They say it isn't over until the fat lady sings. And after more than a century of waiting for Oslo, she finally has.This weekend Norway threw open the doors of its first ever opera house, a shimmering white marble building rising up from the waters of the capital's fjord, close to where the Vikings founded the original city 1,000 years ago.Before this stunning addition to the capital's skyline, Norwegian opera buffs and ballet aficionados had to cram into old downtown theatres or ugly 1930s incarnations tucked away in shopping malls. Now they can enjoy the delights of the divas and ballerinas at a permanent home on the fjord at Bjoervika, which is being hailed as one of the most important buildings to be erected in Norway since Trondheim got its Nidaros cathedral at the start of the 14th century."The opera house rises as a ... monumental landmark," King Harald of Norway declared at the gala opening on Saturday night. "This house for many generations to come will be filled with music, … [Read more...] about Norway opens first opera house, after 127 years of waiting
When white house built
Binh Thuy old house, a Eurasian beauty
A Eurasian construction The house, which was built in 1870 by Duong Chan Ky, an elegant intellectual, is located at 26/1 on Bui Huu Nghia Road, Binh Thuy District’s Binh Thuy Ward in Can Tho Province’s Phong Dien Town. Ky who was very interested in European things, especially for architecture decided to build the house under an Art Nouveau French architectural design which was familiar in the south in late 19th and early 20th centuries. The nearly-one-and-a-half-century-old 352sq.m-wide house was firmly built on a 6,000sq.m area and has been kept almost unspoiled until today. The floor was raised up for about one meter from the site and added with salt to repel pests and termites while contributing to cooling the house. The house impressed visitors with its European-designed columns wound with embossed grape stems and leaves, porches, wooden doors, tiles, porcelain sinks, decorative lights and especially the 15th Louis-designed mosaic couch. The house has three … [Read more...] about Binh Thuy old house, a Eurasian beauty
The White Swan
Illustration by Dao Quoc Huy by Vu Hoang LamAt the Prosek bus stop, Hung often met a blonde girl in her late teens whose hair was usually adorned with a red silk ribbon. Every time, spotting the sparkling little flame of her blonde hair from afar, his heart beat wildly. His face then turned hot and his feet seemed to move more quickly. Her clothes were fairly simple: a blouse with a wide neck, a white swan floating on the ripples which were cleverly embroidered on the left breast and an unfashionable skirt. Whenever he saw her, a vaguely affectionate feeling surged up in his heart. "Is she a student from a poor family?" he asked himself.However, his question had so far remained unanswered for he had no opportunity to make her acquaintance. Whenever he reached the roofed bus stop early and stood inside, she came later and stood outside, reading a book attentively. On the contrary, whenever she came to the place early and saw him coming from afar, she stood up and went out … [Read more...] about The White Swan
White Waterfall wows visitors in remote countryside paradise
Tourists may feel lost in the beauty and majesty of nature when they arrive at Thac Trang (White Waterfall), one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the mountainous province of Quang Ngai. Back to nature: Eo Gio Pass on Dinh Cuong Mountain, a place to enjoy the spectacular scenery on the way to the White Waterfall. The White Waterfall is located in Thanh An Commune, Minh Long District, about 30km southwest from the centre of Quang Ngai City.The best way to reach the White Waterfall is by motorbike, said Nguyen Thanh Hung from Ha Noi.Tourists can ride over the Eo Gio Pass on Dinh Cuong Mountain and admire the peaceful beauty of the gentle Ve River and cottages by the riverside, with amazing views of Hre ethnic villages with stilt-houses nestled on slopes, tea plantations and terraced paddies.Climbing up to the fall upstream, Hung and his friends had to follow a rocky jungle trail with a deep abyss on one side.The trek was worth it though when they reached the top and witnessed the … [Read more...] about White Waterfall wows visitors in remote countryside paradise
Teacher fascinated by stilt houses
A man from the Hong River Delta went to work among the Muong people as a teacher. He became interested in their traditional houses, which are built on stilts and on steep hillsides. He took it upon himself to learn a lot about the Muong ways of building houses. In doing so he has helped the Muong people keep up their traditions. Rebuilding: Carpenters and local Muong people restore an ancient stilt house. - Photo kienthuc.net.vn Ha Nguyen Teacher Nguyen Xuan Thang has helped to preserve hundreds of ancient stilt houses of the ethnic Muong group at Lam Son Village in northwestern Hoa Binh Province's Luong Son District. A graduate of the Thai Binh Intermediate School of Pedagogy in 1970, Thang, who hails from the Hong (Red) River Delta, moved to the isolated Lam Son Village to teach children at the Lam Son Primary School. "When I arrived at the village, I found everything to be very … [Read more...] about Teacher fascinated by stilt houses
Speculators returning to City housing market?
by Le Hung Vong The HCM City real estate market is seeing an increase in people buying apartments to resell soon or lease out. New Saigon Apartment on Nguyen Huu Tho Street in HCM City's Nha Be District is a popular address with expatriates who seek to live for long in the city. The apartment, with facilities like tennis courts, a swimming pool, a minimart, restaurants, and drugstores, teems with Korean, Japanese, and Africans as well as locals. Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Saigon) newspaper quotes a sales agent at a property firm as saying that many apartments there are rented out, with one investor owning 10 units. At nearby Phu Hoang Anh and An Tien apartments, purchasing apartments to lease out is becoming increasingly common. Apartments in District 2 are seeing the same phenomenon. After buying an apartment at Imperia An Phu in 2007, Phan Hieu could not sell it after property prices plunged the following year. He decided to let out the apartment and earned a monthly rent of … [Read more...] about Speculators returning to City housing market?
Passion drives minder of Allah’s House
Speaking to God: A man prays inside Al Noor mosque. The mosque was built in 1890 by Indian Muslims who originally went to Viet Nam to do business. They had the mosque built so they could meet and worship on a regular basis. — VNS Photos Truong Vi Islam is one of the world's major religions; with over 1 billion followers. There are 79 mosques and places to worship in Viet Nam and the 73,000 Muslims who currently reside in the country mainly live in the provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Binh Phuoc, An Giang, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ninh Thuan, Kien Giang, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang, Long An, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, HCM City and Ha Noi. The State has also recognised the boards that represent the Muslim communities in Ninh Thuan, An Giang, Tay Ninh and HCM City as well as the provisional management board of the mosque at 12 Hang LuocStreet, Ha Noi. The son of a … [Read more...] about Passion drives minder of Allah’s House
Can a future be built with blackened hands
by Nguyen Thu Hien Students stamp a sticker with the symbol of anti-corruption and a truthful life to show their determination in the fight against corruption. — Photo Courtesy of Black or White Group HA NOI (VNS)— Many of her peers are blind to corruption. But 21-year-old Nguyen Thi Diem, a student in Ha Noi, is trying to lead a truthful life. Diem once went to a teacher's house with the intention of bribing her to get higher marks so that she could get a scholarship. "I sat at a cafe next to her house for several hours," the student said. "But I ultimately decided not to go in. My decision meant I wouldn't get a scholarship. But if I'd done it, I would have slipped into a vicious circle of bribery and corruption and endless greed." Le Van Lan, deputy head of the office of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption, says corruption can be defined as someone using personal advantages to earn … [Read more...] about Can a future be built with blackened hands
Day trip to the Kingdom of Litchi
Sweet pickings: Visitors pick ripe litchi from a tree at a countryside farm. — VNS Photos Thuy Hang by Thuy HangThe flaming sunlight of summer helps condense the sweetness in many kinds of fruit. At this particular time of the year, the streets of Ha Noi are flooded with the popular, plump, dark-red litchi, one of the sweetest of all tropical fruits. Tasting the cool pearl-white flesh is not enough for many people - including myself - who like to touch and taste the fruit in the plantations where they are grown. So, on a recent sunny Sunday, I took my family in a rented car to Luc Ngan District in Bac Giang Province, known as the Kingdom of Litchi.Located about 90km north of the capital, the region has about 30,000ha of litchi trees that supply most of Viet Nam with the juicy fruit. It is famous for one specialty in particular, Thieu litchi – a super sweet litchi with thick flesh and tiny seed - which means you get more fruit for your money! Thieu litchi … [Read more...] about Day trip to the Kingdom of Litchi
Nostalgia for the past
Illustration by Dao Quoc Huy by Le Nguyen Quoc VietOver the past few years, the village path had become overcrowded with cars and motorbikes, whose horns resounded noisily from dawn to dusk. However, Old Tam kept plying to and fro on his bone-shaking bicycle day after day. He tried to control his emotions while he was on the move, sweat oozing out bit by bit under the scorching sun. Still, he could not help being upset over the daily changes, which seemed to gradually swallow his formerly peaceful little village. The path meandered amid plots of green grass partly covered with dark-brown dust. The images of the narrow lanes and the shallow canal, the green tea groves, all of it had been deeply imprinted on his mind in childhood. His rice fields yielded only a few tonnes of paddy after each harvest season; their soil had been noticeably impoverished. He was not rich. On the whole, his family lived in similar conditions to most of their neighbours in the village. Today, he … [Read more...] about Nostalgia for the past