Hoan Kiem Lake - Spiritual place of Hanoi

Hoan Kiem Lake or Ho Guom (Sword Lake) is considered as "a flower basket" in the center of Hanoi and a beauty-spot attracts many tourists. It's history relates to many legends, of which one is about how King Le Thai To returned the magic sword to the Tortoise Genie.

The legend of Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem lake means “lake of the returned sword”. This name is related to the famous historical legend of King Le Thai To. And before this legend, Hoan Kiem Lake used to be called Luc Thuy Lake (or Green Water Lake) since the water was green all the year round. In 15^th century, it was named Hoan Kiem Lake after the legend of Emperor Le Thai To, which is somehow similar to the story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake's.

This legend is really interesting. Close your eyes and turn back time to the Le Dynasty 6 centuries ago to witness the legendary story. During the war against the Minh aggressors, King Le Thai To was given a precious fairy Sword by the Golden Turtle God. After 10 years of continuous struggling, the King finally defeated the Chinese and reclaimed the nation’s independence. After that, on a nice day, while boating on lake Luc Thuy, a large turtle came towards him.

It immediately grabbed the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king mourned the lost of such a valuable sword, yet could not find either the turtle or the sword. He realized that the God must have lent him the sword to drive back the enemy, but then that his nation was free, the sword must be returned. Hence, King Le Thai To named the lake Ho Hoan Kiem or Lake of the Restore Sword after this episode.

Since the reign of King Le Trung Hung (XVI century), every King in the Le dynasty, and Lord Trinh have all contributed to the beauty of the lake. Lord Trinh Giang built Khanh Thuy shrine on Ngoc island on the north end of the lake. He also had the two man made hills built across from Ngoc son Shrine. 

At the end of the Le Dynasty, Khanh Thuy was toppled by Chieu Thong. A philanthropist named Tin Trai built Ngoc Son pagoda, which was renamed into Ngoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri III (1843) as it was no longer a Buddhist shrine. 

Instead, it became  a shrine of Van Xuong, a deity, in charge of literature and the various tests required to become a Mandarin. It has also been a shrine of General Tran Hung Dao, a national Hero who secured numerous victories against the Mongols.

Beautiful sights of Hoan Kiem Lake

Ngoc Son Temple and The Huc Bridge

Hoan Kiem Lake is now situated inside a complex of Ngoc Son Temple, The Huc Bridge, Pen Tower in the surroundings, making a sparkling colorful natural picture! 

Ngoc Son has undergone a lot of renovations, one among which was the addition of Thap But (translated as Pen Tower) on its hill, which was once called Dao Tai. Three words were inscribed on the tower: "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sky". 

Inside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. Beyond the ink well is The Huc bridge, which means "where the sun light is absorbed". The bridge leads to Dac Nguyet Lau (or "Moon Light tower") - Ngoc Son shrine. 

Beyond the gates to the shrine, there are two walls called bang Rong and bang Ho (dragon and tiger slate), where the names of those who passed the national test were inscribed.

Turtle Tower - Thap Rua - Hanoi

What could not be missed in this beautiful complex is the Turtle Tower, which lies in the middle of the Lake, so as to remind Vietnamese people of the Turtle God of his great assistance. 

It was told that King Le Thanh Tong used to fish here. Lord Trinh also built the structure to house his entourage while visiting the lake.

Hoan Kiem Lake  - The heart of Hanoi

Nowadays, Hoan Kiem Lake has become the heart of Hanoi. People not only come here to travel but they also come here to socialize, to talk, to do business, and to relax.. As early as pre dawn on any given day hundreds of people are exercising and have already started they’re days here, you will see locals of all ages jogging and practicing tai chi. 

Later in the day, you will find grandparents wheeling kiddies in strollers, and young couples strolling around holding hands.

Cat Ba Tourism – Drinking Beer with Monkeys

Not many people have known the existent monkey islet in Cat Ba with more than 30 monkeys who regularly frolic on the beach, even tease and steal food from visitors.

Tourists have fun with the monkeys

It takes about 45 minutes to travel on boat from Hai Phong city to Cat Ba island (Cat Hai district, Hai Phong city), and 10 minutes more by canoe to the Monkey Islet.

The island features a long sandy blond beach with blue water waves, which is an ideal place for swimming in the hot summer. However, the alluring factor that makes the tourists desire to once come here is not only the natural wild sight but also the attraction of the more than 30 monkeys living here half naturally.

Primarily, this island used to be called Pandanus beach because the pandanus grew luxuriantly, but it is rather more common to be known as Monkey islet since the Cat Ba Tourism Joint Stock Company brought these monkeys here to bring up. Surprisingly, the monkeys really adjust well to the weather and living conditions to develop quickly.

With an initial intent to raise the monkeys for fun, if the tourists visit the island and see the monkeys, they feel warmer and not desolate. Unexpectedly, it is the monkeys who become the “tour guide” for the visitors traveling to this spot.

“More than 30 monkeys live scattering around the island. In the summer, the number of tourists visiting this place are crowded (about 3000 people per day), we do not have to feed them at all as bananas, cakes and candies of the tourists bringing along can make them full. In the winter, we cook porridge or rice for them”, said Mr Nguyen Van Chung, an employee in the Cat Bat Tourism Joint Stock Company. 

The monkeys are quite bold because they live close to the human and get quite familiar to them. Sometimes, they encroach upon the tourists and make the coward tourists startled. However, almost all of the tourists have fun with these mischievous kings.

 

The tourists will desire in their lifelong once to visit this islet to experience some pert baby monkeys approach and one of them tease his leg to gain attention of the tourists, another glances their eyes while his right hand is taking a coca on the table to drink.

Especially, after “Sniffing” the roasted groundnuts served to the tourists to drink beer, several monkeys rush to them to beg. If not being given, they will think of stealing.

A monkey with his desire for robbing beer from human

The monkeys on the islet have been living quite well, some of whom are pregnant and the numbers of monkeys increase significantly over the years. The visitors are quite surprised by the funny names of the monkeys called by the employees from Cat Ba Resort and Spa. An example name for the handsome, clever and loving football monkey is Beckham.

The old looking and the biggest will be called an Old Man. The female big monkey is called an Old Woman because she is the wife of the Old Man. Unfortunately, the Old Man has recently coupled with some younger female monkeys including a Lips Splitting (the monkey who has her lips splitting in the middle and looks very sexy).

After more than one hour discovering the Monkey Islet, the tourists will feel love for the nature and half wild monkeys. Enjoy the tour to the Monkey Islet to relax for this summer occasion.

Spring roll (Chả giò) in Vietnam

“Chả giò” (or Nem Rán in the North) is one of the most popular traditional Vietnamese food, literally meaning minced pork roll.

 

The most common English translation of “Chả giò” is spring roll, though this is just a fancy name since the food has nothing to do with spring.

Ingredients

The main ingredients of a roll of “chả giò” are commonly seasonal ground meat, mushrooms, and diced vegetables such as carrots and jicama, rolled up in a sheet of moist rice paper. The roll is then deeply fried until the rice paper coat turns crispy and golden brown. The ingredients, however, are not fixed. 

The most commonly used meat is pork, but one can also use crab, shrimp, sometimes snails (in northern Vietnam), and tofu (for vegan chả giò). If diced carrots and jicama are used, the stuffs inside the rolls are a little bit crunchy, and match well with the crispy fried rice paper. Nevertheless, the juice from these vegetables can soon cause the rolls to soften after only a short time. 

To keep the rolls crispy for a long time, mashed sweet potato or mung beans may be used instead. One may also include bean sprouts and rice vermicelli in the stuffing mix, yet, this is a rare practice. Eggs and various spices can be added based on each one's preference.

“Chả giò rế” is a rare kind of “chả giò” that uses “bánh hỏi” (thin rice vermicelli woven into a sheet) instead of rice paper. The stuffs inside the roll are the same as normal chả giò, and the roll is also deeply fried. Since the sheets of “bánh hỏi” themselves are not very wide, and the rice vermicelli is too easily shattered, “chả giò rế” rolls are often small and difficult to make. They are only seen at big parties and restaurants.

Side notes

At some restaurants, “chả giò” is incorrectly translated in English as "Egg rolls", and sometimes "Imperial rolls". Egg rolls are significantly different from “chả giò”, as the wrapper is a wheat flour sheet instead of moistened rice paper. However, many Vietnamese restaurants in America have adopted the wheat flour sheet to make their “chả giò”, since it makes the rolls harder to shatter when fried, and the rolls stay crispy for longer time.

Traveling to Cam Ranh Bay

Cam Ranh Bay is one of the jewels of Vietnam. The long protective seaward peninsula and natural inner and outer harbors form what many believe to be the best and most beautiful deep water port facility in the entire world.

Many tourists in Vietnam travel described Cam Ranh Bay as the pearl of central Vietnam because of its natural landscape that is formed by islands, beautiful beaches, green hills and mountains.

Cam Ranh Bay (Vietnamese: Vịnh Cam Ranh) is a deep-water bay in Vietnam in the province of Khanh Hoa. Cam Ranh Bay is considered the finest deepwater shelter in Southeast Asia.

Sunrise in Cam Ranh Bay

Large view of Cam Ranh Bay

High view down of Cam Ranh Bay

Cam Ranh Bay - one of the most attractive destinations

Cam Ranh Air Port

Cam Ranh Bay -  attractive tours

The peaceful site of Cam Ranh Bay

Hong Tam

(Collected)

Dalat Truc Lam Zen Monastery in Vietnam

On the way from National Road 20 to Tuyen Lam Lake, tourists in Vietnam travel have to run right onto a zigzagging tar road at the mountain side to Phoenix Summit, on which stands beautiful famous Truc Lam Zen Monastery in an open poetic natural environment. 

Established in special social conditions, with the aim of restoring Truc Lam Yen Tu Xen School founded by the King Tran Thanh Tong, this Zen school has harmoniously combined different Zen schools with culture in Vietnam and tradition into Vietnamese Zen. Truc Lam Zen Monastery lies on a protected forest of 23,2 hectares, of which 2 hectares is the building area.

Besides the Main Hall in the middle, on the right are the consulting room, the belfry and displaying room on the right; on the left are the sitting room, library, abbot’s room and contemplation hall. Before reaching the Main Hall, tourists travel to Vietnam may take two ways. They may start at the bus stop, take the side gate up 61 steps or, from the lake, climb the 222 steps through the triple gate onto the court in front. 

Inside the Main Hall, statues are displayed simply but meditatively. In the bright spacious sanctuary is the only statue of Sakyamuni Buddha raising a lotus in his hand – a symbolic image of Buddha in Linh Son Dharma Conference, expressing the philosophy of ‘existence in nihilism’ in Buddhist Zen.

Zen helps you to live in "full awareness" and bring your soul back into peaceful state. Truc Lam Buddhist Zen emphasizes on every one’s interior concentration, either a religious or someone in your family. This introspective soul training process leads to personal purification, builds a care-free mind and help one’s good nature to show up; this is the real peace in everyone’s interior, not in a certain paradise in a faraway world.

Thus, visiting Truc Lam Zen Monastery in the quietness of hills and mountains, tourists are free from everyday worries and seem to be able to regain themselves in the greatness of the nature.

yVietNam: Cho Binh Tay - Chinatown Market

yVietNam: Cho BinhPublish Post Tay - Chinatown Market

Vietnam folk paintings

Vietnam folk paintings vary but in two most typical categories: for New-year days and Worshipping accompanied by the people’s ancestry-worship and deification of natural phenomenon.  

A Đông Hồ picture of hide-and seek game

Under Lý dynasty (in 12nd century), there ware families, even village made printing boards. In early Lê dynasty, the printing techniques were better. Then in Mạc dynasty (in 16th century), flock paintings were not only bought by the farmers, but even by aristocrats in Thăng Long imperial capital, especially in new-year days or Tết. In the 18th and 19th centuries, paintings became nationwide and there were different schools: Đông Hồ, Hàng Trống, Kim Hoàng in the North, Sình in the central part. 

Different schools made different paintings in colours, contents (in materials, printings boards…). For example: Đông Hồ paintings have normally 3 colours (black made of coal, blue made of verdigris, red made of acacia flowers, yellow made of gardenia flowers…). Hàng Trống paintings have colours made of traditional materials: ashes, dingo or even from soil and pebble from hills and mountain.

Folk paintings mostly served worship services and new-year days. A great number of paintings were needed every year, they had to be made on short time and sold out at low prices, that’s why wooden printing boards were prepared and the painters could work easily.

Paintings have been handed down for generations. They are even painted directly by artisans, but mostly by mountainous Dao, Nùng, and Tày ethnic minority groups. Đông Hồ paintings were normally printed on Dó paper, a kind of paper that has good quality, long-lasting.

The contents expressed in pictures are various: a mouse’s wedding, a hen and small chickens, jealousy-fighting, wrestling… Each has its own meaning but all speak about the wishes for happiness, prosperity and good children.

If you are interested in exploring Vietnam travel you can visit Vietnam travel guide, Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places.

Xoi la chuoi - A favorite dish of Vietnamese

In most Vietnamese childhood memories, banana leaves create a popular and beloved image as they can be used as rings in wedding games, to make umbrellas for children to protect themselves from sudden rain and covers to wrap sticky rice for kids. Now, the rustic leaves have come to the city in a sticky rice shop near you.

Xoi la chuoi (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) is a favorite dish of Vietnamese – Photo: My Tran In most Vietnamese childhood memories, banana leaves create a popular and beloved image as they can be used as rings in wedding games, to make umbrellas for children to protect themselves from sudden rain and covers to wrap sticky rice for kids. Now, the rustic leaves have come to the city in a sticky rice shop near you.

In the countryside, most households have banana trees near their homes. Therefore, people use leaves as bags to wrap products. The elderly use them to keep their betel, women use it to wrap pork they buy from the market, men use it to wrap banh chung or banh tet (glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and fat pork) during Tet holidays, kids often draw their dreams on leaves and then float them on the water while older students weave leaves’ strings as rings. And of course, they are used to wrap sticky rice in loads to carry along the roads by women or in booths in front of schools.

Not only do they set off the colors of sticky rice such as red of xoi gac (sticky rice made with momordica seeds), purple of xoi la cam (sticky rice made with cam leaves), white of xoi man (sticky rice served with meat, salted shredded meat, Chinese sausage, pork pasta) or yellow of xoi bap (corn sticky rice), banana leaves are also considered an environmentally-friendly product.

Therefore, the rustic leave has come to the city, not only in small glutinous rice shops, booths of vendors, but also in luxury restaurants. The greenness and coolness of banana leaves chills hot food a little and on the flip side they keep food warm as well as creating the fragrance for sticky rice. That’s the reason why some people have given up using plastic boxes or nylon bags as they are not environmentally-friendly products.

Like banh mi thit (meat bread), as a popular fast food, xoi la chuoi (sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves) can be eaten by students in the classroom, workers in construction site, staff in offices, some young people also eat it while walking on the street.

Sticky rice is made in diverse types from various materials to meet the varied tastes of customers. Customers can choose salted or sweet snacks and can enjoy xoi with grilled chicken, pork, pork paste, vegetables, seaweed, sesame or peanuts.

If you are interested in exploring Vietnam travel you can visit Vietnam travel company, Halong cruise, Halong Bay, Halong tours site to know further attractive places. 

Source: en.baomoi

Beautiful wedding photos in Hanoi - Vietnam

This year, the trend of taking natural and romantic wedding photo is very popular. Almost people want to be taken photos at the beautiful tourist destination for their wedding photo album. To save time and travel costs, the 10 following ideal destinations in Hanoi that you can learn about  and select for the best wedding photo album.


1. Hanoi`s Old Quarter
Old Quarter owns ancient space with the unique beauty attracting many couples to visit here and take wedding photos. It is also famous for many popular destinations such as Guom lake, the Hang Dao-Dong Xuan night market or Hang Ma with sparkling lights…they are always  the perfect background for wedding photos of couples.


The best time to take photos is in the morning on sunny days because at this time, Old Quarter is not too crowded.
2. Frog garden, Metropole hotel lobby and the Hanoi Opera House
There are many buildings that were combined with the French architectural style for many years become  reliable addresses of many couples to choose and mark their love.

The best time to take photos is in the sunny afternoon and evening when the hotel is shimmering with many lights
3. Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam (Temple Of Literature) and Hoang thanh Thang Long
If you like having nostalgic and romantic style wedding photos, Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam, and Hoang thanh Thang Long is two great places in which you should not miss.


The white Aodai is the most beautiful dress for brides when choosing this place to take wedding photos. You should choose time carefully for example, when there is strong sunlight, it will help your images become much more perfect
4 .Hoang Dieu - Phan Dinh Phung
Two of the most beautifull streets of Hanoi will become poetic and romantic when the autumn comes. Yellow leaves stretching along the road make the scenery much more charming.

A simple wedding dress, makeup style and using a few small props such as: bike, teddy bear is the perfect point when you take pictures here.
5.Kim Ma street
Kim Ma street is seen as the most romantic road of Hanoi. At any time of the year, this road has its private beauty: the spring with red burgeons of  queens crape-myrtle, the summer with green grass in the sunshine, the autumn with falling yellow leaves and the winter with the wild beauty created by the rows of dried trees.

6.Kim Lien Pagoda and villa area around the West Lake
With the same location, you will be amazed by the opposing beauty of the places. Kim Lien pagoda will make your photos to be seems ancient and deep and the nearby villa creates modern and youthful background for images

Aodai and wedding dress is essential when you decide to take photos here. You can use bike or motorcycle to attract every eyes.
7. The beautiful flower gardens
Hanoi city has four season with a variety of flowers: peach blossom garden, “bach nhat” flower ( daylight flower) in Nhat Tan ( 264 Au Co, Tay Ho), the rows of queens crape-myrtle in Bac Son….are the familiar addresses for wedding photos

8. Longan garden, Gia Lam
Longan garden is a famous place in two recent years. This place owns the wonderful scenery with green grass, the straight rows of longan trees and white baby flowers…this is a perfect place for couples who want to own wedding photos in a completely new and beautiful space.



If you are interested in exploring Vietnam tourism, you can visit Vietnam travel agency, Halong cruises, Halong Bay, Halong travel site to know further information.

O Quy Ho – the legendary pass in the Northwest Mountains of Vietnam

Coming to O Quy Ho, tourists have opportunity to contemplate and conquer one of the four greatest passes in the Northwest Mountains of Vietnam.

O Quy Ho Pass or Hoang Lien Son Pass is one of both the highest, longest and especially the most dangerous and majestic passing roads in the Northwest Mountains of Vietnam. Truly so, located on the Highway 4D crossing the magnificent mountain range of Hoang Lien Son, O Quy Ho Pass connects two Northern provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau and especially its top as the boundary of these. Being more than 2.070 meters above the sea level, this Pass winds in and out around the Hoang Lien Son mountain range, where Fanxipan –the windy roof of Indochina lies on the top at altitude of 3.414 meters.  And thank to the length of approximately 50 kilometers with two thirds of that belongs to the territory of Lai Chau’s Tam Duong district and one third that is in the side of Lao Cai’s SaPa district, this famous passing roads is worth being called “King of passes in the Northwest region”.

Also known with the name of Hoang Lien Son Pass but for many travelers who have a strong love for the Northwest region, the name of O Quy Ho has almost been a legend. According to many people who drive taxi or motorbikes in Sapa, the name of O Quy Ho derives from the story of a bird whose torment and stirring cries that sounds likes “O Quy Ho” every time when the afternoon sets down on Hoang Lien Son Mountain is associated with an unsuccessful love story many years ago. On the way to Bac waterfall, tourists often reach the top of this pass to contemplate the spectacular and imposing landscape of Hoang Lien Son which has been glorified as “Asean Sa Pa heritage park” with many rare species of sub-Asian tropical climate.

 

One of the most intersting features in O Quy Ho Pass is that the big different in weather among its two regions. Specifically, in winter, if it is warm at the side of Tam Duong, it is foggy and cloudy at the side of Sapa. In constrast, in summer, is the side of Sapa has cool weather, it is sunny and dry at the side of Tam Duong. Especially, O Quy Ho Pass is also the place the appearing the tropical snowy rain and ice. Moreover, O Quy Ho Pass peak is covered by the beautiful cloud and mist all year round that makes it is also called “Cloud pass”. 

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