Vietnam : la ferme du Colvert, écotourisme chez les Muongs (French Edition)

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Vietnam is not the only country that loves the lotus. Many countries have national flowers including Iran rose , Russia sunflower and Mexico dahlia. Lotus has been a Vietnamese cultural image for generations. It is easy to spot with large, green and colourful lotus ponds commonly seen in rural areas. It has deep roots in Vietnamese minds and hearts and is widely considered as the symbol of simplicity, hospitality and purity.

It is able to grow in muddy ponds and can purify the water. In Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol of mystery, illusion and depth. Blossomed flowers symbolise the past, lotus cups the present, and lotus seeds the future. In Vietnamese architecture and in Buddhism, the image of the lotus also represents salvation and enlightenment.

It will be called Football Kids. The minute show, produced by Vietnam Television in cooperation with TJB Company, is aiming to discover young football talent. MC Linh Huong will act as team manager. Participants will be encouraged to play football while developing their team-building skills through outdoors activities.

They will also be given the chance to visit the Republic of Korea. Producers will begin looking for young talent this month, and the first show will be aired at 5. More than football clubs for kids have been established since then. The representative said the hacks mainly changed the sites interfaces, adding that the number of attacks is likely to increase. A source from the ministrys network security supporter said that they have identified that the Internet protocols IP of computers attacking the portal were from China. Meanwhile, Nguyen Minh Duc, director of Hanoi-based Bach Khoa Internetwork Security Companys internet security department, also confirmed that hundreds of Vietnamese websites have been attacked last month without clear reasons.

Hackers changed the attacked sites homepage interface and left messages in Chinese or English together with the images of the Chinese flag, according to Duc, adding that their attack methods werent special and seemed spontaneous. The attacked websites didnt have high security, the expert said. He suggested Vietnamese websites back up data and re-check their security to avoid future problems. Previously, officers of a post office in Hanois Thanh Xuan District discovered more than grams of dried cannabis and two mobile phones in a package sent from Canada.

The package was intended to be sent to Truong Thi Nga, a year-old employee of a private company in Hanoi. The police arrested Nga and two other suspects while they were receiving the package at the post office. Last February, a man in the northern province of Quang Ninh was arrested while receiving a parcel of marijuana sent from Canada at a local post office.

The package contained 1, grams of dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant. Based on the mans testimony, local police arrested another member of the Canada-Vietnam drug smuggling ring. Investigations are still under way. No magical fairies flutter about his head. He cant lift a bus with his little finger. He cant even fly. Instead, the powers of this super hero-like doctor from Japan are based on something even stranger: If you had to assign Hattori superhuman traits, you might focus on his hands.

They carry out the intricate work of vision and retina restoration surgery. But while his hands are remarkably steady, its actually his eyes that have a rare power Hattori has the ability to see a world full of need and not feel powerless. He can look at the heavy burdens of others and offer ways to lighten them. Hattori came to Vietnam for the first time in What he saw deeply affected him. He observed large numbers of people suffering from blindness. At the same time there was a lack of medical equipment, doctors kept patients waiting, and surgery costs far outstripped what was feasible for the average family.

He also saw one thing that many miss: Because sending patients abroad for surgery did not make financial sense, because the Japanese government did not give him the funding for supplies he requested, because his father taught him selflessness, and because his wife said it was okay, he bought his own surgical equipment and hauled it by hand on his next trip to Vietnam. A decade on, Hattori has operated on more than 10, patients here.

He has travelled up and down the country to the poorest provinces and doesn't play as much golf as he used to. He is on a tireless two-week rotation between Japan and Vietnam and rarely takes time for himself. He bases himself in Hanoi and his schedule here is always full. During the week, he is usually at the capitals National Institute of ophthalmology, but he also spends time at the Hanoi Eye Hospital, Friendship Hospital, and Telecom Hospital.

He trains doctors in retina surgery and also performs the complicated operations himself. I like returning to Hanoi, says the doctor. I get to see the improvements in the skill level of the Vietnamese doctors I train. Thanks to him, Hanois ophthalmologists are now some of the best in the country. Each weekend, Hattori travels to a different province to operate. Most of his weekend patients cant afford the surgery to save their vision, so he works on a volunteer basis and pays the local hospitals with his own money when necessary.

But hes not one of those celebrity surgeons with an obliging entourage. Because of limited human resources, Hattori unloads his own equipment, prepares the surgical rooms, evaluates and treats his patients, then cleans up. He makes sure the three Vietnamese doctors who accompany him do the same. I teach the whole process, from AZ, not just the surgery, says Hattori. His emphasis is always on quality and putting patients first. His days can last from 7am until nearly midnight. What drives a person to give so much of himself to help perfect strangers? Cars, luxury items, expensive houses: Maybe your children will have something new to quarrel over.

In the process Dr Hattori appears to have learned something about satisfaction, as well as selflessness. He could probably have a more comfortable life as a university professor, or as the head of his ophthalmology department in Japan. He could make more money and improve his golf swing on the weekends. Playing golf made me tired, he explains. Yes, surgery also makes me tired, but, its the kind that immediately disappears with the genuine smile of a child. In many ways, these smiles are his only payment. But when they're real, they're enough. I see so much happiness in the eyes of my patients and they share all of it with me, he says.

Altruism is something that Hattori has been pondering for a long time. Recently his thoughts on happiness were published in a book-length collection of essays hes written throughout his career. The crux of the book is doing. If you act and have regrets later, okay, that is life. But what a pity it is if you never do anything, he says. Before complaining, we should do. And when no one is there to tell you what to do, you need to find something yourself.

Nevertheless, the doctor doesnt mind making suggestions. When giving speeches around Vietnam and Japan to raise money, he often says to audiences at charity events: If you are a rich person and dont know how to spend your money, give it to me, I know how. We need fewer conferences on how to make money, and more conferences on how to spend it, he says. Keep up to date at www. For information on how to donate, email the doctor himself on hattory qb3. Constructed in the early s, the stadium was designed to showcase sporting fixtures and celebrations events that would, as Mr Toan puts it, highlight the glory of all Vietnam.

Hang Day is no longer the national stadium. It was relegated following the construction of the much larger My Dinh National Stadium in , and now its duties mainly consist of hosting regional events and V-League football fixtures the 1,year celebratory events and Backstreet Boys were nowhere near. But of course, Uncle Ho still has a place at the stadium, albeit in time-faded photographic form; a huge portrait is plastered between banners on the back wall of one of the stands. Providing a backdrop is a colour scheme of shocking cerulean and pale yellow. Its washed out and peeling in any place you care to look, which doesnt do much to dispel the general feeling that the stadiums best days are over a consensus accentuated by the haphazard piles of used sports gear that litter the arena and by the anecdotes of workers.

In contrast to the Tiger Cup, for which he says there were not enough seats to fulfil spectator demand, Mr Phu says that most of the arenas 20, seats are now vacant on match day. He blames this on the declining quality of local football, where players are not as enthusiastic as they were when he took to the field. He says they play now for money and not for the enjoyment of themselves and the crowd.

Mr Toan sheepishly admits that while attending games is part of his job, he doesnt particularly enjoy watching what people come to the stadium and pay for. Its hoped that a year-long upgrade of lighting and seating facilities, due to be completed in August, will revitalise the arena and attract more patrons, but Mr Phu perhaps puts it best when he says that the revamp will only change the face, and not the heart of the stadium. Nearby, at one of the many sports equipment shops whose wares spill out and clutter the sidewalks of Trinh Hoai Duc, things are not nearly so gloomy.

As she stands out the front of her shop and watches a shuttlecock pass between two childrens rackets Mrs Loan, who has owned Tuan Vu Sports for over 25 years, explains that the stadium has transformed the street into a mecca for those in need of sporting hardware. When people think sport they think Hang Day, she says, proudly proclaiming her street as the centre of Hanois sporting culture.

While Trinh Hoai Duc is a thoroughfare during the week, most motorists avoid it on match days. Police patrol a cordoned-off area reserved for the thronging masses of people waiting to walk through Mr Phus doors. The atmosphere is one of anticipation and excitement. Snack vendors weave in and out of the milling crowd, quenching thirst with soda and bat bao eight flavour tea, while rival ticket-sellers fight for customers in frantic, high-pitched shouting matches.

Tea stall owner Nguyen Hong Thanh describes the scene as unlike any other in Hanoi a flurry of activity and a kaleidoscope of colour, with the varying hues of supporters costumes contrasting with the tranquil green of the streets trees. She says she would love to sneak in and watch the games, using the same route as the children who squeeze between a gap in the fence near her patch of turf, but the extra customers mean she cant afford to leave her stall. She doubles her daily takings when a match is on. Granted, when everyone has made their way into the stadium it still ends up less than a quarter full, but the dedicated supporters do their best to make it sound as packed as possible.

Mrs Loan, who gets in free because she is a neighbour of the stadium, says that while the arenas golden age may be over, it still has an important place in the heart of many Hanoians. In a city that seems intent on rebuilding itself before the cement has set on its current foundations, its a rare thing to find a place that seems to be standing still and looking wistfully to the past. This gives Hang Day a unique charm a beauty that lies in its cracked, decaying grandeur.

For the past seven years, she has narrated foreign television shows and films on VTV and VoV, and she has perhaps the most recognisable voice in the country. But as she says, I like that I can still walk down the street without people recognising me. In normal conversation, theres nothing immediately striking about Anhs voice. While the cadences of her steady, yet slightly coy speech are slightly familiar, there is nothing out of the ordinary about her speech.

Can we hear the voice? With a little bit of prodding, Anh searches around for a magazine and finds a suitable passage. After briefly studying the selected words, she rattles them off in the voice that has entertained a nation. With bold and sonorous reverberations, Anhs television voice is as familiar as the chant of a banh bao vendor on a bike anyone who has been in Vietnam for longer than a passing visit has heard it.

The voice must remain healthy. Anh always wears a mask when outdoors and keeps herself wrapped up in winter. She cleans her mouth and rinses her nasal cavity with saltwater to preserve her pipes. Sleep is also vital and she refuses to yell at people. Strict rules are necessary if she is to record up to five shows in a single morning. With my job, its important to portray the character in the movie, but not my own character, says Anh. The most important part of being a storyteller is your ability to control your emotions. In the TV shows and films that Anh works on, the original audio is lowered, but still audible, and she becomes the lone storyteller, supplying the dialogue spoken by the numerous characters, both male and female.

She provides context, rather than trying to replicate the emotions present in the foreign language. In southern Vietnam and most other Asian countries, the characters voices in foreign features are often replaced with a cast of voice actors that seek to recapture the emotions present in the original audio. But Anh says people in northern Vietnam prefer the method she employs because they can hear the original audio and the emotions of the real actors, not stand-ins.

David Stout ""With bold and sonorous reverberations, Anhs television voice is as familiar as the chant of a banh bao vendor on a bike"32 The Word July The Word July 33 32 The Word June lot of people probably say that real Hanoians are difficult, says Pham Anh Tuyet, the owner and soul behind Anh Tuyet at 25 Ma May, an establishment that prides itself on serving authentic Hanoian cuisine.

If you offer them the wrong type of food, then theyd rather not eat, she says. And while eating on the streets may these days be the preferred gastronomic experience for foreigners and those Hanoians not eating at home, Tuyet a true Hanoian explains that this wasnt always the case. The origins of street food are tethered to the reforms of the mids; a time when an increasing amount of individuals became invested in entrepreneurial ventures that often revolved around food.

When I was growing up in the s and s, street food was brought into the homes, she says. If you were in need of pho, che or any other dish, a vendor with a shoulder pole would be fetched to serve the meal inside the house. Back then, eating on the pavement was for uneducated, low-skilled labourers. And even now, at a time when Vietnams street food is famed all over the world, Tuyet has her reservations about eating roadside. For one thing, she says the portions are too big; real Hanoian cuisine came in much smaller servings.

The food, she says, should be tasted and savoured rather than gobbled down frantically. What the pavements eateries serve up now is more of pan-northern fusion. Now in one bowl of bun rieu you will see beef, tofu and several other things, says Tuyet. According to the chef, bun rieu should emphasize the dishs crab component and should be prepared differently to, say, bun thang.

But as more people move here from the provinces, the food reflects the changing nature of the city. There are not many people that can make real Hanoian food anymore, says Tuyet. But there are not many people who expect those standards either. But chef and author of Culinary Vietnam, Daniel Hoyer, explains that street food is the real deal. It is Hanoi food because its a reflection of what Hanoi food is today, he says. Whether its the beef in a bowl of pho or the icy beer that accompanies a friendly conversation on a plastic stool, the capitals cuisine is seasoned with subtle touches that are shaped by the citys history.

But while domestic migration and contact with outsiders over the centuries has allowed Vietnamese cuisine to evolve and embrace new ingredients and methodologies, the resulting fare has remained congruent with the local palate. Anything that comes here goes through a filter and comes back out Vietnamese, says Hoyer.

Broths and BiaVietnamese food has got heavy overseas influences, says historian Dao Hung. Take a bowl of pho with its beef, noodles, broth and herbs. According to Hung, the dishs gastronomic origins are rooted in a Chinese noodle dish from Guangdong. That version is filled with buffalo meat and is flavoured with Chinese herbs, which provides the dish with a much darker and stronger broth. But Hanoians are very conservative when it comes to eating, explains Hung, in reference to residents aversion to the existence of any one overpowering flavour in a dish.

And rather than buffalo meat, Hanoian pho is all about the beef, which was introduced during the French colonial era. Beef, for example, is everywhere in Hanoian dishes, says Hung. Before [the French], the Vietnamese people were not used to eating beef. But the historian is quick to point out that beefs popularity is largely confined to restaurants, just as pho is almost exclusively consumed outside of the home.

According to an informal survey the year-old conducted among his friends people whom he qualifies as real Hanoians the preferred meat for home cooking is pork. With baguettes, fried eggs and coffee ubiquitous, the French influences are easily spotted. The most noticeable difference with Chinese cuisine, meanwhile, is in the Vietnamese historical predilection for uncooked vegetables. In China, vegetables are often drowned in oil, garlic and sauces, and are stir-fried in woks, whereas Vietnamese methods are often about embracing freshness and leaving the sauces on the side.

This has led to the popularisation of Vietnamese cuisine as a healthier alternative to Chinese food. As Hung explains, poultry met pho during the American War. To ensure that cows stayed in the fields to assist with rice production, chicken was served as a substitute for beef and almost became the norm. During the same period, rice wine was also not drunk food could no longer be wasted on creating an alcoholic drink. While some surely bemoaned the loss of ruou, this led to the promotion of a uniquely Hanoian addition to the countrys al fresco dining scene bia hoi.

Although beer was nothing new in Hanoi in the s, most Hanoians had stayed away from the overly bitter hoppy beers favoured by the French. According to Hung, the brewery on Hoang Hoa Tham was built by the French in the late s, but after , with the help of Czech technicians, the brewery began to churn out the much lighter pilsner drafts more suited to the tastes of Hanoians. In the mids, the beer was served in kegs around town in outdoor venues. The establishments soon became magnets for artists and members of the intelligentsia, and anyone else looking to take the edge off during days of turmoil.

Historians went to one spot and writers went to another, but if you were looking for friends, you would just go to a bia hoi and find them there, says Hung. A lot of great stories came from those tables. At its busiest from 7am to 10am and then 1pm to 5pm, this place has seen many of its customers returning for years: I never go anywhere else, I love the crispy onions, says year-old Phuong. For us, though, as delicate and summery as the pancakes are, the highlight is the dipping sauce deeply aromatic, smoky and sweet; its hard to imagine banh cuon without it.

Yes for the dipping sauce and the commanding, husky voice of the proprietor. Its so successful that a second shop is now open on Le Van Huu. Three generations of the same family run both properties. Bun Cha Dac Kim, 1 Hang Manh, Hoan Kiem"We're famous because we've been going so long and for the quality of our bun cha," says one of the sisters running this beast of a four-storey joint.

Now with over 40 years of operation behind it, this place is packed almost every day, especially at noon. The former you probably can't disagree with: Well, the portions are huge maybe twice the average size and some of the patties are wrapped in lot leaf giving them a tangy edge. Also the raw ingredients are generally of a higher standard. But for us, the bacon and leafless patties lack seasoning and the fish sauce broth can be a touch salty. It would also be great to see some tra da on the menu to wash it all down with. Sheer quantity comes at a price its VND50, per bowl.

Yes for longevity and its devoted following, but maybe not necessarily for the bun cha or impersonal vibe. Cha Ca La Vong, 14 Cha Ca, Hoan KiemWhile the venue is not a street food establishment per se, the street that the restaurant resides on was named after the only dish it serves, thus making it more than worthy of its varied clientele.

Cha ca has been on the menu inside this crumbling house for than more years. The place has been managed by seven generations of the same family and they dish out the oily, dill-imbued fresh water fish to tourists and locals day after day. Time is on its side and the food speaks for itself, but because its a prominent culinary stop for many tour groups, prices are inflated VND, for one serving, and a pretty small serving at that.

Any of the other establishments dedicated to the fare on Cha Ca. Well, yes and no. Having tried a number of places around Truc Bach, it turns out that pho cuon usually is just pho cuon. But here, the beef and herbs wrapped in rice noodle are just a tad tastier. It may be the drop of soya sauce in the dipping mix, or something added to the beef in the prep stage the rolls have a welcome Worcestershire sauce tang to them. The pho chien is good too; crispy and light with a thick dressing, which is rich like good gravy. According to the man counting the money, this was one of the first places to do pho cuon.

The size of the operation is impressive, too, as is the quality of pho sheets all wrapped up hygienically on delivery and the number of polystyrene boxes being taken away by people on the go. Grandma, who is in her 70s and is known to shout at her young staff at any opportunity, says: I dont buy cheap chickens, and the porridge is tasty, too dont you think so?

The sticky rice, well cooked in the fatty and flavoursome chicken broth, gives the porridge just the right texture. The chicken, either breast 30, per bowl or thigh 35, per bowl , is perfectly seasoned and the pepper, chilli and spring onion really round it all off, as do the soft, fresh pieces of banh quay, or fried, Chinese-style bread. Yes for the tasty chicken and long opening hours often until 3am. And for its adopted name shouting chao. But I guess it fits the general taste of people and its cheap, he adds before admitting he actually prefers to eat pho or bun.

The glass noodle soup here is exceptional. The eel is deep fried with egg and flour before getting soaked in the broth to give it a soft and crunchy texture. If you order dry, stir-fried noodle with eel then its a good idea to ask for a small bowl of soup to add as you please the deep fried eel can be a bit dry without added water. Yes, for its tasty eel over a variety of dishes.

Bun Dau Mam Tom, 3 Ngo Gach, Hoan KiemWhile owner Ms Tam claims there is no key ingredient drawing people here, if you pull up a stool and watch her prepare a portion of bun dau it wont take long to figure out why this place is a favourite. With every serving, a ladle of the oil used to cook the tofu is poured into the shrimp paste.

But if the smelly stuff isnt your preferred condiment, Ms. Tams homemade tofu with bun is still enough to convince even the most ardent carnivore that the soybean-based dish is worth the time. Along with the main, Ms Tam serves up lotus ice tea that tops it all off perfectly. The tofu is done just right and the hygiene standards and portions are good. The extra small stools might prove awkward for some. Theres also a place at 6 Trieu Viet Vuong that has been going strong for the last couple of decades, as has the tofu shop at 51 Hang Dieu.

Pho 32, 32 Bat Dan, Hoan Kiemone of the city's age-old street side pho eateries, Pho 32 is known mostly for its pho ga, but pho bo and pho xao also fill out the menu. The soup comes served like almost every other version in the city but at VND30,, which includes three banh quay, this place is sure to keep your hunger locked up till lunch. Like Shreddies, but better. The key to the taste is in the slightly under-seasoned broth. For us, not overdoing the flavouring at the serving stage makes it all the better when it comes to adding other ingredients. With three types of chilli, lime, sugar and fish sauce on the table, you can create your own tang.

Mai Anh, 32 Le Van Huu pictured. The boys ushering you in are all as relentless to a man. But the famous vendor, Hai San Van oanh with its seafood place next-door, does stand out from the crowd. By 7pm the place is packed; the best stamp of endorsement a foodie could wish for. But come after 7pm and good luck in finding a comfortable seat. You could put the fame down to its location overlooking Truc Bach Lake but Van, one of the two sisters who own the shop, suggests its because our seafood is reasonably priced and is fresh and tasty.

Her sister oanh chimes in, were known to be really friendly, too. Yes thanks to its fresh, high quality seafood, which, actually, is no more reasonable than anywhere else: Seats are hard to come by. Also, at busy times, it pays to make sure your oysters are cooked thoroughly. Clean the shiitake and perfume mushrooms in warm water, discard tails and cut into thin slices. Chop the celery into small pieces. Finely chop the onion. Splash oil into to the pan, heat and maintain at a high heat while adding chopped shallots. When shallots become fragrant about seconds add the fish sauce, celery, onion, ram herbs and pepper powder.

Saut for two minutes before adding crabmeat, chilli and coriander. Mix thoroughly and take off the heat. Cut the sheet of pho into 6x12cm pieces, add one spoon of crab mixture and roll.

Serve cool with black sesame on top. Eat with fish sauce, sugar and vinegar dip. Shred the papaya and carrot into thin strands with a box grater. Mix in ice water for ten minutes to prevent browning and curl the strands. Strain and keep in the fridge for up to two hours before use. Alternatively buy a pre-shredded mix from selected markets.

Mix the honey, lemon juice, fish sauce and three tablespoons of olive oil for dressing. Cut the halloumi across into long strips 3mm thick. Mix with the extra spoon of olive oil and black pepper. Toast the pine nuts in a hot frying pan until just brown and then remove to a cool surface they will brown more after, so be careful not to burn. Warm the grill to medium heat and grill both sides of halloumi slices, or fry in a non-stick pan.

Toss papayacarrot mix with dressing, herbs, jerky and cheese. Divide to four plates and sprinkle with pine nuts. Nu ban phuc vu ho mt mon n khng ung quy cach th ho se tha rng khng n con hn c noi. Ngay nay, khi vic thng thc nhng mon n trn ng ph ang tr thanh trai nghim m thc c u tin hang u i vi ngi nc ngoai va ngi Ha Ni dng nh cung khng con thng xuyn dung ba tai nha, th c Tuyt, mt ngi gc Ha Ni, cho bit vic o vn khng phai la truyn thng t xa. C noi rng nhng quan hang n la san phm cua vic cai cach kinh t t nhng nm gia thp nin Thi nin thiu cua ti la khoang t nhng nm 50 n nhng nm 60, luc o nhng mon n ng ph nh ngay nay c phuc vu tai nha, c chia se, nu ban mun n mt bat ph, hay mt cc che hoc cai g o tng t, nhng ngi ganh hang rong vi quai ganh trn vai se sn long phuc vu ban tai nhaVao thi im o, nhng quan hang va he ch danh cho nhng ngi lao ng chn tay.

Thm ch cho n ngay nay khi ma nhng mon n va he cua Vit Nam tr nn thn thuc vi toan th gii, Tuyt vn co quan im ring cua mnh v vic n ung bn va he. Va thc n, c noi, nn nghing v s tinh tuy cua m thc trong v va cht hn la phn lng di dao ma th kch. Phin Ban MiTheo li Tuyt, nhng mon n c phuc vu trn he ph ngay nay a khac xa nhng mon n truyn thng cua Ha Ni xa va a c pha trn rt nhiu bi nhng ngi dn di c t nhng tnh thanh khac. Nhng mon n c phuc vu ngay nay phn nhiu la san phm cua s kt hp vn hoa m thc toan min Bc. Ngay nay trong mt xut bun riu, ban se thy tht bo, u phu va nhiu thanh phn khac - c Tuyt noi.

Theo li ngi bp trng nay th mon bun riu ch nn co hng v chnh la cua ma thi va no chc chn la phai khac bit so vi bun thang. Nhng bi v hu ht c dn Ha Ni ngay nay la nhng ngi n t cac tnh thanh khac, va mi ni lai co mt cach nu khac nhau nn cac mon n c dn dn bin i tuy theo tng ngi nu.

By gi chng co my ngi nu c nhng mon n Ha Ni truyn thng, c noi, va thc t la cung chng co my ngi yu cu nhng tiu chun nh xa na. Th nhng, bp trng va tac gia cun sach Culinary Vietnam, Daniel Hoyer lai cho rng nn m thc ng ph mi em lai gia tr thc t: Cho du o la ming tht bo trong bat ph hay la cc bia hi lanh em lai nhng cuc tro chuyn trn chic gh nha, nn m thc thu cung co mua va cung a c uc thanh mt cach tinh t t lch s cua thanh ph. Tt ca s thay i cua xa hi, s chuyn bin cua lch s u co vai tro cua mnh, la nhng manh ghep tao nn bc tranh m thc va mang ca s n gian ln s tinh t.

Mc du s di dn trong nc va s hp tac quc t trong sut nhiu th ky qua a m ca cho nn m thc Vit Nam on nhn nhng thanh phn va phng phap mi th kt qua cua no a c chng minh rng chung phu hp vi v giac ngi Vit. Hay tng tng rng bt c th g ti y u c ngi Vit Nam la chon nhng cai tt nht, tinh hoa nht ri bin no thanh mt phn cua Vit Nam ng Hoyer noi. S Thay ThNha s hoc ao Hung chia se: Nn m thc Vit t nhiu b anh hng t nc ngoai nh mt bat ph vi tht bo, banh ph, nc dung va rau thm. Theo ng Hung, phn tinh tuy hp dn nht cua mon nay co gc r su xa t mon M Quang ng cua ngi Hoa. Mon m nay co thanh phn chnh la tht tru va c t im thm bng nhng mon rau thm vi gia v ring, iu ma khin cho no co ve ngoai m a hn cung hng v nng hn trong nc dung.

Th nhng ngi Ha Ni vn rt cn thn trong vic n ung ng Hung giai thch khi nghin cu nhng mon n hng v m a mang phin ban mi nay. Va thm vao o, tht tru c thay bng tht bo, y la mt v du v s anh hng cua nn m thc Phap Tht bo la mt mt nguyn liu c s dung rt nhiu trong nhng mon n cua Ha Ni, nhng vao thi k trc, ngi Vit vn khng my khi n tht bo ca. Nhng nha s hoc cung nhanh chong ch ra rng tht bo ch c s dung ph bin cac nha hang, quan xa, cung nh ph hu nh lun c thng thc bn ngoai. Theo nh cuc khao sat nho vi nhng ngi ban gia vao tui 80 cua ng nhng ngi ma ng goi la ngi Ha Ni ch thc - th nguyn liu chnh ma ho va gia nh nhng s dung nu nng trong nha la tht ln.

Vi banh m, trng chin va ca ph khp ni th s anh hng cua nn m thc t ngi Phap la rt d nhn ra. Nhng im khac bit ln nht so vi nn m thc cua ngi Hoa la ngi Vit thch thng thc rau sng. Trong khi ho thch chin xao hoc nu rau cu qua vi rt nhiu du m, th ngi Vit lai a chung n rau sng kem vi nc st hoc nc chm nhiu hn.

Theo li ng Hung, thi gian trc, ngoai li ch v thc phm, tru bo con giup ch trong vic cay cy, trng trot, giup cho nn nng nghip phat trin. Chnh v ly do o, chung c khuyn khch gi lai phuc vu cho vic tng gia san xut va tht ga a c thay th va gn nh tr thanh mon n chnh. Va ri bia hi lai xut hin. Mc du bia khng phai la thc ung xa la vi ngi Ha Ni k t nhng nm 60 nhng hu ht moi ngi vn tranh xa khoi thc ung chua chua nay bi no la thoi quen cua ngi Phap.

Theo ng Hung, nha may bia trn ng Hoang Hoa Tham c ngi Phap xy dng t nhng nm cui , nhng mai n sau nm , vi s giup k thut cua Tip Khc, nha may nay mi bt u khi sc vi loai bia hi mi co nng nhe hn a bt u tm c ung v cua ngi Ha Ni. Cho n gia nhng nm 60, bia hi a c phuc vu theo tng bom i khp va he thanh ph. Va nhng hang bia hi nhanh chong tr thanh tu im cho cac ngh s, tng lp tr thc va nhng ngi tm kim mt cach xa hi sau mt ngay lam vic vt va. Cac nha s hoc thng ti mt ch, va cac nha vn th ti mt ch khac, nu ban tm kim ban be cua mnh th ch vic ti hang bia hi quen la se thy ho o, rt nhiu nhng cu chuyn v ai c sinh ra t ban bia hi ng Hung chia se.

Bun Cha c Kim, s 1 Hang Manh Hoan Kim"Chung ti ni ting bi v la mt thng hiu gia truyn lu i va bi v cht lng bun cha cua chung ti khac bit", mt trong nhng ngi phuc vu tai ca hang bn tng nay chia se. Hin nay vi hn 40 nm hoat ng, ni nay ng nght khach hu nh mi ngay, c bit la vao ba tra. Co mt iu chc chn la quan a tn tai y lu ri.

Vng, rt nhiu phn n cha k la mt phn n lai to gp i so vi mt phn trung bnh cua bun cha ni khac - va kem theo o, cha la lt cua ho cung la mt li th canh tranh. Ngoai ra, cac thanh phn nguyn liu hao hang noi chung la ging cac ni khac. Tuy nhin, cha bm, tht xng khoi va cha la lt cung nc chm se em n cam giac mn mn va khan khat. Se tuyt hn nhiu nu ho co tra a trong thc n lam du phn n o. Va d nhin khu phn ln hn co gia ring cua no - o la 50, ng cho mi bat.

Ho co xng ang la iM ni ting nHt kHng? Co bi v tui tho lu i cua ho va nhng khach hang trung thanh vi ho, nhng co le khng nht thit la la chon hang u cho mon n ln phong cach phuc vu. S la chon khac: Cha ca La Vong, 14 Cha Ca, Hoan KimMc du a im nay khng th t vao danh sach "quan n ng ph", nhng ch ring vic nm trn con ng ma tn c t theo theo mon n duy nht cua nha hang nay cung a u khin no tr thanh im thu hut khach hang vi moi tui va moi thanh phn.

Cha ca a c lam va ban tai ngi nha c nay hn nm. Ni nay a c quan ly bi bay th h cua mt gia nh va ho a phuc vu mon cha ca th la ran cho khach du lch cung nh dn a phng ngay qua ngay. Tui tho cua nha hang va mon n cht lng cua ho a noi ln iu o ri, nhng bi v y la mt im m thc ni bt cho cac nhom khach du lch, nn gia ang tng cao - , ng cho mt xut, va mt xut y cung kha nho na.

Cac nha hang khac trn ph Cha Ca. Ch cn hoi bt k ngi tre tui nao se bit. Co tt ca chn ca hang y va hu ht ho kha ging nhau, nhng s 40 Thanh Sn c cho la ni ting nht. Ban th oan xem, ho chnh la nhng ngi tao nn cn st nem chua ran. Trn thc t cac nem chua tai cac ca hang nay u n t cung mt nha cung cp, v vy khng co g qua c bit v no. Nhng ngi chu tim cho rng ho c chu y nhiu hn hay khng la nh khoai ty chin bi v ho chin khoai hai ln, thm vao v c trng cua b da na. Hang nem chua nng trong ngo u Triu. Khoang thi gian 7: Co im 10 cho nc chm va banh, thm na la im cng cho giong ch huy khan khan cua ngi chu.

Ca hang nay a thanh cng n ni ho m mt ca hang th hai trn ng L Vn Hu. Ba th h trong cung mt gia nh ang quan ly ca hai ca hang. Mon min ln y rt c bit. Ln c chin vi trng va bt m trc khi c ngm trong nc dung lam no mm va gion. Mt y tng khng ti la khi n m xao kh vi ln nn yu cu thm mt bat sup nho v mon ln xao co th hi kh nu khng co sup hoc nc i kem. Co, im thng cho mon tht ln ngon tuyt, t o ho lai ch bin nhng mon n trn ca tuyt vi khac. Ngoc Hiu, 22 Hoa Ma, Hai Ba Trngy la mt mon n rt ph bin va hi kh theo mt ngha nao o, nhng khi noi ti mon bt-tt kiu Vit truyn thng th khac, no tr nn nhe nhang tinh t hn, va nha hang Ngoc Hiu lun la cu tra li u tin cho moi cu hoi.

Vi mc gia , ng cho mt xut thng thng th chc hn cht lng y phai kha n. Mon n c phuc vu trn mt a gang nong vi tht bo thai lat, xu mai, hai qua trng, khoai ty. Ban co th kep tht vao banh m va t lam cho mnh mt chic banh kep ngon lanh hoc n gian la xe nho banh m va chm vi nc st trong mon bt tt. Mon nay se hoan hao nu ban la tn cua mon trng long ao.

Va phn tht bo quan trong nht th hi cng mt chut, nhng v rt ngon. Ho co xng ang la im ni ting nht khng? Co le bt du i mt chut th tt hn. Ni nay d nhin xng ang vi s ni ting cua no, nhng vi mt s ngi th mon nay co ve khng tt cho da day lm. Bun u mm tm, 3 Ngo Gach, Hoan KimMc du ngi chu ca hang c Tm t cho rng y chng co g c bit thu hut khach hang, nhng nu ban ngi xung va xem c y chun b nhng xut bun u th se khng mt nhiu thi gian tm ra ly do tai sao ni nay c yu thch n th.

Vi mi xut bun u mm tm, c y cho thm mt vai giot du ran u vao bat mm tm. K ca nu ban khng thch mui v cua mm tm, nhng ming u phu ran thm lng vn c lam tai nha c Tm cung vi ming bun thanh mat vn u sc thuyt phuc, ngay ca nhng tn cua tht nng cung cho rng mon nay xng ang tn thi gian thng thc. Cung vi mon chnh, c Tm cung phuc vu tra a hng sen khin cho ba n thm hoan hao. Ngoai ra s 6 Triu Vit Vng a ni ting t vai thp k tr lai y, s 51 Hang iu cung ni ting khng kem. Ph ga a iM: Ph 32, s 32 Bat an, Hoan Kim La mt trong nhng quan ph lu i nht trong thanh ph, Ph 32 c bit n chu yu la v mon ph ga, nhng tht ra ph bo va ph xao cung co y.

Ph y c phuc vu nh hu ht cac quan khac trong thanh ph nhng vi gia Ging nh shreddies mon banh ngu cc n sang cua Anh vy, nhng tuyt hn nhiu. B quyt cua hng v la nc dung. Vi ba loai t, chanh, ng va nc mm trn ban, ban co th t tao phong cach cua ring ban. Co ch, im mi cho cht lng. Mai Anh, 32 L Vn Hu nh anh trn. Cac chang bi ban dng nh khng ngai bt c gia nao keo c mt khach hang vao quan cua mnh. Nhng nha cung cp'ni ting', Hai San Vn Oanh vi b knh cha y hai san, ro rang la d nhn bit nht trong am ng. Khoang 7 gi ti la cac ban a y khach, mt du hiu nhn tt bit cht lng ma nhng ngi sanh n yu thch.

Nu ban ti sau 7 gi th kho ma tm c mt ch ngi thoai mai. Ban co th cho rng s ni ting cua a im nay la bi v tr cua no - nhn ra h Truc Bach - nhng Vn, mt trong hai ch em ngi s hu ca hang, em gai cua ba Oanh noi rng "bi v thc phm ch bin cua chung ti co gia ca hp ly va lun am bao ti va ngon. Co - nh hai san ti sng, cht lng cao, trong khi o gia ca lai hp ly hn bt c ni nao khac: Ch i lai hi hep nn kho di chuyn.

Ngoai ra, cho du la vao nhng thi im bn rn nht, am bao la mon hau cua ban vn c ch bin k. Ra sach va thai ch nm hng, ngm nc mc nh, hanh ty thai mong, ct khuc cn ty. Cho du vao chao ch du tht nong, phi thm hanh kh khoang 20 25 giy , cho hanh ty, cn ty, moc nh, nm hng thai vao xao, thm nc mm, rau rm, tiu. Ct banh ph la ngn khoang 6x12 cm, ri cho nhn vao trong cun lai n ngui hoc hp nong lai, bay ra a, rc vng rang, kem vi nc chm chua ngot va rau thm.

Cng thc cho 4 ngi ntHanH pHn: Thai ch ca rt va u u xanh. Ngm trong nc lanh khoang 10 phut lam mm va cong cac si. Ban co th mua si bao sn t cac ca hang rau cu ti. Trn u mt ong, nc ct chanh, nc mm va 3 mung du oliu. Ct pho-mat thanh nhng ming dai, day khoang 3mm. Trn ln vi mung du oliu con lai. Bo hat thng vao chao nong rang u cho n khi chung nga mau nu nhat sau o ngui hat thng rt d chay nn cn rang nhanh va cn thn. Bt lo va nng hai mt ming pho-mat, hoc ran trn chao chng dnh.

Sau o ct ming vung. Trn ln u u va ca rt cung hn hp va nhng thanh phn a chun b k trn, thm tht bo kh si va rau kinh gii thai nho. Bay ra bn a va rc hat thng rang ln trn. Victoria boggiano talks landlord trouble to make sure you dont end up in a house from hell. Photographs by Dominic blewettinvolved, says the CEo, who, after a year, was ordered to pay a higher rent or move out. The landlord started to bend the rules with calls to the authorities and physical threats.

The costs everyone paid for lawyers throughout the battle were astronomical, adds the CEo. The business finally moved from its desired location and lost a large portion of its custom. Even if we had won, we still would have had three years left and what happens at the end of that? Do you invest all your time into building a brand around that location and then lose it, or cut your losses and start again somewhere else? The said restaurant is now having landlord issues at its headquarters, too. After more than three years, the landlord has decided to raise the price. Not by a smidgen as may even be expected, but twofold.

This is not an issue in other Southeast Asian countries where people from this team have done business, says the CEo. In fact, the stores in one of these countries have been in the same place for over a decade. According to one real estate agent, developers and landlords are the people with the power. Until banks in Hanoi start loaning out more money, and customers are able to pick and choose from a variety of options, the market is unlikely to change. The key to the property sector changing has got to come from the empowerment of the consumers, says the agent.

If you look at other countries, consumer loans are a much larger percentage of total bank loans than they are here and when you empower the consumers, they will choose quality developers, which means the developers themselves have to up their game. Down in Ho Chi Minh City, the market is a bit more western and local developers are better at responding to what buyers want. And according to the agent, Saigons dynamic culture lends itself to flexible developers who are well-versed in catering to new demands.

Its not because Hanoi doesnt necessarily want to change, but youre working in a very different environment, says the agent. Closer to HomeThere is no doubt that the supply of office space, apartments and homes for rent in Hanoi is on the rise. The trend these days is for homeowners to convert houses into mid-rise apartment buildings, with each floor containing apartments for rent. This influx of housing options has led to a similar rise in the number of real estate agents catering to young Vietnamese and foreigners.

But even that doesnt seem to make the job of finding good housing at a fair rate any easier. Valentina Luvara, an expat who has been living and working in Hanoi for a year, says that she was excited when she first arrived because housing is much cheaper here than in Europe. When rats quickly invaded their new home, however, she and her husband talked briefly about moving, but made no formal plans to leave. Then they caught their landlady showing another foreign couple their apartment and decided to jump ship before they were jettisoned.

They began the great house search for the second time in only a few months of living in the city. Young Hanoians still tend to live with their parents, but those that do live on their own often face the same housing battles expats do. They generally find cheaper housing because they are more willing to share a room and will accept more basic conditions. Meanwhile, landlords are also aware that attracting Vietnamese tenants requires less initial investment in terms of furniture and amenities.

One real estate agent says there are less than a dozen apartments in this price range in Hoan Kiem. The most popular streets are Doi Can and Kim Ma. Options on Tran Phu are also worth looking at. Get more luxury for the same price by looking at the areas serviced apartments. My DinHThis area is growing in popularity among those wanting luxury apartments. Recently this area has seen a rise in the number of Japanese and Korean tenants as more international schools spring up. There are only two buildings with serviced apartments and a handful of converted local houses.

Think high rises, palm trees and swimming pools. There will even be Bangkok-style sky trains to soften the commute. I found an apartment on Ba Trieu, but the landlord didnt want to give us a television or an air conditioner, and the bedroom was filthy, says Ha Nguyen, who is looking to leave her parents house. He wanted VND7 million per month but there was nothing in the house, not even a bed.

Create your luckNot everyone is so unlucky. Her landlord was friendly and would occasionally invite her to have meals with his family. I really lucked out, she says. Everything was really upfront and honest, and my landlord didnt even make me pay a deposit. He is really flexible about me having other people stay and gives me the space I need while also making me feel welcome.

But unless you luck out, patience is required when looking for a house in Hanoi. As one real estate agent puts it, sometimes you just have to be willing to wait. Its better to spend a few more days and pay hotel costs than make a rash decision and then regret it after youve signed the lease and paid for six months, he says. Do a few more searches online, price shop with several estate agents, and, most importantly, talk to those who have been there, done it and felt the wrath. Tell us all about your housing troubles in Hanoi and your troubleshooting tips.

Simply email editor wordhanoi. And it can be seen in a weekend, especially if you follow the advice of someone in the know. Words by long-term resident Adam Bray. The better resorts usually serve nice buffet breakfasts included in the price. For this reason, a lot of outside restaurants no longer offer breakfast. If your accommodation doesnt provide any, the best place to go is Joes Caf.

Open 24 hours, they have a large menu of omelettes, sandwiches, western coffee and more. The more adventurous can head to the little rang Market at the centre of the beach. Inside are a number of vendors serving banh mi baguette sandwiches with sliced meat patties and vegetables , bun bo xao stir-fried sweet and sour beef and rice noodles , and banh xeo seafood crepes. The water and wind are calmest in the mornings, and this is before the onslaught of kiteboarders and windsurfers around 10am.

Vietnam : la ferme du Colvert, écotourisme chez les Muongs

You have the beach to yourself, except for the fishermen hauling in nets from their coracle boats. The morning light in Mui Ne has a surreal quality to it, making photo shoots at the white Sand Dunes or Fairy Stream extra special. Both spots are exotic locales. According to locals, the shores of the lake here once sheltered an ancient Cham temple complex, destroyed around the time of the American War. Fairy Stream is an oasis weaving its way through the inland dunes. Follow it from the beach to a small waterfall. On the way you may spot frogs, freshwater crabs and the highly intelligent and inquisitive ca loc snakehead fish.

Vietnam home, a giant bamboo tree house located in the centre of Mui Ne, serves authentic local and northern dishes with fine-dining service. Occasionally they have live ethnic music as well. Shree Ganesh is part of the much-loved Indian restaurant chain. Sailing Club, now rebranded as Mia resort, is an expat favourite. Their Sandals restaurant is one of the best beach bars and poolside restaurants on the strip. Favourite dishes include the bacon and banana pizza, the Mediterranean plate of flat breads, cashews and olives, and their chocolate brownie with vanilla bean ice cream.

De nuong grilled goat and lau de goat hotpot are quintessential Mui Ne cuisine. Its likely that the local tradition of raising goats in the dunes comes from the ancient Cham, who themselves probably learned goat husbandry from visiting Muslim merchants. Several goat restaurants are located just east of Rang Market.

Being a beach resort town, seafood is unsurprisingly a local specialty. While lots of restaurants serve passable seafood, the best place to try grilled scallops and steamed prawns is Bo Ke, an open-air spot pinched between the Nguyen Dinh Chieu street and the sea. For good food, great atmosphere, live Cham music and traditional dance, Forest restaurant Rung is the best in Mui Ne. Sit out in the garden or in the overgrown temple ruins that have been reclaimed by the jungle.

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Steamed red snapper, whole roast duck and banana shrimp spring rolls are all favourites. You wont find much going on in Mui Ne from about 11am through 5pm. Its siesta time, so you may want to head out and see a few sights or get some exercise. Theres no better place than Mui Ne for aquatically-inclined adrenaline junkies. Head over to see Scott Soothill at Storm for expert Kiteboarding instruction.

All levels from beginner to expert are catered for. The afternoon is a great to visit thap Po Shanu, the oldest built in the 8th Century and southernmost Cham temple in Vietnam. This is only one of many ancient temple vestiges in the province. Take a gondola to the pagoda at the top and climb a few steps to see the longest reclining Buddha in Vietnam. Train and bus tickets are easier to arrange from Saigon, although the drive is faster and far more scenic from Cam Ranh. For more information on Mui Ne visit www. The swankiest place to see and be seen is Sankara.

FunKey is a new beach bar with a mellow atmosphere, great cocktails and food at more affordable prices. Those looking for something less backpacker and more family can try out Deja Vu, a spot popular with the Russian crowd. Coco Beach was the first to arrive here and remains an oasis of solitude.

There are no televisions in the rooms, and there is no kiteboarding on their stretch of beach, which makes it one of the few places you can sunbathe peacefully on the sand. Mui Ne Backpackers was the first beachside budget accommodation here and remains the backpacker favourite. Theres a small swimming pool out front and it has both single and dorm rooms.

Cc khu ngh dng loai kh thng phc v i km ba buffet sng vi dch v phng ca mnh. V vy, rt nhiu nh hng bn ngoi khng cn phc v ba sng na. Nu ch ca ban khng phc v ba sng th ni tt nht ti l Joes Caf. M ca sut 24 gi, h c mt thc n phong phu vi trng rn, bnh m sandwich, c ph kiu phng Ty v nhiu hn na. Nu ban l ngi a khm ph, hay ti Ch Rang trung tm bai bin. Bn trong khu ch c kh nhiu quy bn bnh m bnh m baguette vi ch tht thi lt v rau , bun b xo vi v xo chua ngt ca tht b v bun , v bnh xo vi nhn hi sn. All this has changed with a percent, no-apologies, unpretentious British style fish and chip shop.

Initial signs were good. That immediate waft of pungent deep-fried oil and the acrid tang of malt vinegar hammered the senses as we entered. Despite that, the menu was slightly disappointingly presented where are the giant, backlit photos of golden battered deep fried fish with succulent white, fluffy insides and the close-up shots of fat chips glistening with their coating of pure crystalline salt? Interior wise, Britannia has gone for modern styling, all blond wood and stools. The place also has the air of being well-maintained, the smoking room has a grand view of West Lake and there is no-smoking seating available at the front of the building.

The only props missing to accompany the photos of classic London scenes are the encyclopaedic wall chart of edible fish, a faded Luncheon Voucher in the window and a Pukka Pie sticker on the glass front of the fish counter. Chip off the Blockon to the food, we tried both the fish on offer; the local basa VND60, and the more up-market sea bass VND95, something youre unlikely to see on the menu of a chip shop in the UK.

Surprisingly, the local fish turned out to be an absolute star, firm in texture but with the golden, crisp batter lovingly clinging to it perfect. The sea bass didnt fare so well, its stronger flavour and softer, easy-to-flake flesh proving not such an authentic bite. The chips were absolutely no-nonsense, prime British-style finger-thick delights; crisp outside and with fluffy white steaming hot interiors.

They were perfectly done and seasoned with a healthy dose of malt vinegar and a generous dash of salt. The British are notorious magpies when it comes to food and no decent fish and chip shop these days can go without selling curry sauce to accompany the more traditional gravy VND20, and mushy peas. Here, the curry sauce VND15, was a hit and reminded me of some of the best sauces found in Caribbean restaurants no mean feat in Hanoi.

Ive never been a great fan of mushy peas VND20, and my mind wasnt changed by Britannias offering. La Fenetre Soleil every Wed. To have your event included in our calendar, please email news wordhcmc. From 4pm to 8pm every day at Saigon Saigon Bar, offering two-for-one deal. Call for reservation. Call for more info. After a 2am start, each duo — organisers insist all entrants compete in twos — will run around 20km through the jungle in pitch black before taking on a 40km cycle ride. They then finish off the race with a 2km walk or float down the river.

Now in its sixth year, the Madagui Trophy has grown from an event attracting participants based in Southern Vietnam to a national competition that appeals to teams from the whole of the country. It also has entrants from as far afield as Europe, Australia and Hong Kong. The contest is run for a good cause, too — all proceeds go to a sustainable development project run in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund WWF to protect the rainforest. These will soon be certified organic. The Extreme category is an eight-hour event starting at 5am while the Adventure race starts at 7am.

Regardless of the category, all contestants need to have completed their challenge by 1pm when the organisers hold the closing ceremony. Many Vietnamese people are looking for peaceful places, they have a new appreciation of mother nature. In , people took part. This year Jean-Luc expects it to rise to For security reasons, contestants need to register and complete the challenge in pairs. Registration can be done online at www. Contestants pay for accommodation, transfer from Ho Chi Minh City and, if necessary, equipment rental. Words by Nick Ross.

Photo by Aaron Joel Santos. But because the year-old has had so much press recently and been the focus of so many product endorsements, that this would do no more than cover already well-covered ground. Yet when the angle was explained, the response changed. Born Hang Lam Trang Anh, the rap artist will be heading to Japan later this year to collaborate on a track with a well-known Japanese musician.

There are no specific details as of yet, but if this happens then Suboi could become the first Vietnamese artist to make it overseas. This would be a huge step not just for herself, but for the Vietnamese music industry as a whole. Dwarfed by the entertainment output of the likes of Korea and Japan, except among Viet Kieu communities, on. Making it overseas is tough for any artist, no matter their origin. In and it went global. From a personal point of view, Suboi is crystal clear that rising to such heights will be no easy task, particularly on the language front.

It will take time for me to understand everything. So that is a big challenge. And I want to see how Japanese producers work. But entering the last year of high school she dropped out of the band to focus on her studies. The former tearaway made it to university.

The Word Hanoi July 2011

Under the auspices first of Music Faces and more recently under the management of Joshua Turner her career began to take off. That is why I was so unhappy when I saw this cover. So, I have to do it so that people can read between the lines. This is rap, you know. So how can I not swear in my songs? So, this is the first big thing for me working outside of the country — I can say what I want to say.

I just want to get to know people. Having studied Japanese and English at university, while her English is near-fluent — she raps in both English and Vietnamese — she admits that her Japanese is poor. Another is the music. The Music Suboi has now released two albums: To listen to her music, do a search on YouTube or Zing.

The Pen Man A stockist of some of the most expensive and sought after pens in the world, Ralf Zepter is at the forefront of the top-end writing instrument industry in Saigon. Words by Derek Milroy. Photos by Mads Monsen 30 Word February Before he even stepped foot in Vietnam a decade ago, the pen anorak was already a keen collector and now has some prized possessions which over the last few years have appreciated in value by percent.

He is understandably coy about which models he has hidden under the floorboards. He is the pen man. Like so many western men, the Swiss national arrived in Vietnam and immediately fell in love with a woman, and Vietnam too. But after flirting with other business ventures, like other entrepreneurs he went back to what he knows. And this man knows his stuff. I decided there and then to set up my own pen business. But the key to his success is that the best pens are made in Europe — with Germany and Italy the big players. There are some beautiful designs but it is the celebrity items that really catch the untrained eye — among his collection are Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee pens.

Both sets are rare and may well be worth a small fortune in years to come, but they are not cheap. As the old adage goes, you need to speculate to accumulate. However, people need not be scared off because I have a lot of expensive pens. He also has gift sets that could be the. The moment Sylvester Stallone referred to his skulled designer pen in the blockbuster movie Expendables 2, Zepter had a wry smile. Stallone then hands him a Montegrappa. Stallone himself actually helped design the Montegrappa pen, titled Chaos, which featured in the movie he also wrote.

Ralf stocks the less expensive model which retails at a mere VND million. The most expensive version in the Chaos series is a gold fountain pen that can also be purchased from Ralf for only VND Sylvester Stallone is very involved in the Montegrappa business. I am not surprised he wrote the pens into the script for that scene. Although after meeting Ralf I might go a bit more upmarket than the biro.

If you have a chance to walk through a park, do so. Maybe you can watch the kids and their funky parkour moves. Maybe there will just be a nice park bench, ideally situated on a waypoint on your stroll, with the paint peeling just right…. So we sent out lovebirds? Amy Sands and Brett Newski to check out the softer side of the city. Words Ed Weinberg, photos Kyle Phanroy.

So you decide to put some effort into it, to floss, to take that extra VND, out of the bank machine. Who knows, it might be a fun night. Yes, there is going to be a table between you and your paramour, and there will be a bill presented at the end, but once you settle on a followup plan to dinner and go to a place within your price range, a nutritious start to your date will help set you up for the long run.

Follow a clever rhythm This is the point when a lot of you start straining, so listen carefully. Our young lovers decided to keep with the easy flow of the night and pursue another open air spot, in the form of the surreal rooftop oasis at Broma 41 Nguyen Hue, Q1. Amy and Brett embrace the easy vibe, and talk about their families, childhoods, hopes and dreams. For a hint of the love that is always in the air, try the waterfront near Cau Mong, overlooking District 4. You can blend in with the night-time couples occupying a bit of waterside real estate and wishing they were far away, cradled in the arms of a surelyadoring destiny.

Ok, while still not forcing anything, this is the point you might want to get a bit more ambitious. Brett asked Amy to his house to see his rad rooftop swimming pool. He did not make the ill-advised joke that they could go skinny-dipping. They sat with their legs immersed, carrying on the easy vibe of earlier. It was a sweet end to a sweet date.

So with the help of historian Tim Doling we take a step back in time and look at 50 buildings — 50 sites accessible to the general public that chart the development of Saigon into the conurbation it is today. Through this we can see that despite the rapid changes of the past decade, this is a city still hanging onto its soul. However, they turned the situation to their advantage by encouraging the refugees to head south to colonise new territories in Gia Dinh on their behalf. Skilled traders, they immediately became involved in shipping and rice trading, markets they would dominate for centuries.

Built between and , the Minh Huong Gia Thanh is their oldest surviving communal house. In addition to honouring the Minh Huong village deities it contains shrines to the famous Nguyen dynasty military commanders who protected them and to Minh Huong scholars Trinh Hoai Duc and Ngo Nhan Tinh. However, dedicated mandarin-scholars like Vo Truong Toan were determined to continue teaching their students.

In addition to its connection with Vo Truong Toan, this ancient building was used as a covert military training centre by rebel Phan Xich Long between and and again by antiFrench Young Pioneers after the August Revolution of He was killed by cannon fire on Feb. With the garrison facing starvation, one of his deputies suggested that it might be a good idea to surrender or escape. Being far removed from the centre of Khmer political power, the Delta remained relatively under-populated and unexploited — apart from ports like Prey Nokor, forerunner of Ho Chi Minh City.

Tolerant towards Christianity and open to dealings with the west, Duyet offered generous tax concessions to Chinese merchants and is widely credited for bringing prosperity to the south. Sadly there are now no traces of either, but surviving colonial buildings can help us pinpoint the location of the second one. In the French razed it to the ground and in to they built in its place the main colonial infantry barracks for their new colonial capital of Saigon. The barracks survived until , when Dinh Tien Hoang Street was driven through the site.

Pride of place is given to a priceless collection of wooden Buddha images from Long An and Dong Thap provinces, believed to be the oldest surviving wooden statues in Southeast Asia. Yet many of the earliest French public buildings in Saigon were surprisingly modest structures with designs strongly influenced by Vietnamese ethnic architecture. Built in to as the headquarters of the Compagnie des Messageries Maritimes, the Dragon House is a fine example of this early colonial style.

Resembling a stilted house, it has a traditional roof decorated with dragons, the central pair gazing towards the moon in the luong long chau nguyet style found widely on Vietnamese pagodas and temples. The first church was inaugurated in by Father Donatien Eveillard, who also established a religious publishing house here and invited the Sisters of Saint-Paul de Chartres to set up a school to train disadvantaged children for the publishing trade. The present church dates from , when the original sanctuary was rebuilt in Romanesque style.

The bell tower, the rear vestry and the sumptuous Italian marble high altar were added between and Governor General Paul Doumer to sourced cheaper opium in Yunnan and improved efficiency by combining the five existing Indochina opium agencies into a single opium monopoly. To encourage greater levels of consumption, it even developed a new fastburning variety of chandoo.

Today only the gateway remains as a monument to one of the more shameful aspects of colonial exploitation. Fluent in at least 10 different languages, he left more than works of literature, history and geography, as well as dictionaries and translated works. Cochinchine built a classical-style mausoleum over his grave, next to his family home in Cho Quan village.

Later the same year, a city street, a school and a tramway station were named in his honour. But spare a moment to appreciate this muchmaligned form of transport, which was invented in by Phnom-Penh-based French industrialist Pierre Coupeaud. Having succeeded in cornering the market in the Cambodian capital, Coupeaud turned his attention to Saigon and Cho Lon, where public transport was still monopolised by the pousse-pousse rickshaw and a covered horse-drawn cart known as the boite d'allumettes the matchbox.

In , to demonstrate the effectiveness of his invention to the city authorities, he staged a cyclopousse relay race from Phnom Penh to Saigon. Though how it ended up as part of a school wall is a complete mystery. Since the cemetery was cleared in the s, part of the temple compound has been used as a residence — ask permission before entering. Awarded many major railway and port infrastructure projects in Indochina, its works in Saigon included the Halles Centrales Ben Thanh Market, , the Treasury and the Bank of Indochina , as well as many apartment buildings.

The dilapidated colonial mansion that once housed its Saigon branch office at 48 Rue Richaud now Nguyen Dinh Chieu in Da Kao currently provides office space for several agencies of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Functional yet elegant, it is noteworthy for its stylish fusion of art deco curves and traditional four-panel roofs. One such building was the secure psychiatric ward at Cho Quan Hospital, which was used after to incarcerate political prisoners.

Communist Party, who was captured by French police and detained in several different locations before being brought here on Aug. He died of tuberculosis in one of its cells on Sep. His final words to colleagues were: The old secure psychiatric ward has been preserved in period style as a museum dedicated to Tran Phu.

He was a strong advocate of mass education and one of his greatest achievements was the setting up of the patriotic Tonkin Free School in Hanoi in Exiled to France in for suspected. Trinh returned home in and when he died the following year, his funeral famously became the spark for nationwide protests against colonialism. A memorial house preserves books, documents and photographs depicting his life and achievements.

Originally established to worship. Plaques commemorate official visits by Lieutenant Governor of Cochinchina Dr. Maurice Cognacq on Mar. Established in , Minh Ly was a crucial influence on the development of. The main sanctuary is soberly decorated with carved archways, calligraphic boards and parallel sentences and its architecture displays a preoccupation with numeric patterns. A national historic monument, Bot Day Thep has been restored as a museum. The company was also active in other areas and sold automobile accessories from shop space on the ground floor.

Although now in poor condition, the flatiron building is still fully occupied by tenants, including on the top floor descendants of Nguyen Van Hao. Built between and , it was conceived in European Gothic style but decorated with Oriental features such as yin-yang roof tiles, ceramic roof ridge decoration and lacquered calligraphic boards.

These days the church is more often remembered for its connection with the military coup of November, However, the plot was discovered and the man responsible for laying mines under the bridge, year-old apprentice electrician Nguyen Van Troi, was arrested and sentenced to death. After four months of negotiations, Smolen was released, but despite assurances, Troi was shot by a firing squad. After , Cong Ly Bridge, the road to the airport and a nearby market were all named after Troi.

The current memorial was inaugurated on Oct. Noteworthy for its clean contemporary design by architects Tran Van Duong and Do Ba Vinh, the pagoda was built between and to house sarira in Vietnamese xa loi relics of the Shakyamuni Buddha presented to the Buddhist Association by the Venerable Narada Maha Thera of Sri Lanka during his visit of Two later died in police custody and Mr. Toai himself was imprisoned on Con Dao Island.

After regaining his freedom in , he reopened his noodle shop. Since his death in , Pho Binh has been run by his children, who maintain the 2nd floor room where the Tet attacks were planned as a museum and family shrine. In the early days she even bought tombstones for artists from poor families. Phung Ha herself is buried in a special tomb outside the main cemetery. The only non-stage artist buried here is movie actor Le Cong Tuan Anh, whose tragic death in at the age of just 29 shocked Vietnamese cinemagoers.

Because of its vulnerability, it was replaced in by the more secure embassy compound at 4 Thong Nhat Le Duan , though it remained an embassy annex until From mid onwards, pistols, rifles, grenades and over kg of TNT were brought here from Cu Chi and other remote bases in vans or ox carts, ingeniously hidden in hollowed-out wooden panels, plant pots and wickerwork baskets. Today the house is preserved as a museum and visitors can descend through a trap door into the weapons cellar, which is realistically dressed with boxes of replica armaments to show how it once looked.

Upstairs an exhibition explains the planning and implementation of the mission, while a memorial honours the strong NLF Special Forces Team 5, all of whom lost their lives during the attack.

Best viewed from a bench in Chi Lang Park. Established in , the remote base operated in extraordinarily difficult terrain, often with inadequate supplies of food and water. Despite this, it succeeded in launching many devastating attacks on enemy installations, notably the destruction of Nha Be Fuel Depot on Dec. Accessed by speedboat, Sac Forest Guerilla Base comprises a semi-circular array of guerrilla huts connected to each other by bamboo walkways, showing what daily life would have been like for the revolutionary soldiers of the era. Aviation enthusiasts have identified the aircraft as B, originally delivered to South African Airways in , which was acquired by Vietnam Airlines in and flown under its last registration VN-A until It was then grounded and somehow relocated here for training purposes — though how they got it here is a complete mystery, as old maps indicate that this area has never been linked to the airport runways.

Built in with Soviet aid to a monumental design by Huynh Tan Phat, it incorporates a 2,seat main auditorium with revolving stage and a seat cinema. A short boat ride from Saigon, Vung Tau has long been relegated to low down the list of local getaways. Yet the city of is now becoming a real force. The beaches are unshaded and uncared for, the sea is dirty and there is a seedy element to the nightlife.

Yet this has become a stereotype, a stereotype that should be ignored. The reason for my bias was down to experience. I used to live and work there. I also spent some of the worst, and when I finally left in I swore I would never return. Except for two weddings and family ties that occasionally saw me make the two-hour trip from Saigon out of necessity, for a long time I kept my distance.

Recent events have changed my mind and rid me of my baggage. It started with a photographer showing me his blog. Together with his son he had taken the cable car to the theme park at the top of the mountain. When I had lived in Vung Tau the cable car was one of those projects that seemed to.

And yet here it was, completed. The images showed a saturated, azure blue sky, a dark green pine forest and a vista of the city that was different to that of my memories. I determined that at some point I would take a look. So the next time I returned. Long Son My latest journey coincided with bad weather.

The Vung Tau peninsula went one step further — it was genuinely. Besides floating seafood farms, mangrove — some destroyed and some not — a lake, the viewless mountain retreat of Du Son and the tiny fishing port at Ben Da, the main attraction in Long Son is an old house, known quite simply as Nha Lon big house. The home to followers of. I went to the church in Sao Mai village and the fishing port in Ben Dinh.

I also visited the arms museum. I had known that. Yet the air was fresh — already a welcome change from the big city. Although part of the city of Vung Tau, until recently road access required a 30km drive back down the highway before travelling the road over the mangroves to Long Son. Go Gang was even more remote and only accessible by boat. In modern Vietnam such sites are a rarity. From the artwork-laden altar room and brightly-coloured courtyard through to the attic space above with views across.

What to Do the complex, this beautifullypreserved shrine to the past is a must for anyone visiting Vung Tau. Even the market next door, with its Long Son-made seafood products and restored, dark wooden shop-fronts is worth a wander. If you like your homemade fermented sauces — chao, mam tom, mam ruoc — this is a place to stock up.

Run by husband-and-wife team Glenn and Trang, they have created a successful business out of doing what most of the other mixed expat-Vietnamese run spots refused to do — not be a hostess bar. Instead they are a well-run, well-oiled restaurant and sports bar with live music on Friday and Saturday nights. They have also bridged the barrier between foreigners and Vietnamese — their customers are an international mix of both.

The city formerly known as Cap Saint Jacques is still a sleepy enclave looking out towards the Pacific, but the past decade has seen multiple transformations. Front Beach has been overhauled and turned into a seaside promenade with sea-themed Barbara Hepworth-style sculptures and a shaded park. High-rises now dot the skyline and more are on their way. And the roads are wide, well-paved and clean.

The differences are not just. Gambling is legal and punters can choose from either the air-con VIP rooms or the outdoor stands. Entrance starts at VND50, For VND, you can take the cable car from Tran Phu in Front Beach up to the top of Big Mountain and visit a range of themed attractions — including a lake, a waterfall, a pine tree forest, a small zoo and a range of cafes and restaurants. Also home to Paradise World. Kitesurfing and windsurfing out in this Russian-run club in Back Beach. The second-largest Jesus statue in the world. Vung Tau has many including one on an island only accessible when the tide is out.

A mine of information on the area, Australian Kevin Collins runs motorbike tours not just around the city but as far afield as Central Vietnam. He has a range of bikes available including manual Honda WHs and can also organise trips by car. Call or go to www. Located in between Bai Dau and Ben Dinh on the edge of Big Mountain, this church was built by the large local Christian community who moved to the area in Famed for its big house, Nha Lon, and its seafood products including oysters.

Head out to Chi Linh and the sand seems to stretch almost indefinitely, making parts of this area the perfect place for some isolated beach if you want to avoid the crowds. The cable car transports hundreds of people a day from its seaside base on Tran Phu to a Sky Park on the top of Big Mountain. I visited Front Beach twice. Once a rat-infested stretch of sand doubling up as a sewer, it is now surprisingly clean.

Even the sea looks swimmable. Glenn, though, was particularly enthused by the restoration of an old French fort out on Big Mountain. Great views over the sea, but pricey. Close to the main fishing port. Heading round Big Mountain, through another area that has been developed — much of the road here was once gravel and.

The fort itself is a restoration of the original French base, with a line of green-coated cannon looking ominously out to sea and a range of now empty, stone-built fortifications that once housed a garrison. Built as early as , it is a wonder that the artillery was not dismantled for scrap metal. Despite the bad access, it is a wonder that no-one comes up here. In the 45 minutes or so we spent looking around, we were. The cannon and other machinery had long been dismantled, but the fixings were still there. Now part of a family home one of the garrison rooms.

The next day, we went for a look. Great carpaccios and pizzas. Upstairs air-con sports bar. But this was only the starting point. The real gem is the fort and semi-ruined French-built outhouse on Small Mountain. The road out there — Hem off Phan Chu Trinh — is in disrepair, but the ride up the mountain with the sweeping city views to accompany was more than reward for the bumpy trip. After numerous bends and turns we took a right-hand fork and here were the first battlements. Semi-restored — work has obviously been done on the cannon at some point — all around were the remains of brick walls, overgrown with tree roots like Ta Prohm Temple in Angkor Wat.

Yet here the handiwork was French rather than Khmer. Heading further up the track we came to the bottom of the Jesus Statue — known locally as Chua Kito. Yet here we were at the steps that were built when the monolith was originally constructed in Now unused, at their base lies a semireconstructed torpedo cannon — the largest beast of the lot with a chase perhaps one-and-a-half times the length of its compadre. A bit further up the track rounded back on itself coming to the base of the statue used today.

Visitors climb hundreds of steps. We had done the trip by bike. We came up with a few theories. But what was clear was this. The museum is located at 14 Hai Dang but is presently closed for public viewing while Bob applies for a new license. Both the facility and the primate care centre should be open again around Tet. For further information email Bob Taylor at roberttaylorvic gmail.

Getting There Four companies now run hydrofoils to and from Vung Tau with the boats leaving every half an hour. The journey takes twoand-a-half hours and costs VND85, Call for information. Trip Advisor is the go-to site for travel information on hotels, restaurants and places to visit. But with so many accusations of faked ratings and false reviews, can it really be trusted to give you the true picture? Words by David Robinson. Yet any hotel owner will tell you this is not the case. Anyone who accuses Trip Advisor of bias or allowing fake reviews to be published is immediately blocked from posting.

The Right to Judge Critics claim that many reviews are written by family members and friends, especially in non-English speaking countries such as Vietnam. I asked one contributor who was being paid to write for Trip Advisor whether he had ever asked for favourable treatment in return for a review.

Sometimes I get a free stay. All I have to do is spend 20 minutes writing a good review. If the room does not say it is air-conditioned then you should not expect it to be. When he complained that he had reason to believe the guest had never stayed there and that TA was condoning fake reviews, TA punished the hotel by removing five of their top-rating reviews, pushing the hotel almost ten places down the list.

Few advanced legal systems operate in such a way. Some niche establishments receive a few positive reviews when they first open and then some. Hotel owners insist that unhappy customers sometimes threaten to post a negative review on Trip Advisor if the hotel does not refund their deposit or change their room, or give them some other compensation for a perceived lack of service. Many of the complaints are unreasonable and petty such as claims the bed was too. These are the listings most easily swung by a single fake review.

Take Ho Chi Minh City as an example. There are only a small number of Vietnamese restaurants highly recommended on the website while the top slots are heavily dominated by foreign cuisine. May Restaurant and Cuc Gach Quan rank. These are all good establishments, but there are many others that are equally as good or even better. In addition, reviews are not categorised into different types of cuisine or price categories meaning that many excellent smaller restaurants disappear down the list in favour of larger, glitzier ones. The New Wave The fact is that Trip Advisor is a for-profit company and they provide a soapbox for people to air their grievances and generate anger and dissent.

The portal works on the theory that more reviews means more visitors and higher advertising revenue. The forum allows anyone to respond to reviews in an appropriate manner. While Trip Advisor is still number one on the go-to travel website agenda, for many it is either losing or has lost its edge. Not happy with our service? Tell us first before posting it elsewhere. Just as you would turn to Wikipedia rather than a drug company for impartial medical information, so you should consider how biased your source of travel information is.

W With a smoking ban in public places due to be enforced in May and air quality a growing issue, we toured the city with a laser particle counter to test just how bad the air we breathe has become. Words and photos by Nick Ross. Within 10 minutes the phone rings. We had been planning this for weeks. With air quality such an issue in the fast industrializing cities of Asia — the pollution in Beijing is presently 25 times above the internationally accepted safety level — the idea was to see how Ho Chi Minh City is faring.

Using the ParticleScan Pro, a laser particle counter that measures the number of particles in the air, we would go to a number of places in the city, both indoors and out, to obtain readings. This would in turn give an idea of pollution levels. But with the air clearing our original plan was going up in a haze of clean air.

Yet it was an opportunity, too. Here was a chance to test how important the rain and wind, and in particular the rainy season is to this city and its air quality. The readings would go through the roof. Despite taking almost daily readings, even Aron had yet to test the air quality after the rain had come down. As we discovered, on the roundabout opposite Ben Thanh Market during afternoon rush hour and at the end of a downpour, the air quality was. Around 60, units, the international standard set by WHO. Normally even in Phu My Hung, the area of the city that supposedly has the freshest air, the reading hits between , and , Without the rainy season the air quality in this city would be a mess.

Improving air quality requires a broad range of measures that are beyond our personal control. However, there is much we can do ourselves if we want to take action. If you drive a motorbike, wear a facemask. There are now a range of products on the market — check out Saigon Scooter Centre www. Otherwise standard cloth masks are available at pharmacies or street-side cigarette and raincoat stands. Especially in an environment with air-con.

And if you live or work in an air-con environment, try to get the air circulating. This can be anything from opening the windows for a few hours a day to opening doors and creating some airflow. An alternative is to buy an air purifier for use indoors. Aron Szabo is the local agent for IQAir, a Swiss company credited in the industry for selling the best machines on the market for both residential and commercial use. Using a high-tech filtration and fan system, the purifiers remove ultrafine particles, the smallest and most numerous pollutants in the air.

Including viruses, oil smoke, diesel soot, black carbon, smog, gas molecules, tobacco dust, bacteria, pet allergens and toner dust; these pollutants have the most negative effects on our health. While in some areas — water resources, forest vitality and dealing with climate change — the country performed relatively well, the stand-out low performance sector was air pollution.

Here the effect of air pollution on human health was ranked an alarming th. The impact on health takes. The pollutant carbon dioxide, for example, which comes from motor vehicle exhaust fumes, can cause headaches, reduced mental alertness, heart attacks, cardiovascular diseases, impaired fetal development and even death. The gaseous pollutant ozone is nearly as harmful, causing eye and throat irritation, coughing, respiratory tract problems, asthma and lung damage. Sulfur dioxide, which comes from heavy industry such as coal-fired power plants, petroleum refineries, the manufacture of sulfuric acid and the smelting of ores containing sulfur has a similar effect, causing eye irritation, wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and lung damage.

Then there is particulate matter PM10 — dust, soot and other tiny bits of solid materials that are released into and move around in the air — which when inhaled can penetrate deep into human lungs and veins, resulting in cancer, asthma, heart problems and other respiratory diseases. It is no surprise, then, that an estimated four million Vietnamese are believed to have some form of asthma. Indeed, WHO estimates that more than two million people around the. And with bad air quality so increasingly noticeable, it is no wonder that so many motorbike drivers in this city are wearing facemasks.

And this is despite the freshness of the air outside. We then put the laser particle counter to the smoking test. A cigarette is lit and placed close to the reader. Almost immediately the particle count rises — ,, 1,, and then over 2,, With the cigarette now out, the readings gradually go down again, but only as low as , The bar is starting to fill up, too, and its clear that despite the freshness of the air outside, the pollution will gradually increase.

All air-conditioning in a closed environment does is circulate the air, keeping it within the same space. We spend 90 percent of our time indoors, which is why indoor. So we head to another wellknown bar which has an outdoor smoking terrace and an indoor air-con space where smoking is forbidden. The establishment also leaves their doors open.

The difference is astonishing. Thanks to the air circulation the readings both indoors and outdoors are the same, around 40, All giving the old theory of closing doors when you turn on the air-con a big kick up the posterior. For good air quality, circulation is vital. Morning air is supposed to be fresh — it certainly is where I come from — but here it is anything but.

The readings are between , and ,, five times the limit. We then move to The Crescent. Here it is even worse — , A man at a table behind us lights up a cigarette. From readings of between , and , the counter spirals, settling at around a million. He puts out his cigarette and the readings gradually go down, but only to , And that takes over 20 minutes. Would it be better or worse? What about other areas of the city? Would it be possible in terms of air quality to truly work out the best place to live in Saigon?

But to take on such an approach we would need to set up a controlled experiment. This would require more than one particle reader and it would necessitate frequent measurements over a lengthy period at the same times each day. So instead we decide to focus on the smoking aspect and the forthcoming ban. Just how bad is the air in a busy, smoky bar on a weekend night? The results as we discover the next day are alarming. Our chosen, nameless venue fairs very badly, averaging between 1,, and 1,, during its peak period. But it certainly adds to the significance of the upcoming smoking ban.

The question is, will it be enforced? The Readings There are two accepted methods for reading air quality. The first measures the weight of fine dust, while the second, which we used for this article, measures the approximate number of fine dust particles per litre of air.

The comparisons are as follows — the weight measurements are in italics:. But is it going to be a success? Illustration by Melanie Elfert. Will, they ask, anyone go that far just to enjoy food served by a French legend? However, spokesperson Hoang Thuy Trang insists the resort is merely taking a page from the same blueprint Roux used when he kickstarted his British culinary revolution. So he expects the same thing with La Maison So… as long as we can offer a truly special gastronomic experience, people will come to visit and see what we have to offer.

However, the resort did have an ace to play after they had earlier snapped up Food and Beverage director Christian Fumado and restaurant manager Matteo Portioli, who both worked under Roux at the Waterside Inn. Coincidence, or a pre-emptive strike which worked a treat.

And also, the brand name of InterContinental and the resort itself is another reason for him to join us. We are very excited and also honoured to have [him] with us. And Trang scoffs at suggestions that millionaire Roux is in Danang for an easy payday. We will not use luxurious ingredients, but the freshest ones available. Michel Roux and his team will provide training to a team of young and enthusiastic Vietnamese staff.

We cannot confirm the wage of Michel Roux. We can, however, confirm that it was not about the money. Roux is looking for a new challenge in his career. Already with a reputation in tow — Charlie Chaplin and Ava Gardner attended the launch — in they followed up on their first venture with the inauguration of The Waterside Inn. Two years later when Michelin stars were first awarded in the UK, Le Gavroche and the Waterside Inn were both among those restaurants to win a star, and when a number of establishments won two Michelin stars for the first time in , both Roux restaurants were in the mix.

This was followed by three-star ratings in the s. And with an OBE Officer of the Order of the British Empire to his name, quite an achievement for a Frenchman in a country that has a love-hate relationship with their Gallic neighbour, the younger Roux is a regular face on British television. He admits he loves Vietnam and feels that people are drawn to this country. Vietnam has a young population and there are exciting times ahead. And as for the food, wow, I would say it is my cup of tea. Healthy, light and fresh — pho broth and noodles is magnifique.

He admits teaching young people requires one thing — patience. I love to travel and when I arrive, I go straight to the market as I want to know what the local people eat. My inspiration to cook comes from the market. I think cooking is a performance. The kitchen is the heartbeat, the front is the theatre. Food, he stresses, is meant to be enjoyed — his restaurants not only have a reputation for high standards but a relaxed ambience. Having sold millions of copies of his 12 cookbooks, with a 13th on the go, Roux insists it is all about one thing.

Poor, working class, wealthy, very wealthy — I cook for all people. Photo by Francis Xavier. Something is knocking about inside. After a little squabbling over who the beak is pointing at, the loser picks up his shot of rice vodka to loud cheers. He drinks it down in one. They typically brandish a cup of strawberry Sting for their toasts, and avoid the guy with the beer can. What the Beer Can Guy Wants He wants to drink to your health, and if he can make you throw up while doing so, so much the better.

Maybe 90 percent will work. Anything less is unacceptable. These are the rules of drinking in Vietnam. The rule is how much they drink you have to drink. Some drinkers we interviewed said coming late to an occasion requires the latecomer to drink three glasses of rice vodka, while. Although that kind of defeats the purpose.

There were also some differences of opinions on the penalties. Some say there are stiff penalties — such as excommunication, never being invited around again — for failing to respect the rules of engagement. The last person to hook their thumbs onto the table has to take a drink. Those kooky western imperialists are at it once again with this hedonistic timekiller. The first player takes out a coin and calls heads or tails. If the coin flips onto the side they called, they pass it. Want to go to bathroom? Chug or learn a new skill. One of these might seem familiar — spin the bottle.

But the rules of this version owe more to the aforementioned spin game than to western high school slumber parties. There are dice games and cards just like in the west.

They mostly take the form of high-number-low-number, everyone rolling a die or turning over a card at the same time. There is also the finger-throw, where everyone around the table has to extend either one or two fingers towards the middle at the same time.

The ones who pick the less popular number of digits have to drink. There are also some that are a bit more saucy. One involves a paper napkin being passed from one mouth to the next. At the end of a pass, both parties must have a bit of paper on their tongue — or else they drink. Younger people tend to prefer mixing their drinks with Coca-Cola or Sting.

The Test We all love the buzz of riding a motorbike through town, but how many of us actually bother to obtain a license? Derek Milroy decided to sit the exam and become percent legal. Here is his story. Photo by Nga Phan. So after twisting and turning for the best part of two years, enough was enough.

I was heading to Tan Binh to run the gauntlet and do the one thing in life I hate the most — sit an exam. As the countdown to my big day began, horrific recollections of my high school examinations back home in Scotland resurfaced, recollections which haunt me even now. And even the memories of my driving test gave me the fear.

But this time being a stranger in a strange land, the anxiety returned. What did this examination hold for me? First was the paperwork. Compared to most things out here, paperwork-wise it was easy. The form I had to fill out was simple enough and it was submitted with certified copies of my passport and my UK driving license. I then had to wait two weeks before the big day. The test was on a Sunday. The Details Non-Vietnamese nationals aiming to get a driving license fall into three categories.

This affects the type of test you need to take, if any, to obtain a Vietnamese license. You can obtain a similar driver's license without any test. You can obtain a motorcycle driver's license after passing a driving test for a motorcycle. For non-Vietnamese nationals who do not have a driver's license of any kind, you have to pass both theory and driving tests. The theory test is in Vietnamese and you are not allowed to have an interpreter or translator. The journey to the test centre was a trek but we got there eventually.

For once I was the passenger. I expected only a dozen or so expatriates to be taking the test, but it was teeming with locals and non-local faces alike. It seemed like 12 hours had passed before I finally had my big chance. I hate waiting around and am impatient, so this was my worst nightmare. Add to this that after 12 practice runs I had yet to make a perfect figure 8, I was starting to feel the heat.

Although the rest of the exam was just simple driving in a straight line over some bumps, before zig-zagging in and out of the next group of obstacles and riding around the corner, it was the figure of eight that was nagging at me. Fortunately we had arrived at the test centre early and filled in the extra paperwork straight away.

It proved to be a master stroke. Yet as the clock ticked by, I was unaware of this — the wait was starting to tell. I hit the toilet four times, drank three bottles of Dr. But after hanging around for what felt like an eternity I got the green light. About or so other people were waiting for the test but we must have registered early because I was number I got on my bike; a semi-automatic with gears, I knew what to expect.

The instructor put the vehicle in gear and amazingly I was calm. My first circle was perfect but the next half was rubbish. I made it through the super eight and next managed to manoeuver the bumps in a straight line. Now I was on the home strait. Thinking I had blown it, I waved in false triumph — I was sure I would have to return in a few weeks. Managing to nosey at the exam paper I discovered I had scored 98 per cent, my best exam result of all time. I was later informed that none of the officials had even looked in my direction during my big test.

The Word Ha Noi April Issue by Word Vietnam - Issuu

How true this actually was I will never know. A bird in the hand as they say. Two weeks later I strolled into the office downtown and there it was waiting for me. In the last decade of my life I have now obtained both a car and motorbike license. Maybe my letter from the Queen is in the post. I count myself as one of the lucky ones. Having obtained a car license in my home country, the procedures for getting a motorbike license in Vietnam are fairly straightforward. Those who do not have that precious piece of legitimacy have to endure a wholly different examination with, among other things, instructions in Vietnamese without being allowed to have a translator.

Now as I cruise past those officials in mustard and green I give them a stare and even a nonchalant wink. The ao dai has shifted meanings over the decades, from its birth as a uniform of the aristocracy to its current iteration as the national costume of Vietnam.

Ao Dai Hoa Lan Thuy is one of the largest ao dai retailers in the city, with both ready-made and custom fits produced. Three generations of ao dai weavers work under one roof here, orbiting the middle-generation husbandwife team that originates many of the patterns. This workshop is known for both its vast stock of material and its reasonablypriced, top-notch design. From accounting to advertising to serviced apartments, our selection of some of the city's top businesses.

Has over offices worldwide in countries. Provides audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Also provides executive search and selection. Odyssey provides accounting and management consulting services, along with tax advice and Australian tax agent services. Has more than ten years of experience in Vietnam and works in all major industry sectors throughout the country. Also provides Vietnam tax and business legal consulting. 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. Focuses exclusively on the growing demands of Asian business, helping to build sustainable brands with global ambition. Specialising in brand strategy and brand design for both local and international consumer and corporate companies.

Wholly owned with seven global offices — three of which are in Asia and working extensively across India, Southeast Asia and North Asia. Has more than offices serving clients in countries including many in the region. Dutch industrial designers with over 10 years of working experience in Asia. Contact them to get a free quotation. Now with offices in Saigon, Phnom Penh and an association in Vientiane, Phibious employs over 70 staff that are driven towards helping brands connect and grow in this dynamic region. Marketeers Vietnam have designed and implemented campaigns that have been selected as global best practice by both international and local clients.

Works to create powerful campaigns that address local market needs while still reinforcing universal brand identity. As of , PBB has been based in Ho Chi Minh City operating as a graphic consultant for creative agencies, companies as well as private clients. Offers a wide range of services such as graphic design, branding, interactive media, video, photography and production. From Vietnam to Australia, the red team create and shape unique brand personalities that add impact to international and local brands.

The team regularly share industry trends, news and views at red. Riverorchid specialises in advertising, design, activation, digital, media, PR, research, training, premiums and production. Services include advertisement planning, direct marketing, marketing consulting, graphic design and advertising.

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