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Feb 12, 2015

A sophisticated cuisine, simply served

Reasonable prices, tasty dishes, good service and a prime location accounts for the rapid rise in popularity of the newly opened Bun Bo Ganh restaurant in HCM City list, reports Xuan Hiep

The former royal city of Hue in the central province of Thua Thien - Hue is noted for its rich cultural traditions, serene landscape and charming people, but few people outside Viet Nam are aware of its distinctive cuisine, considered by some to be one of the most sophisticated in the country.

Bun bo Hue (beef-rice vermicelli soup Hue style) is undoubtedly the most well-known local product and is served not only in the central region but also in every corner of the country. But, many other Hue dishes, like banh beo chen (steamed rice cakes in small cups) and banh bot loc nhan tom thit (shrimp and pork rice dumplings), are also regularly featured on menus that specialise in the city's highly respected cuisine.

Opened only a few weeks ago, the Bun Bo Ganh restaurant in downtown HCM City has already lured a regular clientele, especially from 11:30am to 1:30pm when staff from office buildings nearby come for lunch.

Bun Bo Ganh Restaurant Add: 88 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCM City Tel: 08 - 66844446 Opening hours: 6:30am-10pm Price range: VND22,000 - 39,000 (US$1-2)

Generous serving: A server prepares a hot bowl of bun bo Hue, a specialty of Hue and the main dish of the restaurant

Located on a prime location on Ho Tung Mau Street in District 1, only a few minutes walk from the 68-storey Bitexco Financial Tower, the city's tallest building, the two-storey restaurant is easy to find.

When my friend and I entered the restaurant last week, we discovered an old French colonial building that had once housed nearly 50 families.

The ground floor had been partitioned into three spaces, one of which housed the restaurant's downstairs area. Upstairs, where we decided to dine, was an airy, large al fresco area covering the entire first floor, surrounded by leafy trees and potted plants.

On the walls were photos of Sai Gon and Hue in the old days, inspiring diners, both local and foreign, to learn more about the country's history and people.

The dark bamboo tables and chairs were simply designed, which added to the cosy, comfortable atmosphere.

Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, 29, the restaurant's owner, told me that she and her husband have a great passion for food and hospitality.

From 2002 to 2006, when they were students, they worked at the famous Nha Hang Ngon (Delicious Restaurant) and learned a great deal about gastronomy and customer services.

Then in 2012, they opened their first restaurant on Ly Chinh Thang Street in District 3.

Accompaniments: Bun bo Hue is served with sides like bean sprouts, shredded banana flowers, chilli, limes and basil leaves. — VNS Photos Xuan Hiep

Anh, who is also the chef, said that bun bo Hue is the restaurant's main dish. Though famous as a specialty of Hue, it is popular throughout the country.

"Of course, we need to adjust the taste so that it can satisfy the taste of people in the south and north," Anh said.

Ingredients for the dish are imported from the central region to ensure authenticity.

Unlike the traditional and more famous pho soup from Ha Noi, bun bo Hue is more pungent, with lemongrass and a bit of shrimp paste.

My foreign friends, especially Westerners, dislike the smell of shrimp paste, but only a tiny amount of shrimp paste is needed to enhance the dish.

The Hue style beef vermicelli soup is served with sides like bean sprouts, shredded banana flower, chilli, line and basil.

To make the broth, cooks use pork or beef, and lemongrass is crushed and put into boiling water, which enhances the flavour and aroma.

The menu, in Vietnamese and English, includes a variety of Hue traditional cakes, each of which costs VND22,000 (US$1). To sample a variety of these small dishes, I recommend a mixed plate for only VND36,000 ($1.5).

The restaurant also offers sweet Hue soups, served either hot or cold, for only VND13,000.

For our lunch, we ordered a bowl of bun bo Hue for VND39,000 and che suong sa hat luu (agar-agar with pomegranate seeds) for VND13,000 each.

There were other sweet soups we would have loved to try, but because we were already full, we decided to save it for our next visit.

Instead, we ended on a refreshing note, with iced green tea, spiced with fresh ginger.

A staff of 15, many of whom can speak English, offered excellent customer service, which nicely complemented what was an already highly satisfying afternoon.

Bun Bo Ganh Restaurant

Add: 88 Ho Tung Mau, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1, HCM City

Tel: 08 - 66844446

Opening hours: 6:30am-10pm

Price range: VND22,000 - 39,000 (US$1-2)

Comment: tasty Hue cuisine in an old French colonial building in downtown HCM City. Attentive staff, affordable prices.

Source: VNS

Visit the shortest street of Hanoi in Hanoi Old Quarter

Ho Hoan Kiem street in Old Quarter is the shortest street in Hanoi. It's 52 m, connect Cau Go street and Dinh Tien Hoang street.

Under French domination, it's named: Phiharmonique. But Hanoian is familiar with the name Hang Che street.

Because, it 's too short street so many people don't realize it.

"Banh Chung" - the soul of Vietnamese New Year!

"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people in the Tet Holidays and King Hung’s anniversary (10th March Lunar). For the Vietnamese, making "Banh Chung" is the ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland.

The legend of " Banh Chung"

Chung cake was invented by the 18th Prince of Hung Emperor in the contest of looking for new Emperor. According to the legend, 3,000-4,000 years ago, Prince Lang Lieu, made round and square cakes, the round Day cake symbolizing the sky and the square Chung cake symbolizing the Earth (under the ancient Vietnamese perception), to be offered on the occasion of Spring.

In the ancient conception, the Earth is square, hence Chung cake's shape is square, too, to reflect the Earth shape. Since the cakes he offered were of special meaning and delicious taste, Lang Lieu was selected to be the next Emperor. Since then, in honor of this 18th Prince, Vietnamese people always make and have Chung cake in the Lunar New Year. Up to now, Chung cake has become the most famous and irreplaceable traditional Vietnamese food in Tet Holiday. This legend aims to remind the next generations of the ancient tradition as well as the primary of Chung cake. Besides, it emphasizes the important role of rice and nature in water rice culture.

How to make a "Banh Chung"?

In contrast to the fast food in modern life, the process of making Chung cake is time-consuming and requires the contribution of several people. Main ingredients are glutinous rice, pork meat, and green beans wrapped in a square of bamboo leaves that will give the rice a green color after boiling. The sticky rice must be very good and was soaked in water in the previous day. Rice cake is wrapped in square shape, and the wrapping power must be neither tight nor loose. Then the cake will be boiled in about 12 hours by wood. The Green Chung cake has nutrition with an original tasty flavor and may be kept for a long time. Eating Chung cake with vegetable pickles will bring you unforgettable taste!

In the traditional conception of Vietnamese people, the process of making Chung cake is the opportunity for family to come together. Sitting around the warm fire, all members in the family tell one another the past stories and are ready for a New Year with wishes of best things. Nowadays, in some big cities, the business lifestyle of modern society prevent people from preparing the cake, however, the habit of worship ancestors with Chung cake never changes. It is the evidence of the Vietnamese loyalty and deep gratitude to ancestors.

Soure: Vietnam beauty

Here are the detail of each step:

Prepare: "Lạt Giang - one type of bamboo; Dong leaf

Wash the Dong leaf first

Choose the "Lá Dong " - Dong leaf

Make it dry

Prepare 5 things need to make Chung cake: tie make of bamboo; pig meat; green bean; sticky rice; Dong leaf

Organize Dong leaf

Start after all step above

There are two ways to roll the Chung cake: by only their hands or by spuare in shape

Boil Chung cake

After boil must wash and clearn Chung cake in water before make it dry

Make Chung Cake have real square in shape

Time of making Chung Cake - is the happy time for family sitting together

Over 900 years old of the Craft of Casting Bronze in Tong Xa

For over 900 years, bronze casting in Tong Xa Village, Yen Xa Commune in the district of Y Yen in Nam Dinh Province has been preserved and strongly developed, bringing a good life to the local people

By the end of the 12th century, Nguyen Minh Khong who is considered the ancestor of bronze casting settled in Tong Xa to reclaim new lands and taught the local people the craft to help them earn their living.

Pouring the bronze liquid into moulds

The craftsman in Tong Xa Village make mould of the statute before casting.

Carving bronze products.

Skillful hands make sophisticated carvings on product.

Thanks to the secrets handed down by their ancestors together with their skillfulness, creativeness and the application of advanced technology, the local people have not only preserved but also strongly developed their traditional craft. Previously, they only cast household items and worshipping objects in small sizes, namely Buddhist statues, incense burners, basins and pots.

However, they now make various kinds of products in large sizes that require high skills and techniques. In recent years, the artisans in Tong Xa Village and its neighbouring village, Van Diem, cast successfully several grandiose bronze monuments and statues. They are the Monument of Dien Bien Phu Victory, 16.2m in height and 220kg in weight located in Dien Bien and the statue of King Ly Thai To, 10.1m in height and 45 tonnes in weight in Hanoi. There are also the statue of The Great Buddha, 35 tonnes in weight on Non Nuoc Mountain, Soc Son Province, and three statues of Buddha, weighing 50 tonnes in Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh Province.

Besides large monuments and statues ordered by customers, the villagers also make traditional items, including incense burners, bronze urns, statues of sacred animals, statues of famous people and statues of leaders in small and medium sizes. The statues of celebrities and leaders of the country made by Ngu Xa artisans are rendered beautifully thanks to painstaking care using delicate strokes.

To make high quality products, the villagers combine traditional techniques and secrets of modern technology. Therefore, the village’s products have gained prestige in the market.

Statue of President Ho Chinh Minh

A bronze urn.

Patterns on a bronze drum.

A statue of rhinoceros made from bronze.

Visiting the village, one will see with his own eyes the bustling life in the 900-year-old craft village. Along the main road in the centre of Lam Town in Yen Xa Commune are a series of shops selling Tong Xa products, which are always full of customers. The products are not only sold to local people, but also to other provinces nationwide and exported to foreign countries.

In the village, there are now about 150 workshops producing bronze fine arts items, providing jobs for over 1,500 people, each earning 3 - 4 million VND/month. Sales from the whole village reaches over 600 billion VND/year.

Apart from small scale establishments, many private enterprises with large scale production, such as Tan Tien, Quang Ha, Duong Ba Phong and Duong Ba Tan, were established, making a great contribution to shifting the traditional and small scale production into an industrial and modern direction, expanding production, increasing productivity and improving the quality of the village’s products.

To meet the demand of the domestic and foreign markets, a mechanical casting area was established in Lam Town in the district that involves the participation of many households. At present, both the villagers and private enterprises have invested in machines, expanded markets and sought new partners. It is a sound direction, promising a bright prospect for bronze casting in Tong Xa and making a contribution to developing the local economy.

Story: Thuc Hien - Photo: Trinh Van Bo / Source: VNP

Let's discover Vietnam with us!

Hanoi Water Puppet Theater - Vietnam Water Puppet Show - Water Puppets Made

Located at 57B, Dinh Tien Hoang street, nearby Hoan Kiem Lake, Thang Long Water Puppet Theater is a familiar address for both domestic tourists and foreign ones, who want to enjoy water puppet shows and discovery the beauty of this unique Vietnam traditional art.

Location & History

In 1969, the theater was established and since 1990; many water puppet shows have been performed by Thang Long theater artists.Every year, about 500 shows are offered to approximately 150,000 audiences. Moreover, the theater has brought water puppetry art to more then 40 foreign countries like Japan, France, America, Australia, Spain… through performance tours, or international cultural exchange program or puppetry festivals.

Water Puppet Show

Traditional content of water puppet performance like daily life of Vietnamese farmers (cultivating, tending buffalo, catching fishes…), communal entertainment (swimming contest, dragon dancing…), or historical legends (Le Loi returns precious sword…), with modest performance way have appealed audiences for centuries. However, the artists of Thang Long Water Puppet Theater want to renew the old puppet shows with effect of light, music and combination between people and puppets.

It sounds risky, but the theater has been successful since the beginning the beginning and received favors and praises from audiences. To enjoy some typical water puppet performances, you can take a look at the video below.

Certainly, it will be much great if tourists can directly watch these shows in Thang Long Water Puppets Theater after enjoying a cup of coffee in the coffee lounge which is right in front of the theater, and giving a nice view to Hoan Kiem Lake.

Show schedule

There are puppet show every day at 15:30 - 17:00 - 18:30 - 20:00 - 21:15 and Sunday at 9:30
Ticket costs between 60.000 - 100.000 VND ($3-5) by contacting the theatre:
Tel: (84-04) 3 824 9494, 3 825 5450
Fax: (84-04) 3 824 5117
Email: thanglongwpt@fpt.vn
Website: www.thanglongwaterpuppet.org

How are Water Puppets Made?

A water puppet stands on a round wooden plate which can rotate around its horizontal axis with a rudder at the bottom. The plate is linked with a long pole which the puppeteer uses to move the puppet on the water. Ropes or string run from the puppet’s articulation through pulleys and along the pole to the performers.

To move puppets to a far distance from the manipulation room, poles with pulleys are placed under the water to connect the strings between puppets and performers.

With the skilful manipulation by the performers, the puppets can swim, catch fish, cross sword, row a boat, raise a flock of ducks, dance, jump high in the sky, spurt fire and kick a ball.

Puppets maker must be good at designing, wood sculpture and have a good knowledge of the complicated movements of water puppets.

When working out a water puppet item, first of all artisans think of movements and operation mechanism of puppets in order to make puppets with proper structures.

For istance, Uncle Teu has two arms moving around a vertical axis. Fairies‘ arms can wave around the axis perpendicular to their body. Teu’s arms has a single articulation while fairies’s arms have joints at their hands, wrists, elbows and shoulders. More complicated puppets have very special structures: dragons that can sprut fires and water, fishes or frogs that snatch bait.

Pham Hoang Hai, “Traditional Water Puppetry”

The puppets usually range from 30 to 100cm (12 to 39ins) in height and weigh from 1 to 5kg (2 to 11lbs). Larger puppets can weigh up to 20kg (44lbs) and need four people to manipulate them.

Some comments:

by jorgejuansanchez: I enjoyed very much ths show in this theater. The shows refered to Vietnamese traditions by means of water puppets, like daily life of Vietnamese farmers (cultivating, tending buffalo, catching fishes…), communal entertainment (swimming contest, dragon dancing…), or historical legends

by ValbyDK: Water puppet theatre is a traditional art form in Vietnam, and has existed for more than 1000 years. The Puppeteers use bamboo poles to move their puppets around the small pond that forms the stage. I must admit that they are very skilful, but water puppet theatre never caught my interest. I think it is one of those things that you either love or hate – and I found it pretty boring...

I visited the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre (located at the Hoan Kiem Lake) and paid 40000 dong for a one hour show.

by katherin810: We booked the show through our hotel in Hanoi, the Emotion Hotel. As the evening tickets were sold out, they bought us a late afternoon ticket instead. The puppets were cool and so the accompanying music and narratives. I am even more impressed when learn about the effort behind the scene. Great fun and insightful learning about Vietnamese culture. My kids loved it too. I think it was our lucky charm to watch it in the afternoon as the night show seems to be packed.

by TheAndos: It is a very entertaining show - the fish are realistic, I loved the water buffalo, and the man climbing the coconut tree, - oh and the dragon that flies away! The puppeteers work from behind a screen in waders, standing in the water. Some of the puppets are up to 15kgs and keep several villages outside of Hanoi in work, as they have to be replaced frequently. Live music.

Highly recommended.

by quepeng: You absolutely must go to a Water Puppet Show (mua roi nuoc) when you are in Hanoi...At the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre you'll see a traditional art form which is unique to Hanoi and northern Vietnam.The show takes place in a pool of water. The puppeteers are behind a bamboo screen and the controls are under water and out of sight.

by Greggor58: If you are spending time in Ha Noi..DO NOT miss this AMAZING performance at the Water Puppet Theater. You will witness a series of “ancient” short stories and legends presented through the use of traditional music, song, and characters. The stage is actually a large container of water where the characters (carved wooden puppets} “act” out the story. Most of the stories are whimsical and fun and the music is live, performed by a group of musicians that share a side stage adjacent to the water stage.

Let's discover Vietnam with us!

Cape of Ca Mau - Ca Mau Peninsula, which constitutes not only the end of mainland Vietnam but of Southeast Asia as well

Ca Mau Cape is the tip of the cape, under Dat Mui Hamlet, Dat Mui Commune, Ngoc Hien District. The cape tip is shaped weird and heading out West Sea (Gulf of Thailand) at speeds from 50m to 80 m per year. This is considered to be the southernmost point on the mainland of Vietnam Fatherland. On the national landmark, there is pentagram numbered GPS 0001. Ca Mau Cape icon is shown the coordinates 8037'30" North latitude - 104043' East longitude.

In the minds of the people of Vietnam, Ca Mau Cape has been a long-lasting point to verify the national sovereignty. Ca Mau Cape is the only place on the mainland to watch the sun rise over the sea from the East in the morning and the sun set into the sea west in the afternoon. Ca Mau Cape is surrounded by shallow sea areas. As the largest tide, the seawater only floods around 1 meter.

At the low tide, mudflats are exposed, stretching out to sea some kilometers. This is a place where two ocean currents of North - South and West - South meet each other, with 2 modes of diurnal and semi-diurnal tide making up the sedimentation (Bai Boi dune) large in tens of thousands of hectares along the West - South coast of Ca Mau province.

Ca Mau cape is annually accreted from 50 to 80 meters. Photo: Thanh Dung.

Ca Mau Cape is located in the area of Ca Mau Cape National Park, with more than 42,000ha of inland and shoal. There are Nam Can mangrove forest, majestic Khai Long beach. Surrouding Ca Mau Cape area is a typical and diversified natural flora and fauna. Animals have fish, shrimp, crab, oysters, mud clamp, snail, etc. Plants are “mam”, mangrove, vet, coc, “ban” trees, etc. The “mam” tree is a pioneer species in sea penetration. Mangrove species follows to keep land and alluviate Ca Mau Cape always spreading to the sea.

The core area of Ca Mau cape National Park. Photo: Huynh Lam

Ca Mau Cape has Cultural Park - Ca Mau Cape Tours. Coming here, tourists can see the sacred national landmark, downward Thuy Ta restaurant to enjoy fresh seafood dishes typical of Dat Mui, climbed 20.5 meters high Vong Lam Dai to broaden eyes far to feel the majestic beauty of the country at the first wave place; visit wartime model of forest villages, the “every water can is saved, eat avicenniaceae fruit due to being hungry” of coastal residents of Rach Goc, Tan An.

From Ca Mau Cape, overlooking the East Sea is green, majestic Hon Khoai island appearing in the vast sea. Domestic and international tourists once arrived at Ca Mau, rare of them do not wish to visit Dat Mui one time.

Bestowed with natural features, Ca Mau, the southernmost province of Vietnam, with Ca Mau cape located a national coordinates landmark, is geographical tourism destination very attractive to domestic and foreign visitors.

Corner of Hon Khoai. Photo: Thanh Dung

With two interlaced ecosystems of mangrove and brackish water forest, among tree forests are snaking rivers, formerly was open point of Ho Chi Minh sea route (Vam Lung station, Ngoc Hien District); where witnessed, saw off children the South to the North, carrying along star apple trees for presenting Uncle Ho (Ong Doc estuary, Tran Van Thoi district); rivers with many glorious victories (Tam Giang, Cai Lon, Cai Tau, Ong Doc river, Dam Doi).

Strawberry garden, Cai Tau, U Minh district. Photo: Huynh Lam

Under the forest canopy are the shrimp ponds, rice fields and orchards, wild bird yards with a variety of rare precious birds etc. creating attractive ecotourism. Islands of Hon Khoai, Hon Chuoi, Hon Da Bac, Hon Buong, Khai Long Beach etc. still retain the original beauty of nature.

Sunset on Khai Long Beach. Photo: Thanh Dung

In addition, Ca Mau has many historic relics of national level, provincial level; many traditional festivals such as Nghinh Ong, Via Ba, Dua Ghe Ngo (Ngo Boat Racing) etc. that imbued with cultural identities of three ethnic groups of Kinh - Chinese - Khmer.

Cajuput forest eco-tourism. Photo: Tan Diep

Coming to Ca Mau, tourists can hear story of Uncle Ba Phi, Don Ca Tai Tu (amateur music), boat on the river, enjoy special dishes of the forest, the sea etc.

MOST ATTRACTION PLACES: