VietNamNet Bridge – Da Lat: The Central Highlands city of Da Lat has many things to offer tourists, including breathtaking views, a cool climate, and a bustling night market in the heart of the city. Atmosphere: Young people enjoy bowls of hot tofu pudding. — Photo diadiemanuong.com Whenever I come to the city, I always visit the night market to immerse myself in the lively atmosphere among the street vendors. It’s a wonderful culinary experience that I can’t find anywhere else. Like thousands of visitors flocking to the market, I enjoy the night life, and the massive array of different tastes that I can experience. Treat yourself: Tofu pudding is a very common and popular sweet dessert made from soy beans. — Photo baomoi.com Warm up with hot tofu A dish that I would recommend is dau hu nong (hot sweet tofu pudding), with hot soya milk. Tofu pudding is a popular sweet dessert made from soy beans. In the chill and fog of a city such … [Read more...] about Tastes of Da Lat night market
Stills ladies night
Chinese Elderly Art Group presents show in London
The Chinese Elderly Art Group staged an eye-opening show at the Queen's Theatre in central London on Sunday night, leaving audiences with a lot to marvel about."They are so beautiful and graceful," said a British social worker also in her 60s. "I can't believe what the papers said about China seeing these people of my generation performing happily in such style," she added. The visiting Chinese Elderly Art Group composed of people over 65 in age presented a colorful show mixing traditional Chinese culture with modern dance and music. Catwalk shows and dances for ladies in their 60s and 70s as well as Sichuan face transfiguration, Chinese oboe solo and shadow show dance brought rounds of applause from the audience, who were stunned by the energy and artistic skills of the 40 plus Chinese performers. One can hardly believe performances by aged people could be so popular. Formed 5 years ago, the Chinese Elderly Art Group has performed to great reviews worldwide including Sydney, … [Read more...] about Chinese Elderly Art Group presents show in London
Ancient woodblocks housed in luxury villa
Nguyen Dynasty woodblocks are being preserved in a house that has seen its own share of history.One of the country’s most likely candidates submitted for UNESCO recognition is a collection of woodblocks from the Nguyen Dynasty, but the building it is housed in is drawing just as much attention.The 34,000 woodblocks, illustrating literary and historical works, are now being preserved in the State Records and Archives Department at the National Archives Centre No 4, according to director of the centre, Pham Thi Hue.The blocks are made up of a plate of wood with letters carved in Chinese or Han Viet. The letters are carved in reverse so when the image is printed it will appear the right way round.Record makingThe blocks represent an important part of the country’s feudal history. Under the Nguyen Dynasty, the woodblocks were made to print information publicising social standards, articles on the lives Nguyen Dynasty … [Read more...] about Ancient woodblocks housed in luxury villa
Westlife rock thousands at My Dinh Stadium
Thousands of Westlife’s fans, including many foreigners, packed the Hanoi-based My Dinh Stadium on Saturday night to chant the name of the Irish boy band and sing along with their idols. There were certain concerns before the Westlife concert which came not only from the bad weather but also the love for pop ballad, the band’s strength which was very popular in Vietnam a decade ago, has gradually faded away. But the concert dimmed those concerns when the boy-band showed up, warming the atmosphere up with 2 songs, “When You’re Looking Like That” and “World of Our Own”. In the 100-minute show with over 20 songs, among those from the latest album, Gravity, Westlife also performed some hit songs that have brought the boy-band to the list of the world’s most popular artists, including “My Love”, “Seasons In The Sun”, “You Raise Me Up” and “Flying Without Wings”. The four well-dressed men, … [Read more...] about Westlife rock thousands at My Dinh Stadium
On golden pond
A group of my friends from the US recently travelled to the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, home to Tra Vinh's legendary Ba Om Pond. While there, they visited Ang Pagoda which people claim is the best vantage point from which to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the pond.Located on the outskirts of Tra Vinh Town, the pagoda complex is a fortress that offers travellers an escape from the heat and dust of Road 52.One of the group, Duong Quang Chan, an overseas Vietnamese businessman, who has lived in the US for years, was returning on this occasion to seek out business opportunities and said he was considering a tourism project in Tra Vinh, which also happened to be his grandmother's birthplace."As we arrived at the complex, we were amazed by the century-old trees. From a distance, their strange stumps looked like giant snakes heading for the sky," said Chan.The soft whispering of the trees combined with the low murmur of Buddhist monks reciting the scriptures from a distant pagoda to create a … [Read more...] about On golden pond
The haunted alley Most Recent News
I was about to begin my flight. The starting-point was the window of my room on the sixth floor of our condo and the end was the ground. It would take just a few seconds. I was about to begin my flight. The starting-point was the window of my room on the sixth floor of our condo and the end was the ground. It would take just a few seconds. While stretching my body out of the window, I took a brief glance over my familiar alley to get remember some sweet memories to block out my fear. It was a cold December night. Everything in my room was dry and mouldy and my body trembled. I tightly held the corners of my large white towel and my pyjamas. “It’s going to be cold when I jump in such thin clothes. I supposed it’ll only take a second, being cold before breathing my last doesn’t really matter,” I said to myself. With the towel as a pair of wings, I would flutter in the wind. Surprisingly, my alley was tranquil. Usually, at times like this, I stayed inside, so … [Read more...] about The haunted alley Most Recent News
The three friends’ story Most Recent News
“I have one foot in the grave!” Toan moaned. “We’re so old now, we haven’t got long left” he burst out laughing coldly. “Well, still see Hien, don’t you? In my heart of hearts I still have a deep hatred for him.” “Shut up!” shouted Nhien, his ex-sweetheart. “Nonsense! How can you say that? You’re obsessed with death, aren’t you?” she asked him furiously before hanging up the call abruptly. Toan’s incoherent and bitter rantings at a late hour made her quite uneasy and exhausted. Come what may, he was one of her close classmates and, furthermore, her first lover. A few years before, he and his wife had divorced, leaving him to bring up their son. Unfortunately, the boy died of a drug overdose in prison while still a teenager. Despite all these hardships, she hadn’t realised how desperate his situation had become. Soon after, Toan died in deep distress. At the news of his death, she … [Read more...] about The three friends’ story Most Recent News
Bana brocade threatened by new trends
The image of Bana ethnic minority girls in traditional brocade outfits is fast disappearing in the southern province of Binh Dinh as the youth of today prefer modern western clothes to traditional ones. In order to preserve the local cultural character from being lost in the mists of time, something will have to be done.According to Vo Chi Ha, an official of Hoai An District’s Culture, Information and Sport Centre, with the older generations going blind and dying off, if nothing is done, within the next ten years no one left alive in Dak Mang and Bok Toi communes (which are renowned for brocade handicraft weaving) would know how to weave brocade.Sixty-year-old Dinh Thi Son, one of the few ladies in Bok Toi Commune who still wears traditional clothes daily, says the local handicraft has long been the pride of the Bana, especially in her youth.Like many other girls in the commune, Son learned way to weave brocade from the age of fifteen. Her days were spent picking dry-wood and … [Read more...] about Bana brocade threatened by new trends
A warm Vietnamese welcome for foreigners Info Alert Alert Chia sẻ bài viết qua e-mail
One of my habitual haunts in Da Nang is a humble little café along the Han River that serves “nước mía” (sugarcane juice, so lovely in hot weather), “bánh mì” sandwiches (always in fashion, day or night, summer or winter), and “bia lạnh” (cold beer, lovely in any weather).The owner (I call her and every other middle-aged and elderly woman in Vietnam “Madame”) is a charming and personable woman, with a motherly knack for pampering her customers. She must know that I can’t catch most of what she’s saying, but that doesn’t stop her, she chatters away a mile a minute. Then she thinks if she speaks more slowly and deliberately I’ll understand more, but sadly that’s not the case.Her mother usually sits in pole position directly in front of the café with a miniature boom box playing old “broken heart” country songs. I don’t understand the words but I know … [Read more...] about A warm Vietnamese welcome for foreigners Info Alert Alert Chia sẻ bài viết qua e-mail
A warm Vietnamese welcome for foreigners
One of my habitual haunts in Da Nang is a humble little café along the Han River that serves “nước mía” (sugarcane juice, so lovely in hot weather), “bánh mì” sandwiches (always in fashion, day or night, summer or winter), and “bia lạnh” (cold beer, lovely in any weather). The owner (I call her and every other middle-aged and elderly woman in Vietnam “Madame”) is a charming and personable woman, with a motherly knack for pampering her customers. She must know that I can’t catch most of what she’s saying, but that doesn’t stop her, she chatters away a mile a minute. Then she thinks if she speaks more slowly and deliberately I’ll understand more, but sadly that’s not the case. Her mother usually sits in pole position directly in front of the café with a miniature boom box playing old “broken heart” country songs. I don’t understand the words but I know … [Read more...] about A warm Vietnamese welcome for foreigners