at ASEAN first — Singapore, Kuala Lumpur — and then North Asia, Korea, Japan, Taipei and certain parts of China. By the end of 2015 we hope to have a fleet of 15 aircraft.

Our first expansion is taking place right now. We have increased the frequency of flight between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City and opened up routes to Danang and Nha Trang.

To be able to offer such low prices like VND299,000, certain amenities must have been forfeited, what are they?

The one thing we won’t forfeit, of course, is safety. Not at any price. Our aircraft are fairly new — on average three-years-old — which makes them easy to maintain. This allows us to ensure our flights arrive on time.

That VND299,000 fare is a promotion price only, and only for a limited number of seats. Then it flexes up a bit. We also don’t provide any form of meals or drinks on board as part of the price of the airfare.

We try to maximise the use of each aircraft. Safety permitting, we try to fly 360 hours a month rather than 230 to 250 hours.

And we have 180 seats onboard our A320s rather than 150 seats. For us it’s all about volume and to do this we have to be very cost-efficient. We cannot have too much fat in the system.

The company currently has a team of pilots who are 100 percent foreigner. Why hire more expensive pilots from overseas rather than Vietnamese pilots?

There is a lack of Vietnamese pilots in this country — it affects all the operators here.

So, we have to hire foreigners. Also, good Vietnamese pilots cost as much as foreign pilots.

We’re now looking at a localisation programme where we hire young pilots who have a license but don’t have the A320 rating.

So, we hire them, send them to Airbus for their training and then over time provide them with the background and experience to fly our planes. So, if this happens, the programme will be for up to 15 pilots. We’re also hoping to build our own simulator centre here that will help us with our own pilots and other A320 operators around the region.

We’re looking at a lot of avenues that will logistically enhance the airline.

What are your goals for the airline? What are you looking to achieve in terms of the

For more information on VietJetAir, go to www. vietjetair.com

carrier. That found them competing directly with Vietnam Airlines. We’re not here to compete with Vietnam Airlines. We’re here to complement them wherever possible. The piece of cake is big enough for all of us.

May 2012 Word | 31

THE MANY FACES OF HANOI

The Dreamweaver Words by Debbie Clare. Photo by Aaron Joel Santos

A

sheet of red parchment paper is pegged onto the makeshift washing line above us, bobbing and jolting in the breeze. On this crossroad at the end of Dang Thai Mai, snails and shrimps are displayed like shop-front jewels, waiting to find their way into the mouths of passersby, many of whom are making the short pilgrimage to Phu Tay Ho (Tay Ho Temple) beyond. Lining one side of the street, a row of ramshackle awnings have become shelters to alfresco offices; each with a small desk, on which a pen, a paintbrush and a pot of ink await instruction.

With his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his glasses halfway down his nose, Giang Phi Tuan is applying the final brush strokes of jet-black water-based ink to a large sheet of paper.

“In the past, this job was more simple,” he says, his hand steady, his eyes unblinking and his face a picture of concentration. “People usually wished for a house or for more land, but now the prayers are more complicated, our lives are more complicated, people want more.”

Tuan has worked as a viet so for the last seven years; a job which could just as easily be titled artist, translator or calligrapher.

Being a viet so requires him to transcribe the worldly needs and wants of his customers into chu nom — the first official written Vietnamese language. Hailing from a family of traditional medicine doctors, fortune tellers and teachers, he learned the craft from a young age. “It’s not something you can learn at school,” he says. “It has always been in my family so the knowledge was passed down to me.”

To begin composing the prayer, Tuan must first choose the correct template.

“I have 300 templates containing 300 different prayers, every one is different; some are prayers for wealth, some for love, some for health. Many people come to me asking

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for a prayer that can bring them a son, other people want help selling their land.”

The paper templates are stacked in the corner of Tuan’s red satin table-clothed desk.

In green, yellow and red, they already bear the complex chu nom print, and are almost waving our attention as the wind tickles through them. He also has a stack of folders which are packed with thousands of people’s names, translated into chu nom.

For the next stage of composition, Tuan collects his customer’s basic personal information; name, year of birth, astrological age, from where he or she hails, and the customer’s home address.

“The home address is really important,” he explains. “The Gods have to be able to find the correct house if they’re going to process your wish correctly.”

Once the collecting of background information is complete, Tuan folds the prayer and inserts it into a long, readymade envelope. In something reminiscent of post office boxes marked ‘domestic’ or ‘international’, Tuan directs the customer towards the relevant part of the temple, dependent on the theme of their prayer, to ensure that the contents of the envelopes reach their intended recipient. The envelope is then placed in the temple with some fruit or a prepared gift, and just before the incense burns out, the paper prayer is lit before dissolving into nothingness.

Special Delivery Before setting up shop on Dang Thai Mai, Tuan worked outside the Perfume Pagoda, located in the Huong Tich mountains. He recalls a particularly memorable prayer request from a woman who found out her husband was cheating on her.

“She wanted me to write a prayer that would cause the mistress to be in a bad accident,” he recalls, “but I told her it wasn’t the way, and that we shouldn’t bring bad

feeling into the temple. She didn’t agree with me so she just left.”

But in contrast to that, some requests have surprised Tuan enough to stay with him for years.

“A woman came to me and told me that she was owed a lot of money by a family in Hang Dao,” he says. “I thought she was going to ask for a prayer for the money to be returned to her, but instead she asked me for two wishes. The first was for wealth and peace for her own family, and the second was for wealth and peace for the debtor. It was a really humane way of trying to solve the problem. I’ll never forget that.”

On the road leading down to the temple, the shops almost exclusively stock gifts only intended for ancestors. Choco Pie, joss sticks, photocopied money and Oreos. It’s one of the most relaxed streets in the city; few cars pass by, most of the vendors are asleep, children play happily in the road. The stillness of this corner, and the sense of hush and calm, is something that reflects Tuan’s personality, and his approach to his work.

“This isn’t a job for a young person, young people should be active. This job is bettersuited to older people so you can be more still.”

The position requires Tuan to hear his customers’ innermost wishes, secrets and confessions, but in his soft, eloquent voice, he insists that confidentiality is assured; the information he collects and the prayers he compiles remain between him, the customer and the spirit world.

“The best thing about this job is the knowledge that I am helping others,” he smiles with humble satisfaction. “I know less and less people will want to do this job in the future; even now, children come here and they don’t know what it is I’m doing, but as long as people keep on praying, it’ll keep the trade going, and that’s all we can really hope for.”

ELECTRIC EEL SHOCK www.electriceelshock.com

CAMA SPECIAL

What else is there to say about this band other than the fact that they totally rock? Well, let’s try. They hail from Japan. They make dark, fuzzed-up stoner-rock whilst somehow managing to keep it vintage, and according to rock magazine Kerrang they “occupy the gaping void somewhere between Queens Of The Stoneage, AC/ DC and Black Sabbath.”

Ridiculously enjoyable, Electric Eel Shock pretty much does exactly what it says on the tin. They’ve performed numerous times at the world’s biggest international music showcase event South

by South West, and have been whooped and cheered by thousands of fans across the globe, through extensive touring and festival appearances. The band raised over US$50,000 in just 55 days by appealing to fans to pre-buy their album Sugoi Indeed, and is currently recording its next studio album.

Strap yourself in, they’re going to blow the roof off.

READY TO ROCK This year’s CAMA festival once again looks set to bring 3,000 revellers to the American Club for a day of intense live music, food, drink and more. Here’s the lowdown on what to expect

CARSICK CARS www.carsickcars.com Influenced by the drone of The Velvet Underground, Suicide and Sonic Youth, while combining the formal structures reminiscent of Steve Reich and Glenn Branca, Carsick Cars formed in Beijing in 2005 to combine brilliantly textured, hard, open chords, with beautifully crafted songs. Using explosive noise and feedback, lead guitarist Shou Wang has been described by Rolling Stone China as one of the country’s four most innovative guitarists.

Having toured Europe with punk-pioneers Sonic Youth, and with a string of impressive experimental noise projects to add to their CV, Carsick Cars was listed by That’s Beijing as being one of the top ten bands in China and is considered to be one of the country’s most covered underground bands.

Expect noise in it’s truest form.

PHOTO BY AIDAN DOCKERY

AKIL (FEAT MC HYDROPHONICS + DJ TECH12)

I

f ever there was a way to confirm the arrival of summer, it has to be the moment that the gates to the American Club open and the CAMA Festival speakers are cranked up to their fullest.

Friends, foes, families and lovers of all things phonic, it’s time to get outside and get festive

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— CAMA Festival 6 is open for business.

Returning to the American Club on Saturday Jun. 2, the festival will see performances by international artists in the form of China's Carsick Cars, Japan's Electric Eel Shock, Hong Kong's Poubelle International, US rap star Akil the MC and

Filipino duo Turbo Goth, plus Hanoi’s beloved acts Go Lim, Zamina and Machete.

Sex.Mix. So, prepare yourself for Vietnam’s answer to Glastonbury, Woodstock and all else that incorporates fields, sun, outdoor stages and live music.

www.reverbnation.com/akilthemc www.myspace.com/4dub www.myspace.com/djtech12 Akil’s name is stamped into the history of hip-hop for his part in making Jurassic 5 one of the best and most enduring successes of the genre. With sound and lyrics that refreshingly defied the trend of gangsta posturing, legendary Akil is an MC, producer, songwriter, hip-hop scholar and break dancer. His uplifting live show has been finely tuned through years of touring, and his performance this year sees him collaborate with MC Hydrophonics — one of the brightest hip-hop talents in Asia.

MC Hydrophonics, aka Hydro, performed for 200,000 people at Thailand’s New Year Countdown party, and has worked with talent such as HRH Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya of Thailand, as well as being the founding member of the 4Dub Crew.

Behind the beats will be turntable virtuoso Tech 12. With residencies spanning three countries and six cities, Tech 12 is undeniably one of the most in-demand DJs on the continent. His work alongside such luminaries as De La Soul, Public Enemy, Dilated Peoples, Grandmaster Flash, Massive Attack, Portishead and A-Trak make it clear why he’s not only Akil’s number one choice to be manning the decks but has also been chosen as the festival’s offical DJ, spinning tracks between acts all day long.

TURBO GOTH

ZAMINA

www.reverbnation.com/turbogoth

www.vimeo.com/39778951 Hailing from the Philippines, circa 2008, electronic rock duo Turbo Goth brings to the CAMA stage distorted bass, thundering synth riffs, crunchy beats and punk-jazz noise guitars, all stitched together by light and icy female vocals.

Currently the only act of their kind in the Philippines, the pair have been compared to the likes of Daft Punk, Mew and Bjork, with their performances drawing crowds of music lovers, art enthusiasts and photographers alike, due to the unpredictable and performance art nature of their live shows.

Promising a bold, unique and eloquently sexy show, Turbo Goth is an unmissable mutli-sensory experience.

They came out of nowhere to take the Hanoi live music scene by storm. Zamina. Who would have expected that the arrival of an afrobeat reggae band playing all original tunes could be such a hit in Vietnam’s capital? This city has a habit of surprising and Zamina are unquestionably in keeping with that.

Hundreds of Hanoian kids, who had never before heard of reggae, can now be seen skanking with abandon as the group’s front-man whips off his top and pogos around the sweaty crowd.

Get your dancing shoes on (or just leave them off completely), Zamina’s fusion of reggae, afrobeat and Asian rhythms will have you winding round the dance floor like a weaver in the reeds.

POUBELLE INTERNATIONAL www.poubelleinternational.com An established act on the Hong Kong indie scene, Poubelle International was formed in 2007 by three designers with the goal of bringing girls and boys to the dancefloor through deceptively simple, addictive songs. Energetic riffs, a healthy dose of irony and quirky, catchy lyrics dominate a Poubelle International live set, which has seen them develop an enviable reputation for tight and engaging live shows.

With a string of tours, live TV, radio and festival performances under their belt, the band’s debut EP Avec La Boom was released in 2010 and saw the track The Battle Of Trafalgar Square hailed as ‘Best of HK Indie’

by Time Out magazine.

Signing to Sony/ATV Music Publishing in 2011, it’s an exciting time for a band that has nothing to lose and everything to gain.

GO LIM They are, quite simply, one of the most exciting bands that Vietnam has ever produced. An anomaly as big as the enigmatic Hanoi that spawned them, Go Lim have burst out of a male-dominated metal scene to the delight of anyone who’s into fresh sounds, independent music and free expression.

While many of Hanoi’s bands take Aerosmith, Linkin Park and Metallica as their reference points, Go Lim is more likely to talk about the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, experimental Vietnamese guitarist Nguyen Manh Hung and the influence of underground avant garde art studio Nha San. Their off-the-wall take on indie rock sees performances from skin-headed front woman Nhi take on a shaman-esque quality.

Her art poetry lyrics cite such topics as hungry cats, which are an exhilarating break from insipid love ballads and odes to the countryside.

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MACHETE.SEX.MIX Hanoi band Machete.Sex.Mix believes in one thing — keeping it dirty. Combining diverse elements such as dubstep, drum and bass, hardcore, rock and reggae, with vocals from Mouth of the Wolf frontman Jacques, the band’s bone-crushing live performances have lead audiences to spiritual planes of both trauma and addiction. The band is set to release its debut EP in May 2012.

INFORMATION CAMA Festival 6 will take place on Saturday Jun. 2 from 1pm at the American Club, 19 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem.

Tickets are VND300,000 in advance, VND400,000 on the door, with a 50 percent discount available for those with a Vietnamese student card.

Drop by CAMA ATK at 73A Mai Mac De, Hai Ba Trung from May 24 to collect your tickets or visit the festival website for a list of alternative vendors For further information, updates and pre-events, go to www.camafestival.com

May 2012 Word | 37

COVER STORY

CA PHE It's a catch up with friends It's a warming first date It's something to stare at when your lover is late It picks you up when you're tired And clams your nerves when you're down It's a friendly companion when there's no-one around It's the summer with ice The winter with cream It's the perfect arousal out of a dream It's the start of your day And intrusive at night For some, without it, there could never be light

PHOTO BY BY AARON JOEL SANTOS

Black gold, this is for you

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May 2012 Word | 39

A BRIEF HISTORY OF

COFFEE Rose Arnold looks back at the worldwide origins of coffee, and considers why it remains such a vital part of society today

PHOTO BY BY NICK ROSS

L

40 | Word May 2012

egend has it that coffee was discovered around 1000AD by an Arabian goat herder while he was observing unusually lively goats. It has since become a huge part of cultural life.

For the first 600 years or so, its use was restricted to the Islamic world. Caffeine fuelled the whirling dervishes and kept the devoted at their prayers far into the night. Despite attempts to guard its use — the mullahs complaining that with coffee available on the streets their mosques were emptying out — coffee drinking inevitably spread into everyday life. By the 15th century, coffee drinking reached Constantinople and became an integral part of both social and business life. In Turkey, coffee was thought to be so important that a husband failing in his duty to keep the pot full was grounds for divorce.

The first Europeans to get their hands on coffee, while risking the death penalty, were Dutch traders in the 16th century.

From the seedlings of a smuggled plant, they managed to develop coffee plantations on colonial Java (now part of Indonesia).

Perhaps made overconfident by their success, the Dutch gave coffee plants to various members of European nobility.

Coffee growing spread to the colonies of France after (so the story goes) a naval officer, visiting Paris from Martinique,

stole a branch from the palace grounds of Louis XIV in a moonlit raid. Brazil got coffee through devious charm. When direct methods failed, the handsome Francisco de Melo Palheta was sent for, and seduced the wife of the Governor of French Guinea. As a parting token of affection she gave him a bouquet of flowers studded with precious coffee seedlings.

Time for Change By then, the secret was well and truly out.

Coffee became a worldwide obsession.

Coffee houses sprang up everywhere in the west, gaining a reputation as places of radical ideas and intellect — 'penny universities' where, for the price of a cup of coffee, anyone could engage in stimulating conversation. Coffee houses brought about a change in the way people socialised, putting everyday life into the public sphere. While there had been bars and pubs before, coffee brought a new, exciting dimension.

Coffee has become linked, in our collective consciousness, with literature, with poetry, with ‘movements’. Given the sheer number of events that have been held in coffee shops over the years, this is perhaps inevitable. Enlightenment writers, including Scottish philosopher David Hume, hung out at Edinburgh coffee shops. Sartre and de Beauvoir wrote at Les

May 2012 Word | 41

“Coffee houses brought about a change in the way people socialised, putting everyday life into the public sphere. While there had been bars and pubs before, coffee brought a new, exciting dimension”

Deux Magots café in Paris. The beat poets claimed coffee as theirs, Jim Morrison first performed in beat poet hang out Coffee n’ Confusion. In Seattle, coffee shops such as Last Exit to Brooklyn (named after the book) became synonymous with counterculture and rebellion, with left wing thinking, with dissidence. In Prague, Café Slavia was the setting for the playwright, intellectual and future president Vaclav Havel’s plans of revolution.

Coffee lore maintains that Voltaire wrote Candide under a 50-cup-a-day induced mania (a level which in reality is likely to cause death). Controversial 18th century French diplomat Talleyrand famously described coffee as “black as the devil, hot as hell, pure as an angel, sweet as love”.

Coffee has been in Vietnam since the beginning of the French occupation in the late 18th century. Early coffee culture here focused around the Metropole Hotel and the French, but Vietnam has lots of coffee stories of its own. There are coffee shops everywhere, catering to different customers; the old beret wearing men playing co tuong, the university students, the young hipsters.

The walls of the Old Quarters’ Café Lam are filled with the paintings of artists who used to gather there, swapping days of coffee drinking for pieces of art.

Talking to consummate storyteller Nguyen Qui Duc (writer, translator, editor and journalist) at his new bar Tadioto — to get a better insight into coffee in Vietnam than my six months living here can provide — I begin to get the impression that actually, while coffee is very popular here, it had much less social impact. Instead of revolutionising life, coffee drinking slotted right in.

Long before coffee, people here gathered around makeshift tea stalls in the street. Duc tells me about coming back to Vietnam after many years in the US, adjusting again to a different way of doing

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things; about numerous trips to fix his motorbike, and frustrations over a lack of efficiency. “And then I’d realise that every week I’d go to the tea shop, waiting for my bike, and people would gather and talk.

I’d hear gossip, share news and stories; it felt like community.”

Going Public In Vietnam, the ‘public space’ that coffee houses gave people in the west is much bigger. Once outside of your front door you’re likely to be asked by neighbours where you’re going, what you’re doing, whether you’ve eaten yet.

Like many young people anywhere in the world, but particularly those with traditionally little indoor space and involved families, meeting friends outside of the home was a necessity. Coffee shops were a practicality. “When I grew up,” Duc says, “one didn’t have cell phones or telephones, so you’d go to cafés. Sooner or later you’d meet someone and if it didn’t work out you’d go to another café. A lot of us didn’t have money; often you’d just go until someone with money showed up. We’d take care of each other.”

In Hanoi, currently, there are huge numbers of independent and interesting cafés. There are regular events held such as poetry readings, documentary screenings, intimate gigs and exhibitions. There are secret cafés up winding staircases, laidback places with a bohemian vibe, cobbled together cafés, cafés almost tumbling into traffic — all selling the best coffee you’ve ever tried. There are cafés that seem to have barely changed since they opened in the early part of the last century.

“It’s that whole experience of sharing time — time for friends — which life in the west doesn’t allow you to do anymore,” Duc tells me. “And I’ve found it again, in Hanoi. It’s still very much alive.”

May 2012 Word | 43

THE PLANTATION The high altitude of the Central Highlands provides the perfect terrain and climate for growing coffee. Nick Ross visits a plantation near Dalat.

into a field of coffee trees on the opposite side of the road.

Located at the top of a valley at an altitude higher than the highest point in the British Isles, this is where coffee, that bean so essential to the daily, caffeine-infused lifestyle prevalent in Vietnam, thrives.

Grown in the areas surrounding Buon Me Thuot and Dalat, coffee is the lifeblood out here, the force that makes this area tick.

Looking at the trees we’re maybe half to two thirds through the growing cycle. The clusters of beans are big and green, but few have turned into that deep red colour which signifies harvest.

The Manager

W

e’re going to a plantation in Me Linh, just outside the village of Ta Nung on the edge of Dalat, but as we traverse the valley and keep on driving, it becomes clear that it’s a bit further out of the way than first thought.

We turn off the paved road onto an unsurfaced track and traverse the potholes, bumps and mini gulleys. “In the rainy season this road would be impassable,” laughs my driver, Vien, as we struggle up an incline. I have to get off the bike twice and walk.

We come to a crossroads and Vien asks for directions to anh Phuong’s plantation.

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The answer comes from a woman with a distinctly northern accent. Dalat and the Central Highlands are full of migrants — few of the original settlers remain. In general they mingle, although there are tales of a village made up of so fiercely ardent northern Catholics that any other person who settles within its confines does so at their peril. I am assured that Me Linh is not that place.

Arriving at the plantation gates we get off the bike and stop. Everything is locked up.

“Are you sure they know we’re coming?” I ask. “Yes, sure,” says Vien. He takes out his phone and starts to call while I wander off

I get called back and a woman opens the gates. Wearing wellington boots, leggings, a quilted sleeveless jacket and well wrapped up to protect herself from the sun, except for the conical hat she looks every bit the British farmer.

“Phuong is away,” she says eyeing me with a distrust reserved only for journalists and lawyers. “But yes, I heard someone was coming. What do you want?”

“I’m writing a piece on the process of growing coffee,” I reply. “I just wondered if you could answer a few questions.”

Brusquely she sits me down and to every question, the answer is short and to the point. She is impatient and unfriendly and I feel myself struggling. But gradually she warms to me and realises that I’m not there to dig up some mountainous dirt. I’m on a learning mission.

Although she introduces herself as the plantation manager, Ms Hoa is in reality the wife of the owner. And coffee is not just her work, but her passion.

Overseeing a plantation of 30,000 trees, the split of the beans represents a recent trend — 50 percent are Robusta, 50 percent are Arabica.

Until recently it was Robusta that was almost exclusively grown in Vietnam and exported to buyers overseas. The key component in local, on-the-street Vietnamese coffee, Robusta is also at the bottom of the coffee bean pyramid, both in terms of price and grade. But now the more labour-intensive Arabica is making an appearance. Not only does it fetch a higher price, but the bean tastes better, too.

But the transition hasn’t been easy. “The Arabica plants are producing too many flowers,” explains Hoa as she shows me some of the trees. “Everyone’s been having the same problem. With too many flowers the trees are difficult to look after properly and the taste goes, too.”

Nonetheless, she is proud, immensely proud of her farm, and takes me to look around. It’s the spraying season, the time when a mixture of insecticide and herbicide is thrusted on the plants. Although the coffee bean husks are used as fertiliser at the start of the growing cycle, this is supplemented by chemicals. For a moment my heart drops — I like the idea of coffee in this country being natural and organic. But as with all foodstuffs these days, it’s anything but. And for plantation owners like Hoa, not even a second thought is given to the means to make the plants grow. The whole plantation gets sprayed two to three times a year.

The Labourers We head out on motorbikes into the plantation and come across the first group of labourers spraying the trees. One man, wearing a Cambodian army shirt, is operating the machine while three others go

into the fields with hoses.

I try to take photos but the labourers, all wearing face masks, shy away. Like Hoa when I first enter the plantation, they are full of distrust. Eventually I’m allowed to snap away as long as their faces aren’t displayed and I also get some images from afar.

The spraying is hot work and as elsewhere in Vietnam, it’s not just men putting in the muscle power, women, too, are at work. But you don’t get the impression of a people shackled to the fields. They are serious as they work, but they also laugh and joke, too. A huge bucket of tra da also provides an excuse for frequent breaks and ongoing chatter.

And then there are the views. At certain spots you have sweeping vistas of the valleys below, of the plantation itself, lakes, forest and mountains further afield, and of all the farms below. If you have these vistas in front of you every day, they cease to take your breath away. But compared to the big city, they are fresh, raw and real.

Civilisation Back by the farmhouse Vien and myself take our leave. From a not so auspicious start it’s been an interesting trip. Life out here is simple, terribly so. And even though the life of a farm labourer is not one to be envied, it is nowhere near as harsh as it may at first seem.

That daily drudge seems to be something reserved for factories and the cities.

As we drive back, Vien starts to show me spots where husks have been left on the road to dry and even one plantation that, despite the lateness of the season, has plants just starting to flower.

I feel I’m starting to know a bit more about coffee, that drink I imbibe daily. I just wish it could all be organic.

May 2012 Word | 45

Cong Caphe

CONFESSIONS OF AN ENGLISH

COFFEE

EATER Words by Philip Turo. Photos by Dominic Blewett

Café Duy Tri

I

hate coffee. I mean, I can tolerate it, if I can’t taste it. But a curious thing has happened to me since I moved to Vietnam. I need it now. If I don’t drink it I am asleep. And now that I need it to be awake, and can disguise the taste with sweet condensed milk, I am discovering that I kind of like it. I like coffee, a lot.

One of the best ways to pass the time in Hanoi is, I believe, to sit in one of its many traditional cafés, a drip coffee percolating slowly by one’s side, a book in hand or — if one has drunk too much coffee — just stare at the world and its people as they pass, imagine absurd things and, as slowly and softly as the coffee drips into the cup, lose one’s mind.

In a city full to the brim with great cafés, it’s hard to pick favourites. There are still so many I haven’t been to. But let me introduce you to ten I consider to be among the best. After a bit of research on the internet I now know that it would take 78.86 cups of drip coffee to kill someone of my body weight, which means that I, and probably you (unless you’re one thousandth my size), can visit them all in one day. Come with me.

On the Drip I start at Cong Caphe (152D Trieu Viet

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Café Pho Co

Vuong, Hai Ba Trung) as it’s near my house and is purported to sell a coffee that sounds a bit like it could be breakfast. The café probably needs no introduction, but anyway it’s a cool place, high-ceilinged and decorated with baby propaganda and thimbles of coloured thread. The coffee, which comes from Buon Me Thuot, is normally excellent. I drink a coffee with yoghurt and sticky rice (VND50,000). It’s bitty and tastes fermented, like Christmas cardboard. Filling, but not my thing, maybe it’s yours.

Next I wheel myself up the road to Café 61 (61 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung).

The best thing about this place is its prices — almost as cheap as in the past. I order a ca phe sua da (VND15,000). It seems to be a place where men come to sleep. A couple of them are passed out in window seats. I sit at the stone table out the back. It’s slightly Narnian in aspect, although coloured as if the Aslan to be slain was a giant Dalmatian rather than a lion. The caffeine is kicking in nicely now. I’m awake.

A brisk, slightly nervy drive takes me to Café Duy Tri (43 Yen Phu, Tay Ho). I’m told this is one of the best cafes in the city.

A narrow entrance framed with square jars of coffee beans leads to the ground floor seating area. On the walls are pictures of

sharp-toothed rodents, some gnawing something pink and fleshy. A human face?

The inside of a knee? Upstairs are two more levels, with slightly less alarming mosaics adorning the walls, and framed photos of a sword and an old tennis racquet (I think).

Some of the seats are made from upturned beer crates. I take a seat on the balcony overlooking the bustle of the street. Their speciality, sua chua ca phe (VND20,000), is excellent, and tastes vaguely of chocolate.

I’m not sure, but I think I can hear the electricity in the wires buzzing. Yes. Yes I can. They’re right next to me. Can you hear them? You can’t?

Heading back into the centre of town, I visit Café Pho Co (11 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem — enter through the silk shop) for a cup of their famous egg coffee (VND40,000). It’s a load of froth through which the coffee glides downwards. It tastes a little bit eggy, a lot like roasted marshmallows. Spooning it into my mouth I lock my quivering eyes on the view of Hoan Kiem Lake. This used to be the ‘secret café’ — a slice of Hanoi passed down from person to person, until some winky put it in the Lonely Planet and it became another stop on the trail.

Apparently, there’s a new ‘secret café’, and I know where it is. No way I’m telling you,

May 2012 Word | 47

Clockwise from left: Café Cat, Café Lam, Café Junghans, Café Xe Co

though. No way. It’s a bit of a suffocating walk out through the tunnel, which is dark and narrow and dark, and turns purple at the end like being born into the light. It’s too bright out here.

Fully Wired Time for lunch, so I drive to Café Cat (2 Chau Long, Ba Dinh). Here you can get some very tasty pho ordered in from across the street. I get a bowl of pho bo chin with an egg in it (VND40,000) and a ca phe sua da (VND25,000). I clutch chopsticks between my violently shaking fingers and eat, watched over by wooden cats. Good. I don’t like cats. The café is quiet and the WiFi is strong. I get my computer out. I write emails until a loud tapping sound begins to annoy me. It’s disturbing the peace and quiet I’ve found. Eventually, I realise it’s my own fingers hammering away at the keys.

This is some good coffee here. Good.

Next stop is Café Xe Co (11-13 Hang Bun, Ba Dinh). My fingers smell of apples.

I haven’t eaten apples. Here is filled with old bikes and motorbikes. Very funky place. Coffee here (VND20,000). I can’t stop smelling my fingers. It’ll be ok. Good. I like it here. But it’s time to leave. I can’t find my motorbike key. Is that it, up there in the wires?

What the…? It’s massive. I’m shrinking, so small. How on earth did that happen? Pat my body to make sure. Wait. I don’t own a Vespa.

That’s not mine. My key is small. Here it is, by my foot. I am still big. Good.

At Café Lam (60 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem), small wooden tables and chairs line the walls, which are covered in paintings. The coffee (VND17,000) is very strong here. I once scared a man, I think, by gibbering at him under the influence of the beans in this place. This time I’m here alone and will scare no one. In one of the propaganda-style paintings, a baby is suckling at its mother’s breast — which is nice. In another, a tiny, grey-skinned woman in a blue ao dai is holding aloft, or being crushed by, a wooden tobacco bong three times the size of her. In yet another picture there is a pot and six cups. I’ve had six cups of coffee today. Who told them?

And why are they looking at me? I down my seventh and leave. I’m frightened.

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Skipping a Beat At the end of Ngo 12 Dang Thai Mai, past the Hoang An Pagoda in Tay Ho is a little café on the water with stone tables, a view of the lake, the murmur of hidden frogs, the splash of men fishing, and coffee (VND20,000). You can sit here very still, close your eyes, and breathe. But you may begin to think you’re a frog, or inside a frog, or inside the water being fished for.

And then you won’t be able to breathe and you’ll gasp for air. And people will stare at you, and you’ll have to go.

This traffic is intense. Back in town at Café Junghans (64 Hoa Ma, Hai Ba Trung) I am now surrounded by old clocks. The proprietor tells me there may be up to 800 of them. They are beautiful, these clocks, set to different times. I am drinking coffee (VND20,000). It’s impossible to live at all these different times. The clocks are German. A punctual people I’m told. Never met one. Proprietor neither. Clocks chime.

They’re all ticking. Tick-tock. Put my ear to some of them. Absolute silence. Put my fingers to my neck. Feel my galloping heart. Hear it banging in my ears. It is I who tick, I who tock. Would be tiring to live all these parallel lives at once. Would need a lot of coffee. Outside is a tree, gnarled with time. At its base sits a keycutter, a cutter of keys. To unlock time?

No. That’s a stupid thing to say. Stupid. To unlock the tree. Still trying.

The sun, though I can’t see it, is setting.

I’m drinking coffee (VND20,000) on Ho Xa Dan. A kingfisher lives here, and terrapins bask on a log. I would tell you where I drink but the lake is ringed with places so you can just pick one. Anyway, I come here to read and don’t want to meet you here. If you turn up you’ll ask me if you can join me and I’ll want to say ‘no’ but I’ll say ‘yes’ so as not to offend you and then resent you as you sit down. Or I’ll say ‘no’ and then feel horrible and be unable to concentrate on my book anyway. Or perhaps you’d only asked to be polite, and when I say ‘yes’ you’ll feel like you have to sit with me and will resent me when you do. Better you just choose your own café. Anyway, I can’t talk to you now or look you in the eye. My heart, it beats like a little bird’s.

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TALKING ITALIAN

FAMILY FOUNDATIONS

Coffee production and consumption in Vietnam is as common as picking rice and eating pho, but what happens when European brands start setting up shop in the world’s second biggest exporting country?

Debbie Clare takes a coffee break with Punto Italia’s General Manager Giorgio V. Vergano

Hoa Le takes a step back in time to trace the family history of one of Hanoi’s most popular cafés. Photos by Aaron Joel Santos

and in particular Italian coffee, is perceived as something different. It is the coffee that has the unique aromas, that has the unique trendy image and quality. This is what has also made Italian coffee become the reference coffee anywhere in the world.

What have you learned about the coffee culture in Vietnam since you started trading here?

Personally I have learnt a lot. After four years in Vietnam I have learnt many aspects of coffee growing, preparation and the habits of drinking that have enriched my knowledge.

Punto Italia Espresso has always had the idea of taking a piece of Italy around the world in the authentic aromas, quality and style that characterise our products and services. Being here I have learnt that all this must be done respecting the local habits, speed and tastes.

What differences have you seen in coffee culture in Vietnam compared to that of Europe?

Coffee culture in Vietnam is changing quite rapidly and we see more and more the influence of products and consumption styles that come from other countries.

The national coffee culture that has made Vietnam famous for its production of green coffee and relative way of drinking coffee remains widely eradicated.

If we talk about coffee roasting, the difference remains very strong. Vietnam being a producing country, the roasting of its coffee remains linked to the few varieties of coffee beans that are grown locally, most of which are Robusta. In Europe the experience of the coffee roasters is that of blending different coffee origins in order to achieve a particular aroma in the cup.

If we talk about coffee preparation the difference is particularly visible with the southern European countries where the preparation of coffee is mainly done with the use of ‘pressure’ equipment (moka pot or espresso machines). In Vietnam, and likewise in northern European countries, the typical extraction is dripping, using different sorts of filter devices.

If we talk about coffee drinking... well, there I believe that the only difference is given by the countries’ habits: in some countries people enjoy coffee at the bar,

50 | Word May 2012

in others at the nearest coffee take-away place, or in the street coffee place, but in Hanoi, like in Torino, Berlin, London or Madrid, coffee is the companion to enjoy a moment with friends (the afternoon break), with colleagues (the morning coffee before starting work) or simply to reflect on something alone.

Why do you think coffee culture is so much more chic and cosmopolitan than tea?

Personally I think that tea is much more chic than coffee. Coffee instead has become much more ‘fun’, young and trendy. It is probably due to the different way of preparing and consuming it. With the introduction of Italian espresso, coffee has taken a whole different dimension. It is no longer the consumption of a simple infusion, but trendy drinks like cappuccino, latte and hundreds of other recipes that challenge baristas to get the perfect shot and invent new recipes and that delight the palate of old and new generations of coffee lovers.

In a country that is the second largest exporter of coffee, how do people receive coffee that comes from Europe?

If we want to make a practical example, we could say that it is similar to that of European cars in Japan, or jewels in a gold or diamond mining region.

In practice I believe that European coffee,

Have you seen any roasting, grounding or brewing techniques in Vietnam that you had not seen before in Europe?

Indeed in Vietnam it is quite the common practice to find roasting techniques that in Europe are very seldom used and in Italy are prohibited. In Vietnam, due to the fact that the only available coffee beans are those produced in the country, the roasting is generally made with lots of additives (sugar, fats or artificial aromas) that help to modify the flavour and make it easier to drink. For example, law in Italy forbids this practice as the coffee aromas of the Italian Espresso must only come from the blending of different origins. Weasel coffee is also something unique here and in the region. It is certainly not something we can find in Europe as well as some recipes like that of coffee with egg, or coffee with yogurt that are very unique to Vietnam.

What are the top three attributes which, when combined, make the perfect cup of coffee?

Well, from a coffee roaster point of view, I would say that on top of all you have the blend of coffee that is used: quality does make the difference! Also the equipment used is very important. It is necessary to use the appropriate tools and to keep them correctly.

Last but not least, the experience and passion of the person preparing the coffee. Like all foods, if the person preparing it has no experience or passion, the result is terrible.

On a personal note, I would also add that the smile of the person serving the coffee can make a huge difference…

A

light summer breeze rolls in the through open doorway, teasing out the charming aromatic scent of freshly roasted coffee beans. It’s 1pm at Café Thai and the place is teaming with customers.

If this café was a person it would be a happy man in his seventies, with a warm, welcoming smile and coffee-coloured skin.

Indeed, everything in this coffee house is coated in dark brown; the walls, the tiny wooden stools, the square tables, the little ceramic coffee mugs, and even the table spoons — it is one of the oldest coffee shops in Hanoi, after all.

A loyal twenty-something customer arrives. He’s clearly familiar with the shop as he strides down to a little table in the corner — a place he’s probably returned to countless times. There’s no need for him to order — the usual black coffee no sugar is delivered to him. He lights a cigarette, inhales the smoke, and slowly sips his coffee. While enjoying the peace and companionship of this place, he admits that he has been coming here twice a day, every day, for the last seven years. “I’m addicted to the coffee here,” he says.

Family Fortunes The amiable Nguyen Van Tinh is the current owner of Café Thai. He represents three generations of his family’s ownership of this coffee house.

“Our family’s fortunes have gone up and down many times in the past few decades,” he says. “Every time we were left completely empty-handed, we returned to brewing coffee. It helped us make our way back.”

Tinh recalls at least four times that his family has faced bankruptcy. The family tried to run other types of businesses throughout the war and during the country’s social and economic upheavals, but without success. “Everything we had saved was destroyed after nights of bombing,” he explains. “We were pushed back to the beginning again.”

The history of Café Thai dates back to the late 1920s when Tinh’s grandfather, Den, left his small village in Hung Yen and journeyed to Hanoi in search of employment. The 17-year-old boy was taught how to brew coffee by his friends, and began a job as a mobile street vendor.

Every morning he would walk the streets selling coffee. Equipped with a flask, a few

cups and some stuffed baguettes, he would seek to attract customers — predominantly intellectuals — and then collect their cups from doorsteps while making his way home in the afternoon.

And from that street vendor back in those early days, coffee gradually became the family’s business. In the early 1940s, Den opened the first ‘shop’, with only a few tables and chairs dotted around where the coffee house now stands. Despite some interruptions during the period when private businesses were banned, and during the wars, Café Thai was kept alive

by Den, later by his son Thai, and now by his grandson, Tinh.

“I believe it’s destiny,” claims Tinh, who was once a secondary school painting teacher, and also worked in Poland for three years. “It was never certain that we would be able to keep the business afloat for 70 years.”

Tinh loves coffee. He loves sourcing the right beans, roasting and brewing them.

He is clearly very proud to have inherited the tradition that his grandfather and his father left for him — both the shop and the technique for preparing coffee.

Fuelling the Fire “To roast the coffee we still use a wooden fireplace instead of gas,” he explains. “The stainless filter that we are using is not as

big as some industrial ones in which you can brew one or two kilos of coffee at one time. Our filter can only make three cups of coffee each time.”

Tinh is reluctant to convert to modern methods for brewing coffee such as electric machines or filters. “Some say the traditional method is very time-consuming and complicated, but I think tradition and experience have their values. The customers love our coffee, so it’s worth the effort.”

Café Thai serves only one type of coffee but with three options: with condensed milk, with sugar or sugarless black. The coffee itself is a mix of three types of bean bought from Dien Bien and Nghe An in the north, and Buon Me Thuot in the central highlands. According to Tinh, each region offers a great kind of bean.

The coffee at Café Thai is thick with a silky, emulsified texture. It’s not too bitter or sour. It is, in fact, a combination of both tastes, but on a small, palatable scale. It’s simple yet tasty because according to Tinh, it’s 100 percent coffee.

When asked if one day the shop will change to become more modern with more drinks on offer, his answer is a resounding “no”. He explains with a smile. “It’s always interesting to have a different style from the popular trend, right?”

Café Thai is located at 27 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung

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REAPING THE

HARVEST Rose Arnold spills the beans on the worldwide coffee industry, and considers the cost of its global success

C

offee is much more than just your morning ‘pick-me-up’. It is ‘black gold’, one of the most valuable and most traded commodities in the world, making a number of people incredibly rich. At the same time, millions of people in the developing world rely on the coffee industry for their livelihoods. The disparity in wealth between those at the bottom and those at the top is huge.

You might be tempted to shrug at this point. It might not be fair, but it’s nothing new. As Leonard Cohen sang, “The poor stay poor, the rich get rich. Everybody knows.”

And anyhow, people are getting paid a fairly high price for coffee at the moment.

But what has happened with the coffee trade is happening across so many areas of our lives. Things that ‘should’ have some inherent value — things such as having homes to live in, having food to eat, the right of self-determination — are being hijacked by the demands of a kind of hyper-capitalism.

Speculation on the financial markets and the desire for huge profits is putting everyone at risk, with people in the developing world particularly vulnerable to the potential fall-out. The futures of people who produce coffee, and who rely on its trade, depend on factors almost entirely outside of their control.

For 27 years, the supply and price of coffee was kept stable by the International Coffee Agreement, and when it failed in 1989, coffee prices plummeted. Prices did spike again, following a global shortage caused by bad harvests and frosts, but high prices only encouraged more people to grow more coffee — leading to oversupply and the accompanying low prices. By the year 2000, after more than ten years on the free market, the price of coffee was at an all time low and didn’t even cover the cost of production. It was a crisis for the farmers and the countries that relied on the coffee trade, and NGOs rushed to pick up the pieces.

52 | Word May 2012

Troubled Water The low prices and inherent unfairness in the coffee trade prompted many to be highly critical of the role of free trade in tackling poverty. NGOs, including Oxfam, also highlighted the culpability of the World Bank and the IMF in imposing free trade policies on developing countries as a condition for getting aid, concluding that poverty had been made worse by the bank’s ‘one size fits all’ approach. For one country, Bolivia, accepting the bank’s conditions resulted in per capita income dropping to less than it had been 25 years earlier, with 63 percent of the population living in poverty. One of the poverty reduction measures included privatising water. Desperate Bolivians, faced with escalating water prices, rioted. A number of the developing countries that took loans with the World Bank have since spoken out about the negative consequences and their unhappiness.

Other factors have conspired to increase farmers’ and developing countries’ vulnerability to price shocks in the market, including developing countries increasing their focus on growing crops for export and the selling of national resources to finance debts. The introduction of modern, large-scale farming methods (often insisted on as a loan condition) was another factor that reduced farmers’ self-sufficiency. Traditionally, many coffee farmers had a small second income, plus food, from the trees under which coffee plants grew. New methods enabled coffee plants to grow directly in the sun, increasing production, but they required large amounts of inputs including fertilisers, pesticides and farm machinery. In times of low coffee prices, farmers couldn’t afford the upkeep on their high maintenance farms, some going into debt, some losing their farms.

Prices are currently high, certainly compared to the coffee crisis of 2000. In May 2011, the price of coffee reached its highest

level in 30 years, although it has fallen considerably since. It isn’t all good news for farmers. The higher coffee prices have also been accompanied by higher prices of oil, petrol, food and other commodities. Even more fundamentally, the higher price has been gained through changes in the financial markets — the knock-on effects of which make many producers and developing countries even more vulnerable to price fluctuation.

Damage and Instability The Commodities Futures Modernisation Act (CFMA) passed in the United States in 2000 appeared to be an innocuous piece of legislation, slipped in with the budget.

It has since been described by financial commentators as one of the most historically damaging pieces of legislation. TIME magazine, in a roll-call of those to blame for the economic meltdown, awarded it the dubious honour of the “single government move that did more than any other to muck things up”. Amongst other things, the CFMA spawned a new breed of coffee profiteer — the big investment banks and hedge funds, led by Goldman Sachs — and turned the commodities futures market into a giant money making machine.

In its original form, the commodities futures market was designed to give buyers and sellers a level of stability that made business possible in the uncertain world of agriculture and farming. It was a tightly regulated, slow moving vehicle for buyers and sellers of commodities, such as coffee, to agree on sales and prices for goods to be delivered the following year.

The CFMA blew the market wide open.

Now anyone, with sufficient money, was allowed to trade commodities on the market without any intention of ever actually taking receipt of the goods. The money poured in.

Prior to this deregulation, the trade in coffee

futures, over one week, was in the region of 46,000 contracts (one futures contract = 37,500 pounds of green coffee/one shipping container). Post-deregulation that figure has reached as high as 284,000 contracts. There are now approximately ten times as many coffee ‘C’ futures being traded as there is actual coffee.

Speculation amplifies price fluctuation and divorces price from physical factors such as supply and demand. The norm is for high-frequency trades to be calculated by algorithms and triggered by small fluctuations in the price. After all, when there is ten times the number of bets as physical goods, the way the market goes is dictated by what people think is going to happen. A reported fear of bad harvests, even entirely groundless, will move the market. What the big players do or say becomes of prime importance.

Risk Assessment The levels of risk and potential reward have risen with the increased market volatility, but access to large amounts of money is a prerequisite of being able to ride out the price changes. Rather than protecting farmers, exporters and others involved in the industry from risk, the market now makes them increasingly vulnerable.

Price instability is also potentially very dangerous for coffee producers. As the World Bank recognised in a recent report, instability means coffee farmers can’t plan crops, allocate resources or even simply recover costs. Similar problems were identified for governments of developing countries. In the past, even the threat of future price shocks forced farmers to take their children out of school, cancel improvements to their farms, and go without basic necessities because of

the worry about where next year’s income was going to come from.

Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary General of the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), has spent years warning world organisations about the huge risk of tying in free trade and unregulated financial industries with poverty alleviation.

In a recent report, he stated clearly that “the financial markets and institutions have become the masters rather than the servants of the real economy, distorting trade and investment, heightening levels of inequality, and posing a systemic threat to economic stability.”

Current high coffee prices are reliant on the continued boom in the commodities futures markets. And as recent economic history tells us, from the failure of megalithic banks supposedly too big to fail and the ensuing economic meltdown, there’s no such thing as a safe bet.

The International Coffee Organisation offers support to help buffer farmers against the impact of unstable processes. They recommend that coffee growers diversify their crops, specialise in and market different niche coffees and also try to climb up the coffee value chain. Farmers also benefit from joining co-operatives. All of these steps help move coffee from a purely financial commodity back to one that has value away from the commodities markets. This helps protect the growers from the fallout of price changes, and returns the small but stable margins earned along traditional avenues.

Buying Local Award-winning Vietnamese company Trung Nguyen Coffee is an excellent example of how following this kind of model works. In 2001, 2003 and 2004 the company’s founder,

“In the past, even the threat of future price shocks forced farmers to take their children out of school, cancel improvements to their farms, and go without basic necessities because of the worry about where next year’s income was going to come from”

Mr. Dang Le Nguyen Vu, won young entrepreneur awards from the Vietnamese Young Enterprises Association and the Asian Success Young Entrepreneur Award. In 2007, having successfully established over 10,000 franchise cafes, the company was a finalist in the Franchise Licensing Show Asia. In 2010 they were one of two finalists in Franchisor of the Year Award in the Franchise Awards.

Trung Nguyen Coffee, as well as offering franchises, makes a range of specialist coffees that are sold internationally. The company is involved in every step of the process and their coffee growers have been certified by Eurepgap as using safe and sustainable growing practices. The motivation for Mr. Dang to specialise in gourmet coffees was for his business to “become more independent of the world commodity markets and regain control of its own destiny”. Mr. Dang has also talked in recent interviews about how key the Eastern view of the world is for his business, of thinking about the interrelations between people and culture. He maintains that business has responsibilities beyond pure economics, it has a responsibility to its nation, to the industry and to the world.

Local Hanoi company Betterday were the first business based in a coffee growing country to gain Fair Trade accreditation.

Unfortunately, due to the high cost of the certificate, their coffee is no longer accredited.

Yet owner Nguyen Tuyet Minh remains strongly committed to the Fair Trade values and works closely with growers as part of their ethical co-operative. Betterday roasts and packages their coffee and have a retail outlet on Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho district, Hanoi.

Vietnam itself is in a much stronger position than many other producing countries. It looks after its coffee trade by maintaining control in some areas, including the export sector. When prices are considered too low, Vietnam can act as a competitor in the market by keeping back stock until the prices are high enough again. The Vietnam Coffee and Cocoa Association (VICOFA) has also been able to act for the collective health of the industry, tackling the issue of quality, which can push down price. VICOFA is taking steps to increase quality, such as introducing a VND42,000 per tonne export fee for Vietnamese companies which will be put back into improving plant quality.

Another current proposal is to ensure that all companies gain an agricultural management and environmental certification from Good Agriculture Practice (GAP), UTZ, Rainforest or 4C. These are examples of ways that some individuals, companies and countries can regain control, but there is a deep flaw in the system itself. The world is moving rapidly in one direction, away from group responsibility and away from regulations and rules.

Freedom is the goal. But freedom comes at a very high price, as we’re finding out.

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PHOTO BY FERNANDO MADARIAGA / ICEX PHOTO BY FÉLIX LORRIO / ICEX

PHOTO BY FÉLIX LORRIO / ICEX

DESTINATION

OFF THE BEAT

MADRID Like many big cities, Madrid reveals her secrets slowly and with some effort as Madrid-based travel writer Will Peach finds out.

Photos provided by Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) 54 | Word May 2012

T

ravelling to a place with the sole intention of treading an “unbeaten path” is a never a great idea. But when that place is a bustling European capital, how can anyone expect to find somewhere fresh from the footfalls of those who’ve gone before?

It’s a good question. Expectations of finding any sort of path, unbeaten or not, are something I’ve not only learned to let go of in lieu of wandering Madrid’s city streets, but also life in general. Sure it’s a bleak outlook, but for other visitors trying to keep sane in the Spanish capital, acting accordingly might be the best way forward.

And expectations or not, finding the beating pulse of this city remains very much the crux of this offbeat guide. So with that at the forefront, should I give in to temptation

and begin my futile quest for the unbeaten path in Madrid’s many raucous bars? Or, better still, hope that it naturally unfurls after a stroll around the green fields of Buen Retiro Park?

Whichever way you look at it, it’s probably

HOW TO GET THERE Indirect return with Qatar Air, Air France, Emirates Airlines or Vietnam Airlines. Prices range from VND12 million to VND19 million before tax.

about time to make a start. So, let’s do what any other rational person would do. Let’s put it all off to go shopping instead.

Looking Up Skyward Anyone familiar with Madrid and its maze of backstreets will probably scoff at starting out an expedition like this with an amble down Gran Via, one of the city’s liveliest and best-known shopping districts. But the truth is very few people look past the hotels, movie theatres and boutique stores that populate it.

So with shopping a simple ruse fashioned to check out the area, take a walk down Gran Via along the Calle de Alcala and let it prove to you my first point about finding any sense of the “unbeaten” here in Madrid. That is, in order to find a city that few others see, you only really need look up.

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PHOTO BY FÉLIX LORRIO / ICEX

"Outdoors is where you’re likely to find the special parts of Madrid. And despite being overshadowed by national rival Barcelona when it comes to monuments of magnitude, this city stills packs a decent punch" And what better place to look than skyward? Home to some of the city’s most stunning and iconic buildings, most visitors to Madrid don’t even bother to concern themselves with early 20th century monoliths like the Edificio Metropolis and the Edificio Grassy that loom above.

But with art-deco bastions like The Capitol on Plaza del Callao, Gran Via is an ideal place to start marveling at the forgotten architectural splendor of Madrid. Continue walking down to the final part, the Plaza de España, and you’ll also find my favourite viewing spot in a city made more famous by indoor worlds (those of taverns and tapas bars) rather than those that live outside.

Outdoor Pleasures

PHOTO BY FERNANDO MADARIAGA / ICEX

Outdoors is where you’re likely to find the special parts of Madrid. And despite being overshadowed by national rival Barcelona when it comes to monuments of magnitude, this city stills packs a decent punch. Continue to head down Gran Via (with a stop off in gargantuan book store Casa del Libro at Gran Vía, 29) along the Calle de Princessa and up to the base of the Arco de la Victoria and you'll see further examples.

Built in 1956 as a tribute to Franco’s Nationalist army who rose to victory during the Spanish civil war, the 39m-high Arco (arch) serves as reminder of a fraught past that many of Spain’s modern day visitors

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don’t know a shred about. Also referred to by a large number of Madrid’s three-million strong population by a different name completely (to avoid association with the dictator himself), don’t be surprised if you have difficulty finding this one either.

But where the Arco might not be the kind of blink-and-you-miss-it spot you expect to find off of a city’s beaten track, Madrid’s Museo al Aire Libre (Open Air Museum) is a dead cert for any such list.

Situated beside Calle Serrano, beneath a busy flyover (you’ll have to walk a short while down Calle de Jose Abscal to find it), here you’ll find 17 sculptures, each made at the hands of a different Spanish artist.

The setting enables you to get up close and personal with these cold bronze and steel figures — you’ll soon realise that this is about as public as ‘real art’ gets here at Museo al Aire Libre.

Other Hidden Gems If it’s art and culture you crave more of then Madrid has plenty of other little-known gems hidden away in other city pockets, too. One of those options, the Museo Sorolla, the former mansion home of Valencian artist Joaquin Sorolla, offers a far more intimate look into the life of a Madrid-based artisan than that which you might see at the world famous Prado or Reina Sofia.

Tread a little further, too, around the corner

from the Museo Sorolla and you’ll find two other areas of the city largely ignored by the tourist crowds.

Close to Goya metro station, the district of Salamanca is home to one of the city’s most thriving local spots in the Mercado de la Paz, an upscale market full of Spanish hams, cheeses, fresh produce and seafood. Walking around its circle of stores and eyeing its many cafes, it’s a smart move to head and check out Santa (Calle de Serrano, 56), one of Madrid’s best-loved chocolate shops, that sits in the heart of the neighbourhood.

Away from Salamanca, one of Madrid’s other lesser-known treasures is the Malasaña district. Similar to that of New York’s East Village or London’s Camden Town, this neighbourhood boasts laid-back bars like La Paca (Calle de Valverde, 36) and Lolina (Calle del Espíritu Santo, 9) , a host of secondhand vintage clothes stores, quirky galleries and booming nightclubs to party in away from those of the centre that will burn your wallet to a cinder.

Cover Your Tracks Yet how can any true Madrid-based adventure end without mention of two of its finest features: food and drink. It's here, that in respect of my opening sentences, the problem of “venturing off the beaten track” proves more troublesome still. After all, recommend a restaurant that nobody knows and people will start to get suspicious.

At the risk of upsetting the balance, however, let me throw two propositions into the mixer that might fit either end of the spectrum. The first, Taberna de Cien Vinos (100 Wines, Calle del Nuncio, 17), located in La Latina, is a small dark den of debauchery unknown to most despite serving up tasty free pinchos and cheap raciones. The second, Café Moderno (Plaza Comendadoras, 1), is more widely known, but still just as fun thanks to a massive outdoor terrace, nightly live music and twice-weekly literary recitals.

Recommending bars in a city that has more per capita than anywhere else in Europe is never going to be easy. Really want to enjoy the best that Madrid has to offer? Then do away with any attempt to follow a well trodden path.

In a city like this, which has as much or as little of anything you want, the path you decide to tread is yours and nobody else’s.

ACCOMODATION The Westin Palace, Plaza de las Cortes, 7 (rooms from VND3 million per night) Hotel Vincci Capitol, Calle Gran Via, 41 (rooms from VND1.3 million per night) Petit Palace, Puerta del Sol (rooms from VND840,000 per night) For More Information www.tourspain.es

May 2012 Word | 57

TIME & SPACE

Home is Where the Hearth is Douglas Pyper meets residents and workers at Hanoi Locomotive Enterprise — a place where stepping out of bed and straight onto the tracks is a way of life. Photos by Dominic Blewett

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"T

he people you work with are people you were just thrown together with. I mean, you don't know them, it wasn't your choice. And yet you spend more time with them than you do your friends or your family.” So said Tim in the popular UK TV show The Office. He probably wasn’t up for living in a collective society — where your work colleagues are your friends and family; you work together, play together and live together.

This used to be the norm in Vietnam as the authorities built housing schemes for the workers in specific industries.

However, people’s occupations and positions became fluid once market reforms had been introduced. These days you are no longer allocated a role in society, you have to choose your own, and so work-based collectives have become a thing of the past.

One of the last such schemes to be made is on Kham Thien. As late as 1996, a good 10 years into the reforms first initiated in the 1980s, a housing scheme

for the workers at the Hanoi Locomotive Enterprise was built — this is the place where Vietnam’s trains go to be serviced.

Forty-four of the workers were chosen to move into the building, so their place of work became where they lived, and their colleagues became their family.

Lifelong Service Nguyen Hai San was one of the workers lucky enough to be chosen to move in.

He’s been working at the plant since 1973.

At that time Vietnam had no diesel so steam trains were in use. The last of these trains to be decommissioned still sits in a small shed out the back of the Locomotive Enterprise, waiting to be taken away to the Hanoi Museum. Finally put out to pasture in 2000, the beautifully decrepit machine provided 80 or 90 years of service. A good 18 meters in length, 10 of these meters accommodate the front furnace — the back seven metres of this area store the coal, while a one-metre squared area of pipes, valves, levers and dials is where the driver sits. Its beautiful black paint with stylish

red and white wheels make this engine more striking than any other train in the yard, despite the thick layer of decay.

“It’s not hard to drive,” says Hai San. Then he reconsiders. “Well, it depends on the coal.” A whole lot of coal. These machines required 16 tons of the stuff just to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. Vietnam used to get its coal from China as they had no foreign currency to buy anything else, but strained ties in the late 1970s and 1980s forced their hand and they began buying higher grade coal from Australia — much to the pleasure of Hai San. “I loved my job,” proclaims San. “In one day I could eat three meals in three different provinces.”

The Hanoi Locomotive Enterprise is much like many other ageing industrial area in the capital. Built at the same time as Long Bien Bridge in 1901 by the French, the site has changed a lot since then, yet at the same time, the ghost of yesteryear is everywhere. Deputy Director Nguyen Hong Tien has been working here since 1973. He’s more than happy to turn on the

May 2012 Word | 59

“In the wheel manufacturing shed there is a smorgasbord of aging machinery which acts like a who's who of Vietnamese international relations in the 20th century.

Chinese, German, French, American, Vietnamese, Russian and Czechoslovak technology hums away in the shed.”

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original railway turntable, a throwback from the steam era when trains couldn’t go in reverse for long. It’s never been replaced, only repaired, and still has the original 100-year-old wooden sleepers.

Friend and Foe The site still has two original French sheds in use, one to make and repair wheels, the other to repair engines and chassis.

In the wheel manufacturing shed there is a smorgasbord of old machinery which acts like a who’s who of Vietnamese international relations in the 20th century.

Chinese, German, French, American, Vietnamese, Russian and Czechoslovak technology hums away in the shed.

Sagging wires lead to bald light bulbs around which men cluster, punching holes in metal discs, cigarettes and spectacles hanging off their faces. One particularly old French piece, older than anyone who works at the plant, is reapplying friction to the wheel sets. Each two-ton set rotates slowly on the ageing machine — it grinds out fresh grooves, while thick black oil pours gorily over the formerly red paint.

Despite the no smoking signs, Tien pats down passing workers for spare tabs. He, too, lives in the housing scheme and seems to be on cheery terms with everyone. He

shows us round the on-site ping pong club, the tennis courts, the badminton and volleyball courts. The complex seems to be so completely self-sufficient that it’s a wonder anyone ever leaves. Living here, working here, playing here, exercising here, eating here — you’d expect the workers to be stir crazy. Not Tien.

“It’s great living here,” he says, “I never have to waste money on petrol. I can go out after work easily — the only thing is it’s easy for the wife to keep tabs on me.”

As I press for some negatives to the situation, both Tien and Hai San don’t even seem to grasp what I might be on about, they look at each other a bit confused. “I like living here,” Hai San says simply. And when you think about it, why wouldn’t they? It’s clean, friendly, easy to get to work, safe, located in the centre of the city and free.

While leaving, visitors pass by a monument to the site’s ‘heroic workers’ in the form of a wheel set, well maintained under a shady banyan tree. Honoured for continuing to work under the threat of bombing during the war, the monument was commissioned and built by the workers themselves. Something which shows a strength of community which Tim from The Office might not understand.

BIKE SPECIAL

ELECTRIC LOVE A romance spanning 22,000 kilometres, Kaitlin Rees traces the tracks that crossed and brought one bicycle-loving couple together. photos by Aaron Joel Santos May 2012 Word | 61

“Just as the electric bicycle is neither a motorbike nor a bicycle, the Hanoi Bicycle Collective is neither a café nor a shop but a hybrid space.”

"I

t all started with me living and working in Beijing,” says Barcelona native Gium Valls Teruel. “I was managing a fine dining restaurant when I discovered electric bicycles.”

Ranking the electric bike as the best purchase of his life, sat on his pedalassisted, battery-operated machine he kept uncovering new benefits. He could still exercise (without so much sweat), he could carry heavier loads, there were no emissions, it didn’t make a noise and he could take the vehicle anywhere.

Eventually it got serious.

“One day I woke up and decided I was going to tour the world on an electric bicycle,” he says. To do this he would travel with a solar panel trailer to charge his bike and promote the sustainability factor.

So he quit his job, sold his belongings and in June of 2009, set off from Beijing and journeyed to South Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.

The Game Changer In September 2009 Gium rolled into Hanoi.

“I was interviewed by VTV 6 and I fell in love with the journalist,” he recalls. “I was supposed to stay for two days but I stayed for three weeks. And then this girl, she kicked me out. She was like, ‘Who the hell is this guy on a bicycle?’ So I kept going, kept cycling along.”

With a slightly heavier heart, Gium continued on through Vietnam to Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia. It was while in Australia — after a year of talking nearly every day with the journalist who had cast him away — that the what if? question erupted. “I got that feeling that I needed to know what would happen if one day we kissed. I didn’t know if I’d stop my world tour, I just needed to know what would happen.”

So Gium returned to Vietnam and “it

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happened as it happened.”

After that, a second big what if? unfolded.

“I said, what if we get married and I get a second bicycle for you and you come with me? She said ok.”

Conception Along the way from Vietnam to Spain — Italy to be exact — a new life entered the story. After a few months of cycling for two, Gium’s wife decided to go and wait for him at their eventual destination of Barcelona.

When Gium later arrived by bicycle, the couple packed their bikes and travelled back to Hanoi to start their family.

With the tour complete, Gium looked back at his journey and saw the incredible amount of promotion he had been doing for electric bikes. He had asked everyone he met along the 22,000 kilometres to hop on and try the bike.

“I realised that electric bicycles gave people these electric smiles,” he explains.

“There is nothing better in life than doing something that makes people smile. When you find something like this you have no other choice than to keep spreading the word about it, because it’s something that benefits everyone.”

And thus an idea was formed: the Hanoi Bicycle Collective.

Inception The 22 day-old baby is upstairs and Gium is downstairs waiting for new tabletops to arrive for the café portion of his bike shop.

After four months of renovations, he is set to open in a few days and the place pulses with potential energy. Just as the electric bicycle is neither a motorbike nor a bicycle, the Hanoi Bicycle Collective is neither a café nor a shop but a hybrid space.

High ceilings with elegant crown molding, walls lined with bicycles for sale, parking spots, a repair station, a bar at which to sip gin and tonics, tables to eat sandwiches, a

stage area to hear music, poetry or someone talking about their bike; the place is certainly the first of its kind in Hanoi.

To Gium, the electric bike is the definition of compromise and benefit. The vehicle that “makes you feel like a superman” is also emission free — charged for three-and-ahalf hours it can travel 90 kilometres. It’s low cost and promotes physical health. In a city where most already go around on two wheels, to Gium these are the better wheels to use.

“You have to contribute a little bit,” he says. “You can’t say, ‘oh it’s terrible, there’s never a blue sky in Hanoi, it’s so hot,’ and then ride a motorbike. No way. There is no in-between when going from not polluting and doing exercise to polluting and not moving your legs. We need to think a little bit. There are solutions.”

And the electric bike is one solution. Yet Gium is not radically opposed to petrolpowered means of transport when necessary.

“You can keep going by motorbike, it’s not a problem,” he says. “But instead of going everywhere by motorbike, seven days a week, try those moments in the evenings or in the mornings when it’s not that hot to ride your bicycle instead of your motorbike. Or if you just ride your bike on Sundays… good! If everyone does a little little… ” But for those who aren’t seduced by the environment or exercise benefits, bikes have got their social cache as well. As with the brightly coloured and potentially pricey fixed gear bicycles, fashion and status can speak volumes. And if that’s what you’re after and you’re getting on a bike for it, no matter. The Hanoi Bicycle Collective’s common denominator is bicycles and all numerators are welcome.

The Hanoi Bicycle Collective is at number 44, Alley 31, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Hours are tentatively 7am to 9pm, with breakfast and coffee on offer as well as sandwiches and gin and tonics.

Bike rentals are also available.

May 2012 Word | 63

BIKE SPECIAL

ON THE PEDAL There is an aura about two or four-wheel vehicles that can get people transfixed. Kaitlin Rees talks to lovers of the hardy bicycle.

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos The Collectors Like many people, Tam and Long started riding motorbikes when they went to university, but a few years ago, the couple decided to return to the beloved bicycle.

The 36-year-old couple recall a string of beauties they have owned since they were kids. At 12 years old, Tam cruised to elementary school on an orange Vietnamese mini, and 10-year-old Long peddled around a handmade Saigon clunker. Tam’s family eventually shelled out for a Peugeot and a Mifa, while Long’s Eskar and Favorit were his steps up in the cycling world.

“Before, mostly foreigners went by bicycle, but in the last few years, more Hanoians have been using bikes,” explains Long. “People see them more. We see them on the internet, in stores, and more of our friends are buying bicycles.”

An active member of the Vespa club, he adds: “In the Vespa club, the people are always looking for rare and vintage items and they are willing to pay. I think that for the bicycle it is the same.”

Zen and the Art of it Shop owner Ton spent years playing tennis, golf, swimming and walking. Eventually, after “too much sport” and a back injury, Ton turned to bicycles and soon realised there was an obvious shortage of stores and repair shops in Hanoi.

For Ton, it’s all about the process. “I work with bikes A to Z,” he says, which means customers who come in for a bike tune up are invited to spend the next three hours learning about their machines while he and his staff tinker away.

“I don’t only sell bikes,” he adds. “I want my customers to understand bikes, what is important and how they work — it takes time.”

Though there are plenty of places to buy cheaper bikes, or famous brand name bikes, Ton enjoys being able to put his

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own concepts into bike construction and maintenance.

This attention to detail and quality goes into all the products at the bike store. Before importing something, Ton likes to hold it in his hands, explaining that for him “a picture is not enough”. So once a month he travels abroad in search of new materials.

At Anton’s Bike Store, customers come in for tune-up tutorials, repairs or to buy one of the new or used bikes. Ton’s got classic vintage designs for amateur riders, mountain bikes for those who like a strong frame and road bikes for those of the professional persuasion. He’s also got hot tea for those on loops around West Lake.

Anton’s Bike Store can be found at number 21, Alley 150 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

Extreme Cycling Around 6am, most of us are dreaming about our teeth falling out or about being naked in public, but a group of eight early morning speed demons are throwing their legs over their bikes and heading off for a daybreak break-neck expedition.

From Veggy’s on Xuan Dieu to Thang Long Bridge, the group manages to cover around 30km by looping their route several times of a morning, before arriving back at Kitchen in time for coffee with us mere mortals.

With the group meeting up three times a week to repeat this journey, it’s no wonder that many come away scarred, bruised and bleeding after numerous collisions with motorbikes. This same fraternity of bike lovers also bolt approximately 20 km around West Lake in a not-too-shoddy 35 minutes. As if that wasn’t enough to feed a love of cycling, they have also been known to tear from Hanoi to Ba Vi in just three hours, followed by a grueling 12km hike up the mountain, which can take an additional 90 minutes.

If you like the idea of getting up early and putting yourself through this kind of fresh hell,

try and catch up with these punishing pedalers from 6am outside Veggy’s, 99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho

Rippling Calves Just down the road from Anton is a similar new and used bike store and repair shop.

Owner of the rhythmically named shop is Tuan, a local celebrity in the bike-racing world. The fashion at Xe Dap The Thao Cao Cap is decidedly sporty. One such spandex clad customer named Tao is among the dedicated weekend 200km riders who ride to places like Tam Dao, Ba Vi, Son Tay and Bac Ninh. Tao says there are many such groups addicted to this punishment and reward lifestyle, which meet for weekend jaunts or early morning West Lake laps.

Yet Tao imagines the biking population will stretch (just like his neon blue shorts) to include a wider range of people interested in bikes in the near future.

“Vietnam is developing and lots of people are wanting to take better care of themselves and their environment,” he explains. “Hanoi is a small city where it’s possible to ride around, and I think that local people will want to do that more.”

Xe Dap The Thao Cao Cap is at 114B Yen Phu, Tay Ho

Bike Free Hanoi In the mix of vintage collectors and super athletes is a newly sprouted non-profit organisation working to make bicycling a more major mode of transportation. Bike Free wishes to spotlight the reasons to get on a bike, like the low environmental impact, health benefits, and cheapness. Through a purple plate and sticker system, Bike Free’s logo will be seen attached to members' bikes meandering down streets and in supporting establishments. With the purchase of one plate, cyclists get a free one to give to a fellow biker as a means of building a community around bicycle riding. Bike on.

Check out www.bikefree.vn/ for more information

May 2012 Word | 65

ON THE ROAD

The Test Tired of breaking the law every day, one intrepid biker takes the figure-of-eight challenge, with a view to finally going legal.

Words and photos by Dominic Blewett

I

t’s a grey, wintry morning. I’ve driven to the Driving Test Centre on Quoc Tu Giam and I’m standing with a few hundred other people waiting for my number to be called out.

For some reason I thought there wouldn’t be many other people here. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who’s taken the motorbike driving test, and I’ve asked almost everybody. But there are a lot of us, all waiting for the men at the desks at the front of the hall to call our name and number. They seem stressed, shuffling through piles of papers, telling people who approach them too soon to go away.

The Medical It feels like it’s taken a lifetime to get here.

It started when I went to get my passport photo taken to affix to the millions of

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documents I feel like I’ve signed. But the first time I really felt like I was on the way to taking the test was when I got my health check.

It took place in a hospital on Ly Thuong Kiet in a room specifically for checking the roadworthiness of those who want to drive. I was weighed and measured. The doctor who took my height did it sitting down which meant that she only brought the bar down to the top of my hair, giving me two extra centimetres. I had my eyes tested. Sitting a couple of metres away from the chart, you have to cover first your left eye with a small paddle, then your right, and read down a table of ever-shrinking u-shapes which point in different directions: up, down, left, right.

The woman in front of me took her glasses off and started the test. With her

right eye she could see only the first row of shapes. With the left, nothing. She was nearly blind. I watched the doctor write some numbers and squiggles on the woman’s documents. Then it was my turn.

I get further with my left eye than with my right, which I expected. I watch the doctor fill in my form with what looked like the same numbers and squiggles as the woman before me. Did she pass? Did I? “Ok, khong?” I asked.

“Ok, rat tot,” replied the doctor.

Maybe it was a hand-eye coordination test then. Maybe you don’t need to see at all.

Pieces of Eight There are a few other foreigners at the Test Centre — five or six, including one, Lars, who I’ve met before. The deskmen are now starting to call our names out. A couple of

young men, there for the test, get excited and start to call out some of the western names they know, with varying degrees of success.

“Wayne Rooney… Beckham, David Beckham… Park Ji-Sung.”

We collect our forms from a round woman with a cataract in her left eye.

She’s barking orders at the deskmen, taking control of them, us, and our documents. She leads us outside and then, strangely, for a moment she seems panicked.

“I’ve lost the Tays,” she says, looking around, behind her, right at us. “Where are they?”

It’s ok. We’re here.

She leads us to an office for more rustling and stamping of documents. She moves us around, stopping only to chide Lars’ wife, Thuy, for “not taking care of us”. At this point we’ve all been here for more than an hour and a half and there’s not even been a hint of a motorbike — other than the ones we all drove here on.

Finally it’s time. We’re led to a yard with a figure of eight and three ‘obstacles’ painted on it; a straight line, a boxed area to thread left and right through, and a straight line with raised bumps. Five Honda Waves are idling by the entrance to the eight and a line of three judges at a desk under an umbrella are waiting for all the documented people to arrive. First up is a young man. He looks nervous but manages to get around the eight. Next, a girl. Shaky, but she does ok.

In my hand I’m holding my fresh documents and two other things. The first are the instructions drawn by the woman who set up this test for me.

I confess I laughed when I saw what I’d have to do. I’ve never driven a figure eight in Hanoi, or on a clear road. Where is the driver about to pull into the traffic without using their mirrors? Where is the vegetable vendor on a bicycle with no brakes who’ll shoot in a straight line across several lanes of traffic without looking? Where is the sudden hole in the ground marked only by a plastic bag-topped twig? Also, why are we doing this test one by one? Surely we should do it all together?

My hands are slightly numb. I’m getting nervous.

A Not So Fine Line A girl in a red jacket drives on to the eight.

She’s all over the place. She keeps putting her feet down, wobbling outside of the lines.

Before she makes it halfway around the eight, she fails and the bike is taken off her.

She walks out of the yard and stands behind the railings looking pale and confused. I hope she didn’t come here by motorbike.

Another failure: a man goes the wrong way around the eight. I thought it was impossible to fail this test — at least that’s what I was told. I know I can drive around these simple obstacles. No problem. The first foreigner, Lars, does the test. A little cheer. He passes. Next, a girl wobbles all over the eight, outside the lines, putting her feet down. The instructor doesn’t seem to know what to do. Should he fail her?

How flexible are the rules? He looks over anxiously at the judges. They give him nothing. She passes. Then another failure: a man drives across the yard, completely missing the figure eight.

It’s my turn.

The eight is no problem. A bit tighter than it looks, and I don’t like all these eyes on me, but it’s done. However, like an idiot, when I get to the three other obstacles I gun the engine and do them as fast as I possibly can. I rattle over the bumps of the last one and steam around the outside of the yard, back to the beginning, as if I’m on a victory lap.

I stride confidently over to the judges, grinning like a fool.

“Khong!” the first judge says. “Nhanh qua!”

My heart sinks. I’m going to have to do this all over again. The judge is still looking at me, shaking his head as he passes my documents down the line. They get stamped and I go back to stand with Lars and Thuy.

However, in spite of my cocky drive I have a sneaky feeling I might have passed, which Thuy confirms. Success. I need to come back in a week and get my license.

A week later I’m back at the centre being handed my new motorbike license. It’s real. I had shown the judges that I could drive a machine while looking neither left nor right but only straight ahead. We’re roadworthy. We’re ready. We get on my bike and go.

To apply for a driving license, go to the Centre for Automotive Training and Mechanism, 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem.

Tel: 3942 2715. To apply for a temporary Vietnamese driving license based on your existing overseas license, you will need a resident permit. The application can be made at the Office of Traffic & Public Works, 16 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh.

May 2012 Word | 67

R

en seems to have developed a reputation as one of Hanoi’s leading Japanese restaurants based on that good old-fashioned trait of reliability. On hearing fans of Ren state that it was established by the former cook to the Japanese Ambassador, it’s unlikely that you’re going to get something shoddy being passed off as Japanese fare.

Hanoi seems awash with Japanese restaurants with the almost painfully chic Trieu Viet Vuong/Mai Hac De/ Bui Thuy Xuan hipster zone being home to its fair share of mewling upstarts. But on this street, which predominantly consists of metal and electrical wire workshops, Ren sticks out a like a prim aunt at a stag party, with it’s subdued entrance shielding it from the rawness of outside.

Interior-wise, Ren is no great shakes. It suffers just a little from ricocheting acoustics provided by the sparse setting.

But then after the plethora of Japanese dining places that seem to have spent more on their interior fittings than on their staff training or food, it’s something of a relief to enjoy the pleasant understated JapaneseEnglish-Vietnamese trilingual staff, who excel at delivering food in a graceful and unobtrusive fashion and take orders with a minimum of fuss.

MYSTERY DINER

Setting the Standard

for a bit of variety we sampled the California rolls (VND179,000) which were small, one-bite affairs, which only meant scoring more marks.

The flavours of crab, fish roe and avocado and salty seaweed were clearly able to bounce off each other, unlike many of the monstrosities at other establishments where you look like a complete fool as they spontaneously collapse. Still feeling a bit peckish we went for the good value seafood rice (VND148,000) which presented choice cuts of tuna, salmon, octopus and red snapper on a bed of sushi rice and served in a steam basket. No complaints and a different way of getting a sushi fix. Finally I couldn’t leave the udon noodles (VND116,000). Served up in a refreshing broth, they proved a fitting, subtle conclusion to a very enjoyable meal.

While pretenders may vie for the throne, the unassuming Ren continues to deliver the goods, as underscored by its continued popularity with the local Japanese community. Definitely worth another visit.

Ren, 8A Hang Chao, Dong Da. Tel: 3733 8550

In a city that has no shortage of Japanese restaurants, our undercover reviewer lifts the steamy bamboo lid on one of the community’s most talked-about outlets.

Photos by Dominic Blewett

More Than Meets the Eye Despite being tempted by the seriously good value lunchtime box meal deals (that sounds horrifically close to something McDonalds might churn out I confess), we went for a range of a la carte options. First up was the gyu tataki (VND116,000) — grilled beef with vegetables. Although it didn’t bear any resemblance to the image on the menu (yes,

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I’m ashamed to admit I still use the menu with pictures!), it proved to be a stupendously mouthwatering delight, scattered with sesame seeds, fried garlic and onions, all combined with a sweet and salty dressing.

I’ve always been fascinated by the Japanese interpretation of western style dishes (Japanese pizza? Kebabs? Fried potato croquettes? Yes please!), so it wasn’t difficult to plump for the highly unhealthy, silky textured mashed potato salad (VND74,000), which took things up a notch with the inclusion of spring onions, shaved carrot, diced cucumber and an unidentifiable creaminess that pointed at either mayonnaise or sour cream. A guilty pleasure. To balance the stodge we ensured we took our greens with a bowl of salty edamame (VND74,000).

The deep fried pork with minced leeks was another hit, the sweated leeks setting off the moist crumbed pork (VND158,000). Then

Food, Decor and Service are each rated on a scale of 0 to 15.

13 — 15 extraordinary to perfection 10 — 12.5 very good to excellent 8 — 9.5 good to very good 5 — 7.5 fair to good 0 — 4.5 poor to fair The Word reviews anonymously and pays for all meals

THE VERDICT

13 11 9 FOOD

SERVICE

DÉCOR

O

n Phung Hung — not the Phung Hung that you probably drive down, but the Phung Hung that runs parallel to that.

The other Phung Hung, the one that’s behind the railway tracks and the green-painted corrugated tin huts selling things of blood, not in front of them. This Phung Hung (the even-numbered Phung Hung) mirrors the other Phung Hung in that it’s also lined on its left-hand side with green-painted corrugated tin huts selling things of blood. And behind one of these huts there is something that, like the street, also mirrors, splits and combines something familiar.

STREET SNACKER

Bun and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

The air is blue with smoke from meat on the barbeque. Co Tuyet is dishing out breakfast to her customers. It’s bun cha, but it’s the other bun cha, not the bun cha you normally eat — another bun cha. It’s bun rieu, but it’s the other bun rieu, not the bun rieu you’re used to — another bun rieu. It’s neither. It’s both. It’s bun cha rieu.

At first I thought this was Co Tuyet’s story. Of course, it is, but it’s also someone else’s. Around twenty years ago, Co Tuyet sold bun cha and bun rieu separately (she still does). But in the first few days of her food stall there arrived a customer; a man, a local motorcycle dealer — we’ll call him Thomas Phaedrus Jefferson, or Thomas.

Thomas asked to combine the two traditional dishes in one bowl. He loved it.

Co Tuyet tried his invention. She loved it too and added it to the menu (which is written in the air). Her customers love it so much that no-one ever orders anything else now.

Words by Phillip Turo.

Photos by Dominic Blewett Her family loves it so much that they eat it every morning. Thomas still loves it so much that he frequently comes back to munch on his own idea. I also love it very much and am eating it right now.

The tomato-rich broth has little bits of marinated pork fat floating in it, and comparatively large slabs of crab-stuff. So often the crab-stuff in bun rieu is flaky and collects at the bottom of the bowl in a kind of orange gruel that smells of unhappy childhood beach trips. Not here. It stays firm and can be picked up in hunks with the other ingredients. The reason for this, sayeth Co Tuyet, is that she uses fresh crab and doesn’t mix it with tofu like other merchants might. Another reason for the dish’s mad deliciousness is this: the cha is cooked in Ye Olden Style on bamboo sticks rather than encased in wire. This lends the pork a smokiness that you won’t find at other bun cha stalls. Not that this is bun cha or bun rieu (I think we’ve been over this).

I’ve finally finished my breakfast.

Halfway through, Co Tuyet pours in another

large ladle of broth. I’m very full.

I have a few questions to ask her: questions about fear, about invention, success, replication, the future, and about a perhaps perceived desecration of a muchloved but often rigid cuisine.

This, if you’ll allow me partly to paraphrase, partly to invent, is what she had to say:

“If people want to copy, let them copy. They may succeed, they may not. You can’t use one hand to cover the whole sky.

A motorcycle is made of many parts — it’s a system. A dish is the same, whether new or old — it’s a system of interdependent parts.

But these can change. We can take classic dishes, classic knowledge and, through the ‘Romanticism’ of invention, turn them into something that is both themselves and something else. That is progress. That is a journey. That, my child, is the definition of ‘Quality’.”

She motions to the raised train tracks that run behind her, invisible from where we sit, and says: “A train isn’t a train if it can’t go anywhere”.

I agree. And if Thomas Phaedrus Jefferson were here with me on the Phung Hung That Is Not Phung Hung But Is, eating his delicious invention, which is and isn’t and is what it is, I imagine he’d say the same thing.

Tuyet Bun Cha Rieu, 12 Phung Hung (directly behind butcher stall number 59). Open from 6.30am to 10.30am or until finished (often all gone by 9am). Cost: VND20,000 per bowl Thank you to Mark at www.stickyrice.typepad.com for the virtual heads up on this place.

May 2012 Word | 69

City Guide BUSINESS LISTINGS 071 / DESTINATION LISTINGS 075 / OUT & ABOUT LISTINGS 082 / LEISURE & ARTS LISTINGS 092 / FASHION LISTINGS 095 / HOME LISTINGS 097 / MEDICAL LISTINGS 099 PHOTO BY DOMINIC BLEWETT

BUSINESS

LISTINGS

ACCOUNTING & AUDITING 071 ADVERTISING & MARKETING 071 BUSINESS CONSULTING 071 BUSINESS GROUPS 071 COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY 072 CORPORATE GIFTS 072 HOUSING & REAL ESTATE 072 INSURANCE 072 INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS 072 INVESTMENT & FINANCE 073 LANGUAGE SCHOOLS 073

ACCOUNTING & AUDITING BEVERLY INVESTMENT Room 919, Suite 8, Song Da Building, Me Tri, Tu Liem, Tel: 794 9669 www.beverly.vn Professional investment company dealing with real estate resort, hotel and senior housing projects all over the country.

Working to promote sustainable development, Beverly provides good value for its partners, investors, customers and society.

TMF GROUP Unit 06-023, 6th Floor, Prime Center Building, 53 Quang Trung, Ha Dong 8th Floor, 53 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3944 9733 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 2660 Unit 501, 5th Floor, Saigon Trade Center 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, HCMC, Tel: 3910 2262 www.tmf-group.com TMF is headquartered in the Netherlands, with over 100 offices in 75 countries. Provides accounting, tax and payroll services.

Also specialises in helping international investors establish a presence in Vietnam.

This includes services such as incorporation of companies and representative offices, opening of bank accounts, licensing and tax stamps.

KPMG 16th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1600 www.kpmg.com.vn Worldwide firm specialising in auditing, accounting, tax and management consulting services. Also does executive search and selection.

PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS

A D D ITIONA L FE AT URE S

Business Buff 073 Destination Zero 076 Food Buff 086 Music Buff 089 Cinema Buff 094 Book Buff 098 Medical Buff 100 70 | Word May 2012

7th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem . Tel: 3946 2246 www.pwc.com Provides business services including auditing, business and technology solutions and tax and legal consulting. Has more than ten years experience in Vietnam and works in all major industry sectors throughout the country.

THANG LONG AUDITING COMPANY 23 Tran Duy Hung, Trung Hoa, Cau Giay Tel: 4976 2055 A Vietnamese company with more than 30 representative branches outside of Hanoi, Thang Long provides a full range of services, including audit, accounting, tax, corporate secretarial and business consultancy.

TMF VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED 2811, Saigon Trade Center, 37 Ton Duc Thang, Q1, Ho Chi Minh City, Tel: 3910 922 www.tmf-group.com With over 3,300 professionals working out

multinational clients by combining local know-how with a worldwide network.

Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity.

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings STUDIO TADA

LEGAL SERVICES 073 MANAGEMENT TRAINING 074 MARKET RESEARCH 074 PUBLIC 074 RECRUITMENT & HR 074 RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS 074 SERVICED APARTMENTS 074 ARTICES BUSINESS BUFF 073

of 86 offices in 65 countries, TMF provides independent accounting and corporate secretarial services to companies worldwide. TMF is expanding rapidly throughout the world. Learn more about our unique network and our services by visiting our website.

ADVERTISING & MARKETING CRUNCHY FROG 8 Xom Chua, Tay Ho, Tel: 01283 443579 www.crunchyfrogdesign.com Crunchy Frog is a personable and experienced western design and branding agency. They offer high quality creative and strategic solutions to both local and global clients. Services include research, brand and marketing strategy, and design of communications materials, brand identity, packaging and websites.

GREY GROUP 10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.grey.com/vietnam Founded in 1917 in New York, Grey is a full spectrum global communications company offering branding, advertising, marketing, digital, and PR, with offices in 100 countries. Grey is the only agency with a specialised HoReCa team. In Vietnam, the client roster includes Nike, Vinaphone, Levis, TNT, ESPN, Bayer, Samsung Mobile, BaoViet, P&G, BAT, and 35 other top local and international brands.

LEONITO 10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com In addition to their own clients, Leonito works in partnership with the Grey Group, a major full-spectrum marketing and communications company with offices in nearly 100 countries. Services include research, branding, activations, events and public relations.

LEONITO MARKETING CONSULTING

2nd floor, 63 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2246 0682 www.studiotada.com A small, young and elite designing and branding agency that has been working with well-known local and global brands like DMC, Hermes, Kenzo and Porsche.

The company offers services in branding, event, print and digital. With a youthful, energetic and experienced team, Tada has played an important part in international graphic design and advertising projects across Vietnam and France.

T&A OGILVY JVC LTD. 3rd Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 6008 T&A is a marketing services company set up in Hanoi in 1995. Since then, they’ve offered their marketing services to several large overseas companies. They also work in co-operation with WPP, a world-wide brand communications firm.

BUSINESS CONSULTING BOOZ ALLEN HAMILTON, INC. Room 703, 7th Floor, MOF Project Building, No. 4, Lane 1, Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 9662 www.boozallen.com A US-based private consulting firm, Booz Allen Hamilton is one of the most notable names in the business. This firm has a long track record of assisting governments and multi-nationals in risk assessment and mission development.

DELOITTE 8 Pham Ngoc Thach, Dong Da, Tel: 3852 4123 www.deloitte.com One of the Big Four, this firm offers a broad range of audit, tax, consulting, risk, and financial advice to businesses.

Over 182,000 employees in more than 150 countries, Deloitte serve more than 80 percent of the world's largest companies, Vietnam now being one of them.

DICKERSON KNIGHT GROUP 33A Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 2692 www.thinkdkg.com Established in 1991, this international firm has extensive experience in emerging markets. Their speciality is in providing advisory and training products to private sector enterprises and NGOs.

ERNST & YOUNG Daeha Business Centre, 15th Floor, 360 Kim Ma Street, Ba Dinh, Tel: 4831 5100 www.ey.com Provides a broad spectrum of services to help businesses capitalize on opportunities for growth, improve financial performance and manage risk. Works with a range of firms including private, stateowned and foreign.

10 Ho Ham Long Alley, Lane 1 Au Co Street, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 1459 www.leonito.com Leonito develops marketing campaigns & behaviour change communications strategies for commercial brands and nongovernment organizations. Services: brand development; design & printing; gifts & premiums; marketing; public relations & events. Clients include multi-national brands and NGOs.

T&C INVESTMENT HOLDING

OGILVY & MATHER

AMCHAM

8/F Tien Phong Newspaper Building, 15 Ho Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3822 3914 www.ogilvy.com International marketing communications company that leverages the brands of

L3-14 Thuy Khue. Ba Dinh, Tel: 3728 0776 www.t-cgroup.com A well-known Vietnamese conglomerate of companies operating since 1994, T&C’s focus is on providing internationalstandard consultation to engineering and infrastructure projects. They also provide market research consulting.

BUSINESS GROUPS M Floor, Business Center, Hilton Hanoi Opera, 1 Le Thanh Tong Tel: 3934 2790 www.amchamhanoi.com An independent association of American

May 2012 Word | 71

and international businesses, the objective of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam is to promote trade and investment between the United States and Vietnam.

AUSCHAM Room 2707, 1010 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 3562 5786 ext. 107 www.auschamvn.org An organisation bringing together Australian companies and individuals doing business in Vietnam, the Australian Chamber of Commerce offers advice on doing business. Also offers networking opportunities and social events.

BRITISH BUSINESS GROUP OF VIETNAM 193B Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 0906 240159 www.bbgv.org The first foreign business group to set up in Vietnam, BBGV’s goal is to both promote the interests of its members as well as the more general interests of British business. Organises business luncheons and seminars as well as regular social and networking events.

ICHAM Sofitel Plaza, Ground floor, 1 Thanh nien, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2393 www.icham.org The Chamber has the main purpose of undertaking activities to support commercial exchanges with Italy and to assist economic agents, as well as to foster the development of economic relations and cooperation among entrepreneurs of the various countries. The Chamber will not engage in commercial activities with the aim of producing profits.

HANOI WEBSITES HANOIGRAPEVINE.COM

The place to go for all things related to the arts in a city that is developing its own, vibrant contemporary arts scene. Has event calendars, event postings, blogs, addresses and contact details, and covers anything from classical music through to installations, rock concerts and more.

INFOSHAREHANOI.COM

Provides the expat community with essential information for living and working in Hanoi including comprehensive and up-to-date events listings as well as address lists of galleries, cinemas, theatres, hotels, housing agencies, embassies and much more.

Subscribe to receive their weekly newsletter.

LINKHANOI.COM

Event photos, a what’s on calendar, restaurant and bar listings and in fact, pretty much everything you want to know about nightlife in Hanoi can be found on this popular website. Also organize regular events and parties.

NEWHANOIAN.COM

The city’s best known website, The New Hanoian provides user-generated listings, reviews and event information on pretty much anything and everything in the capital.

Register, create your profile, write a review and receive frequent newsletters.

WORDHANOI.COM

The online extension of The Word, contains both content from the print edition as well as blogs, events, news, a what’s on calendar, party photos and much more. Also has downloadable PDF versions of the whole publication.

72 | Word May 2012

LAC VIET COMPUTING CORP Hanico Building 110 Thai Thinh, Dong Da Tel: 3512 1846 www.lacviet.com.vn Since its founding in 1994, professional services and innovative solutions has led LAC VIET to a recognized position of leadership in Vietnam. LAC VIET employs more than 400 professionals in IT services and product development. LAC VIET is a certified MicrosoftTM Gold Partner; CiscoTM Premier Reseller; Dell Distributor and Authorised Service Provider(DASP).

CCIFV Sofitel Plaza, No 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2229 www.ccifv.org A business group with over 240 members that supports the French business community in Vietnam by listening to their members’ needs and expectations. Also promotes Vietnam to French companies and helps them in developing their businesses here.

EUROCHAM G/F, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2228 www.eurochamvn.org A confederate organisation with strong ties to national business associations in its member countries, Eurocham looks after and provides advice and support for the business interests of European Union members in Vietnam.

NORDCHAM Suite 504, Thanh Ha Building, Linh Dam Tel: 3641 6864 www.nordchamhn.org.vn Provides support to Nordic companies and individuals operating in Vietnam. A business and social network, members have the opportunity to meet, discuss, interact and share expertise and experience.

SINGAPORE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION VIETNAM Business Center, Ground Floor, Fortuna Hotel, 6B Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 4772 0833 www.sbav-hanoi.org An association that actively fosters business relations with other business communities while promoting social, cultural, recreational, educational and charitable activities.

COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY NOI PICTURES 25/158 Ngoc Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3747 8611 noipictures@noipictures.com www.noipictures.com Photography and film agency specialising in commercial assignments, stock photography and production services in Vietnam.

Has a number of mainly overseas photographers in their books both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

CORPORATE GIFTS

REGAL PREMIUMS 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 0685 7167 www.regalvietnam.com Regal Premiums produces trendy corporate gifts, premiums gifts, promotional gifts and branded mass giveaway items.

Professional team helps with design to fit your brand and production and logistics to fit your budget.

HOUSING & REAL ESTATE CB RICHARD ELLIS (VIETNAM) CO., LTD 6 Floor, BIDV Tower,194 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 0220 www.cbrevietnam.com Finding the perfect accommodation to meet your various demands in Hanoi is made simple thanks to CBRE’s residential leasing team. Our services are inclusive

of site finding, travelling fees, contract negotiation and resolving any other issues which arise during the term of the lease, all of which are free of charge for the tenant.

COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL VIETNAM 9th floor, Vinaplast, Tai Tam Building, 39A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 2220 5888 www.colliersmn.com/vietnam Represent property investors, developers and occupiers in all matters related to commercial and residential property.

Services include leasing and sales, valuation and research, property management and support services.

Attempt to accelerate the success of their clients by making their knowledge your property.

DALUVA HOME 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho www.daluva.com/apartment Thoughtfully appointed and decorated, Daluva Home features a cosy bedroom for true rest, plus open living, dining, and work areas. Extras include two LCD TVs, iPod dock, and outdoor patio.

Housekeeping, and daily breakfast from the Daluva Breakfast Menu are also included. Private car and tour booking service available.

HANOI HOUSE HUNTER Quang Trung Building, Room 203, 39 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0983 336336 www.hanoihousehunter.com This company can assist you in finding an apartment that meets your living and budget requirements. Though they specialise in high-end, high-rise apartments, they do have a range of options. The website contains most listings.

KNIGHT FRANK 40 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem www.knightfrank.com UK real estate agent providing a wide range of services including property sale, lease, management, price appraisal, counselling and market research.

residential addresses by providing high quality architecture, residential design, interior design, commercial consultancy, marketing and branding solutions. A onestop-shop to finance, design, brand and build for the finest residential products.

VIETNAM LAND 38 Phan Boi Chau Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3787 0188 Vietnam Land was incorporated in Vietnam in 2002 as a commercial and residential real estate services, real estate property management and real estate development company. Since that time Vietnam Land has successfully developed two residential towers at the Chelsea Park project in Hanoi and a residential land sales project in Hung Yen province called Villa Park.

INSURANCE AIG Suite 5-01, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 1455 www.aig.com Offers a range of insurance products and services including property, casualty and marine exposure insurance. Also has comprehensive travel and accident coverage, as well as healthcare packages for expats residing in Vietnam.

IF CONSULTING 4th Floor, 5 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3936 5370 Emergency: 0903 732365 www.insuranceinvietnam.com Specialises in medical, employee benefits and personal lines insurance advice to expatriates. The company has been operational in Vietnam since 1994 and offers free advice and comparative quotes.

LIBERTY INSURANCE

2nd Floor, 43 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 5556 Specialising in meeting housing needs of expatriates and overseas Vietnamese, Megaland offers a wide range of serviced apartments, villas and commercial spaces.

16th Floor, Hoa Binh International Towers, 106 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay Tel: 3755 7111 www.libertyinsurance.com.vn Provides a quality range of insurance services to both commercial enterprises and individuals. Coverage includes property, liability, business interruption, marine cargo, automobile, home and travel, as well as expat healthcare packages. Toll free hotline in Vietnam: 1 800 599 998.

SAVILLS VIETNAM

PRUDENTIAL

6th floor, Sentinel Place, 41A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1300 www.savills.com.vn A leading global real estate service provider listed on the London Stock Exchange with over 200 offices worldwide.

Provides consultancy services, property management, space planning, facilities management, corporate real estate services, leasing, valuation and sales to the key segments of commercial, industrial, retail, residential and investment property.

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5999 www.prudential.com.vn Operating in Vietnam since 1995, has over 70 customer care centers throughout the country.

MEGALAND

TAN LONG HOUSING Moongate Building, 5th & 6th Floor, 107 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho , Tel: 3719 9864 www.tanlonghousing.com Tan Long has been concentrating on assisting individuals in the process of buying, selling and renting property in Hanoi since 1999. They also have several branch offices, and a useful website that can help to fill residential or commercial needs.

THREE TEMPLES 73B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 3366 www.threetemples.com Three Temples is a full-service, design-led property development and marketing company that specialises in creating

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS CONCORDIA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL HANOI CMC Tower, Duy Tan, Cau Giay Tel: 3795 8878 www.concordiahanoi.org International brand, Concordia, has highly performing schools in both Hong Kong and Shanghai at the top tier of the educational system. All instructors and teachers are native English speakers and admission applications are accepted throughout the year.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL 48 Lieu Giai Boulevard, Ba Dinh www.hisvietnam.com With schooling available for students studying at the elementary through to secondary levels of education, HIS is one of the few private, international education options in the capital. The institution offers Cambridge IGCSE and IB Diploma for students at the secondary level. Located near the Japanese Embassy.

KINDERWORLD INTERNATIONAL KINDERGARTEN Unit 9 – 10, Shophouse CT17, Ciputra Tel: 3743 0306 3rd Floor, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7243 Classes are kept small with a foreign teacher leading the class with the assistance of a Vietnamese teacher according to the teacher-student ratio. KinderWorld provides pre school education for children from 18 months to below 6 years.

QSI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF HANOI #17 Lane, 67 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6418 www.hanoi.qsi.org With nearly four decades of experience in international education, QSI International School of Hanoi is next in the long line of ‘quality schools’ that have been established by the Quality Schools International.

The institution specialises in instructing pre-school and lower elementary age students.

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL SSCHOOL 2D Van Phuc Diplomatic Compound, 46 Van Bao, 726 1601, Block C3, Ciputra Tel: 3758 2664 An international school with an excellent record in a host of countries around the world, now available to those in Hanoi within its salubrious surrounds in Ciputra.

UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL (UNIS) Ciputra International Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org With more than 800 students from 50 different countries, UNIS is a non-profit IB World School that instructs students from as young as three years old through to grade 12. Established in 1988 by agencies representing the United Nations, the pristine campus has a broad range of facilities and is located in the gated community of Ciputra.

INVESTMENT & FINANCE DRAGON CAPITAL 11th Floor, Hanoi Lake View Bldg, 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho, Tel: 3936 0203 www.dragoncapital.com An integrated financial services provider with an exclusive focus on Vietnam’s capital markets. Established in 1994, the group is one of the largest and most experienced asset managers in Vietnam with total group assets in excess of US$2 billion. Has offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and the UK.

INDOCHINA CAPITAL Floors 9-9A, 60 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3930 6399 www.indochinacapital.com A leading investment firm operating in the ASEAN region with a particular focus on Vietnam. Assists partners, co-investors and clients to achieve financial objectives while focusing on four core areas: corporate finance and advisory services, investment management and real estate development.

MEKONG CAPITAL

12th Floor, HAREC Building, 4A Lang Ha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4888 www.mekongcapital.com A private equity firm which focuses on the growth equity of companies in the developing Vietnamese economy.

SG VIETFRANCE VIT Tower, 18th Floor, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 2220 8979 The Vietnamese subsidiary of France’s Societe Generale, the company recently opened a Hanoi. This was the first financial company in Vietnam to focus entirely on consumer credit.

TOTAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT 66/11 Pham Ngoc Thach, Q3, Ho Chi Minh City Tel: 3820 0623 www.t-wm.com TWM provides information related to inter-country personal financial planning.

They will walk you through the solutions and products available and will constantly monitor and manage your portfolio through opportunity and instability in global financial markets.

VIET TIN FINANCIAL CO. 1st & 2nd Floor, 40 Pho Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3941 1566 www.viet-tin.com A locally based securities and stock brokerage firm whose stated mission is to provide valued returns to partners and shareholders.

VINACAPITAL 5th Floor, Sun City Building, 13 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 4630 www.vinacapital.com A leading investment fund management company with extensive experience in the emerging Vietnam market. Manages the Vietnam Opportunity Fund (VOF), which is a an investment fund currently listed on the London Stock Exchange.

LANGUAGE SCHOOLS APOLLO 67 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 2051 www.apolloedutrain.com Established in 1994, Apollo offers highquality and cost-effective English language classes including general English, English for teens, English for business communication and a pronunciation clinic.

One of the country’s leading language centres.

BRITISH COUNCIL 20 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho, Tel: 3728 1922 www.britishcouncil.org The cultural arm of the British government’s presence in Vietnam, the BC offers a variety of English language courses – business writing, corporate training and general English – in a large learning centre close to West Lake.

CLEVERLEARN Building 3, 2C Diplomatic Compound, Van Bao, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3726 1698 www.cleverlearnvietnam.vn With two main schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Cleverlearn offers mainly conversational and business English courses. An authorised in iBT test site by the ETS.

LANGUAGE LINK VIETNAM 62 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3733 8402 www.languagelink.edu.vn With four schools around Hanoi, Language Link runs international English language courses endorsed by Cambridge University. One of the top language centres in the capital.

LEGAL SERVICES ALLENS ARTHUR ROBINSON Suite 401, Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3936 0990 Australian law firm working in Asia for over 30 years. Besides providing the standard legal services to corporate clients, has an excellent website containing the Vietnam Laws Online Database English translations of over 3,000 Vietnamese laws. Also publishes a monthly Vietnam Legal Update.

BAKER & MCKENZIE 13th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1428 www.bakernet.com One of the first international law firms to establish representative offices in Vietnam, Baker & McKenzie provide on-

BUSINESS

BUFF

GETTING AHEAD If you’re worried about your CV or looking for ways to improve your job applications, spare a moment to hear sage advice from Word’s guest columnist Daragh Halpin on how to secure that all important interview WHAT’S IN A CV? Many people are confused when it comes to writing a CV or a resume — both from a ‘content’ and a ‘structure’ point of view.

The issue isn’t made any easier by the fact that there are cultural ‘norms’ at play as well. When writing a CV, the applicant should always be mindful of who the recipient is — and therein lies the first rule: Always tailor your CV to the organisation and the role being applied for Many job seekers simply cut and paste parts of their CV onto applications — I’ve even encountered CVs where the applicant had forgotten to change the name of the company being applied to!

Each job position requires particular and specific skills, experiences and responsibilities.

The content of your CV should focus, as much as possible, on highlighting where your skills and experiences match those being sought. This might sound obvious but many people fail to spend enough time on this aspect of their CV preparation. Choose your words carefully and be succinct — no employer wants to read a novel when a page will do. This brings us to rule number two:

— remember the employer may not even bother reading the second page. The real challenge in writing a good CV is knowing what to leave out as much as what to put in. The sequence is important. And so to rule three: LAST THINGS FIRST I advise my clients to follow the 80/20 rule. Eighty percent of your CV should be focused on your most recent activity, and 20 percent should be focused on your work and career details.

This means that you detail your current or most recent job position first and work your way backwards. The most recent positions will have the greatest detail and should be tailored to the job being applied for now.

Positions of five or 10 years ago might only warrant a line or two.

Your CV is a sales tool to secure you an interview. Clarity of presentation, correct spelling and accurate grammar are essential. Always have a friend or colleague review your CV and ask for feedback — it could make all the difference.

Visit www. competitiveedgevietnam.com for more information

KEEP IT SHORT There are always exceptions to the rule but generally CVs should not exceed three pages.

If you are applying for a middle or senior management position, the key information should be up front and on the first page

May 2012 Word | 73

the-ground liaison and support services to clients interested in investigating, negotiating and implementing projects in the country.

FRASERS LAW COMPANY Unit 1205, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1203 www.frasersvn.com The first legal firm licensed as a foreign law company in Vietnam, Frasers provides legal advice on all areas of business and commerce within the country.

FRESHFIELDS BRUCKHAUS DERINGER #05-01 International Centre, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 7422 This law firm works in 19 countries and is one of the world’s largest. They regularly advise large clients on international investment, banking and finance.

GIDE LOYRETTE NOUEL A.A.R.P.I. Pacific Place, Suite 505 – 507, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 2350 www.gide.com A leading international law firm with 24 offices worldwide including Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. The Vietnam offices offer their clients (companies and international institutions) high quality services which combine legal expertise and a highly commercial approach to clients’ needs, across all sectors of business law.

J&P LAW LLC Room 1204B, Floor 12, Tower B, Handi Resco Tower, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3724 5201 www.jnplaw.com This Korean law firm offers international legal services and has additional branches in Ho Chi Minh City, Beijing and Ulaanbaatar. The Vietnam offices provide high-quality legal services in English, Korean, and Vietnamese across all sectors of business law.

LAWYERS ASSOCIATION OF THE CITY OF HANOI 35 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 3835 3548 The Lawyer’s Association is a collective of Vietnamese lawyers speicialising in many fields. They can provide legal and representation services.

ROUSE LEGAL (HANOI BRANCH) 7th Floor, VIT Building, 519 Kim Ma, Dong Da Tel: 3577 0479 www.iprights.com Rouse is an international intellectual property law firm. From HCMC and Hanoi we advise on protection and enforcement of trade marks, patents, copyright and domain names; commercial IP, IP management/strategy.

RUSSIN & VECCHI 11/F, Hanoi Central Office Bldg., Suite 1104, 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Tel: 3825 1700 A financial law firm which focuses on commercial and investment matters for corporate clients. In some cases they can provide assistance to individual clients.

MANAGEMENT TRAINING BRITISH UNIVERSITY VIETNAM 193 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 7596 www.britishuniversity.edu.vn The first university offering prestigious UK degrees in Vietnam. Courses offered in 2010 include International Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Accounting & Finance, Marketing Management, Accounting & Business. Pre-university courses are also available.

G&H MANAGEMENT SERVICES HKC Building, Suite 701, 285 Doi Can, Ba Dinh Tel: 3762 3805 www.ghmsglobal.com A 100% foreign-invested company focusing

74 | Word May 2012

on management services and consulting with in-house programs to meet the particular requirements of its clients.

Offers teambuilding and academic-based business and management programmes.

RMIT Hanoi Resco Building, 521 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 1460 www.rmit.edu.vn A leading international provider of skills training and professional staff development, RMIT offers both short and longterm courses, customised courses, and can provide for either on or off-campus clients. Known for its Business MBA which is open to both Vietnamese and overseas students.

TQPR Room 109, House K, 7, 2ha, Vinh Phuc Ward, Ba Dinh., Tel: 32474 028 www.tqpr.com One in a group of companies from Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, the company offers international standard consultancy services and value-added results to local, regional and global clients.

VENUS COMMUNICATIONS 4 Da Tuong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3944 7066 Well-known PR and communications company with offices in both Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Offers the full range of PR, advertising and consultancy services.

MARKET RESEARCH CIMIGO 142 Le Duan, Dong Da Tel: 3518 6696 vietnam@cimigo.com www.cimigo.com Independent marketing and brand research specialist operating in Hanoi and the Asia Pacific region in general.

Services include auditing and optimising research programs, knowledge management, developing marketing plans and business models, and assessing market opportunities.

INDOCHINA RESEARCH 7th Floor, 73 Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4661 www.indochinaresearch.com Provides a regional perspective on consumer, retail and social research to a range of multinational organisations operating in Indochina. Focus is on developing partnerships that leverage their market knowledge and on enhancing their client’s competitive position in the region.

THE NIELSEN COMPANY 3rd floor, 85 Nguyen Du, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 1161 www.nielsen.com Media company offering integrated marketing and media measurement information and analytics. Offers full service capability across qualitative, quantitative, media and retail measurement for FMCGs, consumer products, finance, telecoms and more.

VINALINK 11th Floor, Lang Ha Building, 14 Lang Ha, Dong Da, Tel: 3772 4234 www.vinalink.com Specialising in online survey-based market research, Vinalink is a subcontractor for a few global market research firms, including CALEB Global and Pulse Group.

PUBLIC RELATIONS MEDIA ONE Rm 207, 40A Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3939 3966 www.media-one.vn PR company with offices both in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Focuses mainly on the Telecom and IT industries, providing a range of services including events, product activation, consulting, marketing and advertising.

PIONEER COMMUNICATIONS Floor 6, 58 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3945 4398 www.pioneervn.com Pioneer Communications is one of the leading agencies in providing integrated marketing and public relations solutions for businesses and organiastions in Vietnam.

RECRUITMENT & HR AON VIETNAM LIMITED 14th Floor, Vietcombank Tower, 198 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 0832 www.aon.com/vietnam Founded in Vietnam in 1994, among other things, Aon now concentrates on human capital consulting, assisting their clients with compensation, benefit analyses and outsourcing.

HR2B Suite A6, 3rd Floor, Horison Office Center, 40 Cat Linh, Dong Da , Tel: 3736 6843 www.hr2b.com The forte of this company is placing highly talented Vietnamese and expat candidates into executive positions at medium to large companies. Rapidly growing, in the past years they’ve added Coca Cola, DHL and Prudential to their client list.

MANPOWER VIETNAM 12th Floor, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung , Tel: 3974 4574 www.manpower.com.vn Established in Vietnam at the beginning of 2008, Manpower is the first global recruitment company to set up locally.

Offers a range of services for the entire employment and business cycle.

NAVIGOS GROUP Suite 1401, Vincom City Tower B, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung , Tel: 3974 3033 www.navigosgroup.com Adept at solving human resource challenges through excellence in matching and management talent. Has offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

RELOCATION & TRACKING AGENTS ALLIED PICKFORDS 8 Cat Linh, Dong Da, Tel: 6275 2824 vn.alliedpickfords.com The international home moving company helps make the burden of moving a lot easier. As the largest home moving company in the world, Allied Pickfords moves over 1,000 families in over 175 countries every day. Available with a full range of services — domestic moves, office moves and storage — whether you are moving within Vietnam or across the world.

ASIAN TIGERS TRANSPO Inland Customs Depot Area (ICD), Pham Hung, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 3768 5882 www.asiantigersgroup.com Asian Tigers Group is committed to its mission of moving households without disruption to family life. They also offer pre-move advice regarding customs and shipping.

CROWN RELOCATION SERVICES 95E Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh , Tel: 3936 6741 www.crownrelo.com Offering both family and corporate relocation services locally and internationally,

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Crown prides themselves on being a kidfriendly company.

JVK INDOCHINA MOVERS

LISTINGS

6 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3826 0334 www.jvkasia.com Focused primarily on the international and local movement of household goods, JVK is currently a leader in the field. Has offices in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

DALAT 075 DANANG 075 HALONG & CAT BA 075 HAI PHONG 0795 HANOI - INTERNATIONAL 075 HANOI - MID - RANGE 077 HANOI - BUDGET 077 HO CHI MINH CITY 077 HOI AN & DANANG 078 HUE 078 MAI CHAU & HOA BINH 079 NAM DINH & NINH BINH 079

RESIDENT VIETNAM 3A Alley, 49 Huynh Thuc Khang, Tel: 3773 7191 www.residentvietnam.com Established in 2000, Resident Vietnam was the first dedicated Expatriate Service Provider in Vietnam. Resident Vietnam provides full relocation and immigration management services to several multinational companies in Vietnam and ser vices the Global Mobility industry.

SANTA FE RELOCATION SERVICES Suite 821, Vietnam Trade Union Hotel, 14 Tran Binh Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0908 096222 sales@santaferelo.com.vn www.santaferelo.com Santa Fe Relocation Services offers moving, home search, pet transport, orientation and immigration services. We are proud to be the only moving company with both ISO 9001 – 14001 certification in Vietnam.

SERVICED APARTMENTS ATLANTA RESIDENCES 49 Hang Chuoi, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0912 239085 www.atlanta.com.vn Atlanta Residences fully serviced apartments have been created to provide a space where you can ‘feel at home’.

Within walking distance from Hanoi’s Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake, this building offers a panel of 51 spacious apartments for you to choose from. The serviced apartments here offer the luxury of a hotel mixed with the peaceful comfort and privacy of your home, under one roof of course.

DALUVA HOME 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 Whether traveling or on a temporary stay, Daluva can provide space & comfort.

Thoughtfully appointed Daluva Homes feature a cozy bedroom for true rest, and an open living area that opens up to a terrace with plants.

MAYFAIR 34B Tran Phu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0030 www.mayfair-hanoi.com A building with a great location, and some of the largest apartments you’ll find. The Mayfair is popular among the diplomatic and international business communities.

DALAT BLUE MOON HOTEL RESORT AND SPA $$$ 4 Phan Boi Chau, Tel: 063 357 8888 www.bluemoonhotel.com.vn Ideally situated in the centre of Dalat, this hotel has 71 rooms, all with good views, and modern amenities, including flatscreen TVs and DSL connections. Also has a heated swimming pool, gym, spa, and prices to match.

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DREAMS HOTEL $ 151 Phan Dinh Phung, Dalat, Tel: 063 383 3748 The excellent value at this small private place has made it justifiably popular. You get a large room with cable TV, free breakfast and Internet access, starting from $10 per night. The staff are friendly, too. Just round the corner are bike rentals (watch those hills) and other tour facilities.

TRUNG CANG HOTEL

No. 96 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 0888 www.sedonahotels.com.sg 175 well-designed, furnished apartments and villas combining the comforts of home with the conveniences of a fine hotel.

SOMERSET GRAND HANOI 49, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3934 2342 www.somerset.com Internationally-managed accommodation with personalised services and extensive facilities. 185 fully furnished apartments, car park, 24-hour reception and central location.

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$ 4A Bui Thi Xuan, Dalat , Tel: 063 382 2663 You get door-to-door service from Saigon at this budget hotel – it has links with the Sinh Cafe people and this is where their

PRICE RANGE $

BELOW VND630,000

$$

VND651,000 TO VND1,680,000

$$$

VND1,701,000 TO VND3,171,000

$$$$ ABOVE VND3,171,000

ICONS 101 CREDIT

SEDONA SUITES

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings NHA TRANG 079 NORTH-EAST 079 NORTH-WEST 080 PHAN THIET / MUI NE 080 PHU QUOC 080 SAPA 080 TAM DAO 080 TRAVEL SERVICES 080

HALONG DREAM HOTEL

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$$$ 10 Halong Road, Halong , Tel: 0333 849 009 www.halongdreamhotel.com Close to the pier and the new bridge, what this hotel lacks in character is made up for in cleanliness and comfort. There are 184 rooms priced between VND2 million and VND6 million. Other facilities include indoor pool, health club and sauna.

HALONG PLAZA

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$$$ 8 Halong Road, Bai Chay, Halong Tel: 0333 845810, www.halongplaza.com One of the many large tower-type hotels in Halong City, Halong Plaza has pretty much everything you’d expect from a 4-star hotel. 200 rooms, a bar and a restaurant that touts its seafood and barbecue.

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NOVOTEL HA LONG BAY

ACCEPTS CREDIT CARDS RESTAURANT & BAR SERVICES SMOKE-FREE ROOMS GYM SWIMMING POOL BUSINESS FACILITIES

bus stops. Apart from that convenience, it is a fairly basic hotel, but it’s right in the middle of town.

DANANG DANANG BEACH RESORT $$$ Son Tra, Dien Ngoc Coastal Street Hoa Hai Ward, Ngu Hanh Son, Tel: 0511 396 1800 With six different styles of villa units that offer views of the ocean, the mountains and a green of a golf course, the Danang Beach Resort is one of the most luxurious places to stay in this much overlooked city. The property also offers 33-storey twin towers housing a five-star hotel and golf courses adding up to 36 holes.

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HALONG & CAT BA BAI TU LONG ECOTOURISM RESORT $ Halong Commune, Van Don , Tel: 0333 793156 Stay in a beachside bungalow or a traditional resort-style hotel on the shores of Van Don Island. Bai Tu Long Bay is situated just up the coast from Halong City.

The staff here can help you arrange tours that will offer scenery a bit different than the standard tours of Halong Bay.

BHAYA CRUISES, HALONG BAY $$$ 47 Phan Chu Trinh Street, Hoan Kiem Tel: 04 3944 6777 (Sales Office) www.bhayacruises.com Bhaya combines oriental style with contemporary luxury, offering tours of beautiful Halong Bay aboard reproduction wooden junks. Two or three-night tours are available and customers have a wide range of cabin styles to choose from: standard, deluxe or royal.

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EMERAUDE CLASSIC CRUISES $$$$ Tel: 04 3934 0888 www.emeraude-cruises.com This reproduction of a 19th-century paddle steamer trawls around Halong Bay in colonial style, with onboard overnight accommodation in impeccably maintained cabins. The great food and service adds to the already beautiful setting. They also offer transfers directly from Hanoi.

$$$ Ha Long Road, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh. Tel: 0333 848108 www.novotelhalongbay.com Located three hours from Hanoi, the beachfront Novotel Ha Long Bay is in close proximity to major attractions such as bay cruises and local markets. Featuring 214 rooms, one restaurant, two bars and one professional spa with seven treatment rooms, Novotel Ha Long Bay enjoys impressive panoramic vistas, including a pool with swim-up bar overlooking the limestone bay. Ideal for business travel or family holidays.

OCEAN BEACH RESORT

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$$$ www.oceanbeachresort.com.vn This resort is on a private island just off of Cat Ba Island. Around VND600,000 will get you a comfortable room in a bungalow close to the beach. Fee also includes the boat ride from Cat Ba. For more information check on the web.

PEACE HOTEL $ 39 Vuon Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846009 Found just outside Halong City on Bai Chay beach, this is clean, honest accommodation for a reasonable price. Located on “Hotel Alley”, there are a lot of options here. The rooms are fairly well looked after and clean. You can usually get one for under VND400,000, but prices vary depending on the season.

PRINCES HOTEL $ Nui Ngoc, Cat Ba Island, Tel: 0313 888899 This is one of the better hotels on Cat Ba Island. Large, clean rooms with all the modern conveniences, as well as a restaurant and a popular bar. The front desk can also arrange tailor-made tours around the bay.

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HAI LONG JUNKS, HALONG BAY 32 Anh Dao, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 846099 Hai Long Junks is one of the three largest cruise operators in Halong Bay. The company boasts 11 overnight cruise vessels with a total of 160 cabins and 15 traditional junks with capacities from 25-48 passengers each for day trippers,

ROYAL HOTEL

hotels, the aircon old but clean rooms come in all shapes and sizes and have satellite TV, a fridge and a mini bar. The front-desk staff speaks English and can help sort out any travel arrangements.

Rates from around VND250,000 per night.

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$$$ KM 8 Pham Van Dong, Duong Kinh, Hai Phong Tel: 0313 880 888 www.pearlriverhotel.vn Located 100km east of Hanoi, the fourstar Best Western Pearl River Hotel is the only internationally branded hotel in Hai Phong. All 101 suites and rooms offer bathrobe and slippers, digital safety box, free internet access, satellite TV and 24-hour room service. Facilities include the Jade restaurant, offering western and Asian fare, several bars, a deluxe spa and fitness center with separate hot and cold Jacuzzis, sauna, steam room, relax lounge and VIP massage room.

HARBOUR VIEW HOTEL

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FRASER SUITES 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 8877 http://hanoi.frasershospitality.com Great location in Syrena Tower on West Lake, Fraser Suites offer a tranquil repose from the busy city. Has several apartments with excellent views and provides gold-standard service.

providing cruise services for travelers with a mid-range budget.

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$$$$ 66 Pho Ha Long, Bai Chay, Quang Ninh Tel: 0333 848999. www.royalhalong.com The four-star Royal Hotel boasts villas, well-landscaped gardens and a pool, all overlooking Halong Bay. Just two minutes walk from Bai Chay, the property has a resort feel and the rooms are housed in several buildings. If you’re feeling lucky, there’s also a ‘Gaming Club’.

HAI PHONG BACH DANG HOTEL $$ 42 Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 384 2444 bachdanghotelhp@hn.vnn.vn One of the best of the town’s best budget

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$$$ 4 Tran Phu, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 382 7827 www.harbourviewvietnam.com Hai Phong’s most prestigious address, this cool, retro French-colonial style property is the only international standard hotel in town. Designed with panache without being pretentious, room rates at this 122-unit property start at around VND2.5 million.

HUU NGHI HOTEL

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$$$ 60A Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 384 2706, www.huunghihotel.vn One of the larger hotels in town, Huu Nghi offers some of the comforts you might miss at the other places. In addition to the clean up-to-standard rooms, the hotel also has a swimming pool and tennis courts.

MAXIM HOTEL $$ 3K Ly Tu Trong, Hai Phong, Tel: 031 374 6540 New and tidy, with cable TV and airconditioning, Maxim is one of the best mini hotels in town. Rooms are small but have good modern conveniences like satellite TV and new, clean bathrooms done in designer tiles. Room rates around VND250,000 to VND300,000 a night.

MONACO HOTEL 103 Pho Dien Bien Phu, Hai Phong Tel: 031 374 6468 One of the more modern hotels on Dien Bien Phu Street, the prices here are competitive and it’s possible to request a room with a kitchen. Standards with aircon and a TV start at VND350,000 per night.

HANOI – INTERNATIONAL CROWNE PLAZA WEST HANOI $$$ Lot X7, Le Duc Tho, My Dinh, Tu Liem Tel: 6270 6688. www.crowneplaza.com My Dinh’s first five-star property. This 24-storey mixed-use complex lies next to My Dinh National Stadium and close to the National Convention Centre. Boasting 393 guest rooms (including 40 suites), two swimming pools and a spa and fitness centre, Crowne Plaza also has some of the best meetings and conference facilities in town.

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DAEWOO HOTEL

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$$$ 360 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 5555 www.hanoi-daewoohotel.com This enormous structure offers the most modern of amenities, and with four restaurants and two bars, the events staff is well equipped to handle any occasion. Close to the National Convention Center, and a favourite of the business traveller, Daewoo even boasts an outdoor driving range.

Shortly to become a Marriot property.

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FORTUNA HOTEL HANOI

MARIGOLD HOTEL

$$$ 6B Lang Ha, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3831 3333 www.fortunahotels.com This 350-room four-star set up in the heart of Hanoi’s financial district has a variety of rooms on offer, a “capital lounge” and three restaurants that serve Japanese, Chinese and international cuisine. And like you’d expect, there’s a fitness centre, night club and swimming pool, too, and even a separate spa and treatment facility for men and women. Set to the west of town, Fortuna often offers business deals on rooms and spaces to hold meetings, presentations and celebrations.

$$$ 17A Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9988 www.marigoldhotelhanoi.com A contemporary boutique hotel a stone’s throw from Hang Cot in the Old Quarter.

Colonial era accents throughout and an oriental themes lobby. 32 upmarket rooms and an intimate top class restaurant make this a strong contender in an area with plenty of competition.

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FRASER SUITES

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$$$$ 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 8877 www.hanoi.frasershospitality.com A good alternative to staying at a five-star hotel while you’re in the capital, Fraser Suites offers short-term stays for as little as VND2.5 million a night when they’re having a promotion. In the West Lake area, you can expect the gold-standard service with a quiet atmosphere and excellent views.

GOLDEN SILK BOUTIQUE HOTEL $$$ 109-111 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi Tel: 3928 6969, www.goldensilkhotel.com With 55 rooms and suites, the four-star Golden Silk Boutique Hotel, which is located in the centre of the Old Quarter, is the only hotel offering a complimentary (free!) and daily replenished minibar and snacks service in every room. Facilities include a spa with Jacuzzi, sauna and steam rooms, a comprehensive range of business amenities, the Orient restaurant, serving international and Vietnamese fare, and the Rendezvous Piano Bar with wines and cocktails.

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HANOI HILTON

Puerto Princesa, a gateway to the Philippines’ Palawan.

Words and photo by Robert Stockdill ne of the first things a visitor to the Palawan capital Puerto Princesa hears upon arrival is a warning not to toss any candy wrappers or cigarette butts into the gutters.

Thanks to a fervent campaign by former city mayor Edward S Hagedorn, Puerto Princesa must have the cleanest streets in the country. Get caught littering three times and you go to jail! Yes, jail for littering!

Puerto Princesa means City in a Forest.

Budget carriers Cebu Pacific, Zest Air, Air Asia or AirPhil offer many direct flights from Manila or Clark at fares from as low as VND420,000.

No matter where you stay, getting around town is easy by local tricycle. There are no car taxis here; instead you hail quaint tin chariots built over motorcycles.

Some fit two at an absolute squeeze, others three in comfort. They are all open air, leak like a sieve and transmit every undulation in the road directly to your spine, but they’re functional, plentiful and cost just 20 cents a head for a short trip within town.

The Philippines is not renowned for its cuisine, which is surprising because local dishes like sweet and sour lapu lapu (fish) and pancit canton (a colourful noodle dish) can be delicious and nutritious in one.

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Seafood is plentiful here - Palawan boasts a 2,000km coastline.

Kinabuchs, a huge outdoor restaurant offers a Palaweño delicacy for the truly brave: tamilok — woodworm harvested from mangrove trees, likened in flavour to oysters but far less appealing to the eye, (if that is possible!).

River Life There are two great day itineraries: Day 1: Take a tricycle to the picturesque Honda Bay and hire an outrigger style wooden boat to go island hopping.

Swim with the fishes — be warned, they bite, but there’ll be no lasting damage. Snorkelling gets you close to an abundance of tame sea life, you can bake on the expansive white sandy beaches, swim in the clear waters or snack on fresh food offered by roaming vendors, washed down with fresh coconut juice or cold beer. Get caught in a squall on the way back and watch as the tropical downpour smoothes the surface of the sea.

Afterwards head to Kim’s Hotspring on the way back to Puerto Princesa where you can soak in rejuvenating natural mineral pools.

Day 2: Book a day trip with your own personal driver to the famous Underground River. A visit includes a cumbersome bureaucratic process involving a licence bought in Puerto Princesa exchanged for a ticket after the two hour road journey: no licence, no ticket. Our advice: leave the bureaucracy to the driver and treat yourself to a fresh mango smoothie, American style breakfast and espresso coffee at the expatrun Itoy’s Coffee Haus in downtown.

The underground river is accessed by a boat trip around a point to a staging post where giant monitors wander by the path and monkeys noisily leap from tree to tree high above your head. A raft takes groups on the river journey into giant cavernous caves where tiny bats dangle from exotic rock formations crafted by nature over thousands of years. The guides are passionate about the river and you feel like they’re taking you on a tour of their house, complete with often laugh out loud observations about the decor and the house guests. Be warned!

If you’ve not ventured to the Philippines before, three days in Puerto Princesa is likely to give you an insatiable thirst for Asia’s most underrated travel destination.

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$$$$ 1 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan Kiem , Tel: 3933 0500 www.hilton.com Located next to the Opera House, this fivestar is not to be confused with the famed “Hanoi Hilton” that housed American POWs. Reproduction colonial architecture is matched by an elegant and spacious inside area. Has all the standard facilities of a top-end hotel as well as an attractive, courtyard pool area.

HORISON HOTEL

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$$$ 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3733 0808 This 250-room hotel no longer boasts the sparkle of a few years ago, but nonetheless has good quality rooms with all the mod-cons and a cavernous lobby. Decent but slightly old gym area and a good outdoor pool.

HOTEL DE L’OPERA

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$$$$ 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6282 5555 contact@hoteldelopera.com Resting just a step away from the Opera House, the hotel mixes colonial architectural accents and theatrical interior design to create a contemporary space. The first boutique five star in the heart of Hanoi, the lavish, uniquely designed 107 rooms and suites contain all the mod cons and are complimented by two restaurants, a bar and complimentary Wi-Fi.

INTERCONTINENTAL HANOI WESTLAKE $$$$ 1A Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 6270 8888 www.hanoi.intercontinental.com This stunning property built over West Lake falls in between a hotel and a resort.

Beautiful views, great balcony areas, comfortable, top-end accommodation and all the mod-cons make up the mix here together with the resort’s three in-house restaurants and the Sunset Bar, a watering hole located on a thoroughfare over the lake. Great gym and health club.

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MELIA HANOI

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$$$$ 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 3343 www.meliahanoi.com Excellently located in central Hanoi, Melia Hanoi draws plenty of business travellers and is also a popular venue for conferences and wedding receptions. State-ofthe-art rooms, elegant restaurants, stylish bars, fully equipped fitness centre with sophisticated service always make inhouse guests satisfied.

MERCURE HANOI LA GARE $$$ 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3944 7766 When your train arrives from Sapa at 5am, you will be overjoyed if your bed is just across the street from the station in one of the 102 spacious rooms at this smart hotel. A stone’s throw from both the Old Quarter and the Temple of Literature, Mercure Hanoi boasts a French brasserie, an internal courtyard, a fitness centre and a retail outlet of wine importer and distributor Da Loc. CREDIT

MÖVENPICK HOTEL HANOI

HANOI – MID-RANGE 6 ON SIXTEEN 16 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem www.sixonsixteen.com Another boutique hotel to grace Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the six rooms here mix contemporary and fresh with handicrafts and antique. Breakfast is included and in the long, lounge restaurant on the second floor, home-style Vietnamese fare is served up with fresh fruit juices and Lavazza coffee.

GIABAO HANOI & GIABAO GRAND $$$ 38 & 23 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2222 Two mid-range hotels situated in the heart of Hanoi,just 150 meters from Hoan Kiem Lake. Built using a blend of western and oriental architecture, the properties have 28 and 35 rooms respectively, all with mod-cons. For a bit more luxury stay at the Giabao Grand.

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GOLDEN LOTUS HOTEL

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$$ 32 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 8583 www.goldenlotushotel.com.vn The interesting arty decor of this place is a bonus, as is its value for money – it’s not often you pay under VND1 million for a modern hotel room slap bang in the middle of town. Try to get a front room (with balcony) to look out over the bustling Old Quarter. They’ve also opened a second Golden Lotus just down the street at number 39.

HANOI SPRING HOTEL II

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$$$$ 83A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3822 2800 www.moevenpick-hanoi.com With its distinctive French architecture and top end service, Mövenpick Hotel Hanoi is aimed squarely at corporate travellers.

An all-day restaurant and a lounge bar are available to satiate their clientele while the kinetic gym and wellness studio offer an excellent range of equipment. Massage and sauna facilities are available for guests seeking to rejuvenate. Of the 154 well-appointed rooms and suites, 93 are non-smoking.

$$ 38 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 8500 www.hanoispringhotel.com One of the only hotels in the Old Quarter to have a balcony with each room, this new boutique is middle of the range but feels higher. Run by Australian expats and partners with a wealth of experience in the hotel industry, expect great service.

Awesome western breakfasts and Vietnamese lunch and dinners. The top floor honeymoon suite has perfect views of St Josephs Cathedral.

SHERATON

$$ 5 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1048 info@josephshotel.com, www.josephshotel.com Just to the side of St. Joseph’s Cathedral, this is a well-appointed, comfortable boutique hotel. Brightly decorated, the property’s 10 rooms have Wi-Fi, flatscreen TV and a mini bar. Prices start at VND650,000 a night. No smoking except for on the upstairs balconies.

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$$$$ K5 Nghi Tam, 11 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9000 www.sheraton.com/hanoi Surrounded by lush gardens, sweeping lawns and tranquil courtyards, this peaceful property features picturesque views of West Lake and is less than 10 minutes from downtown. In addition to the luxurious rooms, the hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool and great relaxation and fitness facilities, including a tennis court and spa. There are well equipped conference rooms and a newly refurbished Executive Club Lounge.

SOFITEL LEGEND METROPOLE HANOI $$$$ 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 ww.sofitel.com The finest hotel of the French colonial period is probably still the finest in today’s Hanoi. Anyone who is (or was) anyone has stayed at this elegant oasis of charm, where the service is impeccable and the luxurious facilities complement the ambiance of a bygone era. Definitely the place to put the Comtessa up for a night.

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SOFITEL PLAZA HANOI $$$$ 1 Thanh Nien Road, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3823 8888 Boasting Hanoi’s best views of West Lake, Truc Bach Lake and the Red River, Sofitel Plaza Hanoi soars 20 storeys above the city skyline. The 5-star hotel features 317 luxurious, comfortable guestrooms with spectacular lake view or river view ranking in 7 types from Classic Room to Imperial Suite.

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JOSEPH’S HOTEL

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MAISON D’HANOI HANOVA HOTEL $$$$ 35-37 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 04 3938 0999 www.hanovahotel.com Just a short walk from Hoan Kiem Lake, this boutique hotel is fitted with 33 comfortable guest rooms, 18 deluxe, and four luxurious suites. All rooms have wi-fi access, and the cozy lobby has both a gallery and a piano bar. Prices range from VND2.5 million for a guest room to VND4.5 million for a suite.

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MAY DE VILLE

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$$$ 24 Han Thuyen, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 2222 9988 Set in the old French Quarter a short walk from the Opera House, May de Ville City Centre is a welcome new addition to the capital. Combining contemporary architecture with traditional Vietnamese style and materials, this elegant property has 81 well-appointed rooms including four suites.

THANG LONG OPERA HOTEL $$$ 1C Tong Dan Street, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 4775 www.thanglongopera.com This hotel houses 71 spacious, comfortable rooms all equipped with high speed CREDIT

internet, bath tub and room service. They have a meeting room, which can accommodate up to 60 people, as well as a restaurant and bar downstairs.

ZEPHYR

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$$$ 4 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 1256 www.zephyrhotel.com.vn A mid-size boutique hotel with a prime location, Zephyr offers a range of packages and special offers on rooms that are clean and stylish. The lobby boasts a coffee house and restaurant with both Asian and Western Cuisine.

HANOI – BUDGET CAMELLIA HOTEL

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$$ 44 Hang Giay, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3824 3667 www.camellia-hotels.com Basic rooms and friendly service at this well-known hotel. One of six properties of the same name in Hanoi, internet terminals are located in the lobby, and the property also offers a host of tour itineraries. Rooms vary in price from VND500,000 to VND700,000. Some of their other locations are more budget-friendly.

HANOI BACKBACKER’S HOSTEL $ 48 Ngo Huyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5372 www.hanoibackpackershostel.com Probably the cheapest, European-style hostel in town, with bunk-style beds mixed or single-sex dorms starting at VND150,000, plus a couple of double suites from VND250,000. A place to meet like-minded fold in the Old Quarter.

HONG NGOC HOTEL $$$ 34 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 5053 With four locations right in the Old Quarter, this is a good option close to Hoan Kiem Lake. Friendly staff can help you with any detail like renting a car, motorbike, or bicycle. Rooms are compact, with small but clean bathrooms, and all have the quality amenities of a proper hotel.

Either ADSL or Wi-Fi connections available.

Some of the locations include sauna, steam bath and fitness facilities

LITTLE HANOI HOTEL

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$ 58 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 8648 www.littlehanoihotel.com Spacious rooms with ADSL broadband connections starting at around VND600,000 a night. The rooms at the front are more expensive, and breakfast is included. The staff speak good English and are very helpful. Has a number of sister hotels in town, two of which are located next to the cathedral. The third is on Tue Tinh, close to Lenin Park. Check the website for details.

HO CHI MINH CITY CARAVELLE HOTEL

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$$$$ 19 Lam Son Square, Q1 , Tel: 3823 4999 www.caravellehotel.com The only hotel in Vietnam to make the Robb Report’s 2006 list of the world’s top 100 luxury hotels. Facilities include the popular ninth-floor Saigon Saigon bar, Nineteen and Reflections restaurants, Club Vegas for a flutter, a swimming pool seven floors up and Qi salon and spa.

CONTINENTAL

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$$$ 132-134 Dong Khoi, Q1, Tel: 3829 9201 www.continental-saigon.com Fêted in literature and film, this huge old hotel with huge old rooms stands at the absolute centre of town and is the best of the Saigon Tourist chain. Hard to beat on charm, and a favourite with tour groups, this would be one of your first choices if you wanted to impress a newcomer to the city.

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AIRLINES AIR ASIA 25 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 2220 5351 www.airasia.com

AIR FRANCE First Floor, 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 3484 www.airfrance.com.vn

AIR MEKONG 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn

AMERICAN AIRLINES 99 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3933 0330 www.aa.com

DUC VUONG HOTEL

RENAISSANCE RIVERSIDE

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$ 195 Bui Vien, Q1, Tel: 3920 6992 www.ducvuonghotel.com You’ll need your laptop to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi offered in every room and you’ll probably be impressed with the low price, friendly welcome and well-appointed, clean rooms. A modern oasis just a few steps from the street-level mayhem of the backpacker area.

EQUATORIAL

GUEST HOUSE CALIFORNIA

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CHINA AIRLINES 4th Floor, Opera Business Center, 6B Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 6364 www.china-airlines.com

INTERCONTINENTAL ASIANA SAIGON

G/F, Hanoi Tower, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7298 www.cathaypacific.com/vn

EVA AIR 2nd Floor,17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 1600 www.evaair.com

JAPAN AIRLINES 5th Floor, 63 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6693 www.vn.jal.com

$$$$ 39 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3520 9999 www.intercontinental.com/saigon Luxury accommodation with a stylish club Lounge boasting panoramic views, as well as the finest meeting and banquet facilities in town – all designed with the savvy traveller in mind. The 21-floor tower includes 305 elegantly appointed rooms, including 18 suites and a Presidential Suite.

LAN LAN HOTEL 2

LAO AIRLINES

NEW WORLD

KOREAN AIR

40 Quang Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 5362 www.laoairlines.com

LOT AIRLINES R402, 4th floor, Dao Duy Anh Tower, 9 Dao Duy Anh, Dong Da Tel: 3577 2202 www.lot.com

MALAYSIA AIRLINES Somerset Grand Hanoi, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 8820 www.malaysiaairlines.com

SINGAPORE AIRLINES International Centre, 17 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 8888 www.singaporeair.com

THAI AIRWAYS 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7921 www.thaiair.com

TIGER AIRWAYS www.tigerairways.com

VIETNAM AIRLINES 25 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6270 0200 www.vietnamairlines.com

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$$$$ 88 Dong Khoi, Q1. Tel: 3827 2828 www.sheraton.com/saigon Sheraton has bagged one of the best locations in town and made the most of it, with its usual mix of luxurious rooms and first-class facilities topped by an open-air restaurant 23 floors above the city. The conference and business facilities are unmatched – the enormous ballroom is just one of 17 meeting venues.

SOFITEL SAIGON PLAZA $$$$ 17 Le Duan, Q1. Tel: 3824 1555 www.sofitel.com True class on an attractive (and historic) street, offering a mix of rooms and suites, top-notch facilities, and restaurant cuisine which can match anything in the city.

Without a doubt one of the nicest places to stay in the city.

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$$$$ 76 Le Lai, Q1. Tel: 3822 8888 www.newworldsaigon.com Its list of former guests ranges from U.S. presidents – two Bushes, one Clinton – to Korean teeny bop sensation Rain. If Knut the polar bear came to town, he’d probably stay here. It’s an ongoing event as well as a hotel. Fends off newer, glitzier competitors to hold its place as one of the best luxury stops in town

PARK HYATT

HOI AN & DANANG CUA DAI

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$ 18A Cua Dai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 2231 Pleasant, small, family-run hotel with a spacious and faintly colonial air located between the town and the beach, with comfortable air-conditioned rooms and pleasant staff.

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2nd Floor, VIT, 519 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 3934 7247 www.koreanair.com

www.jetstar.com/vn

SHERATON

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$$$ 46 Thu Khoa Huan, Q1. Tel: 3822 7926 www.lanlanhotel.com.vn You can’t get much more central than Ben Thanh Market and this modern hotel (one of many in the area) offers every amenity you would expect from a mid-range hotel while keeping its prices close to budget level. The staff are friendly and helpful.

JETSTAR PACIFIC

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$$$ 242 Tran Binh Trong, Q5, Tel: 3839 7777 www.equatorial.com/hcm Big and businesslike, with seven dining and entertainment outlets, a business centre, meeting and function rooms and a comprehensive fitness centre and spa.

Also boasts the biggest banquet facilities in the city. $ 171A Co Bac, Q1, Tel: 3837 8885 A place for exchanging views as well as sleeping, with its communal kitchen and TV room, this venue ticks all the right boxes when it comes to comfort, cleanliness and amenities. A stay here will make you appreciate the pleasure of being a guest rather than just a customer.

CATHAY PACIFIC

$$$$ 8-15 Ton Duc Thang, Q1. Tel: 3822 0033 www.renaissancehotels.com If you’ve never swum in a pool 21 floors up, you could rectify that at this luxury hotel by the Saigon River. As you would expect from a Marriott property, there’s plenty more here to appreciate – the full range of fitness, spa and business facilities plus one of the best-regarded Chinese restaurants in the city.

FURAMA RESORT & SPA $$$$ 68 Ho Xuan Huong, Danang Tel: 3821 1888 (HCMC office) www.furamavietnam.com Among the first resorts to open in the country, this venue still scores highly because of its stunning beachside location allied to some indulgent touches – the smallest room measures 40 square metres – and a general air of refined luxury, as typified by the Cafe Indochine restaurant and the Lagoon poolside bar.

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HUY HOANG 1 $ 73 Phan Boi Chau, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 386 1453 Boasts that it is just 0.025km from the city centre, which translates into being an excellent base for exploring the old town.

Added to that, you get simple and comfortable rooms for around VND400,000.

LIFE RESORT HOI AN

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$$$$ 2 Lam Son Square, Q1. Tel: 3824 1234 www.saigon.park.hyatt.com Fabulous-looking hotel in a prime location, with an attractive lobby bar and all the attention to detail you would expect from the Hyatt. But wait, there’s more. The Square One restaurant has garnered an excellent reputation and the Xuan Spa by the landscaped pool is unbeatable.

$$$ 1 Pham Hong Thai, Hoi An. Tel: 0510 391 4555 www.life-resorts.com Recently refurbished after a recent flood, this award-winning resort is located close to the charm and bustle of the Old Town and maintains an emphasis on wellness and pampering. Its spa combines the benefits of traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, touch and hot stone therapies.

RAMANA HOTEL

THE NAM HAI

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$$$ 323 Le Van Sy, Q3. Tel: 3843 9999 reservation@ramanasaigon.com www.ramanasaigon.com A 4-star business class hotel, The Ramana Hotel boasts 293 guestrooms and suites and offers a complete range of service facilities including a Business Centre, a well-equipped Fitness Room, an outdoor swimming pool and the Sawasdee Health Club, The hotel is situated in District 3 – an area of Ho Chi Minh City only 2 km from the city centre and 3 km from the airport.

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$$$$ Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village, Quang Nam Tel: 0510 394 0000 www.ghmhotels.com Setting the standard for luxury resorts in Vietnam, the Nam Hai is the ultimate relaxation space. Includes three massive swimming pools, a gourmet restaurant and elegant spa on a lotus pond. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Each massive room comes with its own espresso machine, pre-programmed iPod and both indoor and outdoor showers. Entire villas,

spa villas and pool villas complexes are also available for rent and each villa has a view of the sea. A great place to forget about the city.

VICTORIA HOI AN BEACH RESORT & SPA CUA DAI BEACH CREDIT

Tel: 0510 392 7040 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Pull up some (private) beach and relax, at this unique and charming resort, which has been laid out to replicate a traditional fishing village with small streets, ponds and village houses. The Annam Asian restaurant overlooks the sea, there’s also a spa, Thai or Swedish massage, and fitness centre.

HUE ANA MANDARA HUE

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$$$$ Thuan An Town, Phu Vang District, Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam, Tel: 08 6291 3030 sales1@anamandarahue-resort.com www.hotelcollectionindochine.com Located on Thuan An Beach, a 20-minute drive from central Hue, the five-star Ana Mandara is the only beach resort with pool villas in the area. The property has a total of 78 rooms and villas, including beach pool villas, beach villas, duplex rooms and deluxe rooms in a wide range of styles and decor designed with modern facilities. Offers private rice paddy dinners, beach BBQs and cruises through the local fish farms.

GUESTHOUSE VAN XUAN $ 10 Pham Ngu Lao, Hue, Tel: 054 382 6561 An excellent option for those on a tight budget, with a comfortable room plus balcony and satellite TV coming in at around VND200,000. An additional bonus is the pleasantness of the staff.

IMPERIAL HUE

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$$$ 10 Hung Vuong, Hue Tel: 054 388 2222 www.imperial-hotel.com.vn One of the best hotels in the city, and certainly in the most convenient downtown location, this high-rise hotel has luxurious rooms with great city views, a selection of restaurants, a piano bar and the sumptuous Royal Spa. You can even hire your own butler. Internet rates start at VND2.4 million ++ for a deluxe city view room.

LA RESIDENCE

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$$$$ 5 Le Loi, Hue Tel: 054 383 7475 www.la-residence-hue.com Built around a core of the former colonial governor’s mansion, and maintained in nautical modern style, this is one of Hue’s unique experiences. With ceiling fans and dark-stained wood furnishings, this is traditional Indochine at its best. Throw in an excellent restaurant with river views and you have a heady mix.

LE DOMAINE DE TAM HAI $$$ Tel: 0510 354 5105 www.domainedetamhai.com If you’re looking for something a bit different, the secluded sand island of Tam Hai, with just a dozen traditional-looking (but modern) villas with private gardens and true tropical ambience may be the answer.

There is endless beach, a swimming pool, and a restaurant to take advantage of the fresh seafood.

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PHUONG HOANG HOTEL $ 48/3 Le Loi, Hue Tel: 054 382 6736 A budget option which offers a reliable and acceptable level of comfort for the sub-VND400,000 price with the additional benefit of being near the Perfume River and having attentive service.

PILGRIMAGE VILLAGE BOUTIQUE RESORT & SPA CREDIT

$$$$ 130 Minh Mang, Hue. Tel: 054 388 5461 www.pilgrimagevillage.com A collection of rustic villas located in the countryside close to Hue and its historical landmarks. Villas range from the traditional Vietnamese pool house to the family bungalow. The boutique, imperial-era Vietnam styled resort also holds cooking classes, makes tour arrangements and has an on-site spa.

SUN SPA RESORT

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$$ My Canh, Bao Ninh, Dong Hoi, Quang Binh Tel: 052 384 2999, www.sunsparesortvietnam.com This top-end resort offers elegant, comfortable pool villas and bungalows, and is the only luxury accommodation in Quang Binh, about 150 miles from Hue. An ideal base for trips to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Phong Nha caves.

MAI CHAU & HOA BINH COMMUNAL GUEST HOUSE 1 $$$ Poom Village, Mai Chau, Tel: 0912 320990 One of the larger stilt houses in Poom Village, the bamboo floor you can expect to sleep on is more comfortable than you might expect, and this house has a pleasant view of a lotus pond. Like at all the other stilt houses here, drink and dance can be arranged.

LA FERME DU COLVERT

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$$ Cu Yen, Luong Son, Hoa Binh, Tel: 018 382 5662 www.vietnam-aventure.com This eco-village in Hoa Binh caters to visitors in search of nature. 30 rooms of varying design in ten houses are surrounded by rice fields, lakes and hills. Has its own spa and restaurant.

NAM DINH & NINH BINH CUC PHUONG GUEST HOUSE $$$$ 396 Quoc Lo 14, Dong Xoai, Binh Phuoc Tel: 0651 387 9764 Accommodation here is quite basic, but this place offers a good deal in relation to the other places around, if you want a place to sleep before a long day of park touring.

CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK $ Cuc Phuong, Nho Quan, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 384 8006 www.cucphuongtourism.com Park accommodation, in modern rooms, stilt houses and detached bungalows, includes basic amenities and comforts in proportion to prices, which range from VND100,000 to VND500,000 per night.

Rooms available at park hq, the park centre, and on the road linking the two.

THANH THUY GUEST HOUSE $ 128 Le Hong Phong, Ninh Binh Tel: 030 387 1811 Refurbished in 2004, this has big, clean rooms that are great value for the money.

There is an in-house restaurant that will make it redundant to eat elsewhere. Prices range from VND100,000 to VND400,000 for a double deluxe room. The staff speak very good English.

THUY ANH HOTEL $$ 55A Truong Han Sieu, Ninh Binh. Tel: 030 387 1602 This hotel is slightly more expensive than its neighbors, but the reason is apparent once you walk in. The rooms in the newer building are especially nice and, together with the better than decent restaurant downstairs, this one can make for a good stop over.

MAI CHAU GUESTHOUSE At the farthest end of town, Mai Chau Tel: 0218 386 7262 This hotel seems to offer bare-bones amenities, but if you don’t fancy sleeping on the rattan floor of a stilt house, this is a couple good steps above, and the rooms are quite inexpensive. Be prepared for the noise from the karaoke bars which surround the place.

MAI CHAU LODGE

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$$$ Tel: 0218 386 8959 www.maichaulodge.com If real comfort is what you want, this is surely the best bet in Mai Chau. The rooms are modern and classy, with room service, sauna and internet connections.

The newly built Water Lily Cottage offers a luxury version of the house on stilts.

Give a call for exact directions, or you can check their website.

MAI CHAU NATURE PLACE House 38, Ban Lac Village Tel: 3938 1443 www.maichaunatureplace.com A perfect mix between a home-stay experience and comfortable hotel. The private rooms are beautifully quaint while the communal sleeping option is more typical of rural lodges. Both options come with modern and clean bathrooms, traditional home-cooked meals, free bicycles and friendly, in-the-know, staff.

NGOC BACH $$$$ House 100, Quarter 2, Mai Chau Tel: 0218 386 7340 If a sturdy bed is what you crave, this might be your answer. The rooms are large and clean, with a working television and shower with hot water. Might not be the Hilton, but for an aching back it’s a step above a bamboo floor and a mat.

NOVOTEL NHA TRANG $$$ 50 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 625 6900 www.novotel-nhatrang.com This stylish four-star hotel is centrally located on the main street of the resort city of Nha Trang. Along with 154 modern rooms, each with terrace and a stunning sea view, Novotel Nha Trang offers a pool, spa, restaurant, bar and meeting room catering for up to 200 delegates.

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SAO MAI HOTEL 99 Nguyen Thien Thuat, Nha Trang Tel: 058 382 7412 Try to get a seaview room with private balcony at this friendly and very cheap hotel, which also has a rooftop terrace.

Rooms have basic but adequate facilities and it is well located.

SUNRISE BEACH RESORT $$$ 12-14 Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 382 0999 www.sunrisehotelvietnam.com Luxury boutique hotel in the city centre and right across from the beach is well geared up for the family and business trade, with kids’ room, beach recreation, restaurants offering Japanese, Vietnamese and European cuisine, pool bar, beach bar, sky bar and a Qi spa.

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WHALE ISLAND RESORT

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$$ Tel: 058 384 0501 www.whaleislandresort.com This remote and unspoiled island some 60km north of Nha Trang has been made into a stylish getaway, with traditional bamboo bungalows on the beach and plenty of opportunity for serious nature watching, with abundant marine life and an array of birds. Onsite seafood restaurant and bar.

NORTH-EAST BANG GIANG HOTEL $ 1 Kim Dong, Cao Bang. Tel: 026 385 3431 A large, government-run hotel popular with tour groups. Rooms are super-sized, with big windows and some even have views. They also take credit cards, which might not be expected here. Room rates are around VND400,000.

HOANG NGUYEN HOTEL $ 84 Pho Tran Dang Ninh, Lang Son, Tel: 025 387 0349 This place offers basic accommodation at a good price. Don’t expect too much, but as an en route stop-over, Hoang Nguyen will definitely do.

HOANG SON HAI 57D Thanh Tam, Lang Son. Tel: 025 371 0479 Although it may be a bit hard to communicate with the staff if you’re Vietnamese isn’t up to snuff, they are eager to help. The rooms are exceptionally nice for the area.

HUY HOAN HOTEL

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$ 14 Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang Tel: 0219 386 1288 The large, comfortable sleeping quarters here may come as a surprise in these parts. But these are the things that have made Huy Hoan so popular. Several tour groups use the place as a stopover, and the staff is adept at fulfilling their needs.

SAO MAI HOTEL $ Nguyen Trai, Ha Giang. Tel: 0219 386 3019 One of the first guesthouses you see as you arrive in town, location has made this guesthouse a popular stop off point.

The sleeping accommodations are clean and comfortable, enough to enjoy a good night’s sleep and shower.

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$$$$ Beachside, Tran Phu, Nha Trang Tel: 058 352 2222 www.sixsenses.com/evason-anamandaranhatrang There’s a generous 2.6 hectares of private beachside garden to get lost in here, and much to marvel at, with villa-style accommodation furnished in traditional native woods, verandah dining, pool bar and the signature Six Senses Spa.

JUNGLE BEACH RESORT $ Ninh Phuoc, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa (40km north of Nha Trang). Tel: 058 362 2384 On a secluded – almost deserted – promontory north of Nha Trang, with accommodation ranging from comfortable guest rooms to basic outdoor bamboo shelters, this budget place is all about hammocks, the sea, the jungle and nature – certainly a change from mainstream tourism.

The owners arrange pick-up from Nha Trang and the down-to-earth resort maintains a deliberate, family atmosphere. A real gem.

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$$$$ Van Dang Ninh Hoa, Khanh Hoa. el: 058 372 8222 www.sixsenses.com/Six-Senses-HideawayNinh-Van-Bay The upmarket Tatler magazine voted this its top hotel of 2006, and it’s not hard to see why. The location is stunning, on a bay which can only be reached by boat, and all the accommodation, amenities and facilities are top-drawer. So, naturally, is the price. Internet rates start at VND15 million++ for a beach pool villa.

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THANH LOAN HOTEL

SON LA TRADE UNION HOTEL

LA VERANDA

$ V159 Vuon Cam, Cao BangTel: 026 385 7026 Thanh Loan is a smaller hotel with more attention paid to the details. Still, expect basic accommodation, but, all said, a good bargain.

$$ 4 Duong, 26-8 Rd, Son La Tel: 022 385 5313 The explanation of the name is a mystery, but with 100 rooms it could probably house a mid-size union. Not the cheapest place in town, but the rooms are extra large and fairly well-kept. If you want to spend some time with satellite television, this is your place. Price range is VND500,000 to VND600,000, breakfast included.

$$$$ Ward 1, Duong Dong Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0773 982888 / 3823 7645 (Sales office) www.laverandaresort.com Boutique luxury among exotic greenery and a white sand beach, La Veranda has beautifully-designed rooms with cool tiles in traditional designs and dark woods, a stunning swimming pool, an all-natural spa, a beach grill and a fine fusion restaurant overlooking the beach.

THAI NGUYEN HOTEL 2 Hoang Van Thu, Thai Nguyen, Tel: 0280 385 2803 Your standard two-star establishment, Thai Nguyen is one of the best (and one of the only) choices in the vicinity. It’s quite a large hotel considering its location, so booking shouldn’t be a problem.

NORTH-WEST HUYEN TRAN GUEST HOUSE $$$ 2 Hoang Van Thu, Lai Chau Tel: 0231 387 5829 Offers reasonable guesthouse-style rooms with air conditioning, some of them with balconies. Take a look at the rooms before you rent as the quality may vary.

KHACH SAN DIEN BIEN PHU $$ 849 Duong 7-5, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 382 5103 Pretty much what it sounds like: a Dien Bien Phu guest house. Rooms are made for sleeping and not much else, but at good prices. Cleanliness and comfort are acceptable and about average for this type of establishment.

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MUONG THANH HOTEL $$ 25 Pho 1, Muong Thanh, Dien Bien Phu Tel: 0230 381 0043 This Soviet-era hotel has a unique style that makes it one of the most visited. So, despite its size, it may be a good idea to book in advance. There’s a charge for the swimming pool, even if you’re staying there. But, hey, there’s a pool. The rooms are better than average and have satellite TV. CREDIT

BIKE RENTALS

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SUNRISE HOTEL $ 53 Duong 26 – 8, Son La Tel: 022 385 8798 Sunrise makes for a decent stay for those travelling between Hanoi and Dien Bien Phu. In relation to the other hotels on the road, the rooms are very clean and the staff helpful. A night here will run around VND400,000.

PHAN THIET / MUI NE BLUE OCEAN RESORT $$$$ 54 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7322 www.blueoceanresort.com After renovation in 2007, Blue Ocean Resort is now under the management of Life Resorts. Its luxury makeover includes a large swimming pool and swim-up pool bar as well as a children’s activity playground. Another new addition is an Irish bar. One of the better appointed resorts in the area.

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PRINCESS D’ANNAM RESORT & SPA $$$$ Khu Hon Lan, Xa Tan Thanh, Ham Thuan Nam, Binh Thuan. Tel: 062 368 2222 www.princessannam.com The first all-villa luxury boutique resort in Vietnam, the Princess d’Annam is set on Ke Ga Bay, about a four-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh Ciry and 35km south of Phan Thiet. With a sumptuous spa, original architecture, eight swimming pools and a 24-hour butler service, this is one of the most luxurious resorts in the country.

Definitely one of the most exclusive.

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SHADES APARTMENTS $$$ Tel: 062 743 237 www.shadesmuine.com Top quality resort offering a small selection of luxury and attractively designed apartments and studios right on the beach, with fully equipped and modern units. Entertainment options include windsurfing, kitesurfing, antique sidecars, bike tours and dune buggy rides. Has a decent pool and dining options.

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MR CAO MOTORBIKE RENTAL 106 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 094464

QUAN’S MOTORBIKE & BICYCLE RENTALS 70 Hang Bac, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 244941 Standard rental shop doing hire by the day and by the month.

VIETNAM MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES 36 Nguyen Huu Huan, Hoan Kiem (down alley in between No. 34 & No. 36) Tel: 3904 5049 Bespoke motorbike tours, rental of automatic and manual bikes plus repairs.

VIP BIKE RENTALS 64, Alley 71 Tan Ap, Tay Ho (off Tan Ap Street, close to Sofitel Plaza) Tel: 0914 931390 Bike rentals and repairs. Good reputation.

Formerly part of the Blue Dragon Foundation.

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THE SAILING CLUB

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$$$ 24 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Mui Ne, Phan Thiet Tel: 062 384 7440 Much more than its name suggests, with beautiful landscaped tropical gardens leading onto a stretch of pristine beach and an outdoor bar, well-positioned to make the best of the scenery. Has a mix of comfortable rooms and bungalows, and has recently done some refurbishment.

Offers quad-biking, kitesurfing, paragliding and, of course, sailing.

PHU QUOC CHEN LA RESORT AND SPA $$$$ Bai Xep, Ong Lang, Cua Duong, Phu Quoc, Kien Giang, Tel: 0773 995895 reservation@chenla-resort.com Open since Nov. 2008, this 37-bungalow resort provides a serene atmosphere along with first-class spa treatment and a mediterranean-themed restaurant.

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MANGO BAY

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$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc. Tel: 090 338 2207 www.mangobayphuquoc.com A getaway in the true sense, combining an eco-friendly approach with a gorgeous beachside location. Wildlife abounds on land and in the sea, the bungalows are made of rammed earth, and there are no TVs and telephones around. Excellent sunsets from the beach bar, which also serves up excellent food in the restaurant on the edge of the sea.

PHU QUOC RESORT THANG LOI

$$ Ong Lang Beach, Phu Quoc Tel: 0918 073 494 / 0773 985002 Secluded budget bungalow-style resort, which lies in a beachside coconut palm plantation with small basic bungalows adding to the castaway effect. The restaurant serves fresh seafood. It’s laid-back and simple. And cheap.

SAPA AUBERGE HOTEL

$ 7 Muong Hoa, Sapa. Tel: 020 387 1243 Despite being in the centre of town, some of the back rooms offer nice views. There is also a good French-style restaurant downstairs, which is what you might expect considering the décor and name.

Prices vary, but a room should generally cost around VND400,000.

BAMBOO HOTEL

$$ 18 Muong Hoa, Sapa Tel: 020 387 1075 One of the best things about the Bamboo Hotel is the view, so make sure you check out the room first – some are better than others. There is aircon if needed, but you might want to ask for extra blankets in winter, in spite of electric heaters. Rooms here are between VND700,000 and VND1 million a night. The premium here is on the views.

CAT CAT GUESTHOUSE $$ Cat Cat Road. Tel: 020 387 1218 Notable for having probably the best view in town from its bar restaurant, Cat Cat Guesthouse has plain rooms at very reasonable rates. A fairly steep set of steps leads to the block of rooms, most of which have big windows and balconies, and, for the cold winter, log fireplaces.

HMONG MOUNTAIN RETREAT $ Km 6 Sapa, Ban Ho Road Sapa, Lao Cai Tel: 020 3872 130 www.hmongmountainretreat.com A large stilt house, five clay-clad bungalows and one 70-year-old Hmong House is what waits for you amid the rolling hills of Lao Cai, 6km outside of Sapa. The ecoresort’s team are all local and will help you enjoy the surroundings of the Muong Hoa Valley.

SAPA ROOMS $$ 18 Phang Xi Pan, Sapa. Tel: 020 6505 228 www.saparooms.com Located in the heart of Sapa town this simple but comfortable boutique hotel oc-

cupies an unprecedented corner location overlooking the terraced valleys of Sapa and not far from the energy of the local market. Rooms are decorated with antique hardwood furniture and contemporary artwork from local artists with touches of ethnic minority culture.

TOPAS ECOLODGE

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$$ 24 Muong Hoa, Sapa Tel: 020 387 2404 www.topas-eco-lodge.com For the environmentally conscientious, the only place to stay in Sapa is the Topas Ecolodge. 25 individual lodges are located on the hills overlooking the valleys. Employing solar technology and a wastewater facility give it eco-cred. Topas also organises treks and bicycle tours. It takes over an hour to get from Sapa to the lodge; transportation is provided.

VICTORIA SAPA

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$$$ Tel: 020 387 1522 www.victoriahotels-asia.com Topping the list of Sapa resorts, the Victoria is not priced for the backpacker (rooms range from $135 to $250 per night). The many amenities include satellite TV, in-room coffeemakers and safes, and a hilltop health club, tennis court and pool. The entire resort is tastefully decorated with panoramic views of the town below.

TAM DAO GREEN WORLD HOTEL $ Khu Nhi Mat, Tam Dao. Tel: 0211 382 4315 A big new hotel, Green World has 100 rooms ranging in price from VND400,000 to VND600,000 a night. Because of its height, the top rooms have nice views of the town and surroundings. There is a restaurant and bar with billiards, and internet in the lobby.

HANG KHONG HOTEL $ Khu 1 Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4208 Another one of the newer hotels in Tam Dao, Hang Khong caters mainly to Vietnamese tourists. But the price is right, hovering around VND500,000. Many of the rooms have balconies, but all have comfortable beds and hot showers.

HUONG LIEN HOTEL $ Khu I Thi, Tam Dao, Tel: 0211 382 4282 Just your basic hotel, but if what you want is a bed and satellite television, this is your place. Can’t beat the price at around VND200,000. Beware, though, prices are subject to change.

MELA HOTEL $$ Thi Tran, Tam Dao Tel: 0211 382 4321 Probably the prime place to stay in Tam Dao, the Mela has a swimming pool that might come in handy if you’re in the mountains to escape the heat of Hanoi summer. Rooms are comfortable and clean, with two double beds and balcony.

The staff can assist if you want to explore the natural surroundings. Prices between VND800,000 and VND1.6 million.

TRAVEL SERVICES AIR MEKONG 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 37186 399 www.airmekong.com.vn With presence in eight different cities including Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Con Dao, Phu Quoc and Pleiku, Air Mekong is the ideal way to see more of Vietnam.

It offers 30 daily flights and is a realistic alternative to the time-consuming train and bus combo.

ASIA WINGS TRAVEL COMPANY Ground Floor, Hanoi Towers 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 9343 0888 Founded in 1998, the travel company caters to both corporate and international travel. Services include ticketing, hotel reservation, travel insurance, transfer and visa arrangement. Outbound tours and packages throughout the world are also available.

BUFFALO TOURS AGENCY (BTA) 94 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Dist., Ha Noi Tel: (84-4) 3 828 0702 travelagency.hn@buffalotours.com www.buffalotours.com.vn A boutique Travel Agency at the service of all Vietnamese and expatriate residents in Vietnam offering easy, hassle-free travel around the world and in Vietnam, with the highest standards of customer care. This premium Travel Agency has been created to help travelers select their destinations and organize their trips, take care of the time-consuming procedures and ensure that all journeys are enjoyable and successful. BTA customizes leisure and corporate travel plans while offering a selected range of small group tours.

EXOTISSIMO 26, Tran Nhat Duat, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 2150 9 XuanDieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 5555 Golden Westlake, 151 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 3728 2735 www.exotissimo.com A one-stop, all-in-one travel agency with an extensive operational track record in the Indochina region and beyond. Providing up-market services, Exotissimo brings their clients close to culture through personalised tours. Also find travel desks at the Hilton, Sofitel Plaza and Intercontinental hotels, which are open on weekends and holidays.

FREEWHEELIN TOURS 2nd floor, 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 2743 www.freewheelin-tours.com Responsible travel tourism company offering intimate, bespoke tours that give customers a more “authentic” taste of Vietnam. Motorbike journeys, homestays, visits to ethnic minority villages, national parks, waterfalls and spectacular scenery are all part of the mix, with part of the proceeds going to a number of responsible tourism initiatives.

HANDSPAN TRAVEL 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 2828 www.handspan.com Established in 1997, Handspan provides customers with safe, high quality, diverse, small-group adventure tours to both popular and isolated locations in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. Has a focus on off-the-beaten-track sustainable and responsible tourism initiatives. Also provides to excursions to more well-worn destinations.

HG TRAVEL 47 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3944 8844 www.hgtravel.com Travel company specialising in small-group tours around Vietnam and further afield in Indochina. Is also the sole representative agent for Kenya Airways (for 40 cities in Africa - www.kenya-airways.com), American Airlines (www.aa.com) and Turkish Airlines (www.thy.com).

INDOCHINA LAND 61 Cua Bac, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 2852 www.indochina-land.com Indochina Land is a French local travel agency for expatriates and tourists who want to see northern Vietnam in a personal and tailored way. Think small

knowledgeable teams of Vietnamese and French who share their passion for discovery during varied itineraries, usually focused on freedom, family, health trips and classic home stays. They will show you around Ha Giang, too.

INTREPID TRAVEL VIETNAM 57A Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh Tel: 0904 193308 www.intrepidtravel.com/vietnamsales Intrepid Travel Vietnam is an international travel company operating in Vietnam since 1992, offering innovative day tours, short breaks and small group adventures. With expert guides and guaranteed departures, Intrepid focuses on real life experiences in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Mekong Delta, Halong Bay, Sapa and beyond to get you up close to Vietnam's people, cuisine, history and culture.

JEWEL OF THE DELTA Tel: 01282 471716 booking@jewelofthedelta.com A cruise boat on the Red River offering cocktail and party cruises every week with free snacks, a free cocktail and free shisha in one of the VIP rooms. Private cruises are available for parties, meetings, receptions, and dinners for groups or organisations. A unique place to chill out.

LOT AIRLINES R402, 4th floor, Dao Duy Anh Tower, 9 Dao Duy Anh, Dong Da, Tel: 3577 2202 www.lot.com LOT serves Poland and back three times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The flight arrives in Warsaw in the early morning, and because of the city’s location in the middle of Europe, it’s an ideal airport for transit to and from other European hubs.

LUXURY TRAVEL CO., LTD 5 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh Tel: 3927 4120 www.LuxuryTravelVietnam.com Vietnam’s First Luxury Tour Company, offers you carefree luxury travel so you and your family can focus on the fun, not the details. Challenge your skills at the country’s most spectacular golf courses.

Soak up the sun while being soothed by the sound of breaking surf. Hunt for high-fashion couture in the most elegant cities of Vietnam. Envision any vacation experience you want; name it, we deliver

SYRENA CRUISES 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 7214 www.syrenacruises.com If you’re thirsty for a Halong Bay experience while enjoying luxury comfort, Syrena Cruises could be the quencher you’re looking for. Forget drinking games and backpackers by relaxing on one of the two wooden boats from the fleet. Alone, as a couple or with a group, 34 luxurious cabins and suites are all ready for action.

All you have to do is decide on how long you want to holiday for.

THE SAPA SISTERS Tel: 01282 273717 www.sapasisters.webs.com The best trekking guides in Sapa showing you the key spots with the guarantee of an unforgettable experience. Sapa Sisters aims to empower young H’Mong women and give them fair pay for their skilled services. Read their reviews on Trip Advisor.

XIN CHAO HANOI www.xinchaomap.com Forget the inaccuracy of Google Maps, for a real quality plan of the capital, the meticulous versions created by Xin Chao Hanoi are the presently the best available.

Providing tourists with access to the city's hidden charms, secret lanes, gardens and pagodas, check their website for a list of vendors.

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OUT & ABOUT LISTINGS

BAR & NIGHTCLUBS 082 CAFES 084 RESTAURANTS - FRENCH 085 RESTAURANTS - INDIAN 085 RESTAURANTS - INTERNATIONAL 085 RESTAURANTS - ITALIAN 088 RESTAURANTS - JAPANESE & KOREAN 88

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS 17 COWBOYS MUSIC HALL/LONG BAR 98B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 6822 5pm to 12am Cowgirls, lasers, belly dancing and Filipino bands who never shy away from a good Guns N' Roses cover. Drinks are a little pricey, but part of the money is going to the show. Expect a lively atmosphere and the band will take requests, but 1980s rock tunes are favoured.

AMAZON BAR

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TOURIST BAR/CLUB 32 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem This newcomer to Ta Hien’s Bia Hoi Junction is an Aztec-themed three story drinking hole and dance space. Balcony on the second floor, which provides a great view over the beer drinkers below, and dance space on the third floor. CDJs and a promise of dubstep and drink specials on the board outside are bound to go down well among the area’s party massive.

BAMBOO BAR CLASSIC FRENCH Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6919 7am to 10pm Set up like a traditional colonial-era bar space with dark wooden plank flooring, bamboo roofing, wicker chairs and handheld fan crafted ceiling fans, both during the day and at night there is a relaxed, timeless ambience here. The drinks focus here is on Martini-based and classic cocktails with a huge wine list and aged spirits also making an appearance. Also a great place for a morning or afternoon coffee.

ICONS 101 AIRCONDITIONING WI-FI NON-SMOKING AREA DELIVERY

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HAPPY HOUR LIVE MUSIC DJ

82 | Word May 2012

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

RESTAURANTS - SOUTHEAST ASIAN 088 RESTAURANTS - VIETNAMESE 088 RESTOBARS 089 COLUMNS FOOD BUFF 086 MUSIC BUFF 089 MAP TAY HO 090

BAR BETTA RETRO CAFÉ BAR 34C Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3734 9134 haimtc@gmail.com 8am to midnight This bar is every bit as quirky as the Czech moped it’s named after. Inside every surface is festooned with a medley of objects ranging from gramaphones to retro TVs. The rooftop terrace is an awesome place for a sundowner or a morning coffee.

Eclectic and like nothing else in Hanoi.

CAMA ATK MUSIC & ARTS BAR 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung Thursday to Saturday 7pm to midnight With well-poured drinks, a foosball table, no smoking and a midnight closing time, CAMA ATK knows exactly what it wants to be — and that’s refreshing. The space is a part time venue for smaller acts and DJs. The venue is hip, comfortable and will likely provide the serious drinker with a reliable place to pull up a stool and take pulls in a relaxed haven.

CHEEKY QUARTER LATE NIGHT LOCAL 1 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0904 032829 8pm to late Last building on the right before Hang Buom, this popular with the French (and everyone else) watering hole is a classic.

Has the same Old Quarter vibe; small, cosy and personal with funky twists – and an awesome logo. Spread over two floors with good tunes, drinks specials and a foosball table, Cheeky is open till late.

Also does tasty paninis into the early hours.

DRAGONFLY

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DANCEHALL LOUNGE 15 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem 93 Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 4926 2177 11am - late One of the better venues in the Old Quarter for dancing on the weekends. Although crammed into a small space, cheap drinks and a mix of chart chits makes Dragonfly the regular go-to for younger Vietnamese crowds, tourists and the foreign resident looking to get up on the dance floor. If you don’t feel like dancing, relax upstairs with shisha and friends with one of the two lounges on the second floor. The sister venue on Phung Hung has a bigger menu and an earlier opening hour (11am instead of 6pm) but still keeps with the shisha, pool table and dance floor combo so popular on Hang Buom.

EZ RIDER

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POOL HALL / LIVE MUSIC / CLUB 55 Ma May, Hoan Kiem 8am to midnight A potential gem in the heart of the Old Quarter. While it’s themed to the Easy Rider vibe out front, this huge two-storey venue is a jack of all trades – it has a bar, live music stage, pool tables, hookahs, a VIP

room and a night club with a decent sound set up. Ideal for private functions and party promoters. Club stays open till late.

FATCAT BAR

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DJ / LATE NIGHT JOINT 25 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 5333 6087 www.linkhanoi.com 4pm to late Straddling Bia Hoi Corner and the cobblestoned end of Ta Hien, FatCat Bar is a small establishment from the minds behind the party and event organisers, LinkHanoi. The bar has tables filling the first floor and spilling onto the sidewalk as well as a small loft area for lounging.

Nightly cocktail specials, reasonable bottles deals starting at VND500,000 and a DJ on the decks make up the mix.

FLOW BAR

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DANCEHALL/BAR 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late Previously known as Dracula Bar, this watering hole tucked upstairs behind a hotel is around the corner from Ta Hien.

A double-sided bar splits up a pool table space, lounge area and dance floor. The smoke machine can be a bit much, but the music is a decent mix of pop and house. Never crowded and open late, free shots are given out every hour on the hour.

FUNKY BUDDHA

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ELECTRO LOUNGE 2 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Owned by the people behind Face Club, the low, LED-lit venue has the feel of a VIP room situated in a larger club, only it's not. While techno and trance are the genre's of choice spun in the establishment by live DJs, patrons treat the space more like a lounge than a dancehall and typically order bottle service and cocktails.

One of the Ta Hien mainstays.

HAIR OF THE DOG

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LATE NIGHT LOCAL / LOUNGE 32 Ma May, Hoan Kiem 10am to late In the same building as the old Bucket Bar, Hair of the Dog, the first floor offers a large drinking space, graphic artwork, sidewalk seating and a dance floor. Up the spiral staircase, there’s the late-night bar and shisha lounge complete with beanbags. Drawing in a mix of expats, backpackers and locals, when the bars across the street shut down, the mayhem continues in ‘The Dog’.

HALF MAN HALF NOODLE

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LATE DIVE BAR 62 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1943 3pm to late Often a bit dark and somewhat gloomy, “The Noodle” is still a hit with long term residents. With its all-hour eating options — ranging from cheese toasties and pizzas to grilled cod and bun cha — and its popular happy hour, this Old Quarter old-timer is still up there with the options. Between 11pm and 12.30am, local beers go for VND15,000 and mixers go for VND30,000. Friendly staff and talkative patrons included.

HANOI ROCK CITY LIVE MUSIC VENUE 27/52 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 01887 487 426 www.hanoirockcity.com 5pm to midnight With a downstairs, English-style pub garden area and an upstairs space dedicated to live music and live production, Hanoi Rock City is the only venue in the capital of its kind. Has weekly live events featuring bands both from Vietnam and overseas — established and up and coming. Email jimihendrix@hanoirockcity.com for more information or check out their page on Facebook.

HO GUOM XANH CLUB

MAY PUB

STAGE AND TABLE CLUB 32 Le Thai To, Tel: 3828 8806 8pm to 11.45pm Just a few yards from the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, this giant pantheon of a nightclub seems more at home in Bangkok than in the capital. With DJs, go-go dancers and an ear splitting sound system, Ho Guom Xanh is a great place to ‘dance’ around a table, if you’re willing, while enjoying expensive top shelf bottle service in the heart of the city.

LAID-BACK FIX 2 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0917 897630 A curving neon sign marks the small entrance to May Pub, which stands on the corner of Nam Ngu and Phan Boi Chau.

The pub hosts a laid-back bar atmosphere with old Hollywood photographs, free billiards and darts and low-key live music.

The menu combines traditional cocktails with offerings like Russian string cheese — a late-night brew and dairy fix. Wednesday and Friday nights are Buy One Get One Free for ladies.

HOUSE OF SON TINH LIQUOR LOUNGE 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6377 8am to 11.30pm As part of the Highway 4 group, which now has its offices in the establishment’s upstairs areas, this bar-cum-restaurant outfitted with comfortable, stylish furnishings is famed for its luxurious rice wine liquors and newly created cocktail class.

Does regular events on the first floor and also has a creative Vietnamese food menu based on cuisine sold at other restaurants in the chain.

IRISH WOLFHOUND

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IRISH PUB 4 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 2212 6821 8am to 2am The open-air watering hole with seating on the pavement is a great spot to enjoy a tall dark stout or light pilsner at anytime, day or night. What it lacks in gaudy decorations, it makes up for with a constant stream of regulars, occasional live Irish music and billiards on the third floor. Has a decent food menu and even better pizzas.

LA FÉE VERTE FRENCH-STYLE CONTEMPORARY Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 lafeeverte@hoteldelopera.com 7am to 2am Meaning the green fairy — an allusion to the hallucinatory effects of absinthe which was drunk extensively in colonial Vietnam — understated lighting, a laid-back lounge atmosphere, a good music selection and ultra-contemporary interior design make up the mix at this downstairs bar in Hotel de l’Opera. Expect a good selection of creative cocktails and an extensive wine list.

Opens late with a DJ taking to the decks on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

LONG PLAY CAFÉ LATE NIGHT LOCAL 9B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0914 339439 lpcafe@yahoo.com.vn 9am to late This quirky bar and living room gets busiest in the later hours. Down in the bar, plasma screens and an iPod station mix with a dance floor and comically named cocktails. Upstairs, there’s a cushioned living room — a pleasant space with a low ceiling and shisha. Throw in a dartboard, “sell and swap” book shelves, Jenga and some tasty toasted sandwiches, and it can be hours of fun. The dried buffalo “nosh” from Tay Bac in the north is a must.

MAO’S RED LOUNGE LOUNGE AND BAR 7 Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 3104 5am to 2am One of the few staple bars in the city that hosts an equal number of ex-pats, locals and tourists. With cheap drinks, funky, slightly ethnic decor and one of the most amiable owners in town, Mao's is always a great place to start off or finish the night. Sing-a-longs and dancing welcome at one of the most popular drinking spots on Ta Hien.

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MODEL CLUB CATWALK BAR 45 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem 8pm to late Lasers, pulsating trance, bottle service and nightly model shows. This venue is largely filled with flashy Vietnamese youngsters or older business types flashing their wads. Bottle service is a must, which is a little pricey, so if you ain't got enough money then you probably won't be sticking around to see the honeys.

PHUC TAN ELECTRO GRUNGE CLUB 51 / 4A Phuc Tan, Hoan Kiem 6pm to late Hanoi's favourite after hours dancehall/ trance den. Throw shapes on either of the two floors that have regular DJs while dancing to rapacious electronic beats or enjoy the Red River's breeze and snack on a kebab as you catch up with all of the city's regular night owls. The terrace out back has great views of Long Bien Bridge at night.

PLAY BAR

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GAMING LOUNGE 104 Bach Dang, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0621 0212 huongnmd@gmail.com 9am to midnight If you’re looking for a more active night out, this gaming lounge has it all. White leather sofas, and plasma screens hooked up to Xbox 360 Kinect, Playstation 3 Move etc and more. Challenge your friends to games while enjoying a western-style food menu and a decent selection of beverages. When you get a little too competitive, you can cool down in the lounge area and gear up for your next big win.

PILSNER URQUELL

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EUROPEAN BREW HALL 10 Nguyen Bieu, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3734 2288 Modeled after a brewery, bar and bowling alley in the Czech Republic, Pilsner Urquell has an old Europe feel — particularly in the private rooms lined with glass beer mugs, thick cuts of dark wood furniture and semi-circular booths. With the UNmeeting-of-a-menu, customers can choose from goose dishes, noodles, fried apples, an assortment of cheeses and several other options. Perfect location for big gatherings.

POLITE PUB

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LONG BAR 5 Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 0959 A bit musty and jaded, despite being one of the oldest pubs in the city, this staple watering hole on Bao Khanh continues to be a hit. Probably the closest thing Hanoi has to an authentic English-style pub, Polite is frequented by a steady mix of locals and expats who find solace in the nightly conversations at the long bar, billiards and live football matches.

Q PUB

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BOTTLE BASED DANCE CLUB 61 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0915 381180. qbuphanoi@gmail.com A glitzy, spacious basement club tucked away in the corner where Luong Ngoc Quyen meets Hang Giay. It’s a laser, mirrors and disco ball affair with high tables,

hostesses, bottles of whiskey and a DJ — usually playing a mixture of trance and house. Runs a number of spirits offers on different days of the week. Ask for details.

ROOTS

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REGGAE CHILLOUT BAR 2 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem 5pm to late With a reggae theme, the French-run Roots stays open late playing African and Caribbean music with some salsa thrown in for good measure. Laid back vibes. A good, late-night, Old Quarter option set on a first floor. The entrance is next to the Irish Wolfhound.

SUMMIT LOUNGE ROOFTOP LOUNGE BAR 20th Floor, Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 ext. 5314 4pm to Midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 4pm to 2am Thursday to Saturday While there are a few ‘rooftop bars’ in the capital, few hold a candle to the view on offer at the Summit Lounge. With a chilled but lively ambience, top shelf cocktails, and a Southeast Asian fusion bar menu, the Summit Lounge is a great place to pitch yourself above the madness and peer down at the chaos below in peace.

Sunsets are particularly special.

TEMPLE BAR

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DANCEFLOOR / LONG BAR 8 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6675 7908 7pm to 2am A relative newcomer and an instant favourite, located in party mile, Temple Bar is a good choice for late night fun. The long, thin establishment is a bar out front with decks and some tiles out back – usually hosting electro pop DJs or sets from the likes of Link Hanoi. Has drinks specials most days and is guaranteed to be crammed at the weekend. Popular among locals, expats and tourists.

TAY TAP

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MEET-UP SPOT 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6917 www.taytap.com Filled with wooden furnishings and a downstairs bar with two beers on tap — as well as wine, cocktails and spirits on the shelves — this newcomer venue has a grill menu catering to the tastes of both East and West. For those in search of a good old-fashioned Sloppy Joe or grilled cheese, you’ll be glad to know the kitchen is stocked to the ceiling with comfort foods.

TET BAR LATE NIGHT LOCAL 2A Ta Hien, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 3050 6pm to 5am This small and personal one-and-a-half floor bar starts to get busy at around 11pm and is popular with expats of all nationalities, despite having a French flavour. Run by the indomitable Thanh and once called Le Maquis, the Tet Bar these days has a slightly cluttered feel to it, but nonetheless continues to pull in the punters. Open very, very late.

THE SPOT LOUNGE BAR / TERRACE 47 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 1874 8am to midnight A stone's throw from Ta Hien, this barcum-lounge-cum-restaurant has all of the atmosphere present in bars scattered throughout the Old Quarter without being a dive. Enjoy a mixed drink, tacos or a Vietnamese staple starter with the occasional live DJ breaking out classic funk, soul and hip hop in the comfortable furnishings or on the back patio.

TRACY’S PUB AND GRILL SPORTS BAR/GRILL 40 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6675 9838 www.tracyspub.com 11am to 12am This Canadian-run, miniscule sports bar

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on the main drag of Xuan Dieu is perpetually crowded with regulars drinking out front on plastic stools. Notorious for its mouth-watering burgers, cooked fresh to order, Tracy’s is most famous for their draft beers, claiming to serve the coldest draft beer in Hanoi, and always in a frosted mug. For those missing their dose of North American sports, they play all day via satellite on two plasmas.

TUNNEL BAR INTERNATIONAL / FRENCH 11B Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 0936 063303 4pm to late Slim but stylish two-storey bar located just at the bend on Bao Khanh. The friendly staff can make a range of well-made and colourful cocktails. Frequent DJ nights and parties are commonplace at this watering hole that caters to both foreign and Vietnamese. Does an excellent happy hour with specials on Ricard.

WINE’S CORNER WINE AND CIGAR LOUNGE 2 Le Phung Hieu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3939 3477 9am to 1am The ambience at the relaxed wine bar near the Metropole screams red wine — the walls are painted a warm yellow, the exposed brick adds a touch of cool and the wine barrels-turned-tables are tasteful. Too bad it’s often awkwardly empty.

Features fine wines, cigars and Vietnamese and international snacks.

CAFES ALIGN 3D POPULAR VIETNAMESE 1 Ma May, Hoan Kiem; 10A Khuc Hao, Ba Dinh 7am to 11pm Popular with young Vietnamese, the Align cafes are always busy. The younger venue on Khuc Hao is hidden down a bamboo alley and has three outdoor seating areas, one of which makes you feel like you’re sat under a waterfall. The other two are on the roof, and from the middle of this embassy-type street, the sound of motorbikes is replaced with tweeting birds. 3D pictures on the walls of each floor take you back to the old city, before KFC and Parkson. Even to times before the French.

AVALON CAFÉ LAKE VIEW LOUNGE 73 Cau Go; 9 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 0801, www.avaloncafelounge.com 7am to 11.30pm Popular for its views of Hoan Kiem Lake, this lounge and bar is always busy. With comfy seating and balconies, the lounge and sky garden offer a pleasant escape from city-centre chaos. The smoothies are creamy and renditions of popular street dishes are spot on. Elsewhere in the eclectic menu, pizzas and pastas cost around VND100,000 and steak in red wine sauce goes for VND179,000. Classic pop instrumentals play by day, and come night, the chilled vibe is tainted slightly with electro pop.

CAFÉ LAM 91 Nguyen Huu Huan Always busy, the café has traditional charm in old quarter. Lining the walls, old world drawings line the walls floor to ceiling. They serve a variety of teas and coffee, as well as many jars of pickled looking vegetables and less identifiable things. Grab a seat on the low wooden tables and take advantage of their strong Wi-fi.

CHILL OUT CAFE TEEN SCENE CAFÉ 89A Ly Nam De, Ba Dinh Tel: 3223 3246 9am to 10pm This hangout spot is styled for locals in their teeny-bop years and early twenties.

The décor is kitschy and cozy, there is even a piano, used occasionally in live

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music shows. They serve sweet drinks at a reasonable price along with lots of treats like brownies in a variety of newwave flavors.

teas, coffee and cakes. Has other locations at 49 Hai Ba Trung, The Opera House, The Syrena Centre, Pacific Place and more.

CIAO CAFÉ

COFFEE/BAKERY 22 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3747 33 88 54 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6071 www.joma.biz 7am to 9pm With two branches, Joma has brought a little slice of “home” to Hanoi for expatriates with a contemporary western feel to the counter-style service and atmosphere.

The food is all there too: breakfasts, salads, soups, ice cream, muffins, cakes, cereals and bagels. Starting in Laos in 1996, Joma moved to Hanoi in 2010 and is looking to open in Ho Chi Minh City in 2011. Has a play area for kids up in the West Lake café and bakery.

RESTO LOUNGE 2 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 1494 7am to 11pm A stone’s throw from the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake, this Saigonese franchise tries it’s hand with a variety of different western dishes at reasonable prices, especially considering the location. Loaded with booths and a steady, young Vietnamese crowd, the establishment is a great place to squash a sandwich or bowl of pasta and people watch. Oh, and they also do coffee, too.

COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF INTERNATIONAL COFFEE HOUSE 28 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 4240 www.coffeebean.com 7am to 10pm Finally the newest addition to the Hanoi coffee scene has opened a little closer to town than the first outlet in Pico Mall.

Famous for the exceptional quality of the coffee and tea, the latest Coffee Bean is a multilevel, indoor/outdoor café overlooking Westlake. With its LA coffee and office feel, when you walk in you might just forget that you’re in Westlake.

CONG CAPHE LEFTIST ARTSY CAFE 152D Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm With a kitsch, communist-driven theme saturating this quaint cafe, most patrons are young Vietnamese bohemians and artsy expats. Sip on a blended cup of joe with beans from the Central Highlands, knock back one of the many different types of tea available or sip on freshly squeezed juice from the Spartan cups in one of the hippest cafes on 'cafe street'. If you like pre-doi moi nostalgia, here is the place to go.

ESPRESSAMENTE ILLY ITALIAN COFFEE 75 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 2065 8am to 11pm International standard, Italian-style espresso drinks are the name of the game at this undeniably chic chain coffee shop.

Boasting a wide range of drinks, including spirit coffees with tequila, and a small selection of pastries and panini sandwiches, the café’s clientele is a mix of tourists and Vietnamese who are tired of ca phe nau da. It is connected to a tour agency and in the central hub of the Old Quarter.

HAPRO CAFÉ CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 6th floor, 38-40 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 7984 7.30am to 11pm Take the dilapidated elevator to the 6th floor and emerge onto a balcony with one of the best views of Hoan Kiem. The big draw to this café is the vantage point — the drinks are a secondary concern, though there is about every coffee and juice concoction known to mankind on the menu and plenty of yoghurt and smoothie options too. Graze on French fries, sandwiches, salads and typical Vietnamese rice plates. Perfect for watching the city wake up or catching a sunset.

HIGHLANDS COFFEE CONTEMPORARY / COFFEE CHAIN 6 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 0444 www.highlandscoffee.com.vn 7am to 11pm As with any chain that attempts selfreplication, there is a tried and tested formula. At Highlands it is comfortable seating, good Wi-Fi, unobtrusive music and a mid-range, generic atmosphere.

It works, too. The Starbucks of Vietnam, a French-influenced, international and pan-Asian food menu sits alongside the

JOMA

KINH DO PATISSERIE / SIMPLE CAFE 252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 0216 7am – 8pm A must-go-to place on a lazy day, Mr Chi’s long-standing patisserie is somewhat famous for its honest, home-cooked food, no frills-but-relaxing environment and sour yoghurt fit for celebrities — Catherine Deneuve ate here daily during her time shooting Indochine. Hot fresh milk, exclusive coffee, awesome croque madames and local dishes, too. Replace WiFi with a book and aircon with ceiling fans; eat in, take away, the pastries are great and the price is always right.

LA PLACE CONTEMPORARY / VIETNAMESE 6 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 5859 7.30am to 10pm This tall, narrow lounge café with rooftop seating is a quintessential Hanoi spot.

The decoration is bright and casual and the all-day menu has food from both the east and the west. Draw with crayons on brown paper covering the tables as you while away the hours over coffee or cocktails, and take in the view of St. Joseph’s Cathedral. Has some interesting food options including spinach fried rice along with old standbys like tuna salad sandwiches and coconut chicken curry. No MSG is used here.

LOVE CHOCOLATE CAFE QUIRKY CAFE 26 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3243 2120 www.lovechocolatecafe.com 10am to 10pm, Closed Sundays Bathed in pink and decorated to mimic a French salon, Love Chocolate Cafe carries decadent chocolate desserts like mocha lava cake, espresso pepper brownies and tons of cookies. It doesn’t end there, hot chocolates, shakes and even coffee blends like minty java are on the menu. The sign out front reads, “All you chocoholics, We are open!”. A rare but terrific find in Hanoi.

MOCA CAFE CAFE / INTERNATIONAL 14-16 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 6334 moca@netnam.vn 8am to 10pm Set in a deliciously attractive slightly run down colonial villa, the tourist friendly location gives Moca a large amount of guidebook-driven clientele. But don't let this put you off. The faded but charmingly run down French-styled retro interior, good WiFi and some of the best coffee in town makes this a great spot to while away a couple of hours. The food menu mixes Vietnamese fare with sandwiches, western and pan-Asian mains.

MARILYN CAFE ROOFTOP CAFE 4 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Considering the amount of flat rooftops in this city, it’s a crime that most go under utilized. However, the top floor of Chim

Yen boutique and Marilyn Cafe is home to one of the more pleasant spaces in the Old Quarter. With a great, stone’s-throwview of St Joseph’s cathedral, food and beverages, this spot can turn a temperate afternoon into something a bit more special.

OCHAO TEAHOUSE TRADITIONAL TEA ROOM 25 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 01887 785977 ochaoteahouse@gmail.com 8am to 10pm A stylish, two-storey traditional but contemporary tea house with great views of West Lake. Specialises in “precious” Vietnamese tea from the northern hills, handpicked by ethnic minority tribes and presented to the public by a passionate French owner. Well worth your time hanging out here on a lazy day.

pretension. The spot specializes in serving a mixture of western, French and Vietnamese fare, along with coffee, shakes and juice. The venue is more affordable then it’s sister location upstairs, Café de Arts, and is prime real estate to nibble on some quiche and quaff a juice on a sunny day.

styled bistro and bar. Serving up a simple menu of snacks such as quiche Lorraine, Paris beurre and croque monsieur, there is also a selection of classic but unpretentious French mains. Has a daily specials board and a decent range of pizzas.

THAI CAFÉ

GREEN TANGERINE

PAVEMENT / VIETNAMESE 27 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Walk by this old café and you’ll see why it’s favoured by the locals. Grab a stool on the sidewalk to enjoy the lemon-y tea and sunflower seeds, or a strong drip coffee and people watching.

THE CART

MUSIC CAFE 25 Quang Trung, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 0909 061982 panaceacafe@yahoo.com 8am to late Slightly rough around the edges and with an artsy vibe, this is nonetheless a place that welcomes all comers. There’s live music four nights a week (Mon, Wed, Fri and Sat), but it’s not uncommon to find someone strumming away at the piano here at any time of the day. Friendly staff, good coffee, juices and cold beers.

SANDWICH SHOP/CAFÉ 18 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem (entrance on street behind Au Trieu) 8B, Lane 1, Au Co, Nghi Tam Village, Tay Ho Tel: 3928 7715 , www.thecartfood.com 7:30am – 5pm Small a cozy café hidden on the quietest of Hanoian streets, with a new outlet on Nghi Tam, which is more like the big-windowed coffee shops you expect to see in Europe. The Cart serves and delivers tasty baguettes, homemade juices, quiches, pies, muffins and cakes. The delivery service is quick and reliable, which makes this lunchtime favourite ideal for when you need to eat at the desk.

PARIS DELI

THE COFFEE BEAN AND TEA LEAF

PANACEA CAFE

CAFÉ / BOULANGERIE 6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 5269 7.30am to 11pm Time has been good to this airy, bistro-style café and patisserie opposite the Opera House. One of the original international-style establishments to hit the capital, despite its prime location prices remain reasonable — espresso-style coffees cost around VND40,000 — and the cakes and croissants are moreish.

Also does filled baguettes and a larger café-cum-restaurant menu. Has a second establishment at 13 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem.

SAINT HONORE CAFE / BOULANGERIE 5 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3933 2355 st.honorehn@gmail.com 7am to 10pm Decked out in maroon, dark browns and cream, this cafe and French-style boulangerie is best visited in the morning when that Gallic, fresh-cooked aroma of bread, croissants and patisseries hits you as you walk through the door. Serving all day long, the downstairs space is split into the bakery on one side with a small non-smoking dining space on the other.

The homely upstairs lounge area has standard tables as well as sofa seating.

Simple but tasty French and international fare is served at meal times.

SEGAFREDO ITALIAN CAFE 36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 1476 www.segafredo.com.vn 7am to 11pm Names of some of the world's greatest cities cover the front wall of Segafredo, an Italian cafe and eatery serving up some of the best espresso-based coffee in town.

Red and white decor, lifestyle black and white coffee drinking images and an open plan space make up the mix. Besides the caffeine-based drinks, also does granita, teas, shakes and modern Italian fare ranging from panini and focaccia through to pizza, pasta, salads and desserts.

STOP CAFÉ FRENCH DELI 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 9433 8am to 11pm Situated on Hanoi’s not-so-serene ‘Pub Street’, Stop sponges up the surrounding atmosphere, which gives the French delicatessen a relaxed vibe that avoids

Picomall, 229 Tay Son, Dong Da Tel: 6276 1004, www.coffeebean.com 8.30am to 9.30pm Known for the quality of its coffee and tea, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has landed in Hanoi — in the form of an air-con, western-style drinking space in Hanoi’s newest shopping mall. The five first coffee shops in Vietnam started in Ho Chi Minh City, and this the first one in the capital. Hanoians are finally able to taste the beverages already quenching the thirst in 20 countries across the planet.

New stores to open on West Lake soon.

THE DOLL HOUSE 26 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3935 2539 8am – 10am This new café, which fills a coffee-shopshaped gap in the market for this area, has the feel of half green house, half design-conscious doll house, and is a welcome alternative for when your favourite hang out begins to get samey. Focusing on fresh ingredients to suit the fresh design, the Doll House also has a garden terrace, and is open for party bookings and private events. Enter through the shop out front.

THE HANOI SOCIAL CLUB 6 Hoi Vu, Hoan Kiem 8am to 11pm Situated on one of the quieter Old Quarter streets just off Hang Bong, The Hanoi Social Club is a cozy midsize café/restaurant where you can forget the heat and bustle of Hanoi. The atmosphere is relaxed and you can imagine, for a second, that you’re sitting in a European café. The food is fresh and internationally inspired, and the design is complimented by the work of Tadioto’s Nguyen Qui Duc. To top it off, the coffee here is said to be up there with the best in the country.

RESTAURANTS - FRENCH MID-RANGE CAFE DE PARIS

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FRENCH BISTRO 10 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 1327, www.cafedeparis-hanoi.com 8am to 11pm Thanks to its original tiled floor, cast iron backed chairs and wall-hung black and white photography, there is something decidedly charming about this tiny Parisian-

MID TO TOP 48 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 1286 www.greentangerinehanoi.com 10am to 11pm daily A leafy, cobblestone courtyard with dark green cast-iron backed chairs greets you as you walk into this French era-built villa that houses the main section of this Indochina-styled restaurant. Serving up an enticing mix of classic and contemporary French cuisine, blended in with Vietnamese ingredients and cooking styles, the resultant fare has had customers coming back again and again. A traditional Vietnamese and kids menu is also available, as is a wine list focusing mainly on French wines.

TOP-END LA BADIANE 10 Nam Ngu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4509 labadiane.hanoi@yahoo.fr 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm. Closed Sunday night.

A white-washed, colonial era villa replete with period wooden shutters greets you as you enter this contemporary French restaurant. Guests can either dine indoors in aircon comfort or take to the leafy covered terrace out back with its walls lined with art and photography from 21st century Hanoi. The menu here mixes modern Gallic cuisine with a touch of Mediterranean and Vietnam thrown in, all creating an innovative and evocative selection of fare. Has an extensive wine list and an excellent, well-priced three-course lunch menu.

LA VERTICALE

RESTAURANTS - INDIAN MID-RANGE FOODSHOP 45 INTERNATIONAL INDIAN 59 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 2959 foodshop45@yahoo.com 10am to 10.30pm Lakeside location, low bamboo seating and a history that screams empathy make this eatery one of the most popular Indians in town. Selling an international version of the mighty curry — they even sell pork and beef here — the menu keeps to the northern part of the subcontinent with masala, dopiaza, korma and the more Goan vindaloo taking centre stage.

Also has a good range of breads and tandoor-cooked kebabs.

INDIA PALACE & DAKSHIN 78 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5995 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm India Palace is the fourth member of owner Ravi Kumar’s family of restaurants which includes Tandoor. The menu takes the cuisine of North India and combines it with a South Indian-inspired menu, to create a pan-Indian menu appealing to all. Occupying a large four-storey villa with unobstructed views of West Lake at the front, the décor here is traditional yet contemporary Indian. The fourth floor with sweeping views over West Lake is given up to Dakshin, a vegetarian restaurant selling mainly South Indian fare.

KHAZAANA INDIAN/HALAL 1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 5657 www.khaazana.vn 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10pm One of the two oldest Indian restaurants in Hanoi, the menu at Khazaana encompasses the entire subcontinent, complete with heavier chicken korma and northern curry

dishes alongside lighter southern dosas and uttappams. The venue is homey albeit harsh, but with quintessential masala tea, naan and raita to round out the meal, the focus here is on the food and filling your belly… or overfilling, as is more likely the case. All cuisine here is halal.

NAMASTE HANOI 47 Lo Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3935 2400 www.namastehanoi.com 11am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm The latest newcomer to the Indian restaurants family, Namaste specializes in dishes from both northern and southern India — using Halal meat throughout. A meal will cost you between VND150,000 and VND300,000 and everything is there, from curries and breads to soups and desserts. Available to dine in or out with a free delivery

TANDOOR 24 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3824 5359 tandoor@hn.vnn.vn 11am to 10.30pm A long-popular, Indian-food enclave specialising in Northern Indian cuisine. Has an indoor and upstairs, white tablecloth aircon area with a more casual dining and bar space out front. Does excellent kebabs served from an authentic tandoor oven as well as the full range of mainly North Indian curries. Also has a branch in Saigon and does excellent set lunches.

RESTAURANTS – INTERNATIONAL

BUDGET CAFÉ 129 MEXICAN/COMFORT FOOD 129 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3821 5342 7.30am to 9.30pm Service at this “slow food café” is seriously snail paced, but that is part of the charm of this modest eatery with only a few tables and small stools. Popular as a week-

19 Ngo Van So, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 3944 6317 www.verticale-hanoi.com 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 9.15pm Situated in an art-deco villa that was once owned by a Vietnamese mandarin, this establishment is now owned and run by perhaps the most famous French chef in the country. With modestly priced set lunches and subtle Vietnamese touches on the dishes, which primarily come from carefully selected domestic spices, the up market establishment lures in its high class customers with quality VietnameseFrench fusion cuisine.

LE BEAULIEU Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3826 6919 6am to 10am, 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm Classic French Indochine décor and subtle lighting give the Sofitel Metropole Legend’s signature restaurant an elegance rarely found in Vietnam’s capital. The a la carte menu pits classic French cuisine against contemporary Vietnamese cooking with dishes like Nha Trang lobster with saffron pot au feu, the pan fried veal tenderloin on a lemongrass skewer and the calisson parfait marinated with orange, pomelo and lemon balm. Has an extensive wine list.

SATINE CONTEMPORARY FRENCH Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555. satine@hoteldelopera.com 6pm to 10.30pm Designed for strictly dinner only indulgence, the opulent Satine provides diners the option of ordering a la carte or from one of the venue’s 12-course menus. Lavish design, royal-styled chairs and tables, three private dining rooms and the option of dining in a glass-covered courtyard are all part of the mix, with the cuisine prepared by executive chef Ms. Frédérique Nguyen.

May 2012 Word | 85

end hangover mainstay for the greasy eggs with cheese, the café is best known for its not-quite Mexican food. But hey, when there’s guacamole, salsa fresca, beans and cheese, what can go wrong? Be sure to try the fresh juices, like the super-booster with beetroot, and the coffee with whipped egg.

TRIEU PHUONG HONG KONG CANTONESE/DIM SUM 317 Kim Ma, Dong Da. Tel: 3846 1327 9am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm One of the most underrated Chinese restaurants in the city, the place itself is not much to look at, but they serve above average dim sum. A variety of other Cantonese style dishes including noodle soup and rice dishes are on offer here, all at very affordable prices.

WESTLAKE CUPCAKE

FOOD BUFF

CUPCAKE SERVICE Tel: 01219 499523 mia@westlakecupcake.net The cupcake obsession has caught on.

A new baking project by Westlake’s infamous Anna and Mia brings custom cupcakes cooked to order to your front door.

Offering a variety of cupcakes and butter cream frostings, check out their speciality flavours like New York cheesecake, brown eyed girl and creative monthly specials.

Are you drooling yet? Although a delivery only outlet, the cupcakes are available for purchase at Daluva and Oasis.

WITH KAUSTUBH TRIVEDI

MID-RANGE AL FRESCO’S

THE SPICE OF LIFE Served in restaurants around the world, chicken tikka masala is a southern Asian curry dish consisting of chicken chunks (tikka) in a spicy sauce (masala).

A survey found it to be the most popular restaurant dish in the UK, with former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook proclaiming it to be "a true British national dish". With so many variants presented around the world, the only common factor in all of them is the inclusion of chicken. This month, Khazaana manager Kaustubh Trivedi shares the secret ingredients that make his restaurant’s version of this ever-popular dish one of the biggest hits on his menu.

CHICKEN TIKKA INGREDIENTS 1 cup of yogurt 1 tablespoon of lemon juice 2 teaspoons of ground cumin 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons of freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon of minced fresh ginger 4 teaspoons of salt, or to taste 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces 4 long skewers

1 green chili, finely chopped 2 teaspoons of ground cumin 3 teaspoons of salt, or to taste 8 ounces of tomato sauce 1 cup of thick cream 1/4 cup of fresh coriander, chopped

METHOD In a large bowl, combine the thick yogurt, lemon juice, two of the teaspoons of cumin, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger and 4 teaspoons of salt.

Mix everything together and marinade the chicken with the ingredients.

Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Grill the chicken on a low flame.

Melt the butter in a large heavy pan over a medium heat.

Sauté the garlic and onion for one minute.

Season with two teaspoons of cumin and three teaspoons of salt.

Stir in the tomato sauce and the cream.

Simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the grilled chicken pieces and simmer for ten minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter, and garnish with fresh coriander.

MASALA INGREDIENTS 1 tablespoon of butter 1 clove of garlic, minced

86 | Word May 2012

Khazaana can be found at 1C, Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi

AUSTRALIAN / INTERNATIONAL 19A Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 1155 98 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 5322 www.alfrescogroup.com 8.30am to 11pm With a real ‘diner’ kind of feel, Al Fresco’s serves up munchies-busting Aussie inspired food from a number of locations across the city including their original restaurant at 23L Hai Ba Trung. Topping the menu are the jumbo ribs at VND395,000, with generous helpings of pizzas, pastas, burgers, Tex-Mex, soups and salads going for less.

The set business lunch is three courses for VND155,000. See the website for delivery numbers and don’t forget to ask for delivery deals. Have an efficient delivery service, but make sure you ask for knives and forks.

ARRIBA MEXICAN RESTAURANT & + GRILL

MEXICAN / TEX-MEX 48 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 7300 0206 www.arribavietnam.com 11am to 12am Smack in the middle of the Old Quarter and close to Ta Hien, this is probably Hanoi’s the best place to get your fix of chilli, lime, coriander, refried beans, tacos and tomato.

Sit in the upstairs loft for Asian-style seating, or out on the sidewalk for people watching. The open-style kitchen ensures your food is cooked to order and fast, and doubles as a bar. Their margaritas are strong and the salsa is spicy.

BRITANNIA FISH & CHIPS Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 2254 If you want a product closest to quintessential British fish and chips, then your best option by an arm and many a leg is Britannia. The cod, plaice and haddock may have been switched for basa and sea bass, but everything else is authentic, from the beer batter and mushy peas through to the newspaper wrapping, Scotch eggs and vinegar. Has an airy, upstairs two-room dining area.

CHEZ XUAN OPEN AIR EATING 41, Ngo 76, An Duong, Tay Ho. Tel: 0915 085305 Though it’s a bit far from the centre, the expansive wooded area, chilled out atmosphere and good food makes it worth a visit. The menu is well equipped to satisfy cravings for fish and hearty meat dishes. If

you’re in a DIY mood, you can Grill Yourself a plate of meat and seafood or choose from the gourmet selection of strip loin, ostrich or salmon to throw on the tabletop grills. Regularly holds live music events.

the start of Xuan Dieu. Focus of cuisine is on authentic couscous, tagines and kebab dishes made with a mixture of local and imported ingredients, all cooked up by a Moroccan chef. Uses Halal meat.

HOA SUA TRAINING RESTAURANT – SONG THU

LITTLE HANOI

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 34 Chau Long, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3942 4448 www.hoasuaschool.com Open from 7am to 10pm This restaurant, which schools and employs disadvantaged youths, has been popular for 11 years — as a grand villa and courtyard setting tucked away in the corner of Ha Hoi. Popular with business types, tourists and expats alike, who enjoy good food while supporting a good cause, mains like cha ca and steaks go for VND99,000 and VND289,000 respectively, and there are six set menus available which take in Vietnamese, French and Italian cuisine.

KITCHEN INTERNATIONAL CAFE FARE Ngo 40, Nha 7A Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2679, hungskitchen@gmail.com 7am to 9pm Despite a two-storey indoor dining space, Kitchen is all about its leafy, terracottatiled terrace out front, a great space for eating the decent breakfasts (check out the breakfast burrito), the creatively titled sandwiches and the selection of international salads. Also does a range of Mexican dishes (available after 5pm) and an innovative smattering of healthy, smoothiestyle drinks. Has amiable know-your-name staff and a good delivery service.

KOTO ON VAN MIEU RESTAURANT / CAFÉ / BAR 59 Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 0337 www.koto.com.au All profit is invested back into the cause at Koto, which is a school and workplace for disadvantaged students opposite the Temple of Literature. Authentic Asian and European cuisine comes out of a visible and frenetic kitchen and is served over four big floors of restaurant space. It’s cushioned, comfortable and has a rooftop terrace, too. Wrap it yourself nem, bun bo Nam bo, Koto burgers, pastas, fish and chips, chicken Kievs and sandwiches all under one homely roof.

LA RESTAURANT VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 25 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 8933 8am to 10pm The complimentary warm bread with rosemary is reason enough to visit this homely spot featuring hearty lentil and black bean soups, along with a range of international and Vietnamese options like New Zealand beef tenderloin or tofu with chilli and mushrooms. We aren’t quite sure why the Miele Guide nominated it as one of Asia’s finest restaurants as service is lackadaisical and tables could use candles to improve the lackluster ambience, but the immaculately tasty dishes more than make up for any quips.

LA SALSA IBERIAN / MEDITERANEAN 25 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 9052 lasalsa@fpt.vn 8am to 11pm A small but eternally popular Spanishthemed café and bar with an extensive list of reliable cuisine. Tapas are available, as well as full courses such as veal, and duck with currant sauce. Known for its good, European-style coffee and fantastic first-floor terrace area with views over the cathedral. Western staff speak English and French.

LE MARRAKECH MOROCCAN 88 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3710 0389 10am to 11pm. Closed Monday Family-run Moroccan restaurant in a charming terrace-fronted house close to

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 21 – 23 Hang Gai Street, Hoan Kiem Dist Tel: 38285 333 littlehanoi@orientalstars.com.vn 7:30am - 11:00pm A tourist hotspot and one for locals, too, Little Hanoi near Hoan Kiem Lake has been going sturdy since 1994 — mainly for its central location, range of sandwiches, pastas and Vietnamese cuisine. Baguettes go from VND95,000 and mango salads VND99,000, not to mention the coffee at around VND50,000, wines and fresh fruit juices. With Indochina-inspired art on the walls and jazz in the background, Little Hanoi is a little escape from the chaos of the central lake.

MATCHBOX INTERNATIONAL / VIETNAMESE 40 Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3734 3098 tmbhanoi@gmail.com 11am to 11pm Located in the grounds of the Fine Arts Museum, this classy restaurant and wine bar mixes attractive décor with western cuisine, all cooked up by a New Zealand-trained Vietnamese chef. Famed for its salads, good cuts of steak, lamb shank and its various pasta fare, the menu here also incorporates a number of well-known Vietnamese dishes.

PROVECHO TEX-MEX / BURGERS / INTERNATIONAL 18 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0912 223966 provechohanoi@gmail.com The successor of My Burger My, this American-run, self-styled burger bar and restaurant fits a lot into a tiny, multi-storey space. Specializing in tasty, American-style, chargrilled burgers from around VND50,000 with a range of additional toppings including jalapeno peppers, smoked bacon, mushrooms, cheddar cheese and avocado, the creative menu also has a good range of Tex-Mex fare, a number of pan-Asian dishes and a decent delivery service.

SPOON ASIAN FUSION 15-17 Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 5636 6.30am to 10pm An extension of Soul furniture and lifestyle store, the restaurant and lounge bar at Spoon serves up a fusion menu in a setting that screams homeliness and style. Asian dishes, seafood and steaks are among the go-to menu choices. Attentive and competent staff top it all off in this chic restolounge.

TAMARIND CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN 80 Ma May, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 0580 tamarind_cafe@yahoo.com 5.30am to 10.30pm Perhaps the only restaurant in Hanoi to cater to vegetarians that doesn’t focus on faux meat, Tamarind features a wide range of juices and shakes in a crunchy granola backpacker atmosphere. Breakfast is served all day and with Asian favourites, like vegetarian pho, Ma-Po tofu and Thai glass noodle salad, along with some falafel and western influences, vegetarians and carnivores alike will find something to try on this menu.

THE BISTRO

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FRENCH FLAIR 2/2c Van Phuc, Ba Dinh Tel: 3726 4782 www.thebistro.com.vn A modern eatery offering western cuisine with shades of French influence in a comfortable setting. Think gardens in a courtyard, drink and food deals and a warm indoor atmosphere — you know, just how the French do it.

THE HOUSE FUSION FARE / WINE 10 Truong Han Sieu. Tel: 6270 2611 hoangcuongfb@gmail.com The House, once Annie’s Corner, is one of the latest restaurants to occupy an old French building in the quiet streets nestled between Ba Trieu and Quang Trung. It serves Vietnamese food but with international twists. The affordable and eclectic menu ranges from local tenderloin steak to lemongrass tuna salads with a decent wine list and an ideal bring-yourown VND100,000 corkage fee per bottle of wine.

MID TO TOP GREEN MANGO

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WESTERN / VIETNAMESE 18 Hang Quat, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 9916 www.greenmango.vn 7.30am to 11.30pm Sophisticated restaurant set inside an Old Quarter boutique hotel. Formerly a school, and now also on Cat Ba Island, Green Mango serves Vietnamese and western food, ranging from sandwiches and pasta to lamb chops and VND700,000 Angus rib-eyes. Buy-one-get-one-free deals on cocktails and beers every day from 4pm to 6pm and Lavazza coffee at all hours. With comfy seats and a soft setting, the function room at the back often hosts charity events and semi-formal get-togethers.

JASPA’S INTERNATIONAL / AUSTRALIAN Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung (4th Floor), Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3934 8325 www.alfrescosgroup.com 6.30am to midnight With attentive service, tasty food and large portions, this place has something for everyone and has proved itself to be popular with both the western and Asian expat communities who come back again and again. The comprehensive menu is a fusion of western and Asian cooking. Also has a large and spacious bar and lounge area that stays open late for all the live sport.

LA CANTINE INTERNATIONAL / CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3936 9897 www.lacantine.vn 6am to 11.30pm Converted from a wing of an old church, this upscale restaurant with extensive Vietnamese and international offerings is just a stone’s throw from the Opera House. Sophisticated but cozy, the salon is open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea.

Expect about VND1 million for a set topend six-course meal and VND600,000 for the more downscale five-course offering.

LE PETITE BRUXELLES BELGIAN / EUROPEAN 1 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1769 10 Alley 27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 5853 www.le-petit-bruxelles.com 10am to 10pm An airy and spacious long-running Belgian-themed eatery with a location by the cathedral and a second out in West Lake. Although this is not the place to wash down your Chimay, Leffe or Duval with moules frites on a daily basis — the mussels are only available seasonally — a number of other traditional Belgian dishes fill the menu including carbonade, jambonneau and boulettes sauce tomate as well as the more Swiss-sounding beef and cheese fondue. Hearty fare in a nice environment.

LUALA CAFE CONTEMPORARY CAFÉ / RESTAURANT 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2886 www.luala.vn 8 am to 10 pm If you can't afford the labels at Luala you can still enjoy the cuisine in this small cafe run in conjunction with the high-end fashion concept store, Luala

and The Press Club. Offering a large menu specialising in creative but chic cafe fare as well as the prerequisite quality coffee, the outdoor terrace seating offers great views of the downtown area.

TOP END AU LAC DO BRAZIL

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6A Cao Ba Quat, Ba Dinh Tel: 3845 5224 www.aulacdobrazil.com 11am to 2pm, 5pm to midnight A nicely themed Brazilian churrascaria steakhouse offering all you can eat grilled meat and seafood on the skewer, Au Lac do Brazil is not for the feint of stomach.

In typical Brazilian rodízio fashion, waiters bring cuts of meat to the table for patrons to pick and choose, all for a set price. They also offer wine pairings, a salad bar and an a la carte menu, with a creative selection of fruit caipirinhas on hand to wash it all down. The prices aren’t for anyone on a budget, but the amount and quality of meat is more than worth cost.

CAFÉ LAUTREC MEDITERRANEAN / INTERNATIONAL Hotel de l’Opera, 29 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 6282 5555 cafelautrec@hoteldelopera.com 6am to 10pm Featuring both à-la-carte and buffet dining as well as an innovative Sunday brunch, this namesake of the French artist Toulouse-Lautrec provides an exotic ambience for diners to enjoy a mixture of international and Mediterranean-style fare. Has an extensive wine list to match the cuisine, which is all served up in a contemporary yet colonial-inspired environment.

DON’S TAY HO CONTEMPORARY NORTH AMERICAN 16/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 3719 www.donviet.vn Monday to Friday, 10am to late. Weekends 8am to late A bakery, bistro, restaurant, wine retailer, oyster bar and top floor lounge bar all in one, this lake-facing venue is the work of charismatic Canadian restaurateur and wine connoisseur Donald Berger.

Focusing on comfort food done well, the main restaurant menu includes anything from wood-grilled rare tuna steak with fragrant Chinese black bean beurre noir to gourmet pizza and pasta dishes such as the likes of Iberian pata negra ham egg pasta served with crushed roasted garlic and manchego. Does an excellent range of imported oysters and has an extensive wine list.

EL GAUCHO STEAKHOUSE 99 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3718 6991 www.elgaucho.com.vn 4pm to late This welcomed eatery combines traditional Argentinian recipes and preparation with great service in a contemporary and thoughtfully designed space over three floors. Already with two venues in Saigon — one near the Opera House and the other in Saigon South — the essence of this popular chain is quality top grade meats off the grill. Steak is the mainstay, but everything from chicken, pork and seafood is also up for grabs. Add to this a backdrop of low Latin music, low, subtle lighting and an extensive wine list and that’s another reason to head to El Gaucho.

HALIA HANOI SINGAPOREAN / CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3946 0121 www.halia.com.sg 11am to 11pm. Closed Sundays A secluded courtyard in the heart of

Pacific Place plays host to one of the capital’s best restaurants. A two-floored venue split into a downstairs tapas and bar area,with a refined dining space located on the level above, the menu includes Singaporean specialities such as the shrimp satay salad and the chilli crab spaghetti. A pan-European classical menu mixed in with light Asian flavours is also on offer, with dishes such as pan-braised Alaskan cod with sea winkle crust and the braised pork belly in shoyu and sweet mirin making an appearance. Has an extensive wine list.

JACKSON’S STEAKHOUSE 23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3938 8388 www.alfrescogroup.com 9.30am to midnight Then newest venture from the team behind Jaspa’s and Pepperoni’s is an all-day eating and drinking lounge fit for all occasions. It has three floors for different vibes – lounge bar, restaurant and “boardroom” – but fine imported steads can be found on each, as well as seafood and a huge wine list. A popular venue.

MILLENIUM PAN-FRENCH / INTERNATIONAL 11B Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0904 134490 Clean and fresh with a fine-dining vibe, the Millennium restaurant is the minimal and chic result of a Café Des Arts makeover. The street’s new go-to for a high standard of eating and drinking goes over two floors and has a welcome and inviting three-level outdoor terrace high up amid the concrete and cables of the Old Quarter.

MING PALACE PAN-CHINESE Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3823 8888 Lunch 11am to 2pm, dinner 5pm to 10pm A fine dining destination at the Sofitel Plaza serving Cantonese and pan-Chinese cuisine in a sleek modern setting with private dining rooms. With more than 80 dim sum selections available along with Chinese entrees, Ming’s is an ideal eatery for those hungry for higher end Chinese fare.

NINETEEN 11 INTERNATIONAL / ASIAN The Opera House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 4801 www.nineteen11.com.vn 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm Named after the completion date of the Opera House under which it is located, walk inside and a labyrinthine-like, barebrick wall hallway leads you through to the main dining area. With dark browns, deep yellow tablecloths and a refined ambience aided by background classical music, the menu takes in western, panAsian and seafood fare and even has its own section dedicated entirely to foie gras. Has a 100-strong old and new world wine list that includes Bordeaux vintages and also boasts a cheaper, outdoor garden space next to Highlands Coffee.

PRESS CLUB CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 3rd Floor, 59A Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 0888 www.hanoi-pressclub.com 11.30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.

Closed Sunday lunch Wooden flooring, paneling and bold but subtle colours pervade this traditional but contemporary, fine-dining 70-seater venue close to the Opera House. Serving up quality cuisine for over a decade, Press Club boasts a bar area, two private dining rooms, including a wine room, a library and a vast selection of cigars, all in an elegant atmosphere. Does four excellent wine pairing menus, put together through the aid of the Press

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Club’s extensive new and old world wine list. Also hosts a popular first-Friday-ofthe-month party.

RESTAURANTS - ITALIAN MID-RANGE CIELO CASUAL ITALIAN DINING 172 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 0680 9am to 10.30pm An Italian eatery in West Lake with a large selection of authentic, pan-Italian cuisine, Cielo is a place which goes back to basic, using homemade Bufala mozzarella on their pizzas. The word Cielo means sky, which is reflected in the fresh airy dining room. And while their takeaway service is prompt, eating in ensures a much better experience. Prices are very reasonable.

DA PAOLO CLASSIC ITALIAN 18 Lane 50/59/17 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 8585 1443 11am to 11pm This airy, contemporary looking Italian restaurant next to the famed lawn chair and coconut café on West Lake has all the right ingredients to become a classic.

Run by the long time former manager of Luna D’Autunno, it features scrumptious wood-fired oven pizzas from VND120,000 and other Italian delicacies. Open every day for lunch and dinner, delivery is also available.

LUNO D’AUTUNNO CLASSIC ITALIAN 78 Tho Nhuom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3823 73338 lunadautunno@gmail.com 11am to 11pm This old-favourite Italian restaurant has been going for 10 years. It uses traditional wood ovens to prepare some of the city’s finest pizzas, which range from VND60,000 to build-your-own-skies-the-limit. Set inside a large, thoughtful space with over 35 covers and an outside courtyard, seasoned chefs also make fresh pastas, soups and cheeses — the latter often bought by other restaurants. Monthly photo exhibitions and opera nights make it well worth a visit, as does the large wine list and choice of desserts.

MEDITERRANEO PAN-ITALIAN 23 Nha To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6288 leo@mediterraneo-hanoi.com 10am to 11pm This long-running, cozy restaurant near the cathedral serves all the traditional Italian fare you could need — homemade

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mozzarella and fresh pasta, spinach and ricotta ravioli, cold cut boards, soups, salads and fish. Throw in an extensive wine list, a traditional wood fire oven and a balcony spot looking over Hanoi’s trendy café scene and you’re onto a winner.

PANE E VINO

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PAN-ITALIAN 3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 38269 080 Just a stroll away from the Hanoi Opera House and Hoan Kiem Lake in the heart of Hanoi, Pane e Vino serves up authentic Italian food and has done for as long as anyone can remember. Renowned for the highly rated, oven fresh pizzas and large variety of pasta and salad dishes — look forward to fine food done well at this eatery that has the feel of Europe. Huge wine lists, friendly staff and a loveable owner.

ZPIZZA Floor 1, Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 5959 www.zpizza.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm Californian pizza chain in the now open in West Lake. — currently the only place to eat from this American pizza brand in Hanoi. The new pizzeria prides itself on its 100 percent certified organic wheat dough and different dishes found nowhere else, like the strawberry and goat’s cheese salad. Also serves up curry chicken sandwiches and meatball penne pasta.

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CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN Sofitel Metopole Legend Hotel, 15 Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 6919 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30am to late (restaurant) 11am to 2am (bar) There are only two truly top-end, contemporary Italians in Vietnam and Angelina claims pride of place in this elite group. This doesn't mean that prices here are off limits — take a similar eatery in Europe and here you are paying a third, which all makes a meal here a special affair. The carpaccios are to die for, the pastas are all home made, the pizzas are wood-fired and the steaks are chargrilled.

Does a great three-course set lunch for VND520,000++.

Nick Ross

RESTAURANTS - JAPANESE & KOREAN

BONG-CHU JJIM-DAK KOREAN CHICKEN B40 Nguyen Thi Dinh, Thanh Xuan Tel: 6680 1423 Visit www.bongchu.co.kr 11am – 10pm In typical Vietnamese fashion, Bong-Chu Jjim Dak restaurant only serves one dish it knows best: chicken. A light kimchi soup is served alongside the steamed bird mixed with cellophane noodles packed in a mildly peppery but sweet combination.

It’s simple — ordering options include half chicken, whole chicken, chicken and a half, or all of the above. Select the answer that best fits your appetite and escape from the ubiquitous boiled chicken on streets.

GIM BAB KOREAN 50A Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3201 2989 One of the longest running Koreans in town, this down-to-earth eatery just off Kim Ma specialises in the Korean nation’s version of sushi rolls. These can be ordered either plain or deep-fried. Other Korean fare includes bibimbab and a range of barbecue dishes. The cuisine is brought to your low tables with floor seating and in typical Korean fashion, all meals are served with free side dishes (banchan) of kim chi, pickles and eggplant.

KY Y JAPANESE RICE EATERY 166 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 1386 11.30am to 1.30pm, 5pm to 10.30pm, closed Sunday Sushi, soba, sake. Buy a big bottle of sake and the staff will put your name on it and keep it until next time. Dine at the downstairs bar or in one of the private rooms with sliding doors for an authentic Japanese experience. Although Ky Y specialises in rice-style working man’s fare, it’s hard to go wrong with anything on the menu, but the Japanese omelets, tempura and saucy eggplant dishes are perennial crowd pleasers.

IZAKAYA YANCHA JAPANESE BBQ 121 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3974 8437 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 11pm Just a stone’s throw from Ky Y, this Osakabased chain does the same cuisine, but entirely differently. The small plates on the large menu are best shared among a group and with bottles of beer or sake.

The tofu in amber sauce will leave you licking the plate and the chicken with udon and vegetables is off-the-charts delicious. The tidbit barbeque sticks of okra or bacon are also great, but more as a snack than anything else.

SAIGON SAKURA TRADITIONAL JAPANESE 34 Hang Bai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 7565 10am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm This Japanese eatery might be easy to walk past without noticing, but venture inside and you will find a small but neat interior. The food ranges from traditional Japanese to dishes that lean towards fusion. Very reasonable prices, compared with other Japanese establishments.

RESTAURANTS - SOUTHEAST ASIAN BUDGET NISA MALAYSIAN / HALAL 32 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3926 1859 www.nisa-restaurant.com 10am to 2.30pm, 5pm to 10pm A two-storey fresh looking Malaysian restaurant with affable staff and authentic cuisine. Difficulty in obtaining ingredients means that these days the menu is limited, but a nasi campur buffet-style counter in the downstairs space and photos on the wall of other classic Malaysian fare allows customers to choose what to eat. Think nasi lemak, mee goreng, roti canai, beef rendang and more. It tastes good, too.

MID-RANGE BAAN THAI NORTHEASTERN THAI / LOUNGE BAR 3B Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 8588 baanthai95@hotmail.com 10am to 10pm This venue serves arguably the best Thai food in the city. With Thai owners and staff from the country’s Isaan region in the kitchen, the place specializes in spicy staples that come from the northeastern provinces in the country. After a meal in the more traditional ground floor space, relax in the comfortable furnishings of the venue’s chic first-floor lounge.

THAI ELEPHANT INTERNATIONAL THAI 73 Bui Thi Xuan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 8586 7090 11am to 11pm For those with sensitive taste buds, this small restaurant serves up authentic Thai food that is lighter on the spice. Owned by a Bangkok native, the space itself is a small two-level restaurant with traditional

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Thai décor. At a convenient location near Hoan Kiem and Vincom Towers, Thai Elephant covers all the delicious bases with efficient, fast service and delivery.

RESTAURANTS - VIETNAMESE BUDGET BANH CUON PHU LY BANH CUON 39 Dao Duy Tu, Hoan Kiem 6am to 3pm Put the warm fish sauce in the small bowl with squeezed lime, chilli and fresh herbs and then dip. This is the Ha Nam version of banh cuon (rolled wet rice paper) with the gio lua (pork cake) substituted for barbecued pork and bacon. The street side, flaking paint wall location may be off putting for some, but the fare tastes great.

BANH XEO SAI GON BANH XEO / BUN BO 32 Hang Buom, Hoan Kiem Tel: 01296 290015 12pm to 11pm A recently opened slither of an eatery selling — wait for it — a Hanoi version of a Saigon version of a Hue dish. It's a bit of a mouthful but worth it — for all its augmentations the banh xeo (beef, beansprout and egg pancakes) served up for self rolling with rice paper and fresh herbs are pretty tasty. Also does a sweet and spicy to-die-for bun bo Nam Bo.

BUN BO HUE BUN BO HUE 36c Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung 7am to 4pm This is the second branch of the ninemonth-old restaurant on Food Street. Like the Tong Duy Tan favourite, which is more restaurant than street-side affair, the new location serves up the same staples from further south including bun bo Hue, bun thit nuong and nem lui. Authentic, tasty and cheap

BUN BO NAM BO BUN BO 67 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 0701 7am to 11pm Dressed up like an indoor version of a streetside eatery, this megalith of a skinny bun bo restaurant is famed not only for its northern interpretation of a southern dish that you can't buy in the south, but also for its ga tan (stewed marinated chicken). The bun bo itself, a concoction of sauteed beef, peanuts, beansprouts, white noodles and sweet and sour sauce, is one of the better versions available in the city. And the beef is excellent.

BUN CHA DAC KIM BUN CHA 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 5022 10am to 7pm With the help of over 40 years of customer loyalty and repeated mentions in overseas press, Dac Kim has become the powerhouse of eateries serving up bun cha (white rice noodles with barbecued pork and herbs). The formula is simple. The mini pork patties are perfectly rounded, the bacon is perfectly grilled and then the portions are humongous. If you're feeling ravenous, the servings here will fill that merry gap, but if you want quality over quantity, look elsewhere. Has a second eatery at 67 Duong Thanh, Hoan Kiem.

CHICKEN STREET BBQ STAPLES Ly Van Phuc, Ba Dinh Perhaps the most well known street food Mecca in all of Hanoi, the lane is flanked with BBQ chicken joints from north to south. At the Nguyen Thai Hoc entrance, the food stalls boast proper chairs, while the venues at the opposite end offer stools and host much larger crowds. No trip to Hanoi or tenure in the capital is

Debbie Clare highlights the bands, venues, acts and performers making a noise in the capital this month BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS Coriolan (or Ouvertüre Coriolan an die Deutschen) was written by the late, great Ludwig van Beethoven back in 1807. Like all great compositions, it journeys through the realms of war, death, family feuds, and of course suicide.

What’s not to like? For years it was claimed by some to have been written for Shakespeare’s Coriolanus, but after some contestation it was eventually agreed that it was in fact composed for Heinrich Joseph von Collin's 1804 tragedy Coriolan. The SIMPLE PLAN structure of the piece does follow Collin’s play in a general way; the Development (USAID), the ending shouts suicide! as opposed Australian Government’s Agency to murder!, which concludes for International Development Shakespeare’s play.

(AusAID), and the Association of Also being performed the same Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). evening is Wolfgang Amadeus Hailing from Montreal, Simple Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 Plan’s infectiously catchy brand in C major, K.467, and Antonin of adolescent pop-punk has Dvorak’s most popular work seen them reach enviable chart Symphony No. 9 in E minor Op. 95, positions across Asia, South widely known as the New World America, Scandinavia and Europe, Symphony. and shift a remarkable seven The concert takes place at 8pm million records worldwide. In their on May 28 and 29 at Hanoi Opera debut live performance in Vietnam, House, 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem. the band sees the association with Tickets are priced from VND200,000. human trafficking as a vital part of Swing by the venue’s box office, their outlook. “Human trafficking is or order from www.ticketvn.com, a horrible crime with devastating ticketvn@gmail.com or 0913 489858 consequences for so many young people and their families,” says the STOPPING THE TRAFFIC band’s French-Canadian drummer MTV is staging a free concert Chuck Comeau. “We are proud to at Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium stand together with MTV EXIT and this month, in a nation-wide their partners in the fight against campaign aimed at combating exploitation. We can’t wait to play human trafficking. A series of live in Vietnam for the first time and events, TV programmes and youth are looking forward to informing engagement activities will build up our fans on how they can get to the flagship event on May 26, involved and help out.” which sees rock band Simple Plan MTV EXIT takes place at My Dinh take to the stage in this largeStadium on May 26. To find out scale outdoor concert. The event more about the event and to apply is being produced in partnership for free tickets check out www. with the Ministry of Culture, Sports mtvexit.org or follow MTV EXIT on and Tourism (MOCST), the United Twitter @mtvexit and www.facebook.

States Agency for International com/mtvexit

IN HARMONY It’s no mean feat when you can list Nelson Mandela, the Pope and the British Royal Family amongst your fans. But acapella group Black Voices can, and it’s not hard to see or hear why. Over a staggering 24-year career, the group has shared the stage with many musical greats including the late Ray Charles and Nina Simone.

Having enjoyed extensive international touring, from Australia to China, Taiwan to South Africa, Malawi to Lesotho, Namibia to Cameroon and just about everywhere in-between,

Black Voices celebrate their African, Caribbean and British heritage through traditional folk, jazz, gospel, pop and reggae.

Transcending gender, race, religious persuasion and age, Black Voices blend spine-tingling harmonies with elegant, soulful vocals. Cancel everything, it’s going to be glorious.

Black Voices will perform at Hanoi Opera House on May 21, at 8pm. Tickets are from VND50,000, and can be purchased from the venue box office at 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, or ordered from www. ticketvn.com, ticketvn@gmail.com or 0913 489858

Black Voices

May 2012 Word | 89

DUONG SOM CHAO CA

complete without a trip to Chicken Street.

Honey grilled banh my and potatoes provide vegetarians with savory alternatives.

the pho ga at this well-known, 40-year-old street corner eatery also lauded for its tasty pho xao and pho bo. It's a simple, typically Hanoian streetside affair here with red plastic tables on the street and foot-high stools. The soup comes with an accompanying basket of slightly stale but buttery banh quay.

FISH PORRIDGE / CHAO CA 213 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3829 5281 Serves perhaps some of the best chao ca in the city. This rice porridge with fish is garnished with a healthy amount of fresh herbs and, if you choose, strips of banh quay – the Chinese style fried bread.

The fish is boneless, which helps set this place apart from others selling the same dish. One bowl is VND30,000.

COM CHAY NANG TAM VEGAN 79A Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 4140 9am to 9pm The set meals for one person or a group of six people make this a popular lunchtime eatery. Signs clearly demarcate the way through the alley on Tran Hung Dao to this casual restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Everything on the menu is vegetarian, from standard tofu with tomato sauce to more obscure fake meat dishes. The walls are moldy but the food is fresh.

QUAN 49

MAI ANH PHO GA 32 Le Van Huu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 8492 5am to 4pm Ignore the doubters, this infamous eatery serves up some seriously wholesome pho ga (chicken noodle soup) in a hygienic, shared table indoor environment. The secret? The broth, a perfectly rounded chicken stock consomme. Portions are big, too, and diners can order chicken on the bone or off and can even get an extra egg added to the soup for good measure.

COM GA HOI AN HOI AN CUISINE 1 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3923 3856 7am to 11pm A four-storey restaurant and café specialising in food from the centre of Vietnam — or, as the name suggests, the ancient town of Hoi An. It serves everything from the famous cao lau noodles and my quang tom, to bun bo nuong and com ga Hoi An. Also sells Thai and Chinese cuisine, cakes and ice cream. A spiral staircase, a second floor terrace and pictures of the ancient town top it all off.

PHO CUON STRIP

DAC SAN HUE HUE CUISINE 150 Nguyen Khuyen, Dong Da Tel: 6674 7917 6.30am to 10pm A no frills, ten-table restaurant easy to miss at the end of Nguyen Khuyen, just opposite the Temple of Literature. Specialises in dishes from Hue, like banh beo and banh khoai, all at local prices. The staff is friendly and helpful and the bun bo Hue is spot on.

PHO GA / BUN BO NAM BO 49 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho 6am to 4pm A stilt-hutted street food eatery and cafe in the shadow of Elite Fitness doing a tasty version of the sweet and sour bun bo Nam Bo (southern-style beef noodles).

Ladle in the chilli and mix up with the beansprouts, fresh herbs, peanuts and sauteed beef, and you have a spiced-up, filling meal. Also does decent pho ga (chicken noodle soup) and pho xao (fried noodles). Has a semi-mezannine cafestyle space out back.

TRUC LAM TROI

PHO CUON / PAN-VIETNAMESE 71-77 Truc Bach, Ba Dinh 9am to midnight For a dish purported to be invented by French chef Didier Corlou, it is phenomenal how this wet rice paper filled with beef and herbs affair has so quickly been absorbed into the street food fold.

Dipped into sweet fish sauce with a touch of chilli, it tastes good, too. The biggest proponents of this dish are on Truc Bach — a row of five street-side eateries that also sell standard, quan nhau meat and seafood fare. There is also another strip of joints just round the corner on Ngu Xa.

VEGAN 39 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 6278 1848 7am to 9pm Vegetarians delight in being able to order anything off this more-creativethan-normal traditional Vietnamese Buddhist restaurant situated on a quiet street. Corn juice is the drink of choice here, as everyone around sips the tepid yellow stuff, and the array of fried tofu vegetable dishes makes you reconsider vegan cuisine as “health food.” Order an office lunch plate or dine in during the weekend surrounded by families and walls adorned with traditional Buddhist imagery.

QUAN 32

WHITE CLOUD

PHO GA / PHO BO / PHO XAO 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiem 5.30am to 11pm A hearty, slightly salty broth accompanies

VEGAN Nha 2, Ngo 12 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 1622 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm

Simplicity is the key at this small but airy, zen-like bamboo-table eatery located behind the Syrena Centre. A rarity in Vietnam — the cuisine here doesn’t only focus on faux meat imitation — the menu mixes canh (broth) with a range of light dishes, Vietnamese-style salads and a selection of tofu and gluten-inspired mains. Worth a try for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike.

MID-RANGE CHA CA LA VONG CHA CA 14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3825 3929 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 9pm A funky wooden-floored two storey, one-dish-only eatery on a street devoted to one of Hanoi's best known dishes, cha ca. Claiming to be the oldest restaurant in Vietnam (established 1873) the deal is straightforward. The butter-coated, premarinated fish is sauteed with dill and spring onions on the table and served up with sides of peanuts, bun noodles and fresh herbs. It's not street food prices cheap by any means, but it's darned tasty. Popular with tourists and locals.

CHIM SAO TRADITIONAL VIETNAMESE 65 Ngo Hue, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3976 0633 Situated in a turn-of-the-century French townhouse in a tucked away alley, the ‘whistling bird’ continues to offer some of the best ‘traditional’ Vietnamese food in the capital. Sit on the floor upstairs or enjoy seating downstairs, regardless this eatery serves up simple Vietnamese staples that are well executed and presented in a setting that makes one feel like a regal Hanoian.

HIGHWAY 4 VIETNAMESE / ETHNIC 5 Hang Tre, hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 4200 575 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3711 6372

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El Gaucho

54 Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3796 2647 25 Bat Su, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 0639 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6377 10am to midnight Always busy, often hectic, this multifloored restaurant is for diners who don’t mind loud noises and sitting on the floor.

It’s best for groups so you can order an array of dishes ranging from the more exotic frog legs, buffalo and ostrich, to the trusted standbys; catfish spring rolls, papaya salad and fried tofu. But it’s the exclusive Highway 4 flavoured rice wines that can be taken as shots or mixed into cocktails that keep this place crowded.

KITI RESTAURANT VIETNAMESE / WESTERN 38 Hang Hom Tel: 3928 7241 An unassuming establishment that rarely fills up, which means that customers often benefit from better service and the servers utmost attention. What the restaurant lacks in atmosphere, it makes up for with a large menu that is chalked full of reasonably priced Vietnamese fare and some western staples.

NGOC HIEU STEAK / CHINESE NOODLES 52 Le Ngoc Han, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3978 2251 7am to 10.30pm Located on the corner of Hoa Ma, this steak served sizzling-on-the-griddle eatery packs no punches when it comes to getting your beef. Get the standard banh my affair and the imported US steak is doled up with meatballs, fried egg, chips and lots of fat. It's a cholesterol mess of a meal but really tasty. Also does bun bo Hue, Phuc Kien noodles and the Khmer Chinese hu tieu Nam Vang. Has restaurants at 349 Doi Can and 71 Tran Duy Hung.

NHA HANG NGON CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 26 A-B Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 6133 ngonhanoi@vnn.vn 7am to 10pm Large and always busy restaurant set in two colonial buildings. The courtyard is filled with tables and fairy light covered trees, which are circled by 18 cooking stoves. Here the chefs serve Vietnamese classics from all over the country a la carte style. Good for street side classics done well in the comfort of an airy restaurant. Of the 14 dining spaces, one room holds 30 guests. Open for breakfast lunch and dinner.

OLD HANOI GOURMET VIETNAMESE 4 Ton That Thiep, Hoan Kiem Tel: 1355 9096 10am-2pm, 5pm-10pm Gordon Ramsay once filmed a show at this restaurant in a renovated French villa and now the ribs carry his namesake.

But it’s the twist on old world favourites, think fried snail spring rolls and miniature vegetarian banh xeo, in a casually elegant setting that make this spot near the train tracks standout. Be sure to try the roll-your-own cha ca spring rolls and check the schedule for live traditional music.

QUAN AN NGON CONTEMPORARY STREET FOOD 18 Phan Boi Chau, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3942 8162 sales@ngonhanoi.com 7am to 9.30pm Long-time favourite serving up Vietnamese classics in a large French villa and courtyard. Menu is huge, made up of street-food options and higher end dishes from Hanoi, Hue and Ho Chi Minh City.

Quick service makes it ideal for lunch and the array of options makes it perfect for newcomers to Vietnamese cuisine. Order loads and share, of course.

MID TO TOP AU LAC HOUSE INDOCHINE / VIETNAMESE 13 Tran Hung Dao, Tel: 3933 3533 Set in converted colonial villas and frequented primarily by travelers that unload in front of the establishment on massive tour buses, this venue is imbued with the nostalgia of Indochine, replete with chess boards, stylish fans and waitresses outfitted in ao dais. Boasts a large menu filled with Vietnamese favourites and much more.

CLUB OPERA NOVEL PAN-VIETNAMESE 17 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3972 8001 clubopera@orientalstars.com.vn 10am to 2pm, 6pm to 10.30pm Indochine elegance mixes with top-end culinary flair to create one of the best Vietnamese restaurants in town. Fine dining it isn't — this country's cuisine doesn't really lend itself to that type of cooking. But quality ingredients and a twist of creativity makes the fare here well worth the higher price tag — think creative spring rolls and lobster cooked up with a passion-fruit sauce. This is just the start. Also has a great downstairs lounge bar.

COM VIET IMPERIAL / CONTEMPORARY 63 Pham Hong Thai, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5920 11am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm After shutting the doors at its former location, Com Viet is nestled in the tranquil neighbourhood near Truc Bach Lake.

The ‘imperial’ staple, with its pristine décor and antiques, traditional bites and regal atmosphere, specialises in serving up traditional treats with contemporary fusion — think cheese wrapped in beef with a side of pickled cucumbers and a glass of red. Go on the right night and catch live traditional music in the courtyard and feel like a king.

SOFTWATER

definitely for those who have guests in town or business clients to schmooze.

Quite an experience.

Nick Ross

RESTOBARS

DALUVA

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CLASSY FUSION 33 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 5831 www.daluva.com A popular hang-out for expats and trendy Vietnamese in the Xuan Dieu area on West Lake. This bar and restaurant offers casual dining with a classy twist, as well as wine, tapas, events and attractive décor.

Additional services include catering, BBQ rentals, playroom, kids menu, takeaway and local delivery.

ETE BAR FRENCH LOUNGE 95 Giang Van Minh, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0976 751331 www.etehanoi.com 10am to midnight A favourite among those who roam further west of the city centre, this multi-storey restobar has been going strong for more than two years. It has balconies, mezzanine seating and a long bar guarding exactly 50 different cocktails.

For many the Ete burger is right on the mark as are the sandwiches, tartines and salads. It’s always crowded — especially during the weekends. Amiable staff, pleasant vibes.

J.A.F.A.

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INTERNATIONAL The Clubhouse, Ciputra, Tel: 3758 2400 7am to 11pm One of the larger and more comfortable bars in Hanoi, J.A.F.A. is a great place for drinking cocktails by the pool. The beverages are not the cheapest, but this is made up for by service and ambiance.

They also have a full menu featuring familiar western dishes such as pizza and cheeseburgers and cater for large parties or dinner functions. Periodic buffets and drink specials are also offered.

The venue also gets involved in the local community through regular events. Has a second Le Pub at Third Floor, 9 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho.

OLA DE TAPAS

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SPANISH 26 Lan Ong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 8585 2563 9am to 11pm Nestled just off the main Old Quarter drag, this bar and restaurant daubed in the colours of the Spanish flag is the first genuine Iberian tapas bar in town. Sells a range of fare from paella through to tapas, a selection of tortilla and Spanish mains, and also serves lethal but tasty sangria. Spanish tempanillos and reds make up the enigmatic mix.

PUKU INTERNATIONAL / CAFE 16-18 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1745 Open 24 hours This spacious spot on food street is open around the clock, offering Aussie-inspired comfort food along with more eclectic Irish nachos, cottage pies and pan-Asian fare. Upstairs is fit for social gatherings and live music while the no-smoking downstairs space is filled with people working and socialising. Serves as community centre, catering both to ravenous backpackers who’ve just arrived off the night train from Sapa and locals looking to meet up.

ROOFTOP SKYLINE LOUNGE 19th Floor, Pacific Place, 83B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3946 1901 therooftop@vnn.vn 8am to midnight If location counts for anything, then here it is spectacular. With a 270-degree view over the whole of the city, the up-on-high theme of the Rooftop is used to its full.

The bar is pretty cool, too, with bare brick, sofa-style seating, glass fronted wine displays and a private room out back for more intimate drinking. Also does day-time office lunches, coffee and decent bar food.

VIETNAMESE / INTERNATIONAL 42 Duong 9, F361, An Duong, Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 2260 8968 10am-10pm Imperial-era architecture, a rock garden with trees almost 300 years old, a beautiful lawn area and contemporary Asian-influenced international fare make up the mix at this quite unique top-end restaurant. The cuisine and drinks don’t come cheap, but then establishments such as Softwater are a rarity. Has both an international and a Vietnamese menu and is located by the river in An Duong at the end of Road 9, close to the Sofitel Plaza.

JACKSONS STEAKHOUSE

TRUNG DUONG VIETNAMESE SEAFOOD 55 Cua Dong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 6270 0787 10am to 10pm There are two of these restaurants in Vietnam and the other is in Phu Quoc, the location of probably the best seafood in the country. Every type of ocean-breathing animal is available here in addition to an array of tofu and vegetables. From crab to Russian sturgeon and grouper, most of this seafood harks from down south or Halong Bay. The restaurant is set up so that every day is a banquet and you can pick your poisons from the tank.

ART DECO / INTERNATIONAL 58A Tran Quoc Toan, Hai Ba Trung 8am to 10pm Located on the corner of Quang Trung, this large new cafe, restaurant and bar is housed in a restored colonial building. The beautiful courtyard is liberally decorated with plants, fans, blowlight jets of water, and shade is provided by tasteful cream parasols. Inside, a non-smoking, airconditioned room is the perfect place to escape the heat. Western and Vietnamese fare is on offer, they have a huge range of wine, beer and coffee and they serve excellent fries too.

CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL 28 Tong Duy Tan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3398 1979 www.southgatehanoi.com An American-run casual yet sophisticated restobar on Food Street with a great outdoor terrace area, a shared indoor bar space, a chef’s table and upstairs seating.

Matched by contemporary décor, the creative food menu focuses on doing comfort food well, while a decent new and old world wine list and innovative cocktails make up the mix. Popular with the media and artsy set.

WILD LOTUS

LE PUB

THE BOOMBOX LOUNGE

CONTEMPORARY VIETNAMESE 55A Nguyen Du, Tel: 3943 9342 www.wildlotus.com.vn 10.30am to 10.30pm One of the city’s most popular Vietnamese restaurants is a delight from the entrance inwards. Walk over water features and 100 roses and up the spiral staircase into subdued lighting, warm colours and a menu that mixes subtle, well-executed Asian flavours. Not for those who love the sharpness of some street foods, but

BRITISH / INTERNATIONAL 25 Hang Be, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3926 2104 www.lepub.org 7am to midnight Dark red walls and even darker brown seating run through the homely and casual Le Pub, one of the few bars in town with a regular stream of clientele.

A long list of imported beer, Tiger draft, a decent international cum Vietnamese food menu, happy hour specials and live sport make up the comfortable mix.

OLD SKOOL 1 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3939 2888 This ‘Chill Lounge’ is not too far from the Opera House and is ideal for drinks against a bright backdrop. Its large bar serves up test tube shooters and the Party Animal Bucket offers a range of shots. Of course, it’s a café/restaurant, too and be sure to check out the owner’s collection of boom boxes next to the DJ Booth. Live music on Wednesdays and a DJ at the weekend.

23J Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 8388 This new addition to the city from the Alfresco’s Group is definitely the meatiest yet. In the shape of a four floor, chic restobar — which has a bar lounge on the ground, a restaurant vibe on the second and third, and a “boardroom” on the fourth — Jacksons Steakhouse serves of well presented plates of imported Oz and New Zealand steaks as well as seafood.

Of course, the large restaurant wouldn’t be complete without a large wine list to match.

LA PETIT TONKINOISE

SANDBOX INTERNATIONAL / WINE AND JAZZ 12 Phan Huy Ich, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3927 5708 5.30pm to midnight Tucked into a quiet street close to Truc Bach, this romantic, Parisian-styled lounge exhibits art from up-and-coming Hanoi artists and is best experienced on the nights with live music. The menu offerings are rich and robust, from chicken curry to spaghetti and roast duck, all created to pair well with wine. Come for dinner and stay for the live jazz and well-curated wine selection.

SOUTHGATE

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May 2012 Word | 91

LEISURE & ARTS

LISTINGS

AMUSEMENT 092 BOOKS SHOPS 092 CINEMAS 092 CLUBS & SOCIETIES 092 COOKING CLASSES 092 DANCING 092 FITNESS 092 FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY 092 GALLERIES 093 GOLF COURSES 093 MASSAGE 093 HAIDRESSERS & SALONS 093

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

KIDS 093 LEISURE GENERAL 093 NAILS 094 PERFORMING ARTS 094 SPAS 095 SPORTS CLASSES 095 TENNIS 095 VIETNAMESE CLASSES 095 ARTS CLASSES 095 COLUMN CINEMA BUFF 094

CINEMAS

AMUSEMENT BINGO CAFÉ 57 Yen Phu, Tay Ho A proper two-floor pool hall with a restaurant on the ground floor. Plenty of tables in good condition, great for a night out.

COSMOS 168 Ngoc Khanh, Dong Da This bowling alley may be small, but if you’re hankering for a night at the lanes, this one has instant replay cameras that will show your strike again in slow motion.

HANOI STAR BOWL 2B Pham Ngoc Trach, Dong Da Tel: 3574 1614 Plenty of lanes, and the zany colours add to the festive feel. A game will cost VND27,000, plus a little extra for the shoe rental. All in all it makes for a night of good fun.

QUAN TOM 89 Bui Thi Xuan Tel: 3294 47844 The staff at this karaoke bar is quite friendly. Large, comfortable rooms, and – their claim to fame – a vast English language track list, makes for a good night.

BOOK SHOPS BOOKWORM 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 3711 Bookworm has been the cornerstone of Hanoi’s literary scene since 2001. It has been around the block quite a bit and now shares a space with Hanoi Cooking Centre. With over 15,000 new and secondhand fiction and nonfiction titles in stock, the shop also buys used books and offers free travel advice.

HIEU SACH THANG LONG 55 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 7043 A large bookstore with mostly Vietnamese material, but there is also a selection of French and English books and even some literature.

XUNHASABA 32 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 4068 Often referred to just as ‘The Foreign Language Bookstore’, you’ll find a decent selection of both books and magazines.

Their biggest section is composed of ESL materials, but you will also find fiction.

92 | Word May 2012

CINEMATHEQUE 22A Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 2648 Not a movie theater per se, but a private film club that charges a membership fee in return for entrance to a wide selection of movies, new and old. The management has an eclectic taste and shows films from all over the world.

MEGASTAR Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, 6th floor, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3974 3333 www.megastarmedia.net Inside Vincom towers, this big, westernstyle multiplex shows some of the latest English language and Asian foreign films.

The experience includes fairly wellstocked concession stands, comfortable seats, air conditioning and a booming sound system.

NATIONAL CINEMA CENTRE 87 Lang Ha, Dong Da Tel: 3514 2278 Cineplex with several smaller theaters and an arcade. Movies are quite cheap, especially matinees. Be sure to ask if the movie is subtitled in Vietnamese or dubbed.

CLUBS & SOCIETIES DEMOCRATS ABROAD – VIETNAM www.democratsabroad.org Affiliated with the American Democratic Party, like-minded and politically active individuals can stay in touch and continue to affect the political winds that are blowing Stateside. Hosts regular events for every major election cycle.

AMERICAN CLUB 21 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3824 1850 www.americanclubhanoi.com A bit worn around the edges, but the facilities are still useful and the grounds pleasant. They host frequent events that are open to the public. Wide lawn, volleyball and basketball courts may make the place worth a visit.

HANOI CLUB 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 The exclusive social and fitness club is located on the banks of West Lake. Golfers hit balls into the lake from the driving range and swimmers enjoy a lovely view from the pool. The gym is small and classes are not included as part of the steep yearly membership fees.

L’ESPACE 24 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 2164 www.ambafrance-vn.org The cultural arm of the French Embassy is very active in the cultural life of the city.

They both organise and host many functions – music, performing arts, film. Large French language library as well as classes and workshops.

COOKING CLASSES HANOI COOKING CENTRE 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0088. www.hanoicookingcentre.com Hanoi Cooking Centre is a school, retail outlet and café, where you can find classes on not just Vietnamese cooking, but international cuisine, held in a beautiful setting. They also offer culinary tours.

HIDDEN HANOI 137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 0912 254045 www.hiddenhanoi.com.vn A wide range of Vietnamese culinary classes are offered in these well-appointed and clean facilities. The knowledgeable staff will guide you through the secrets of Vietnamese cooking in an open air courtyard.

HIGHWAY4 COOKING CLASS 31 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3715 0577 The well-known restaurant also offers one-off cooking courses in the kitchens at their Truc Bach location. Don’t worry if you forget some of the tricks, as the class includes a recipe booklet.

KITCHEN ART STORE AND STUDIO Lane 38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Well stocked and modern cooking store offering cooking classes with one of Vietnam's popular food personalities.

Kitchen Art Basic Baking Classes also open to non-Vietnamese speaking students.

The friendly staff ensures that everyone is able to follow the instructor.

KOTO Lane 52/28, House 9, To Ngoc Van Tel: 3747 0377 www.koto.com.vn This charitable organisation, which helps street kids gain the skills to succeed in the hospitality industry, also offers cooking classes to the public on Tuesdays at their training centre. Learn how to make some of the items on their menu at home. Pick up is also available at their Van Mieu location.

DANCING ASPARA DANCE STUDIO 137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 7916 Located in the same building as Hidden Hanoi, Aspara is a multi-genre dance studio. Will provide instruction in everything from belly dance, to meringue, salsa and bachata.

ROCKIT FITNESS Tel: 0126 6257214 yurymiankovich@gmail.com Yury is an internationally certified personal and group exercise specialist who teaches at the gyms and provides individual trainings. Offers a good work out that incorporates jazz, hip-hop, reggae and African tribal movements. For Further info contact Yury directly through email or by telephone.

FITNESS ELITE FITNESS 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 6281 www.elitefitness.com.vn The luxury gym features top-of-the-line fitness equipment, separate cardio and spinning areas and an indoor swimming pool with a retractable roof. The spacious studios and natural light make it a welcoming place to squeeze in a work out, but be prepared to pay. This place is top of the range.

FOUR SEASONS SWIMMING POOL 14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da Tel: 3537 6250 This beautiful hotel has a swimming pool for VND40,000 per day, and another VND10,000 for a locker to keep your pantaloons. It might be a good idea to go during the off hours, as it’s a well used pool. But if laps are what you want, the pool is large and, at times, quiet.

HANOI BOOTCAMP BEEACTIVE

HANOI YOUTH FOOTBALL LEAGUE www.hanoiyouthfootball.com/english/home/ The biggest youth football league in the capital. Youths aged 8 to 16 years old come together to play regular tournaments.

Vietnamese art in all its forms: sculpture, painting, lacquer, photography and video, from both up-and-coming and wellestablished artist s. Check their website for a list of exhibitions and events.

VIET CELTS

BUI GALLERY

www.vietcelts.com The first and only Gaelic Football league in Hanoi has recently added a women’s team. The teams play in the Southeast Asia Gaelic League as well as in tournaments all over the region. Bring a sporting spirit as a spectator or a player.

Call Gareth for more information: 0904 228629.

VIETNAM SWANS

www.vietnamswans.com In true Aussie style, the Vietnam Swans footballers hold not only weekly matches and training sessions, but social and drinking affairs as well. Concerned just as much with fun as with winning, this club is welcoming to anyone who is willing to have a good time.

GALLERIES

To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho beeactivetoday@gmail.com The successor to the weekly bootcamp famously run by fitness professional Helen Kindness, BeeActive continues the community spirit by bringing together both the fit and unfit to work out on the streets. To take part, drop them an email.

Sessions are all held around the To Ngoc Van area, unless stated otherwise:

APRICOT GALLERY

Mon — 6am to 7am (Ciputra) Mon, Tues, Fri — 9.15am to 10.15am Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs — 6.30pm to 7.30pm Sat — 7am to 8am

7 Nguyen Khac Nhu, Ba Dinh Tel: 3927 2349 www.artvietnamgallery.com One of Vietnam’s best known and respected galleries, features contemporary

NSHAPE FITNESS 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da Tel: 6266 0495 www.nshapefitness.vn This gym with American Life Fitness cardio and weight machines, provides a clean, uncrowded environment and expertly staffed facilities with a selection of fitness classes for its members. Classes include boxing, yoga and groupX with both Vietnamese and foreign fitness trainers on hand to give exercisers advice.

Membership starts from VND1.5 million per month with no joining fee.

STAR FITNESS 4th Floor, The Garden, Me Tri, Tu Liem Tel: 3787 5353 This lifestyle, top-end gym in My Dinh offers massage rooms, steam rooms, saunas, Jacuzzis, cold plunge baths, gym areas, exercise studios, locker rooms, and a swimming pool. It is a great option for residents living on the outskirts of the city.

SUNWAY HEALTH CLUB 19 Pham Dinh Ho, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3971 3888 Very good equipment in this small gym, housed in a little hotel. None of the extra frills that you might expect at a larger place, but all the machines are running and well maintained. Monthly price of membership for non-guests is about VND1.4 million.

FOOTBALL, SOCCER & RUGBY HANOI CAPITALS FOOTBALL CLUB www.hanoi-capitals.blogspot.com Hanoi Capitals don’t play. This football club is serious about their sport. The uniforms and attitudes alone tell you they’re no Bad News Bears. If you want to let your skills shine get in contact with Ricky at 0903 413339.

40B Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 8965 www.apricot-artvietnam.com This centrally located space houses art by some of Vietnam’s best-known contemporary artists, such as Hoang Hai Anh and Dinh Quan, as well as up and coming artists.

ART VIETNAM

SWIMMING POOLS ARMY HOTEL 33C Pham Ngu Lao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3825 2896 FOUR SEASONS 14 Dang Tien Dong, Dong Da Tel: 3537 6250 HANOI CLUB 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com HORISON FITNESS CENTER 40 Cat Linh, Ba Dinh Tel: 3733 0808 MELIA HOTEL 44B Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 3343 OLYMPIA 4 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 1049 SAO MAI 10 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 3161 SOFITEL PLAZA FITNESS CENTER 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3823 8888 THAN NHAN Vo Thi Sau, Hai Ba Trung, (Inside the park) THANG LOI HOTEL 200 Yen Phu, Tay Ho

23 Ngo Van So, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3944 8595 www.thebuigallery.com Housed in a picturesque French colonial villa, Bui Gallery is one of Hanoi's newest and boldest modern art galleries. Features cutting-edge contemporary art from Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Brazil, the US and Europe.

HANOI ART CONTEMPORARY GALLERY 36-38 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 7192 www.hanoi-artgallery.com This art space is home to a large collection of your standard tourist fare along with a smatter of more unique pieces.

MAI GALLERY 113 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0568 www.maigallery-vietnam.com Several floors of paintings, regularly changed, by some of the best known contemporary artists in the country, some of whom they’ve helped in gaining international recognition. Mai specialises is finding the perfect décor for both homes and offices.

nam’s 53 minority groups and the Kinh majority people. Has over 1,000 items on display and objects in the collection have been exhibited in museums both in Hanoi and abroad.

GOLF COURSES HANOI CLUB DRIVING RANGE 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3623 8115 A fitness club that also boasts a two-level driving range where the balls are hit into the water. No net means you can gauge your driving. The price for a bucket of golf balls depends on whether or not you’re a member.

LANG HA DRIVING RANGE 6 Huynh Thuc Kang, Ba Dinh Tel: 3835 0909 The driving range has two levels and a netted area to catch the balls. Although the facilities might not be up to country club standards, it is in a relatively convenient location. One can either pay a monthly membership fee of around VND2 million, or pay by the ball as you go.

TAM DAO GOLF AND RESORT www.tamdaogolf.com Relatively new golf club near the base of the mountains at Tam Dao. It is about two hours from the city, but does provide an 18-hole course with a clubhouse and a spectacular view, surrounded by green hills.

MAISON DES ARTS 31 Van Mieu, Dong Da Tel: 3747 8096 www.maisondesartshanoi.com A gallery near the Temple of Literature with several floors bills itself not only as an art gallery, but a multi-purpose social and cultural space. Frequent exhibitions feature both Vietnamese and international artists. Mlle. Nga, who runs the space, also involves herself in several other cultural projects around Hanoi.

RED RIVER GALLERY 7 Hang Khay, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 9071 www.redriverartvietnam.com This small gallery has focused on building a collection of traditional Hanoi images with a modern twist since it opened in 1990. The gallery actively seeks out talented young contemporary artists.

SUFFUSIVE GALLERY 35A Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem www.suffusiveart.com Don’t be fooled by the signs hawking café sua da. Hidden within the coffee shop interior is a small gallery showing some of Vietnam’s newest talent.

TADIOTO 113 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung Tadioto hosts an alternative gallery above the bar and café on the ground floor. A thoughtful space containing rare works by serious artists questioning quick development or changes in societal norms. Hosts frequent literary and musical events, along with presentations of artwork that differs from what’s available elsewhere in Hanoi.

VIET FINE ARTS GALLERY 96 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6667 www.vietfinearts.com If you’re looking for a well-known name, and a high price tag to match, Viet Fine Arts sells work by some of Hanoi’s more famous artists.

54 TRADITIONS GALLERY 30 Hang Bun, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3715 0194 www.54traditions.com.vn The only gallery in Vietnam focusing on the antiques, artifacts and art of Viet-

MASSAGE JUST MASSAGE 237 Au Co, Tay Ho Tel: 6671 2249 www.justmassage.org.vn Aromatherapy, Swedish, shiatsu and pregnancy massages all given by the hands and touch of nine visually impaired therapists. The massages here are professional and, of course, in aid of a great cause. Check their website for their range of promotions.

HANOI AESTHETIC INSTITUTE 14 Yen Phu, Ba Dinh Tel: 3945 4548 www.vienthammyhanoi.com.vn Trained at the Tue Tinh Traditional Hospital, the therapists at this no frills, traditional Vietnamese massage centre use a variety of techniques including tuina, aromatherapy, ayurvedic and shiatsu.

Also offer a range of healing treatments as well as not-so-traditional laser and plastic surgery.

THANH GIA 18 Trieu Viet Vuong, Hai Ba Trung 38 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem One of a number of foot massage parlours in town that has treatments focusing as much on the pressure points of your feet at they do on the rest of your body.

Strong hands, unbranded oils and, if you ask, tiger balm oil.

HAIRDRESSERS & SALONS DINH HAIR SALON

Details to amenities like bathrobes, slippers and towels provide a comfortable atmosphere.

TA SALON Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 1754 / 3758 2940 (Ciputra).

Hotline: 0912 267613 Multi-functional hair and body salon with a range of treatments running from haircut, highlights, shampoo, straightening and perm to hot stone foot and body massages, a range of facials, waxing, bikini lines and body scrub. With a first salon in Ciputra, TA number two is at the Hanoi club. Popular with both western and Asian expats as well as A-class Vietnamese.

THE HAIR WORKSHOP 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3934 5980 Located in Hanoi Towers, The Hair Workshop has a number of hairdressers used to cutting and styling all types of hair. The prices are significantly higher than they would be on the street, or at a smaller shop, but there are many people who refuse to go anywhere else. A full service salon that also offers such services as waxing.

HAIR SPACE 137 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho Tel: 0912 127554 Run by an Australian expat named Cat, this is a small but comfortable and well-run hair studio located in the Hidden Hanoi building. There is only Cat and her one assistant, so be sure to make an appointment.

TRAN HUNG HAIR CREATION 5 Ho Xuan Huong, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3943 4946 Located near Reunification Park, Hung has a long list of satisfied clients, both western and Vietnamese. Be prepared to allot one to two hours for a cut and more for colour as Hung is a perfectionist.

KIDS HANOI ZOO Off Kim Ma, opposite Daewoo Hotel Tel: 3834 7395 Really as much a park as it is a zoo, you can find Vietnamese families on picnics here on any given day. Strewn throughout, sometimes in curiously small cages, you’ll also find a number of animals large and small, all indigenous to the country. Also, there are other attractions for children such as a fun house, and big, floating plastic balls they can climb into. The One Man Cinema operates out of here at weekends.

THANG LONG WATER PUPPET THEATRE Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem Daily shows of traditional rustic Vietnamese carved puppets, animate folkloric tales accompanied by music.

This can be fun for adults as well as children.

VINCOM TOWERS

2A Cua Bac, Ba Dinh Tel: 09877 18899 A small but popular hair salon that serves both expats and locals. The many repeat customers go back because of Dinh’s willingness to both follow instructions, or to be creative when asked. Services include scalp massage, shampooing, colouring and styling.

191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung There are a bunch of toy stores and shops for children in the mall area of the second tower. Also, near the food court, you’ll find an arcade with video games and tiny rides for very small kids.

FRANGIPANI SPA

www.hanoih3.com This big, assorted “family” gets together every week to go on out of town excursions, for hour-long runs along paths marked by flour spots, and with no lack of beer stops along the way. Drink and get into shape at the same time, and add some sight-seeing into the picture.

405 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh Tel: 6329 2915 www.frangipani.com.vn New garden-themed day spa named after the frangipani flower, known in Vietnam for its healing properties. Services include hair salon, nail care and massages.

LEISURE GENERAL HANOI HASH HOUSE HARRIERS

May 2012 Word | 93

cinema buff

Hoa Le takes a peek at what's on in cinemas this week THE ARTIST Director: Michel Hazanavicius Stars: Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo and John Goodman Genre: romance, comedy, drama

George Valentin is at his peak of a superstar’s silent movie career in 1920s Hollywood. Peppy Miller, however, is an enthusiastic young extra seeking to make a name for herself in the entertainment world.

Their accidental meeting at a movie premiere changes the pair’s lives in the most unexpected way. It occurs at the advent of the talking picture, which pushes George into oblivion while Peppy slowly rises through the industry.

This 2011 Oscar winner will hit screens on May 18 at MegaStar cinema complexes in Vincom Tower (191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung) and in Pico Mall (229 Tay Son, Dong Da)

there after they get married, but Inez does not share his romantic notions of Paris or the idea that the 1920s was a golden age.

When Inez goes off dancing with her friends, Gil takes a walk at midnight and discovers what could be the ultimate source of inspiration for writing. Gil's daily walks at midnight in Paris could take him closer to the heart of the city but further from the woman he's about to marry.

Watch it at MegaStar from May 25

THE POLL DIARIES

Engaged couple Gil and Inez travel to Paris as a tag-along vacation on her parents' business trip. Gil is a successful Hollywood writer, but is struggling with his first novel. He falls in love with the city and thinks they should move

94 | Word May 2012

ALL TOMORROW’S PARTIES Director: Jonathan Caouette Stars: Animal Collective, Battles and Belle & Sebastian Genre: Documentary, music Described as a "post-punk DIY bricolage", the film was created using footage generated by the fans and musicians attending the

Director: Chris Kraus Stars: Paula Berger, Edgar Selge, Tambet Tuisk, Jeanette Hain, Richy Müller Genre: drama Set in the early 20th century,

this community theatre space hosts both music events and theatre productions.

HANOI LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

KIM DUNG

www.hanoibaseball.com If you’re looking for a little league baseball team in Hanoi, this is the website to check out. One of the first, if not still the only, such club in town, their mission is to teach young people about the game, teamwork and to have a great time.

Practice every Saturday at Xuan Dinh Field from 6.15 to 8.30 am

NAILS FANCY SPA 26 Dinh Ngang, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3824 4183 A small Vietnamese spa and salon. Prices are quite high, but the shop offers a wide range of services in addition to manicure/ pedicure.

LINKQ 271 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3725 2359 One of a chain of all-purpose beauty salons that specialises in manicures and pedicures. This place has a lot of business from word of mouth, so it’s best to call ahead and make an appointment.

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA 57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0316 www.thucucbeauty.com This all-purpose beauty salon offers spa pedicures in a Zen-like atmosphere where your manicurist won’t be chatting on her mobile phone.

TOP SPOT 52 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 8344 They offer a long-lasting, professional manicure and pedicure service for barely more than you would pay to get your nails cut on the street. The staff doesn’t speak much English, but they have an extensive menu to choose from.

PERFORMING ARTS HANOI CIRCUS

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS Directors: Woody Allen Stars: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates Genre: comedy, romance

This German film is part of the European Film Festival 2012 and will be screened at 8pm on May 18 and 10am on May 19 at the National Cinema Centre, 87 Lang Ha St., Ba Dinh. German with English and Vietnamese subtitles.

Emphasis here is on fun. Bus leaves on Saturdays from the American Club on Hai Ba Trung at 2pm in summer and 1:30pm in winter.

The Poll Diaries tells the story of 14 year-old Oda von Siering as she travels to Poll, her family’s country estate by the Estonian Baltic Coast. In her luggage Oda carries the mortal remains of her mother, who died in Berlin.

Her father Ebbo is an eccentric doctor whose questionable interest in racial research has left him on the fringes of the scientific community. Europe is on the very brink of World War I and the Russian forces are persecuting Estonian rebels when Oda meets wounded Estonian anarchist Schnaps. She hides him on Poll and nurses him back to health despite risking a tragic chain of events.

events themselves, on a multitude of formats including Super8, camcorder and mobile phone.

Rather than conventional concert footage, we get insights into the motivation and vibe of the festival. Why people organise such events, why people attend, why people perform, all starts to make perfect sense through the film’s kaleidoscopic lens.

Performances from Belle and Sebastian, Sonic Youth, Battles, The Boredoms, Mogwai, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Gossip, Iggy and the Stooges and Patti Smith get equal billing among such random delights as fans climbing cottages, Sun Ra explaining how he feels about music and of course, the destination itself.

This movie will be screened for free at CAM ATK on 73A Mai Hac De, Hai Ba Trung at 8:30pm on May 16

67 Tran Nhan Tong, Hai Ba Trung For VND50,000, see an array of live performances, both human and animal. Bears ride motorbikes, monkeys do tricks. The acrobatic performances are particularly amazing.

HANOI INTERNATIONAL THEATRE SOCIETY (HITS) www.hitshanoi.com Hanoi’s premiere community theatre group has been entertaining audiences around the city since 2001. The amateur acting society both draws from and gives back to the local community. All profits from the bi-yearly performances are donated to charities in Vietnam.

HANOI OPERA HOUSE 1 Trang Tien, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3933 0113 www.ticketvn.com This French colonial building hosts a packed schedule of cultural events throughout the year, everything from the New York Philharmonic to cutting edge Vietnamese performance art has graced its stage.

THANG LONG CA TRU THEATRE 25 Tong dan, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3665 54608 Head to this theatre, lodged on the campus of the Vietnam Revolution Museum, for a taste of one of Vietnam’s most traditional musical forms.

YOUTH THEATRE 11 Ngo Thi Nham, Hoan Kiem A few blocks south of Hoan Kiem Lake,

SPAS 38 Nguyen Cong Hoan, Ba Dinh Tel: 3483 50079 Face massage, hair care, manicure, pedicure, this is a one-stop shop for all sorts of comfort services and products. Facilities are clean and modern. Hairstyling also available.

LANCY SPA 35 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 9461 This all-purpose spa offers the full menu: massage, nails, skincare at reasonable prices. Discounts offered to regular customers.

LE SPA DU METROPOLE Sofitel Metropole Legend, 15A Ngo Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3826 6919 sparec@sofitelhanoi.vnn.vn A five-star spa for a five-star hotel, this colonial-style centre of relaxation is pure luxury. Choose the genre of music you want to hear in your treatment room from a menu, select anything from themenamed facials through to traditional, Vietnamese-style massages, and indulge.

It comes at price, but when you’ve just got to treat yourself…

ORCHIDS SPA 34 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3926 4862 www.orchids-spa.com Just a few steps away from bia hoi corner, the unisex Orchids spa recently one a VTV award for being one of the top spas in Hanoi. Treatments range from facials through to waxing, saunas and slimming treatments.

SANTAL SPA 112 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 4686 Private rooms with showers, a beautifully designed interior, well-trained and professional staff. The place to go if you want to forget a busy work week, or the busy streets.

THU CUC EXOTICAL SPA 57 Nguyen Khac Hien, Ba Dinh Tel: 3715 0316 Near Truc Bac, Thu Cuc is an all-purpose spa where you can get a full-body massage, a facial, manicure or pedicure in a relaxing environment. Both prices and service are comparable to the West.

ZEN SPA 100 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 9889 www.zenspa.com.vn Brushing up against the banks of the Red River, this Indochine-styled day spa hideaway comes replete with an oasis-like bonsai garden and peace and quiet, a perfect tonic to the chaos of the city. Has a range of five-element spa packages as well as just one-off facials and waxings and other treatments. Has a second outlet at 100 Xuan Dieu as well as spas in Hoi An.

SPORTS CLASSES HOANG CAU SPORTS CENTRE 59 Hoang Cau, Dong Da Tel: 3511 8030 The distinction of this fitness centre is that they have a large space, filled with a “number of different fields of different sizes”. Includes areas for aerobics, football and rugby. Classes depend, according to the season.

RED RIVER RUNNERS www.redriverrunners.wordpress.com The Red River Runners meet every Saturday to run through the fields and suburbs skirting the Red River in Hanoi.

The group organises races, such as the annual Hanoi Triathlon and the Song Hong Half Marathon, which are community events that help to add a different, more social dimension to fitness and sport in the capital.

UNIS COMMUNITY EDUCATION UN International School, Tay Ho Tel: 3758 1551 www.unishanoi.org The UN International School is located between West Lake and the highway heading to Noi Bai Airport. They have great facilities and offer a number of different classes throughout the year.

TENNIS

FASHION

LISTINGS

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR 095 CLOTHING 095 LINGERIE 096 SHOPPING MALLS 096

ACCESSORIES & FOOTWEAR

THUY LOI SPORTS COMPLEX

BOO SKATESHOP

95 Chua Boc, Dong Da A wide sports pitch that also offers a swimming pool and a football field – if you get tired of tennis. Football fields are almost always crowded, but even for tennis it might be good to go during the off hours.

84 Hang Dieu, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3923 1147 This skateshop offers a variety of clothes, shoes and skateboarding equipment. Most of the T-shirts are made and designed in Vietnam, while the shoes and other equipment are made for export, often rejected due to minor defects. Staff is knowledgeable about Hanoi’s best skateboarding spots.

VAN TUE THANG LONG 136 Ho Tung Mau, Tu Liem A little bit hard to find, but Van Tue Thang Long offers quite a bit of room, with a sit-down restaurant and a few tennis courts. Facilities are a bit run down, but a place to go if you want to play tennis on concrete courts.

VIETNAMESE CLASSES VIETNAMESE TEACHING GROUP 164 Le Thanh Nghi, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 7236 9842 www.vietnameseteaching.net Offers not only Vietnamese classes, but also a variety of excursions and events that will help foreigners and expats to better understand Vietnamese culture.

Organised and professional, classes are usually sold in blocks, which you pay for in advance.

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY B7 Bis, Bach Khoa, Dong Da, Tel: 3869 4323 www.vnu.edu.vn/en This national university also offers some language and culture classes to foreigners. Teaching standards are high, and prices are not unreasonable, at around VND150,000 for a one-on-one lesson.

YOGA & MEDITATION NEW TEXT FOR ZENITH YOGA

A western-style yoga studio with three practice rooms offering different types of yoga, pilates, tai chi meditation and dance. Certified professional teachers provide up to seven classes a day, with private classes also available. Workshops and retreats are also held, both at the studio and further afield.

UNESCO YOGA CENTER

3B Dang Thai Than, Ba Dinh Tel: 3913 5497 www.yoga.com.vn One of the only yoga studios in town exclusively devoted to the practice.

Professional instruction with well-trained teachers, and a very low monthly fee.

ZENITH YOGA

3rd floor, 111 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 0904 356561 www.zenithyogavietnam.com A premier studio offering some of the best yoga, pilates and tai chi in town.

Kids’ yoga, prenatal yoga and meditation are also available. Professional instruction along with a peaceful atmosphere creates one of the most zen places in Hanoi. Drop in classes are available for VND200,000 and a month unlimited class pass costs VND1.8 million.

EURO FASHION SHOES 26, 84/16 Ngoc Khanh, Tel: 0904153041 While you may have to dig through piles of mismatched or orthopaedic-looking shoes, this shop is full of hidden gems in larger sizes, a rare find in Hanoi.

EURO SHOES 320 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem If you’re looking for a diamond in the rough, head for Euro shoes, which has a wide selection of options, many of which you’ll want to give a pass. Often carries larger sizes than most Vietnamese retailers.

HANDMADE SHOES 18 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 5357 This cobbler’s shop repairs shoes and makes shoes to order. The staff speaks limited English, so it’s best to bring along your favourite pair to get copied.

HUONG’S JEWELLERY SHOP 62 Hang Ngan, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 1046 A small store specialising in silver necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and pendants. While Huong’s merchandise is mostly silver or pearl, the staff will also make jewellery to order.

IPA-NIMA

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SPORTSWEAR 096 TAILORS 096 OPTICIANS & GLASSES 096

THREE TREES 15 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 8725 The jewellery on offer, designed by a Belgian expat, often features chunkier gold shapes with small, well-placed diamonds. Hidden in the back of the store there is also a display case featuring less-expensive costume jewelry.

TINA SPARKLE 17 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 7616 An eclectic assortment of costume jewelry and Chula dresses are scattered among a wide collection of bags by one of Vietnam’s most popular designers, Ipa-Nima. Check out the seasonal sales for heavy discounts.

VIETNAM OPTICAL 138B Giang Vo, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3736 5505 This all-purpose eyewear shop offers free eye exams and a wide selection of frames. Usually there is at least one English-speaking staff present. The quick and easy service means you will be out of the store, lenses in hand, in an hour.

CLOTHING CALVIN KLEIN 19-21 Dinh Tien Hoang ; 61-63 Cau Go, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name then Calvin Klein’s lakeside store has got it pretty much sewn up. Underwear sits next to jeans going for around VND2.5 million and a range of quality CK shirts, belts and more. By Hanoi standards, prices are high, but think relative. VND5 million for an original, welltailored pigskin jacket is pretty good going.

COCO SILK 37A Van Mieu, Dong Da. Tel: 3747 1535 High-end silk clothing retailer located near the Temple of Literature carries contemporary looks based on traditional Vietnamese styles.

73 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3933 4000 Started by Hong Kong born designer Christina Yu, Ipa-Nima’s stores are filled with their one-of-a-kind purses and accessories.

Their use of colour, a unique design philosophy and hand done embellishments appeals to jetsetters and fashionistas from Los Angeles to Paris. Always eye-catching and trendy, Ipa-Nima accessories are tangibly timeless and sophisticated.

CONTRABAND

KINH MAT HA THANH

EOS FASHION AND DÉCOR

23 Nha Chung, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3928 9891 Launched in Hanoi in 2007, Contraband targets young hip working women. Garments are made from versatile fabrics that are comfortable to wear and easy to look after – making them ideal for work and travel. New styles are introduced each month with limited production runs, offering a sense of exclusivity.

2 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3928 6556 Large selection of lenses as well as biomedic contact lenses imported from the US. But buyer beware, lenses in Vietnam usually aren’t scratch-resistant.

45 Phan Dinh Phuong, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3629 78574 The limited stock in this clothing store is made up for by the unique design of the pieces, which are refreshed by the designer every month.

LONDON DIAMOND GALLERY

GEORGE’S FASHION BOUTIQUE

21 Nguyen Huy Tu, Hai Ba Trung. Tel: 4972 6327 www.londondiamondgallery.com Home to the world’s finest gemstones, master craftsmen and jewellery experts, London Diamond Gallery is among the most established jewellery houses in the world, with an international presence that spans across England, Japan, Hong Kong and South-East Asia.

36 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6233 With new styles arriving in store every second day, this shop offers a huge range of dresses, shirts, pants, skirts and accessories in local and imported fabrics.

Clothes fit all sizes, from petite to average to the generous figure. Alterations and a made-to-measure service are available at no extra cost.

LOUIS VUITTON

HANOI SILK

Sofitel Metropole, 15 Ngo Quyen Tel: 3824 4977 This boutique offers an exclusive collection of the French designer handbags and accessories.

Sofitel Plaza, 1 Thanh Nien, Tay Ho Tel: 3716 3062 . www.hanoisilkvn.com Located on the ground floor of the Sofitel Plaza Hotel, this silk shop offers a highquality selection of ready-made items. The

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most popular sellers include robes, linensilk blend shirts, ties and jackets.

ISALYNA 1 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3762 4405 www.isalyna.com The retail outlet for local designer Teddie Tran, who believes that fashion is all about “attitude”. Accordingly, the store’s pieces are mostly basics that can be combined with a range of high-quality leather accessories and jewellery for a unique fashion statement.

clothing and accessories for men and women and stocks the likes of Vera Wang, Nina Ricci, Elie Saab, Paul & Joe and much more. Also slated to show contemporary Vietnamese art. Check out their website for latest arrivals and their full range of brands.

MARIE-LINH COUTURE

41 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3928 6208 Reasonably priced handmade silk clothing and accessories in a wide range of patterns sized to fit western bodies.

11 Nha To, Hoan Kiem 74 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Parisian-style clothing combined with quality Vietnamese dressmaking skills.

The beautiful clothes are available in silk, organza and linen. Also available for online orders. With the accompanying home décor and accessories shop on 38 Hang Trong, it is possible to live an entire life of couture.

KEN SHOP

METISEKO

KANA

108 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 6270 0256 A popular stop for silk lovers, this store is all about soft and light fabrics. Silk, cotton and silk cotton mixes in creamy summer colours or eclectic prints. Ken has a wide range on offer, from casual summer skirts to fancy dresses. A cute collection of toys made of cotton and imported jewellry and accessories are also for sale.

KENLY SILK 108 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3826 7236 www.kenlysilk.com Instantly recognizable with its two-pillared shop front, Kenly prides itself on professional guidance and high-quality materials from a design’s conception to finish. The shop caters to everything from fashion shows to personal designs.

KHAI SILK 133 Hang Ga, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 4237 One of the better established silk shops in Hanoi, this store also has a satellite shop in the Sofitel Metropole. With outlets throughout the country, this household name is a great place to go for ready-made silk items. You may find better deals at other shops, but with the highest quality silk, at Khai you pay for what you get.

LUALA BOUTIQUE 61 Ly Thai To, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 9899 www.luala.vn Close to the Opera House, this “concept store” dressed up as a spacious boutique and café is aimed at the luxury, lifestylefocused end of the local market. Has

SUPERMARKETS BIG C SUPERMARKET 222 Tran Duy Hung, Cau Giay CITIMART HANOI TOWERS 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem CITIMART VINCOM TOWERS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung FIVIMART 210 Tran Quang Khai, Hoan Kiem 10 Tran Vu, Ba Dinh 671 Hoàng Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh 71 Nguyen Chi Thanh, Dong Da 51 Xuân Dieu, Tay Ho 93 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Online shopping: www.fivimart.com.vn HANOI STAR SUPERMARKET 36 Cat Linh, Dong Da INTIMEX 22 & 23 Le Thai To, Hoan Kiem 131-135 Hao Nam, Dong Da 17 Lac Trung, Hai Ba Trung 27 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da METRO 126 Tam Trinh, Yen So, Hoang Mai Pham Van Dong, Co Nhue, Tu Liem

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40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle.

The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards. Metiseko is also certified by the fair-trade, Textile Exchange.

MOON 111 Ma May, Hoan Kiem This small shop carries handmade embroidered linen and silk clothes that are usually less expensive than those found at the larger stores. The shop owners make most of the clothes themselves, so they will adjust designs to fit personal tastes.

NAGU 20 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, www.zantoc.com Walk past the rows of teddy bears and head for the small rack of clothing, which offers unique Japanese-designed dresses and shirts. The second floor has a selection of home goods. There is a loyalty program for frequent customers.

SONG 5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3828 6965 This boutique, whose name comes from the Vietnamese word for “life”, stocks high-end linen and silk clothes in a serene store awash with the fresh scent of mint. Located just across the street from the cathedral, prices are on par with its higher-end neighbours.

TAN MY 66 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem. Tel: 3825 1579 www.tanmyembroidery.com.vn Located in the heart of the old quarter, on “silk street”, Tan My claims to be Hanoi’s oldest silk and embroidery shop and boasts customers like Hillary Clinton.

The three-storey shop offers everything from clothes and hand-embroidered baby pillows to sumptuous silk bedding.

TAN MY DESIGN 61 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3938 1154 800sqm of elegant, modern space that offers one-of-a-kind pieces to add to your home furnishings or wardrobe. Located across the street from the other Tan My, one of the oldest silk and embroidery stores in Hanoi.

THINGS OF SUBSTANCE 5 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 6965 This shop’s motto “Western sizes, Vietnamese prices”, says it all. While mostly retailing women’s separates in soft cotton jersey and linen, the store also carries a range of accessories like embroidered canvas totes and printed tees. Has a good selection of unique men’s shirts.

VINATEX 25 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem In-town factory outlet for the Vinatex clothing corp. Carries items for men, women and children at low prices.

LINGERIE ANA MAI 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho This small boutique stocks lingerie similar to Parisian designers Agent Provocateur and Cosabella.

AUBADE 52 Kim Ma, Ba Dinh . Tel: 3822 9051 Pretty, lacy underwear imported from France. Carries mostly small sizes, up to a western sized medium.

TOLIA Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Also known as the “Russian shop”, Tolia retails overstock outdoor wear made for export. Brands include Jack Wolfskin, The North Face and Patagonia.

ZONE GOLF Hanoi Towers, 49 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3936 3233 This centrally-located shop carries all the equipment and gear you need for a day at the course.

TAILORS

MINOSHE 59 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem This popular store carries a wide range of bras and underwear. Additional locations in Hanoi Towers and Vincom Towers.

SHOPPING MALLS HANOI TOWERS 49 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem The retail space on the first floor of this complex includes everything from a golf shop to a hair salon. After shopping you can enjoy a cup of coffee at the Highlands Café or a sandwich at Papa Joe’s.

OCEAN PARK LUXURY MALL 36 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3936 0737 Shopping mall includes international designers such as Versace collection, Dolce and Gabbana, and Roberto Botticelli.

PARKSON Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da www.parkson.com This Malaysian-owned department store prides itself on making the shopping experience one that is “more exciting and fun”. Unlike many of Hanoi’s retailers, this megastore is also appealing to those who just want to browse. Departments include men’s, women’s and children’s clothing as well as home furnishings.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This large shopping centre located at the southern tip of Hoan Kiem Lake includes shopping options for every price range.

Bargain bins full of locally-produced clothing stand beside a Nike retail outlet. Offerings also include a cosmetics department and multiple electronics retailers.

VINCOM TOWERS 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3974 9999 A shopping plaza offering a range of international brands such as Levi’s, United Colours of Benetton, Nike, Adidas and Geox.

SPORTSWEAR ADIDAS 83 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem, Tel:3828 7190 www.adidas.com The capital city’s flagship store of the international retailer of sport clothing and equipment.

B.BALL 65A Quoc Tu Giam, Dong Da, Tel:3224 10780 bball.com.vn This hoops-themed store sells balls, basketball shoes and jerseys of the madein-China variety.

HANOI CLUB GOLF SHOP 76 Yen Phu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3823 8115 www.hanoi-club.com A small shop on the first floor of the Hanoi Club sells a range of equipment to fulfill your golfing needs, including clubs, balls and clothes.

NIKE Trang Tien Plaza, 24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; Vincom Towers, 191 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung www.nike.com With multiple locations open, and more to come, Nike retails high-end sports clothing and accessories, including yoga mats and water bottles.

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IKEA brand furniture, but can order more from the catalogue.

GRAND BOIS

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HANOI MOMENT

CAO MINH TAILORS 250 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3939 3594 www.caominh.com Located near Cua Nam street at the westernmost end of Hang Bong, this established tailor with over 50 years of experience specialises in quality materials from Italy and England. The go-to place for top-of-therange suits and shirts for all occasions. The shop is new and the service spot on.

CO 18 Nha Tho, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3828 9925 Though this tailor offers both men’s and women’s clothing, the well made dresses displayed in the window and the range of bright colours and patterns caters mostly to female tastes. Located in the shadow of the cathedral, it’s a little pricier, but you pay for the view.

BAKERIES DONKEY BAKERY 8 Nguyen Hoang Ton, Tay Ho www.donkey-donuts.com Founded as a donut shop, it now also offers a wide range of German-inspired breads for those who favour nutrition over sugar. A loaf of rye bread rings in at VND40,000. Donuts, breads, cookies and sandwiches can be ordered online and delivered to your home or office. The bakery employs mostly disabled persons and is dedicated to providing them with high-quality training and care.

KINH DO

64 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 4747 This English-speaking tailor located near the fabric market off Pho Hue offers a seasonal collection of ready-made designs.

The owner will also copy clothing or sew from your own designs. Fabric can be picked out in the shop or you can bring your own.

252 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem One of the oldest and most wellestablished bakeries in the city, maybe best known as Catherine Deneuve’s former haunt, Kinh Do has been around much longer than any expat. But their breads, pastries and quiches keep foreigners and Vietnamese coming back.

Extensive Western and Vietnamese menu as well.

MS TAM

LE CROISSANT

NGOC SHOP

Tel: 0989 098903 With a long list of foreign clientele, Ms Tam works from her home not too far outside of central Hanoi. She will pay a visit to where you live to take measurements and then bring the final clothes back a few days later. She also carries a book of fabric swatches for those who truly want to skip the shopping experience.

THANH HA 114 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Located in the heart of the old quarter, this tailor caters mostly to tourists, but a large collection of Vogue pattern books makes communication very easy.

OPTICIANS & GLASSES SUNGLASSES STREET Luong Van Can, Hoan Kiem If it’s all in a name, well here its all in a number - two of them in fact, 51 & 58. Not exactly conventional opticians - the rows of shops here do sell frames with lenses and have basic eye-testing services - but if its sunglasses with brand names superglued on top, here is the place.

THU HA KINH THUOC 134 Ba Trieu, Hai Ba Trung, Tel: 3943 4570 Free eye testing in this well-known, German-trained opticians that also doubles up as a medical clinic and pharmacy specialising in eye problems. Sells a range of branded and no n-branded spectacles and sunglasses. Located opposite the National Hospital of Ophthalmology.

VIETNAMOPTICAL

48 Hai Ba Trung, Hai Ba Trung & 231 Nguyen Trai, Thanh Xuan, Tel: 3736 5505 www.kinhmatvietnam.com.vn Chain of opticians, glasses and sunglasses stores selling a range of branded and Chinese-imported frames starting at VND100,000 a go and rising to over VND2 million. The in-store optometrist gives free eye tests. Helpful, English-speaking staff.

21 Ha Hoi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 6707 www.hoasuaschool.com A well established and well respected Hanoi institution. Le Croissant not only makes excellent baked goods of all kinds, but is also part of the NGO Hoa Sua, a school for disadvantaged children that teaches them life changing skills.

MARIE LINH HOME DECOR 38 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 0436 www.marie-linh-design.com This newly-opened shop sells specially designed decorative objects in traditional Vietnamese lacquer and pottery in unique styles. It also retails small accessories that are easy to pack in your suitcase. Items are sold in the shop and online.

VIETNAM QUILTS 16 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0473063682 Community development non-profit quilt shop featuring handmade quilts and accessories. Styles vary from traditional to patterned and Asian-inspired. Founded in 2001 and with outposts in several locations around the region, the shop employs women in rural areas, enabling them to make an income and care for their families.

FURNITURE BAMBOO FURNITURE CORNER Cnr. Quang Trung & Tran Nhan Trong, Hai Ba Trung This cluster of furniture shops offer lowpriced bamboo products from baskets and desks to drawers.

BELLIZENO 130D Thuy Khue, Ba Dinh Tel: 3825 1343 The factory location of the Bellizeno bedding company includes a retail space for their high thread count sheets and bedding.

PARIS DELI

CARPET STREET

6 Phan Chu Trinh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6697 With two locations, one by the Opera House and the other by St. Joseph’s Cathedral, the Paris Deli makes a good job of their breads, tarts and pastries. Both are sit-down restaurants, but are happy to sell you their baked goods over the counter, to go.

There are a number of made-to-order carpet and rug stores along Kim Ma from roughly number 239 to 299.

THU HUONG BAKERY 35C Phan Dinh Phung, Ba Dinh Tel: 3734 3868 A small but popular Vietnamese-style bakery selling all types of sweets and cakes, luxuriously decorated. They also sell baguettes and sliced breads. They also deliver.

CRAFTS CRAFTLINK 43 Van Mieu, Dong Da, Tel: 3843 7710 www.craftlink.com.vn This non-profit organisation helps traditional artisans seek new markets. for sale in the retail space include handmade textiles from the northern provinces.

INDIGENOUS 36 Au Trieu, Hoan Kiem Tel: 0977 799911 A crafts and home furnishings shop stocked by the Hold The Future organisation, which helps disabled and underprivileged children in Hanoi and northern provinces.

Hanoi Towers, 49 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This high-end wooden furniture store located on the first floor of Hanoi Towers has offered best-selling designs for a decade. The classic pieces are mostly constructed out of dark wood and are complemented with cream-coloured linen lampshades and cushions.

CHI VANG 63 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3936 0601 Located near the lake, this store offers a wide range of embroidered bedding and tablecloths. Items can be purchased in the store or hand-embroidered to order.

COTYLEDON 1A Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7887 This shop stocks high-end duvet and cushion covers, quilts and tableware like runners and placemats.

DARLING HANOI Tel: 01282 273717 info@darlinghanoi.com www.darlinghanoi.com Photowalls and Wallpaper of the highest quality. Create a photowall from your own image or choose an image from their large online catalogue. Inspiring and unique wall décor for private homes, offices and reception areas, hotel rooms and foyers, restaurants and bars. PVC-free, UV-resistant and moisture-resistant, all the paper is made in Sweden and shipped free within Hanoi.

EUROPEAN IKEA SHOP 35 Ngo Thanh Mie, Dong Da This tiny shop carries a small collection of

101 Hang Gai, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7170 This shop makes sifting through lacquer kitchenware and accessories easy.

While its stock may not differ from the stores next door, the display is less overwhelming.

LA CASA Syrena Tower, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3718 4084 2C Ngo Bao Khanh, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3828 9616 www.lacasavietnam.com.vn A shop whose speciality is designing furniture and other household objects, this spot has everything from beds and bookshelves, to tableware and silverware.

The items are all locally made by skilled artisans from Hanoi and the surrounding regions.

MAI LONG 71 Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3822 5393 This shop sells material for curtains and window blinds. They make house calls to measure and install.

MAROON 156 Hang Bong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 7264 Nestled in the heart of the old quarter, Maroon sells accent pieces to brighten up any household: lacquer picture frames, lamps, and silk bedding.

METISEKO 40-42 Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem www.metiseko.com A lifestyle brand that started out life in Hoi An, Metiseko’s move to the capital will see them bring us their creative, poetic prints designed for an eco-chic lifestyle. The products — clothing, accessories and furniture — are made from natural silk and organic cotton certified to global organic standards.

Metiseko is also certified by the fairtrade, Textile Exchange.

MOSAIQUE 6 Ly Quoc Su, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3928 6181 This home furnishings shop specialises in unusual lamps and hand-embroidered pillow covers, but also carries other colorful bric-a-brac and clothing. Free delivery of all purchases.

UMA CT 6 My Dinh, Tu Liem; 147 Doi Can, Ba Dinh; 210 Lo Duc, Hai Ba Trung Tel: 3972 7412 www.uma.vn Designers and retailers within the interior industry, each branch sells trendy furniture for modern living as well as interior design for all types Vietnamese houses.

VELVET UNDERGROUND Tel: 3716 0400 www.velvetunderground.biz This shop offers a range of ready made items, from bedding to hot water bottle covers as well as the option of designing your own item from a choice of fabrics.

The friendly and helpful English-speaking staff make shopping a pleasure instead of a chore.

ELECTRONICS CAMERAS A DONG PHOTO CO 128 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 0732 This camera shop retails a wide range of cameras, including both analogue and DSLR models, as well as film and accessories like flashes and lenses.

ALPHA LAPTOP 95D Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 4418 This laptop retail and repair shop also carries camera accessories and cases.

FUONG MAY ANH 5 Trang Thi, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3213 1568 This small store has a wide selection of Viet Nam-produced Pentax cameras. Also has a selection of imported lenses.

NGUYEN CAU 1 Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem This camera shop overlooking the lake develops both digital and film prints. Services include photo mounting and passport photos.

COMPUTERS AND ELECTRONICS DK COMPUTER 29 Ngoc Kha, Ba Dinh Tel: 3772 4772 This large electronics retailer deals in computers, printers, as well as external storage devices.

HI-TECH USA 23 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3938 6261 A small, but good all-around electronics store, selling all kinds of electronics. Speakers, I-Pods, headphones, cables and phone accessories. Many name-brands.

PICO PLAZA 35 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem This is a super-sized electronics shop with each floor devoted to a specific kind of electronics.

You’ll be able to find pretty much anything you’re looking for here, from a phone to a computer to a washing machine.

PROFESSIONAL COMPUTER CARE AND IT SERVICES 28B Dien Bien Phu, Ba Dinh Tel: 0983 011081 This service company can help with a just about any computerrelated task. Computer repairs, set up, Wi-Fi, design, networking and development. On-site and off-site service, and free quotes.

VIETSAD 34B Ly Nam De, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3747 8771 Located on bustling “computer street”, this shop offers a range of computer accessories including keyboards and USB drives. They also do computer and laptop repair.

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book

buff

GROCERIES AU DELICE

BOOKS OF THE MONTH

3 The Giao, Ha Ba Trung Tel: 3972 0584 www.au-delice-online.com A European style deli and grocery store with all sorts of imported products for your dinner parties or a homesick night in. Their claim is to have the best selection of cheeses in Hanoi.

BETTERDAY 114 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3511 Specialising in organic and fair trade coffee, tea and cashews, this shop also offers an array of products for mindful living. Find perfumes and candles by Dame Clemence, as well as eco-friendly laundry detergent, all natural jams, and virgin coconut oil in this boutique food shop.

CLASSIC FINE FOODS

Bookworm’s Truong provides us with this month’s set of recommended reads THIS MONTH I’M CONCENTRATING on novels that have a boy who grows into a mentally scarred adult as the main character. I also hone in on some literary prize winners and finalists.

The Man Asian Literary Prize has been handed out since 2007. It’s awarded every March to an Asian novel that’s been written in or translated into English the previous year. The author gets US$30,000 and the translator US$5,000.

For some reason it’s difficult to get your hands on winning or shortlisted books and so far I’ve only managed to read the 2007 winner Wolf Totem by Chinese author Jiang Rong. This was a really powerful book about a Chinese student living with Mongolian horse herders who tries to domesticate a wild wolf. More importantly, it makes observations about the effects of the Cultural Revolution on the desertification of Mongolia, the virtual extinction of wolves and the spiritual lives of nomadic horse herders.

I’ve just got my head out of Yu Hua’s Brothers, shortlisted in 2008.

It’s a very thick book about the 30-year transformation of China from the Cultural Revolution to the present frenetic market economy.

It’s very funny, yet has scenes of nightmarish brutality. The brothers are the dutiful Song Gang and his sex-crazed step-brother Baldy Li, who progresses from adolescent voyeur to hymen inspector at a beauty pageant to scrap metal

98 | Word May 2012

millionaire to astronaut tourist.

One reviewer wrote, as he tried to get his brain around this epic comic novel, “Imagine a novel written by D. H. Lawrence, updated

by Tom Wolfe and Ben Elton and filmed by Baz Luhrman and you’ll have some idea of what Brothers would be like if it had originated in the west.”

THE RUSHDIE FACTOR For anyone who likes this type of wildly sprawling and hard to put down socio/historical novel, I’d also recommend Midnight’s Children

by Salman Rushdie. This won the Booker Prize in 1981 and was proclaimed the Booker of Bookers in 1993.

The novel deals with India’s transition from British colonialism to independence and the partition of India, from 1910 until the Declaration of Emergency by Indira Ghandi in 1976, when civil liberties were suspended. It follows the life of Saleem Sinai from the moment of his birth at midnight on August 15, 1947, at the stroke of Independence. Saleem finds he has telepathic powers that connect him with 1,000 other children born at the same time. He also has a strong sense of smell and a huge nose that allows him to sniff out dangers that others can’t perceive.

The story of his life parallels the hurricanes of tragedy, disaster and triumph that swirled through the emerging, independent country.

It’s one of those books that

pulls no punches. Particularly when dealing with Hindu and Muslim genocidal traits, you realise why a lot of middle class Indians look appalled if you mention that you loved it, and you realise why a lot of politicians once wanted it banned.

An oldie but goodie from 1989 is Bryce Courtney’s The Power of One. This didn’t win any major prizes, but in the 1990s it reaped a heap of bestseller awards. The story follows its main character, Peekay, an Anglo/African boy, from the aftermath of the Boer War, through the years of World War 2 and then into the cruel era of apartheid. Peekay is discriminated against at an early age by his white peers for being different.

To survive he learns he has to be strong inside and his power of individuality grows with each mentor he meets. His mantra throughout is: “First with the head and then with the heart”.

Peekay takes up boxing and as an adult becomes World Welterweight Champion. Although the last half of story revolves around boxing, it is the main character’s inspirational heart at the centre of the story that makes the reader laugh, wince, wonder and unashamedly cry — a lot. It’s unabashedly sentimental, but too good to put down. Readers who like collecting home spun wisdoms will be in paradise.

Bookworm can be found at 44 Chau Long, Ba Dinh

19/298 Ngoc Lam, Gia Lam Tel: 3873 6079 www.classicfinefoods.com The place to go for imported foods such as foie gras, high-quality meats, pastas and dairy products. Although they specialise in the wholesale market, they occasionally do retail sales.

HUNG LONG MINIMART 71B Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 6220 This little store around Westlake has the feeling of one of those small ethnic markets you find in London or New York, but the ethnicity is Western. Reasonably priced canned foods, potato chips, cookies and other snacks that may be difficult to find elsewhere in the city.

PUNTO ITALIA 62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho Tel: 6258 3510 www.puntoitalia.asia Punto Italia is an authentic Italian supplier importing the finest espresso coffee as well as Italian coffee machines for professional, home and office use. Real Italian granita, ice-cream and much more is now available in Vietnam with the support of a professional and friendly service.

VINE CELLAR DOOR 7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

THE OASIS 24 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 3719 1196 A great place to get all kinds of imported groceries and home-made foods. All of the breads and pastas are made in the in-house kitchen. A great variety of fresh sauces, a limited, but well-chosen selection of wines and a fantastic deli and cheese case. Free delivery.

KITCHEN PRODUCTS KITCHEN ART 38/27 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho Tel: 6680 2770 www.kitchenart.vn Kitchen Art is a little haven for all foodies, cooks and bakers to grow their love and passion for cooking and baking. Come to Kitchen Art Store to buy restaurant-grade tools and ingredients to cook like a chef, take part in regular demonstrations and workshops at the Studio, or simply read

and relax at the cookbook cafe corner while enjoying the peaceful West Lake view.

from Down Under. Delivery service available.

PUNTO ITALIA

59 Hang Trong, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 0439 287666 www.warehouse-asia.com The Warehouse is Vietnam's ultimate premium wine importer, distributor, and retailer, representing many of the greatest wines from the best wine-growing regions on the planet. The portfolio mixes the best of both old and new world wines.

62 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho, Tel: 6258 3510 info@puntoitalia.asia www.puntoitalia.asia Trendy, reliable and stylish coffee machines for the workplace or home, specialising in authentic Italian coffee. Also sells their own brand coffee in capsules, ready ground or as the original roasted mix of beans.

LIQUOR & WINE BACCHUS CORNER 1C Tong Dan, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3935 1393 Part of the Tan Khoa chain, the largest liquor and wine distributor in the country, the walls here are lined with a decent selection of wines, pleasantly arrayed and back lit. Besides their selection of new and old world wines Helpful staff and free delivery.

DA LOC

THE WAREHOUSE

VINE CELLAR DOOR 7 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3719 2922 With a huge wine cellar, a tasting bar, a new array of gourmet foods and a deli case with imported meats, cheeses and olives, Vine Cellar Door Wine & Gourmet Market is a good spot to find the perfect bottle and the foods that go well with it. Also offers glassware, wine & cigar accessories, espresso, gourmet tea and a small café menu from the kitchen of Vine Restaurant.

MARKETS

96 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem; 94 Ly Thuong Kiet, Hoan Kiem, Tel: 3934 1325 This wine importer and distributor has over 250 different types of wine in its portfolio and is doing its part to bring a culture of fine wine to Hanoi. The main office and showroom is on Hai Ba Trung and an upscale outlet is located within the grounds of the Mercure Hanoi hotel on Ly Thoung Kiet.

CHO HOM

HANOI GOURMET

Xuan Thuy and Pham Hung, Cau Giay The Student Market, across from Hanoi National University, caters to students.

Mostly durable goods, clothing and accessories here. As far as style and size of clothes, selection is a bit limited, but if you take your time you may find something worth the trouble. The market, as well as the food stalls surrounding it, are open quite late. Prices are also tailored for the student budget.

1B Ham Long, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3943 1009 Not just a wine shop, the long-running Hanoi Gourmet specialises in imported cheeses, meats and artisan breads. After browsing the mainly French selection of wines, you can take a look at the deli and sit down for a light snack.

PANE E VINO WINE SHOP 3 Nguyen Khac Can, Hoan Kiem Tel: 3826 9080 This Italian favourite with a huge food menu also has a huge for-retail wine list that is 100 percent focused on fine wines and liquors from Italy. Owner Hoang has great knowledge of Italian wine and a passion to match, which is sure to land you with the best wine for any occasion.

RED APRON 18 Yen The, Tel: 3747 4889 15a Ngo Van So, Tel: 3943 7226 28 Xuan Dieu, Tel: 3719 8337 #6, Lane 1, Au Co, Tel: 3718 6271 Hanoi Club, 76 Yen Phu, Tel: 3823 8749 The retail face of wine distributor Celliers d’Asia, this small wine shop is in the French Quarter, adjacent to the Metropole. The focus here is on quality and the portfolio ranges from French to Chilean to the barrage of wines coming

Corner of Pho Hue and Tran Xuan Soan, Hai Ba Trung One of the best places in the city to buy fabrics. Found a tailor, want to make clothes? Here you’ll find everything you need, stuff imported and domestic, silk, cotton, linen. Also any sewing materials you might need can be found here.

CHO SINH VIEN

DONG XUAN

MEDICAL

LISTINGS ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 099 COSMETICS 099 COUNSELLING 099 COSMETIC SURGERY 099 DENTAL 099 MEDICAL 099

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE DR. TRAN HUONG 80 Ngo Nui Truc, Ba Dinh, Tel: 0913 540907 www.drhuong.tk Dr. Tran Huong is well-known in Hanoi thanks to his long experience as both a practitioner of traditional Chinese and Western medicine. The clinic treats severe and chronic pain with a variety of drugfree methods, including acupuncture, acupressure, cupping and moxibustion.

YAKUSHI CENTER Lane 28, No 6, Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho. Tel: 3719 1971 The centre offers such services as acupuncture, massage and traditional Chinese medicine. One of their specialties is the hot rock massage. Run by Dr. Thuy, a qualified practitioner, the Yakushi Center has a clean and relaxing environment and takes a holistic approach to health, designed to take care of both body and mind.

COSMETICS PARKSON Cnr. Thai Ha & Tay Son, Dong Da One of the newer malls in the city, Malaysian-owned Parkson offers international name brand cosmetics. For those days when you feel like treating yourself, do your shopping in a real mall atmosphere.

Dong Xuan, Hoan Kiem The biggest market of it’s kind in Hanoi, Dong Xuan is filled with pretty much any durable good you can think of: from jeans to jewelry, from leaf tea to livestock. The indoor market spills out onto the streets, which can also serve a good place to get a meal pretty much any time.

TRANG TIEN PLAZA

FLOWER MARKET

INTERNATIONAL SOS VIETNAM, LTD.

Au Co, East Side of Street The name can be a little deceptive, since it’s more of a distribution point, where flowers come in to vendors all over the city. Of course you can buy directly from sellers here at a good price, provided you’re up late enoug`h. The other reason to come is for the pho stands. The market begins late at night and continues well past dawn.

24 Hai Ba Trung, Hoan Kiem Stop here for everything from moisturizer to lipstick before heading upstairs to continue the shopping trip. Keep in mind, imported cosmetics don’t come cheap.

COUNSELLING 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 www.internationalsos.com In addition to emergency healthcare, the clinic also offers consultations by in-house specialists, full counselling and psychotherapy services. Call to make an appointment.

FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE Van Phuc Compound, 298 I Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 (24 hours) www.vietnammedicalpractice.com Family Medical Practice provides psychotherapy and nutrition counselling services by in-house specialists. For more information or to book an appointment, please call the clinic.

COSMETIC SURGERY NEW LIFE CLINIC 6 Nguyen Thi Thap, Khu do thi moi Trung Hoa, Nhan Chinh, Tel: 6261 6166 www.newlifevietnam.comA small clinic that offers cosmetic dental work, skin treatments and minor cosmetic surgery.

The on site doctor, Ms. Ha, was trained at the University of Southern California.

DENTAL AUSTRALIAN DENTAL CLINIC 3 Nguyen Du, Dong Da. Tel: 3944 5216 www.nhahoaucchau.com A clinic with modern facilities and interna-

visit wordhanoi.com for a comprehensive list of our listings

PHARMACIES 100 SUPPLEMENTS 100 VETS 100 ARTICLES MEDICAL BUFF 104 tionally trained dentists. The prices here are more than competitive than the other international dental clinics in town.

HONG NGOC HOSPITAL 95 Nguyen Truong To, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3716 3972 The dental practice is located on the first floor of this well-organised health clinic.

The waiting time is short and the doctors competent.

ONE DENTAL No 8, Lane 27, Xuan Dieu,Tay Ho, Tel: 3718 6168 Providing quality dentistry in a calm, relaxing environment where patients can enjoy the dental experience. Has an attentive and experienced mixed foreign and Vietnamese dental team who are there at all times to assist with any questions or concerns.

PEACE DENTAL CLINIC 51a Nguyen Khac Hieu, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3715 2286 www.peaceclinic.biz Established in 2001, it is run by an American dentist named Frederick. The clinic has a number of dentists trained in such places as Japan, Denmark and the Czech Republic – so the doctors are also fluent in many languages.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho, Tel: 3934 0666 24-hour emergency service with pricey, but international quality emergency and routine dental services. This is the place to go when your wisdom tooth needs pulling in the middle of the night, or you fall down and break a tooth. Competent doctors and fast service.

WESTCOAST INTERNATIONAL DENTAL CLINIC 2nd Fl, Syrena Center, 51 Xuan Dieu, Tay Ho District, Hanoi Tel: 3710 0555, www.westcoastinternational The Westcoast International Dental Clinic is composed of dental professionals who share a vision to deliver modern, highlevel dental services throughout Vietnam.

From the waiting room to the chair, the clinic is designed to provide the highest quality technology, comfort and afterservice care to patients.

MEDICAL FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE 298 I Kim Ma, Ba Dinh, Tel: 3843 0748 www.vietnammedicalpractice.com On the little street directly below Kim Ma, with all sorts of specialists including OB/ GYN, Pediatricians and ENT. A Medium-sized practice with both Vietnamese and international doctors, but they are used to treating expats. Also a 24-hour emergency service.

FMP PEDIATRIC UNIT Van Phuc Compound, 298 D Kim Ma Road, Ba Dinh. Tel: 3726 5222 fmpkidshanoi@vietnammedicalpractice.com At the new Pediatric Unit of the Family Medical Practice Hanoi, services include routine newborn and well-child check-ups, updated immunizations and vaccinations, out-patient treatment and follow-up. FMP’s pediatric specialists provide professional consultancy for every milestone in your child’s life, from infancy to adolescence.

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medical buff

FRENCH HOSPITAL 1 Phuong Mai, Dong Da. Tel: 3577 1100 This was the first international hospital created in Hanoi, and still viewed by some as the gold standard for medical treatment. Offers everything from standard medical and preventative care to surgical procedures. Full-service hospital that has both doctors and staff that speak good French and English.

INTERNATIONAL SOS 24-HOUR CLINIC 1 Dang Thai Mai, Tay Ho. Tel: 3934 0666 Well-known medical clinic also known for its quality emergency services. Doctors and consultants also provide a range of services from standard GP-style check-ups through to vaccinations, paediatrics and specialist care.

PHARMACIES H CLINIC

WORLD SMOKING DAY WORLD SMOKING DAY IS HELD on May 31 each year and draws attention to the perils of smoking addiction. Nicotine dependence is an addiction to tobacco products caused by the drug nicotine. Smoke from cigarettes, cigars and pipes contains thousands of chemicals, including nicotine. Smokeless tobacco also contains nicotine.

Nicotine dependence means you can't stop using the substance, even though it's causing you harm.

Nicotine produces physical and mood-altering effects in your brain that are temporarily pleasing. These effects spur your continued use of tobacco and lead to dependence.

At the same time, quitting tobacco use causes withdrawal symptoms, including irritability and anxiety.

Nicotine dependence brings a host of health problems. While it's the nicotine in tobacco that keeps you hooked, the toxic effects come mainly from other substances in tobacco. Smokers have significantly higher rates of heart disease, strokes and cancer.

Nicotine is the chemical in tobacco that keeps you smoking.

It can be as addictive as cocaine.

It increases the release of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, which help regulate mood and behavior. One of these neurotransmitters is dopamine, which makes you feel good. Getting that dopamine boost is part of the addiction process.

Smoking harms almost every organ of your body. More than half the people who keep smoking will die because of it. The negative

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health effects include:

LUNG CANCER AND OTHER LUNG DISEASES Smoking is the cause of nearly nine out of ten lung cancer cases, as well as other lung diseases, such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Smoking also makes asthma worse.

HEART AND CIRCULATORY SYSTEM PROBLEMS Smoking increases your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

Smoking 15 cigarettes a day doubles your heart attack risk.

However, stopping smoking reduces your risk of having a heart attack by 50 percent in the first year.

OTHER CANCERS Smoking is a major cause of cancers of the esophagus, larynx, throat (pharynx) and mouth and also is related to cancer of the bladder, pancreas, kidney, cervix, stomach, and some leukemias.

INFERTILITY AND IMPOTENCE Smoking increases the risk of infertility in women and the chance of impotence in men.

PREGNANCY AND NEWBORN COMPLICATIONS Mothers who smoke while pregnant face a higher risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, decreased birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in their newborn.

RISKS TO YOUR FAMILY Spouses and partners of smokers

have a higher risk of lung cancer and heart disease, compared with people who don't live with a smoker.

If you smoke, your children will be more prone to sudden infant death syndrome, asthma, ear infections and colds.

BENEFITS OF QUITTING No matter what your age, your health will benefit if you stop smoking. Just 20 minutes after your last cigarette, your heart rate goes down. Twelve hours later, levels of carbon monoxide, a toxic gas, in your blood return to normal.

Your lung function improves and your circulation starts to get better within three months. After a year, your risk of having a heart attack drops by half. And after five to 15 years, your stroke risk will be the same as that of a nonsmoker.

HELP IS AVAILABLE! Several medications, including nicotine replacement therapy and non-nicotine medications are effective in treating nicotine dependence. Any of these medications, combined with behavioral changes, can double your chances of quitting.

The best way to prevent tobacco dependence is to not smoke in the first place. Most people begin smoking during childhood or adolescence. The best way to prevent your children from smoking is to not smoke yourself.

Dr WB McNaull MB ChB MPhil (Cambridge) DTM&H FRSTM (London) is the medical director of FMP, Hanoi

24T 1 Hoang Dao Thuy, Cau Giay. Tel: 6251 2835 A clinic with a very large pharmacy that can fill pretty much any prescription you get in Hanoi. They also offer minor medical consultations.

Tiêng Viêt NỀN TẢNG GIA ĐÌNH / NGƯỜI DỆT NHỮNG ƯỚC MƠ HÌNH ANH: AARON JOEL SANTOS

NHA THUA VINH PHUC 625 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ba Dinh While it appears to be your basic street pharmacy, this small shop front stocks some hard-to-find medicine.

SUPPLEMENTS AMEVITA SUPPLEMENTS Tel: 3759 2515. www.amevita.com.vn Sells high quality vitamins and supplements imported from the USA including multivitamins, probiotics, joint care, herbals, fitness and anti-aging products. Free delivery in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Available online and at select retailers.

ULTIMATE NUTRITION Hotline: 0917 295091. www.allsportvietnam.com Protein supplements, high quality vitamins, testosterone, muscle gain and fat loss supplements for those looking for professional sports nutrition to help their exercise or training regime. Call the hotline for free delivery to your home or office.

VETS ANIMAL CARE 16 ngo 424 Thuy Khue, Tay Ho Tel: 2246 1946 / 0978 776099 www.phongkhamthuy.com Locally-run clinic specialising in treating cats and dogs as well as providing a range of pet-care accessories, from animal food to clothing, toys and much more.

ASIAN VETERINARY & LIVESTOCK SERVICES (ASVELIS) 98 To Ngoc Van, Tay Ho. Tel: 3178 2779 www.asvelis.com English, French and Vietnamese-speaking veterinarian providing a range of medical services as well as grooming, boarding and certification for pet import and export. Also sells a range of pets toys as well as other products.

DR. BAO, MOBILE VETERINARIAN Tel: 0903 223217, vetdoctorvn@yahoo.com On-call, English-speaking veterinarian who does the rounds in Hanoi. Well-respected, knowledgeable and, according to the feedback, very funny.

INTERNATIONAL LABORATORY & VETERINARY SERVICES 31 Nghi Tam, Tay Ho District. Tel: 3719 9994 www.vetsinvietnam.com A Vietnamese-owned small-animal veterinary clinic with English-speaking vets. Offers a range of healthcare and laboratory services as well as a selection of products for all animal needs. Products can be ordered online via their website.

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NEÀN TAÛNG GIA ÑÌNH

Hoa Leâ quay ngöôïc laïi thôøi gian ñeå laàn theo daáu veá lòch söû gia ñình cuûa moät trong nhöõng quaùn caø pheâ ñöôïc öa chuoäng nhaát cuûa Haø Noäi. AÛnh bôûi Aaron Joel Santos

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öåt laân gioá nheå muâa heâ luâa vaâo cûãa mang theo muâi hûúng thúm nûác cuãa nhûäng haåt caâ phï múái rang. Möåt giúâ trûa taåi caâ phï Thaái vaâ quaán àang chêåt kñn khaách haâng. Nïëu quaán caâ phï naây laâ möåt con ngûúâi, thò noá seä laâ möåt cuå öng tuöíi ngoaâi bêíy mûúi, vúái nuå cûúâi êëm aáp, hiïëu khaách, vaâ möåt laân da nhuöåm maâu caâ phï. Thûåc sûå laâ nhû vêåy, moåi thûá trong quaán àïìu àûúåc phuã möåt maâu nêu sêîm; bûác tûúâng, nhûäng chiïëc ghïë göî nhoã, nhûäng chiïëc baân vuöng, chiïëc cöëc bùçng göëm, vaâ àïën caã nhûäng chiïëc thòa caâ phï nhoã xñu nûäa – àêy laâ möåt trong nhûäng quaán caâ phï lêu àúâi nhêët úã Haâ Nöåi.

Möåt thanh niïn ngoaâi hai mûúi tuöíi bûúác vaâo. Thoaåt nhòn cuäng biïët anh laâ khaách haâng ruöåt úã àêy. Anh thên quen àïën mûác khi bûúác vaâo quaán laâ túái ngay möåt chiïëc baân úã goác khuêët phña trong, coá leä anh àaä ngöìi úã àêy vö söë lêìn röìi. Ngûúâi thanh niïn khöng cêìn goåi àöì uöëng, möåt taách caâ phï àen khöng àûúâng àaä tûå àöång àûúåc mang túái. Anh chêm àiïëu thuöëc, rñt möåt húi, röìi tûâ tûâ àûa cöëc caâ phï lïn uöëng. Möåt caãm giaác thêåt yïn bònh vaâ thên quen. “Mònh nghiïån caâ phï úã àêy röìi,” anh noái, thûâa nhêån rùçng anh túái àêy möîi ngaây hai lêìn, ngaây naâo cuäng àïën trong suöët bêíy nùm qua.

Báu Vật Gia Đình Anh Nguyïîn Vùn Tônh laâ möåt öng chuã thên thiïån. Anh àaåi diïån cho ba thïë hïå cuãa gia àònh mònh laâm chuã quaán caâ phï Thaái.

“Kinh tïë gia àònh biïën àöång rêët nhiïìu trong nhûäng thêåp kyã qua,” anh noái. “Möîi lêìn gia àònh mònh hoaân toaân trùæng tay, moåi ngûúâi àïìu quay laåi nghïì caâ phï.

Chñnh caâ phï laåi vûåc laåi àûúåc kinh tïë cho gia àònh.”

Anh Tônh nhúá coá ñt nhêët böën lêìn gia àònh anh àaä phaãi àöëi mùåt vúái hai baân tay trùæng.

Hoå àaä xoay xúã vúái rêët nhiïìu nghïì khaác

nhau trong thúâi gian chiïën tranh hay nhûäng luác nïìn kinh tïë àêët nûúác coá nhiïìu biïën àöång, nhûng àïìu khöng thaânh cöng. “Coá nhûäng luác moåi thûá chuáng töi laâm nïn àûúåc àïìu trúã thaânh con söë khöng sau möåt àïm bõ bom cuãa giùåc döåi vaâo,” anh giaãi thñch.

“Chuáng töi laåi phaãi bùæt àêìu laåi tûâ àêìu.”

Lõch sûã cuãa caâ phï Thaái quay ngûúåc trúã laåi nhûäng nùm cuöëi cuãa thêåp niïn 1920 khi öng nöåi cuãa anh Tônh rúâi khoãi laâng quï cuãa mònh úã Hûng Yïn àïí lïn Haâ Nöåi tòm viïåc. Chaâng trai 17 tuöíi tïn laâ Àïën may mùæn àûúåc möåt ngûúâi baån daåy cho caách pha caâ phï vaâ bùæt àêìu cöng viïåc cuãa möåt ngûúâi baán caâ phï rong.

Haâng saáng, anh Àïën ài böå doåc caác con phöë àïí baán caâ phï. Trang bõ theo mònh möåt chiïëc bònh giûä noáng, möåt vaâi caái cöëc vaâ nhûäng chiïëc baánh myâ keåp nhên, anh rao lúán àïí thu huát nhûäng khaách haâng, chuã yïëu laâ giúái tri thûác. Buöíi chiïìu trïn àûúâng vïì nhaâ, anh laåi dûâng laåi taåi trûúác cûãa nhaâ nhûäng võ khaách àoá àïí mang nhûäng chiïëc cöëc àaä uöëng hïët cuãa mònh vïì.

Vaâ tûâ möåt gaánh haâng rong àoá, caâ phï àaä dêìn dêìn trúã nïn möåt loaåi hònh kinh doanh cuãa caã gia àònh. Àêìu nhûäng nùm 1940, öng Àïën múã quaán caâ phï àêìu tiïn, chó vúái möåt vaâi caái baân vaâ ghïë göî. Traãi qua nhûäng giai àoaån phaãi taåm dûâng viïåc buön baán do lïånh cêëm cuãa chñnh quyïìn, caâ phï Thaái àûúåc gòn giûä cho túái ngaây nay nhúâ öng nöåi Àïën, con trai öng tïn laâ Thaái, vaâ cêåu chaáu nöåi Tônh.

“Töi tin àêy laâ duyïn söë,” anh Tônh noái.

Anh tûâng laâm giaáo viïn daåy hoåa cêëp hai, sau àoá ài Ba Lan gêìn ba nùm àïí tòm kiïëm cú höåi laâm ùn vaâ cuöëi cuâng laåi trúã laåi nghïì caâ phï hiïån nay. “Khöng coá gò chùæc chùæn laâ chuáng töi coá thïí duy trò àûúåc viïåc kinh doanh naây trong suöët 70 nùm qua.”

Anh Tônh yïu caâ phï. Anh yïu cöng viïåc lûåa choån àûúåc nhûäng haåt caâ phï ngon, rang vaâ pha caâ phï. Roä raâng laâ anh rêët tûå haâo àûúåc thûâa hûúãng truyïìn thöëng

maâ öng nöåi vaâ böë anh àaä àïí laåi – caã caái quaán naây vaâ nhûäng phûúng phaáp àïí pha chïë, caâ phï vaâ phuåc vuå khaách haâng.

Tiếp Lửa vào Lò “Àïí rang caâ phï, gia àònh töi vêîn duâng bïëp cuãi thay vò duâng ga,” anh giaãi thñch.

“Nhûäng chiïëc phin caâ phï nhaâ töi duâng cuäng khöng phaãi laâ loaåi lúán coá thïí loåc túái möåt hay hai cên caâ phï möåt lêìn. Phin úã àêy nhoã thöi, möîi lêìn chó pha àûúåc khoaãng ba ly.”

Anh Tônh khöng muöën thay àöíi caách rang, pha caâ phï theo hûúáng hiïån àaåi hún nhúâ maáy moác. “Coá ngûúâi noái rùçng caách laâm truyïìn thöëng naây phûác taåp vaâ mêët thúâi gian, nhûng töi laåi nghô truyïìn thöëng vaâ kinh nghiïåm luön coá nhûäng giaá trõ riïng. Khaách haâng thñch caâ phï cuãa chuáng töi, vò thïë rêët àaáng àïí tiïëp tuåc phûúng phaáp cöí truyïìn àoá.”

Taåi quaán caâ phï Thaái chó möåt loaåi caâ phï àûúåc phuåc vuå vúái ba lûåa choån: coá sûäa àùåc, vúái àûúâng hay laâ caâ phï àen. Caâ phï úã àêu thò àûúåc tröån lêîn tûâ ba loaåi mua tûâ Àiïån Biïn, Nghïå An úã phña Bùæc, vaâ Buön Mï Thuöåt úã Têy Nguyïn. Súã dô nhû vêåy laâ vò möîi vuâng àïìu coá möåt loaåi caâ phï rêët ngon, and Tônh cho biïët.

Caâ phï Thaái àêåm vaâ mûúåt nhû nhung.

Noá khöng àùæng quaá, cuäng khöng chua quaá.

Noá laâ sûå kïët húåp cuãa caã hai võ àoá, nhûng úã mûác àöå nheå hún, vûâa phaãi. Caâ phï àún giaãn nhûng ngon vò theo anh Tônh, noá hoaân toaân 100 phêìn trùm laâ caâ phï.

Khi àûúåc hoãi liïåu quaán coá thay àöíi àïí trúã nïn hiïån àaåi hún vúái nhiïìu loaåi caâ phï coá caác hûúng võ khaác nhau hay khöng, cêu traã lúâi cuãa anh rêët roä raâng laâ “khöng”.

Anh giaãi thñch vúái möåt nuå cûúâi: “Khi mònh coá möåt thûá gò khaác vúái xu thïë chung cuãa moåi ngûúâi thò àoá luön laâ möåt àiïìu thuá võ, phaãi khöng?”

Caâ phï Thaái úã söë 27 phöë Triïåu Viïåt Vûúng, Hai Baâ Trûng.

May 2012 Word | 103

NGÖÔØI DEÄT NHÖÕNG ÖÔÙC MÔ

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Vieát bôûi Debbie Clare AÛnh bôûi Aaron Joel Santos

aãnh giêëy doá maâu àoã bay phêëp phúái chûåc tuöåt khoãi chiïëc keåp trïn súåi dêy theáp nhoã nhû möåt mêíu dêy phúi quêìn aáo trïn àêìu chuáng töi khi laân gioá nheå cûá thöíi qua möåt caách vö tònh. Phña ngaä tû cuöëi con àûúâng Àùång Thai Mai, nhûäng con öëc nhöìi, baánh töm Höì Têy àûúåc trûng baây nhû nhûäng cûãa haâng àöì trang sûác, chúâ tòm àûúâng túái daå daây nhûäng ngûúâi ài qua, rêët nhiïìu trong söë àoá àang trïn möåt àoaån haânh hûúng ngùæn túái Phuã Têy Höì phña trûúác. Doåc bïn heâ àûúâng laâ möåt daäy nhûäng gian vaãi baåt xiïu veåo, giúâ trúã thaânh cùn phoâng laâm viïåc ngoaâi trúâi; möîi gian nhoã àoá coá möåt chiïëc baân nhoã, trïn coá möåt chiïëc buát bi, möåt chiïëc buát löng, vaâ möåt loå mûåc chúâ àúåi àûúåc sûã duång.

Tay aáo sùæn cao, chiïëc kñnh àeo trïî trïn söëng muäi, baác Giang Phi Tuêën àang viïët nöët nhûäng neát chûä cuöëi cuâng bùçng mûåc nûúác trïn möåt maãnh giêëy lúán.

“Trûúác àêy, cöng viïåc naây àún giaãn hún,” baác noái, giûä nguyïn tay viïët khöng run, mùæt khöng chúáp, gûúng mùåt baác biïíu löå möåt sûå rêët têåp trung.

“Ngaây trûúác ngûúâi ta chó ûúác coá nhaâ, coá àêët, nhûng giúâ nhûäng lúâi cêìu trúã nïn phûác taåp hún, cuöåc söëng cuãa chuáng ta trúã nïn phûác taåp hún, vaâ con ngûúâi muöën nhiïìu thûá hún.”

Baác Tuêën àaä laâm nghïì viïët súá trong suöët bêíy nùm qua; möåt cöng viïåc coá thïí àûúåc goåi tïn laâ hoåa syä, dõch giaã hay ngûúâi viïët thû phaáp. Cöng viïåc naây àoâi hoãi baác dõch nhûäng chûä maâ khaách haâng muöën vaâ cêìn sang chûä nöm – ngön ngûä chñnh thûác àêìu tiïn cuãa tiïëng Viïåt. Lúán lïn trong möåt gia àònh laâm nghïì thêìy thuöëc, thêìy cuáng vaâ thêìy giaáo, baác Tuêën hoåc viïët chûä naây tûâ thuãa nhoã. “Àêy khöng phaãi laâ möåt thûá baån coá thïí hoåc àûúåc úã trûúâng,” baác noái. “Àêy laâ thûá kiïën thûác àûúåc truyïìn laåi tûâ gia àònh.”

Trûúác khi bùæt àêìu viïët súá cho khaách haâng, baác phaãi choån àûúåc àuáng súá theo nhu cêìu.

“Baác coá khoaãng 300 loaåi súá, möîi loaåi àïìu khaác nhau; coá súá cêìu duyïn, cêìu danh, coá

104 | Word May 2012

súá cêìu taâi löåc hay sûác khoãe. Nhiïìu ngûúâi àïën àïí cêìu tûå, möåt vaâi ngûúâi khaác laåi coá lúâi cêìu thûåc tïë nhû mong baán àûúåc möåt maãnh àêët.”

Nhûäng mêîu súá viïët sùén xïëp cao trïn goác baân àûúåc phuã bùçng möåt maãnh vaãi satanh maâu àoã cuãa baác Tuêën. Súá maâu xanh, vaâng vaâ àoã, vúái nhûäng doâng chûä nöm in sùén, vaâ gêìn nhû vêîy goåi sûå chuá yá cuãa baån khi coá möåt cún gioá àuâa nghõch luâa qua. Baác coân coá möåt chöìng khaác laâ nhûäng quyïín söí ghi haâng nghòn tïn ngûúâi àaä àûúåc dõch ra chûä nöm.

Bûúác tiïëp theo cuãa viïåc viïët súá laâ baác phaãi lùæng nghe thöng tin cú baãn cuãa khaách haâng; tïn, ngaây thaáng nùm sinh, tuöíi êm, quï quaán, vaâ àõa chó nhaâ nûäa. “Àõa chó nhaâ laâ rêët quan troång,” baác giaãi thñch. “Thêìn linh phaãi biïët àõa chó chñnh xaác thò múái phuâ höå àûúåc àuáng gia chuã àoá.”

Sau khi àaä thu thêåp àuã thöng tin, baác Tuêën gêåp túâ súá laåi, cho vaâo trong möåt chiïëc phong bò daâi àaä laâm sùén, khiïën ta gúåi nhúá vïì nhûäng hoâm boã thû vúái chó dêîn trong nûúác hay quöëc tïë. Baác Tuêën cuäng hûúáng dêîn khaách haâng nhûäng núi trong phuã hoå cêìn àùåt súá, tuây thuöåc vaâo lúâi khêën viïët trong súá àïí àaãm baão nhûäng nöåi dung trong súá àïën àûúåc vúái ngûúâi cêìn nhêån.

Phong bò súá sau àoá àûúåc àùåt trïn baân thúâ vúái möåt chuát hoa quaã hay àöì cuáng, vaâ ngay trûúác khi hûúng taân hïët, nhûäng túâ súá àoá àûúåc àöët ài.

Những lời khấn đặc biệt Trûúác khi viïët súá úã trûúác cöíng Phuã Têy Höì, baác Tuêën cuäng àaä laâm úã Chuâa Hûúng nùçm trong daäy nuái Hûúng Tñch.

Baác nhúá laåi möåt lúâi yïu cêìu viïët súá rêët àaáng nhúá cuãa möåt phuå nûä coá chöìng ngoaåi tònh.

“Cö êëy muöën viïët möåt túâ súá cêìu cho tai naån seä xaãy ra vúái ngûúâi phuå nûä thûá ba kia,” baác Tuêën nhúá laåi, “nhûng baác àaä khuyïn cö ta rùçng àoá khöng phaãi laâ caách nïn laâm, chuáng ta khöng nïn mang theo nhûäng thuâ hùçn, hiïìm khñch túái núi cûãa Phêåt. Cöë êëy àaä khöng thñch lúâi khuyïn cuãa

töi nïn àaä ài sang núi khaác.”

Nhûng ngûúå c laå i , cuä n g coá möå t söë lúâ i yïu cêì u viïë t súá laâ m baá c ngaå c nhiïn àïë n nöîi chuá n g seä àûúå c ghi nhúá trong loâ n g baá c Tuêë n .

“Möåt ngûúâi phuå nûä treã àïën vaâ noái vúái töi rùçng cö ta cho möåt gia àònh úã Haâng Àaâo vay rêët nhiïìu,” baác noái. “Baác nghô cö êëy seä nhúâ töi viïët möåt túâ súá àïí coá thïí lêëy laåi àûúåc tiïìn, nhûng thay vaâo àoá, cö êëy baão töi viïët hai lúâi ûúác ra. Möåt laâ cho sûå giaâu coá vaâ hoâa bònh cuãa gia àònh cuãa cö, vaâ túâ kia laâ mong cho gia àònh mang núå àoá tai qua naån khoãi vaâ laâm ùn thuêån lúåi. Möåt caách laâm rêët nhên àaåo àïí giaãi quyïët vêën àïì. Baác vêîn nhúá maäi.”

Trïn con àûúâng dêîn vaâo phuã, caác quêìy haâng àïìu baây baán àöì dêng lïn ngûúâi êm.

Choco Pie, theã hûúng, tiïìn êm phuã, vaâ Oreos. Àêy laâ möåt trong nhûäng con phöë yïn tônh nhêët thaânh phöë; rêët ñt ö tö ài qua, phêìn lúán nhûäng ngûúâi baán haâng úã àêy àang nguã, con caái hoå àûúåc chúi thoaãi maái trïn àûúâng. Sûå bònh yïn cuãa goác phöë naây, caãm giaác yïn lùång laå thûúâng, laâ möåt phaãn aánh cuãa tñnh caách baác Tuêën vaâ caách baác tiïëp cêån trong cöng viïåc. “Àêy khöng phaãi laâ cöng viïåc thñch húåp cho nhûäng ngûúâi treã tuöíi, ngûúâi treã nïn laâm nhûäng viïåc nùng àöång. Nghïì naây töët nhêët laâ nïn àïí ngûúâi lúán tuöíi laâm vò hoå coá thïí têåp luyïån trúã nïn cên bùçng töët hún.”

Vúái cöng viïåc naây, baác Tuêën phaãi nghe nhûäng lúâi hûáa thêìm kñn, nhûäng bñ mêåt vaâ caã nhûäng tiïët löå, nhûng vúái gioång noái ïm vaâ roä raâng baác khùèng àõnh rùçng nhûäng thöng tin àoá laâ bñ mêåt; chó àûúåc biïët giûäa baác, võ khaách haâng vaâ thïë giúái têm linh.

“Viïåc thuá võ nhêët cuãa nghïì naây laâ tri thûác maâ baác coá thïí giuáp àûúåc nhiïìu ngûúâi khaác,” baác Tiïën cûúâi thoãa maän nhûng khiïm töën. “Ngaây caâng ñt ngûúâi ài theo con àûúâng viïët súá naây; nhiïìu ngûúâi treã tuöíi cuäng àïën àêy vaâ chuáng khöng biïët súá laâ caái gò, nhûng miïîn laâ ngûúâi ta coân cuáng baái, baác vêîn duy trò àûúåc cöng viïåc cuãa mònh, vaâ àoá laâ têët caã nhûäng gò chuáng ta coá thïí hi voång maâ thöi.”

Ho Chi Minh City THIS WOMAN'S WORK

To mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in early June and 60 years of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam, we speak to British Consul General Douglas Barnes about these historic moments. Photo by Quinn Ryan Mattingly

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TALKING SHOP

IN HER MAJESTY’S SERVICE 106 | Word May 2012

s Consul-General, what is your exact role in Vietnam? Together with the British Embassy, what do you hope to achieve in the near

or prevent the Vietnamese authorities from exercising the law and so interfere in criminal or civil court proceedings.

future?

The British Embassy and the British Consulate General are tasked with taking forward all Her Majesty’s Government objectives in Vietnam. We have an important responsibility to look after British citizens whom may get into trouble while in Vietnam.

In the short-term I hope to raise the profile of the Consulate General in the city, particularly among the British community, be it those who reside and work here as well as those visiting from the UK. But my medium to long-term objective is to build on the stronger links with Vietnamese stakeholders including government and business. I would like to see the role and purpose of the British Consulate General being recognised across other provinces in the South of Vietnam beyond Ho Chi Minh City.

Many British citizens feel disconnected from the services provided by the consulate and the other British organisations based in Vietnam. How do you think this can be resolved?

I hope most British nationals living in Vietnam feel more connected than you suggest. Nevertheless, I do accept the fact that this issue has been raised, meaning that there must be some concerns among our nationals in Vietnam.

At the same time, it is important for our consular team to have knowledge of all British nationals who are living or working in Vietnam. We are not seeking to check up on them, simply to be aware of their existence here in the event of a ‘crisis’. All the British organisations based in Vietnam work together as ‘one team’ to deliver support to the Vietnamese and British nationals.

Similarly, we work very closely with the British Business Group Vietnam (BBGV) in support of British businesses in Vietnam and new businesses that are looking to commence doing business here.

What services does the consulate offer to British citizens who find themselves in troubled situations in Vietnam? How do you resolve difficulties with British citizens who are creating problems during their stay in this country?

Our assistance can include issuing emergency travel documents, help to those who have suffered serious sexual or physical assault, are victims of crimes, ill or in hospital, or contacting British nationals within 24 hours of being told of their detention; and help in cases such as child abductions, death of a relative in Vietnam, missing people and kidnapping.

We must respect the Vietnamese systems and legal process just as we expect Vietnamese citizens to respect the UK’s laws and legal processes when in the UK. For those who find themselves in trouble with the local law, we cannot offer legal advice but we are able to provide a list of lawyers without recommending an individual law firm.

What we cannot do is investigate a crime, pay an individual's bills, make arrangements to find work or accommodation, get involved in disputes, release an individual from prison

You’re also the director of UK Trade & Investment in Vietnam. What are the main sectors for trade and investment between Vietnam & the UK? What areas are you hoping to promote and what advice would you give for anyone looking to invest here?

In 2010 the UK Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreement was signed by both our governments. This agreement is particularly significant because it is the first time in the history of bilateral trading between our two countries that our relationship had been endorsed and formalised in such a positive and high profile way.

Millions of Vietnamese are already benefitting from financial services provided

by UK companies such as Prudential, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank. British energy companies are investing in the oil and gas sector. British retailers are starting

to look at Vietnam, not just as a centre of production, but as an exciting new market in its own right.

The software sector has also seen major developments. Much of the software we use in the NHS and UK education is written in Vietnam. Harvey Nash is currently developing 4G mobile phone software technology in Vietnam. Architectural companies are also outsourcing design to companies employing Vietnam’s young, IT savvy, increasingly English-speaking population.

In healthcare, another area of UK strength, Oxford University is working at the cutting edge of research with the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in Ho Chi Minh on dengue fever, malaria and typhoid.

For prospective UK investors looking at Vietnam, my advice would be that they need to have patience, perseverance and a long-term strategy in place. This is essential because this is not a market where you can achieve short-term gains quickly. But I would also say that a good local partner can be a major benefit in helping UK companies to navigate their way through the processes to establish and expand their business here.

We are here to help UK companies succeed in Vietnam, and would encourage them to get in touch to see what support we can provide.

It often seems that the promotion of British culture in Vietnam is given short thrift. Is this really the case? And how important is it to promote British culture to the world?

The British Council promotes UK arts and creative entrepreneurship worldwide including here in Vietnam. The UK engagement in education and English language are also big business and at times can seem to dwarf the cultural programmes.

However, the UK has a long tradition of innovation in the arts and UK creativity attracts large audiences globally.

Young Vietnamese are very interested in contemporary UK fashion, design and music.

Currently in the city there is the Everything Forever Now sustainable design exhibition showing at the HCMC Exhibition House. In April at both the Hue Festival and the Hanoi Sound Stuff Festival there was an electronic music performance by Tim Exile. Last year the English National Ballet graced both Opera Houses showcasing the UK’s long-standing devotion to ballet but through modern interpretations.

Perhaps the issue is that there is a lack of information within the UK national community in Vietnam about the events and activities that are being done, particularly by the British Council.

The BBGV together with the British Consulate and The British Embassy are organising a huge outdoor event on Jun. 3 to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. For more information on the event go to page 11

May 2012 Word | 107

CHARITY CORNER

This Woman's Work When volunteering wasn’t enough, Hillary Brown took on the challenge of starting her own charity. Words by Lyra Dacio.

"I

never was a good expat wife,” Hillary Brown, co-founder and executive director of Helping Orphans Worldwide, says matter-offactly. She didn’t want to be a conventional stay-at-home spouse. In the 14 years she’s been globetrotting wherever her husband’s work takes her, from Eastern Europe and Israel to Southeast Asia, she always found an orphanage to volunteer at.

But when she saw firsthand the negligence, malpractice and even

108 | Word May 2012

corruption of some charitable organisations she decided to stop volunteering altogether.

In 2007, the owner of the company her husband was working for trusted her with funds to start her own organisation.

However, prior to setting up her own charity, Hillary needed to learn the operation behind it so she got in touch with Father Shay Cullen. Fr Shay has more than 30 years of experience working with the Peoples’ Recovery Empowerment and Development Assistance Inc.

(PREDA) Foundation (www.preda.org) in the Philippines, whose main goal is to save children from abuse, prison and exploitation. He urged Hillary to use her passion and ability to make a change in places where there is no “Fr Shay”.

Why Vietnam?

An Irish friend working and living here told her that Vietnam may be the right place. “I went to check it out and was hooked on the culture, the children, the

elderly and the people in need,” Hillary explains.

And so, in 2008, Helping Orphans Worldwide (HOW) began its work in Vietnam. “I was also in love with the way people who could help and had nothing really wanted to help; and those who had less, gave more,” she adds.

In 2010, HOW, in conjunction with the Starfish Program from the Philippines, helped several children receive everything from heart surgery, cleft palate and jaw surgery to omphalocele surgery, plus much more.

Another priority of the Starfish Program and the centerpiece of HOW’s operations is Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) Awareness.

When asked why they focus on this rare genetic skin disease, Hillary explains that “there is a lot going on about EB all over the world. Lots of research is being done, and in Vietnam there are prevalent cases in the north. However, cases in the south are misdiagnosed.”

Those afflicted with this disorder have delicate skin that can easily break. Some can’t even bear to wear clothes as the

mildest friction can rip their skin. Severe forms can lead to disfigurement, disability, carcinoma and even death when left untreated.

14-year-old Huy suffers from EB and needs proper wound care daily. He wants “to become a monk and to find a cure for this disease so that other children won’t have to go through this” when asked about his dream.

Huy is only one of many children with EB in southern Vietnam. “We don’t know if there are more because doctors in Vietnam are not yet well-informed to diagnose it. The sad thing is that this is a genetic disorder — meaning if a family has a child with EB, the other children in the family can have this disease as well,” Hillary explains.

HOW is working to provide wound care treatment at an affordable price to children and is seeking partnerships with pharmacies to provide the medicines needed. It costs VND10.5 million to diagnose which type of EB a patient is afflicted with and these tests must be sent to France or Australia as none are available in Vietnam. An additional VND5.25 million

a month is needed for wound treatment.

They are also in the process of setting up support groups among families dealing with EB to help one another.

Seeing it Through In addition to its main goal, the organisation also supports the Educational Center for Disabled Children in District 4, which currently cares for and provides vocational training for 86 disabled children.

They have been providing the basic needs of the centre and are becoming involved in its arts and recreational activities.

However, Hillary is fully aware that the current projects require continuous love, care, guidance and funding before they can become self sustaining. “[Vietnam] feels like home to me, and I find that I am able to somehow get through the muck to find help for the children,” she says. “The projects have gotten to a point where I feel that we need to see things through and not do things halfway.”

To volunteer, donate or learn more about Helping Orphans Worldwide, visit www. helpinghow.com

May 2012 Word | 109

The Final Say

I

t’s seven o’clock on a Monday night on Tong Duy Tan, known locally as Food Street. It’s peak dining hour and the rubbish collector I’m following blends almost perfectly into the background of the noise and the chaos, nearly camouflaged in her familiar green vest and blue hard hat.

The clang of her bell rings out as she pushes the old, steel cart down the crowded street signaling hurried street food stall employees to come running with buckets full of rubbish to dump into the cart.

Rubbish is everywhere in Hanoi — quite literally everywhere. Great heaps of it are found all over the city, and with that comes great heaps of rubbish collectors, picking up the wrappers, bags and cans we’ve long since tossed away without another thought.

Vietnam remains one of the world’s fastest growing economies, and with rapid growth and consumption comes more rubbish. What goes in must come out.

Responsible for solid waste collection, transportation, treatment and disposal, The Urban Environment Company (URENCO) is one of Vietnam’s leading companies in the waste treatment field. They’re also responsible for the green-vested collectors seen across the city. According to a URENCO report, 3,500 tons of domestic waste, 1,000 tons of construction waste, 300 tons of industrial waste and between five to seven tons of medical waste is collected in Hanoi on a daily basis. The Czech Republic Development Cooperation reports that Vietnam in total produces over 15 million tons of waste a year with most concentrated in urban areas, which contain only 24 percent of the population producing over 50 percent of the country’s municipal waste.

TALKING RUBBISH / PHOTO OF THE MONTH / THE LAST CALL

THE FINAL SAY

TALKING RUBBISH It’s dirty, it smells, and there’s a lot of it about.

Natalie Krebs follows a trail of trash to find out what happens to the litter that we fritter

PHOTO BY QUINN RYAN MATTINGLY

Almost Full

110 | Word May 2012

The rubbish collector on Food Street, who declined to give her name, has been an employee of URENCO for 22 years. Her route changes every day, and she’s generally given a small area to cover. Tonight it’s up and down Food Street. Her shift goes from 7pm until 2am and she works with another employee. Together they haul piles of discarded napkins, vegetables and mystery meats to the local pick-up port several metres away on Phung Hung to be collected by a truck and hauled off to the Nam Son landfill.

Hanoi has two major landfills, Nam Son in Soc Son District, which receives the majority of Hanoi’s waste, and Xuan Son in Son Tay. The Japan International Co-Operation Agency has worked with URENCO to address some of Hanoi’s waste management issues, and according to them, Hanoi’s landfills will be full sometime next year. If more attention is not given to the issue then there will be no solution for waste disposal.

They also report that about 30 percent of rubbish in Hanoi is improperly disposed

of, either lying uncollected on streets, burnt on the fly or illegally dumped in lakes and ponds. This amount could grow rapidly if waste management is not properly addressed.

It also hasn’t helped that the opening of a large waste disposal plant in Bac Son, which would have been equipped to handle 2,000 tons of waste a day turning about 90 percent into fertiliser or recycled materials, has been delayed.

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle However, recycling is common in Vietnam.

Households and businesses regularly sort recyclables to be collected by waste pickers. The majority of recycling is done somewhat informally by waste ‘scavengers’ who earn their income by then selling the discarded materials to one of the recycling plants located across the city. Some go from household to business, while some go through the streets with carts looking for recyclables in the street. Some, mostly struggling farmers, work directly at the Nam Son landfill site looking for high value recyclables like glass or plastic bottles and aluminum.

Back on Food Street, the URENCO employee carefully sorts through each load of rubbish dumped into her cart. She pulls out plastic bottles, cans and cardboard from the piles in her cart, putting them into one of the plastic bags hanging from the side of her cart.

The collection of recyclables is also common for rubbish collectors. It’s something that’s not part of the job, but it’s a way for them to earn a little extra income on the side.

According to the Czech Republic Development Corporation, this informal recycling practice counts for 22 percent of recycling, and several industries, such as local artisans and workers at craft villages, recycle up to 80 percent of their waste.

However, recycling still has a long way to go in Vietnam, as the Corporation also reports that it is estimated that as much as 32 percent of the waste in waste deposit sites could be recycled.

A Cleaner Future?

Still, Vietnam is moving slowly towards reducing and dealing with its waste. In late 2009, a long-term waste management strategy was approved that included a plan for building a solid waste recycling centre in every city, collecting and treating 100 percent of solid waste from urban areas and reducing the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and commercial centres by 2025.

Yet with the amount of issues facing Vietnam’s waste management industry today, whether these goals will be achievable in 13 years remains to be seen. Until waste practices change drastically in Hanoi, it seems the URENCO employee on Food Street still has plenty of work cut out for her.

May 2012 Word | 111

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Nguyen Huu Huan - C6, D6 Nguyen Khac Can - F7 Nguyen Khac Nhu - A4, A5 Nguyen Khuyen - E2, E3 Nguyen Sieu - C6 Nguyen Thai Hoc - D1, D2, D3, E4 Nguyen Thien Thuat - B5, B6 Nguyen Tri Phuong - A4, B3, C3, D3 Nguyen Truong To - A4, A5 Nguyen Van To - D4, D5 Nha Chung - E5, E6 Nha Tho - D5 Ong Ich Khiem - C2, D2 Pham Hong Thai - A4, A5 Pham Ngu Lao - F7 Pham Su Manh - F7 Phan Boi Chau - E4, F4 Phan Chu Trinh - F7 Phan Dinh Phung - A2, A3, B3, B4 Phan Huy Ich - A4, B4 Phan Phu Tien - D2, E2 Pho An Xa - A5, A6 Pho Duc Chinh - A4, A5 Phuc Tan - B6, C7, D7 Phu Doan - D5, E5 Phung Hung - B4, C4, D4 Quang Trung - E5, F5 Quan Su - D5, E4, E5, F4 Quan Thanh - A2, A3, A4, B4, B5 Quoc Tu Giam - E2, E3 Son Tay - D1 Ta Hien - C6 Thanh Ha - B6 Thanh Nien - A2 Tho Nhuom - E4, F5 Tho Xuong - D5, E5 Thuoc Bac - C5 Thuy Khue - A1, A2 Ton Duc Thang - D2, E2, F1 Tong Dan - D6, E7 Tong Duy Tan - D4 Tran Binh Trong - F4 Trang Thi - E4, E5, E6 Trang Tien - E6, F7 Tran Hung Dao - F4, F5, F6 Tran Quy Cap - E3, F3 Tran Nguyen Han - E6, E7 Tran Nhat Duat - B6, C6 Tran Phu - D2, D3, D4 Tran Quang Khai - C6, D7, E7 Tran Quoc Toan - F4 Tran Vu - A2, A3 Trinh Hoai Duc - D1, D2 Van Mieu - D2, E2 Vong Duc - F6 Yen Phu - A4, A5, A6 Yen Thai - D5 Yet Kieu - F4

Truc Bach Lake

QUAN THANH

Ngo

112 | Word May 2012

Hang Giay - C6 Hang Giay - B5 Hang Hanh - D5, D6 Hang Hom - D5 Hang Khay - E6 Hang Khoai - B5, B6 Hang Luoc - B5, C5 Hang Ma - C5 Hang Mam - C6, C7 Hang Manh - D5 Hang Ngang - C5, C6 Hang Non - D5 Hang Quat - D5 Hang Ruoi - B5, C5 Hang Than - A5, B5 Hang Thiec - C5, D5 Hang Thung - D7 Hang Tre - C7, D7 Hang Trong - D5, D6, E6 Hang Vai - C5 Hang Voi - D6 Ha Trung - D4, D5 Hoa Lo - E5 Hoang Dieu - B3, C3, D3 Hoang Hoa Tham - A1, A2, B1 Hoang Van Thu - B2, B3 Hoe Nhai - A5, B4, B5 Hoi Vu - D5, E4 Ho Van Chuong - F2 Hung Vuong - A2, B2, C2, D2 Khuc Hao - C3, D2, D3 Lan Ong - C5 Le Dao Thanh - E7 Le Duan - D3, E3, F3 Le Hong Phong - C2, C3 Le Lai - E6, E7 Le Phung Hieu - E7 Le Thach - E6, E7 Le Thai To - E6, D6 Le Thanh Tong - F7 Lo Ren - C5 Lo Su - D6, D7 Luong Ngoc Quyen - C6 Luong Van Can - C5, D6 Ly Nam De - B4, C4, D4 Ly Quoc Su - D5 Ly Thai To - D7, E7 Ly Thuong Kiet - E4, F4, F5, F6, F7 Ly Van Phuc - D1 Ma May - C6 Nam Ngu - E4 Ngoc Ha - B1, C1 Ngo Huyen - D5 Ngo Quan Tho 1 - E1, F1 Ngo Quyen - E7, F6, F7 Ngo Si Lien - E3 Ngo Tat To - E2, E3 Ngo Tram - D4, D5 Ngo Van Chuong - F1, F2, F3 Ngo Van Huong - F1 Nguyen Bieu - A3 Nguyen Canh Chan - B3

For a more detailed map of West Lake please see p. 96

A

Ngoc

19/2 - E4 Au Trieu - D4, E4 Bach Dang - E7 Bao Khanh - D5, D6 Bat Dan - C4 Ba Trieu - E6, F5, F6 Bat Su - C5 Bich Cau - E1 Cao Ba Quat - D2, D3 Cao Thang - B6 Cat Linh - D1, E1, E2 Cau Chuong Duong - C7 Cau Dong - B5 Cau Go - D6 Cau Long Bien - A6, A7, B6 Cha Ca - C5 Chan Cam - D5 Chau Long - A4 Cho Gao - C6 Chu Van An - C2, D2 Cua Bac - A4, B4 Cua Dong - C4, C5 Cua Nam - E4 Dang Dung - A3, B3 Dang Tat - A3 Dang Thai Than - F7 Dao Duy Tu - C6 Da Tuong - F5 Dien Bien Phu - C3, D3, D4, E4 Dinh Le - E6 Dinh Liet - C6, D6 Dinh Tien Hoang - D6, E6 Doc Lap - B2, C2 Dong Thai - C6 Dong Xuan - B5, C5 Duong Thanh - C5, D5 Gam Cau - B5 Gia Ngu - D6 Giang Vo - D1 Ha Hoi - F5 Hai Ba Trung - E4, E5, F6, F7 Hang Bac - C6 Hang Bai - E6, F6 Hang Be - D6, C6 Hang Bo - C5 Hang Bong - D4, D5, E4 Hang Bot - D2 Hang Bun - A4, B4 Hang Buom - C6 Hang Ca - C5, C6 Hang Can - C5 Hang Chao - D2 Hang Chieu - C5, C6 Hang Chinh - C6 Hang Cot - B5, C5 Hang Da - D5 Hang Dao - C6, D6 Hang Day - D1, D2 Hang Dieu - C5, D5 Hang Dong - C5 Hang Ga - C5 Hang Gai - D5, D6

We s t L ake

4 h

CENTRAL HANOI

3 T

Street Index

2

Nguyen Bieu

1

{crossword}

Photo of the Month

Answers on page 2

GET SPOOKED 1

2

4

3

5

14

7

8

18

20

21

10

11

36

22 32

37

38

42

27

28

29

33

9. “Nash Bridges” star Johnson 10. Therefore

63

12. Pet ____ (continual annoyance) 18. Used a long-handled garden tool 23. Property claim 25. “Eeew!”

27. President Lincoln, familiarly

57

58

64

59

60

65

62

66

67

72

73

74

75

76

77

70

11. Novel by 17-Across 13. “One True Thing” actress Zellweger

52

61

69

41

49 56

55 68

8. Geller with supposed mental powers

45 51

54

7. Noah’s boat

40

50

3. Sandwich need

6. Yearns (for)

34

48

71

28. Enthusiasm 29. Sore, as a back 32. ____ group (people sharing a common culture) 34. Basinger of “L.A. Confidential” 35. Morning droplets on grass 36. Pie ____ mode: 2wds.

37. With 1-Across, Ira Levin novel made into a 1968 film

ACROSS

45. MTV hostess Peeples

1. See 37-Down

46. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” author Irving

5. Actor Jean-____ Van Damme

49. Fishes with electric organs

11. Lifesaving medical technique, for short

50. More like a 17-Across novel

14. 43,560 square feet

51. Young lady in a square dance

15. Genre of 38-Across and 67-Across

53. Wile E. Coyote’s preferred brand

16. “____ Haw” (long-running variety show)

55. “Skeleton ____” (book by 17-Across)

17. Master of 15-Across: 2wds.

57. “Saturday Night Fever” music

19. Stimpy’s cartoon sidekick

61. Actors Pitt and Renfro

20. Caffeinated beverage

63. “Tales From the Crypt” broadcaster

21. End of some E-mail addresses

65. Preschooler

22. It may be stuffed with pimento

66. Lobed body part

54. “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” character Ichabod ____

24. Son of Herman and Lily Munster

67. 1982 ghost flick with two sequels

56. In which place

26. Tale of heroism

72. “Don’t get ___ ideas”

58. “Goosebumps” series author R.L. ____

30. “That makes sense”: 2wds.

73. TV’s “Mistress of the Dark”

59. ____ Rica (Central American country)

31. Letters between B and F

74. Opening poker contribution

60. Playful aquatic mammal

33. It’s used to draw water from a well

75. Hi-____ graphics

62. Floored it

35. “The ____ Half” (novel by 17-Across)

76. Does preflight airplane maintenance in winter

64. Bikini tops

38. Novel by 17-Across: 2wds.

77. Rip

68. “Bravo!”, at a bullfight

39. More enormous 40. Nothing 41. It’s pumped into a car 43. Title for Andrew Lloyd Webber or Ian McKellen 47. Pay attention to 48. Italian for “three” 49. Cotton gin inventor Whitney 52. Sick as ____: 2wds.

53. “Fuzzy Wuzzy was ____ …”: 2wds.

69. 56, in Roman numerals

42. “Evil Woman” rock band, for short 43. Moo ____ pork

DOWN

70. ____-tac-toe

44. “Home Improvement” star Allen

1. Moisten in the oven, as a turkey

71. Scarf down

114 | Word May 2012

by Angela Sims

5. “Believe” singer

30

44

47

2. Played a part 4. Opposite of “nope”

23

39

43

46

13

16

26

31

12

19

25

24

53

9

15

17

35

6

Do you ow na photograp h that would look good here? Ema il it to editor@wo rdhanoi. com

Taking the Plunge in Ha Long Bay

May 2012 Word | 115

the LAST

PHOTOS BY AARON JOEL SANTOS

CALL

CAMA festival directors Steve Christensen, Giles Cooper and Dan Dockery step into the Word spotlight to reveal their biggest fears and best moments in the Hanoi live music scene

HAVING A NAME THAT SOUNDS LIKE KARMA IS…

OUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENT IS… still having the desire to continue on

live music in Hanoi meant listening to the nose flute guy outside Tong Dan bia hoi

even more of a coincidence than the fact a cama is a hybrid camel and llama

OUR BIGGEST FAILURE IS…

IF OUR MOTHERS COULD SEE US…

THE CHALLENGE OF PUTTING ON A YEARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL…

charging less to see a band that's flown half way around the world than some people pay for a mixed drink at Rooftop

they'd ask why SoundFest 2012 in Saigon this year was billed as “Vietnam's First Music Festival”

is decent beer

THE THING WE FEAR THE MOST…

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT…

THE MUSIC SCENE IN HANOI IS…

is rain

a damn sight better than it was 10 years ago but still hurting at the loss of The Offensive

absinthe, rye whiskey and peychauds bitters make such good bedfellows

WE LOOK UP TO…

CREATING NEW, ORIGINAL MUSIC AT GRASS ROOTS LEVEL… is Synergy's job

116 | Word May 2012

the sky and dread the rain

IF WE COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT HANOI…

WE'VE ONLY JUST REALISED THAT…

there'd be an international NGO for training sound techs

not everyone remembers a time when