A long with other traditional festival games, releasing pigeons has attracted numerous participants since the distant past. Some villages including Tam Giang and Hoan Son villages in Bac Ninh Province still maintain the tradition.
Every year, Hoan Son and Tam Giang villagers organise bird-releasing festivals in the early summer and mid autumn during the third and the eighth lunar months. Each family raises two or three flocks of pigeons. Judges stipulate that each flock in the spring contest may have ten pigeons but only eight in the autumn. The contests are open to anyone-not just Bac Ninh residents. Bird lovers use these occasions to exchange experiences and learn from each other.
The Judges consist of the trich ha, who distributes numbers to participants and then call the numbers for the birds' release, and the trich thuong, who observes the arrangement of birds in the sky to determine the winner, a flock of birds flies beautifully when all their heads huddle together. Seen from the ground, they look like an arrow disappearing on the horizon.
"Before the contest every trainer practises releasing his birds so that the pigeons are familiar with the flight direction. All the birds return unless they lose their way in a heavy storm. Intelligent pigeons can return to their owner seven days or even two years later".
The bird owner should pay attention to the pigeons' eyes, nostrils and wings to have birds that fly both high and well. Good birds usually have eyes with small, round pupils. Birds with translucent, dry eyes do best at the hot summer festival, and those with wet eyes are best for the dry autumn contest. Birds with small nostrils are better than those with big ones because they can withstand windy conditions and fly higher. Large wings, short tails and narrow shoulders also enable birds to be strong, skilful fliers.
Releasing pigeons is considered a refined form of entertainment. As a traditional saying goes, "Men enjoy many kinds of games, but nothing is as pleasurable as releasing birds".
Showing posts with label Vietnam entertainments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vietnam entertainments. Show all posts
Monday, March 1, 2010
Vietnamese Rugby or Vat Cu
The rhythmic sound of a drum echoes for kilometers-vibrating, pressing, increasing in urgency. Any spectators arriving late from neighbouring villages hasten along their way. The crowd grows larger and larger around a flat piece of empty space in front of the village pagoda.
Suddenly, the drum stops. Then it resumes, but this time in three long series and accompanied by the metallic sound of a gong. Three respectable old men in long blue robes with puffed sleeves appear. The man in the middle holds a multi-coloured flag; the man on the right, a small drum; and the man on the left, a gong. These are the referees. Behind them come two teams of twenty players each. These young, well-built men are barebacked, with colourful loincloths and red or yellow belts designating their team. The captain of one team holds a tray with a ball on it, covered with a pink cloth.
The referees and players stop once they reach the centre of the playing area. The team leader places the tray on the ground, lifts the pink cloth and delicately places the "ball" in a hole dug in the middle of the playing field. The ball (cu) is made from the root of a banana tree and is twice as large as a football. It weighs four to five kilograms.
Organisers have already dug two goals-holes from 50cm to 60cm deep-at the two ends of the field. During the game, players must catch the ball, as in rugby, and throw it into the goal. Once a player has caught the ball, he may run or pass it to a team-mate. But unlike rugby or soccer, the ball may not touch the players' feet. A single goal wins the match.
This particular match is about to start: The two teams move to the middle of the field. There are no fixed positions. The drum and the gong strike their last notes. With this, a member of the red team passes the ball to a team-mate, who pushes past one, two then three opponents. But a fourth player relentlessly blocks him and grabs the ball. The "yellow" team runs, heading for its goal. The yellows soon regroup to protect the ball. Like fencers en graded, with bent knees and arms stretching forward, they are ready to deal with any opponents who want to interfere.
But the "reds" reorganise and counter-attack. Around ten red players worm themselves into the yellows' defending circle. Then go a collective struggle to possess the ball. Within several seconds, the ball passes back to the reds. They are now in the offensive position and make a lightning attack towards their goal. But they fail. A "yellow" runs even faster and prevents the score. The game continues amidst struggling arms and legs. As the competition grows heated, someone suddenly throws the ball dozens of steps away from the players. A red retrieves the ball and, before any of the yellows can react, races towards his goal. After some quick passing, in the blink of an eye, the ball lies in the reds' goal. Cries, applause, and the sound of the drum and gong bring the players back to reality: The reds have won.
This game requires speed, skill, strength and daring. General Pham Ngu Lao, the "right arm" of Vietnam's great general Tran Hung Dao, invented vat cu (literally, "ball wrestling") in the 13th century to train his soldiers to defeat the Mongol invaders. Like many uniquely Vietnamese sports, vat cu almost disappeared during the French occupation. However, the National Sports Committee has studied the game's original rules and is trying to revive the game. Without doubt, vat cu has returned to become one of the most popular games at Lunar New Year festivals.
Suddenly, the drum stops. Then it resumes, but this time in three long series and accompanied by the metallic sound of a gong. Three respectable old men in long blue robes with puffed sleeves appear. The man in the middle holds a multi-coloured flag; the man on the right, a small drum; and the man on the left, a gong. These are the referees. Behind them come two teams of twenty players each. These young, well-built men are barebacked, with colourful loincloths and red or yellow belts designating their team. The captain of one team holds a tray with a ball on it, covered with a pink cloth.
The referees and players stop once they reach the centre of the playing area. The team leader places the tray on the ground, lifts the pink cloth and delicately places the "ball" in a hole dug in the middle of the playing field. The ball (cu) is made from the root of a banana tree and is twice as large as a football. It weighs four to five kilograms.
Organisers have already dug two goals-holes from 50cm to 60cm deep-at the two ends of the field. During the game, players must catch the ball, as in rugby, and throw it into the goal. Once a player has caught the ball, he may run or pass it to a team-mate. But unlike rugby or soccer, the ball may not touch the players' feet. A single goal wins the match.
This particular match is about to start: The two teams move to the middle of the field. There are no fixed positions. The drum and the gong strike their last notes. With this, a member of the red team passes the ball to a team-mate, who pushes past one, two then three opponents. But a fourth player relentlessly blocks him and grabs the ball. The "yellow" team runs, heading for its goal. The yellows soon regroup to protect the ball. Like fencers en graded, with bent knees and arms stretching forward, they are ready to deal with any opponents who want to interfere.
But the "reds" reorganise and counter-attack. Around ten red players worm themselves into the yellows' defending circle. Then go a collective struggle to possess the ball. Within several seconds, the ball passes back to the reds. They are now in the offensive position and make a lightning attack towards their goal. But they fail. A "yellow" runs even faster and prevents the score. The game continues amidst struggling arms and legs. As the competition grows heated, someone suddenly throws the ball dozens of steps away from the players. A red retrieves the ball and, before any of the yellows can react, races towards his goal. After some quick passing, in the blink of an eye, the ball lies in the reds' goal. Cries, applause, and the sound of the drum and gong bring the players back to reality: The reds have won.
This game requires speed, skill, strength and daring. General Pham Ngu Lao, the "right arm" of Vietnam's great general Tran Hung Dao, invented vat cu (literally, "ball wrestling") in the 13th century to train his soldiers to defeat the Mongol invaders. Like many uniquely Vietnamese sports, vat cu almost disappeared during the French occupation. However, the National Sports Committee has studied the game's original rules and is trying to revive the game. Without doubt, vat cu has returned to become one of the most popular games at Lunar New Year festivals.
Bamboo Jacks (choi chuyen)
This girls' game (chơi chuyen) includes ten thin, well-sharpened, round bamboo sticks and a ball, which traditionally is a fig, a miniature variety of eggplant, a small rock or a clod of clay.
These days, tennis balls are becoming more popular as a substitute. The player tosses the ball into the air. While the ball is in the air, she must quickly pick up the sticks and then catch the ball.
Players often recite a singsong nonsense rhyme: "Cai mot... Cai mai... Cai co… So mang... Thang chang... Con chit... Ngam nga... Ngam nguyt... Chuot chit... Sang ban doi…"
In the first round, the player picks up the slicks one by one. Next, she gathers two sticks at a time, and so forth up to ten. In these stages she plays with only one hand. The girl picks up sticks and catches the ball while reciting the rhyme. Meanwhile, her face reddens and her eyes become intense as she performs in front of her friends.
The peak of the game is the last, most animated stage with all ten sticks in a bundle. During this stage, the player losses the ball and then transfers (chuyen) the pack of sticks from one hand to the other. She must successively switch the bundle, first once, then twice, then three or even more times before catching the ball. The hands of a girl playing chuyen open and close like small, nimble butterflies. If a player's hands are not swift or if her eyes are not sharp, or if she fails to coordinate the two, she will lose her turn. The game will pass to the next girl. Playing chuyen warms up the body and creates a lot of fun. During summer or autumn, small girls play it everywhere, from the shade of a village banyan tree to a deserted market stall.
These days, tennis balls are becoming more popular as a substitute. The player tosses the ball into the air. While the ball is in the air, she must quickly pick up the sticks and then catch the ball.
Players often recite a singsong nonsense rhyme: "Cai mot... Cai mai... Cai co… So mang... Thang chang... Con chit... Ngam nga... Ngam nguyt... Chuot chit... Sang ban doi…"
In the first round, the player picks up the slicks one by one. Next, she gathers two sticks at a time, and so forth up to ten. In these stages she plays with only one hand. The girl picks up sticks and catches the ball while reciting the rhyme. Meanwhile, her face reddens and her eyes become intense as she performs in front of her friends.
The peak of the game is the last, most animated stage with all ten sticks in a bundle. During this stage, the player losses the ball and then transfers (chuyen) the pack of sticks from one hand to the other. She must successively switch the bundle, first once, then twice, then three or even more times before catching the ball. The hands of a girl playing chuyen open and close like small, nimble butterflies. If a player's hands are not swift or if her eyes are not sharp, or if she fails to coordinate the two, she will lose her turn. The game will pass to the next girl. Playing chuyen warms up the body and creates a lot of fun. During summer or autumn, small girls play it everywhere, from the shade of a village banyan tree to a deserted market stall.
Rice cooking competitions (thi thoi com)
During Tet, a number of villages in northern and central Vietnam hold cooking contests that may sound simple, but follow strict and complex rules: Cooking in the wind and rain. Tu Trong Village, Thanh Hoa Province has a temple dedicated to the 11th century warrior Le Phung Hieu.
During the temple's weeklong festival the first week of Tet, villagers hold culinary competitions: cooking ordinary rice in water, steaming sticky rice and making rice cakes.
Contestants cook in the open air while in a bamboo boat floating on the village pond. Charcoal, the usual fuel, is prohibited. Instead, each competitor receives some dried sugar cane, which burns only with difficulty. The challenge increases if it is windy and raining. Each contestant must set her rice pot in exactly the right place to take advantage of the wind and avoid extinguishing the fire.
The competition begins precisely at dawn. Hundreds of boats are tied up along the pond bank since as many as 200 young women may participate.
After a salvo of drumbeats, competitors step into their boats, bringing along cooking tripods, rice pots, some damp straw and fuel. They row to the centre of the pond, make a fire and wash the rice.
A second salvo of drumbeats sounds, punctuated by three final beats, the competition starts. The cooking may be done in one pot after another or by using all pots al the same time. The tiny, light boat sways with the competitor's every movement, keeping the craft stable while cooking is like performing a circus act. The competitor who finishes first wins, but quality also counts. People from many villages watch from the pond bank, mothers who have trained their girls for months impatiently wait for the results of their efforts. Other women take advantage of the occasion to look for prospective daughters-in-law who are both good cooks and can also face difficulties with calmness.
Contests for boys and girls villagers in Chuong Village of Ha Tay Province organise similar competitions separately for boys and girls. Female participants must cook rice on the ground while simultaneously carrying a six-to seven-month-old baby from another family on her hip. She must console the infant when he or she cries. At the same time, she must prevent a toad from jumping out of a chalk circle drawn around her. The competition is all the more difficult because the spectators, especially children, take every opportunity to tease the baby.
The contest for boys is no less rigorous. Each boy must stand ready with all the necessary items (rice, water, matches and firewood) on a light boat moored the pond bank. At a given signal he paddles with his hands to the opposite bank, where a row of pots is placed on tripods. He must stay in his unmoored boat while cooking the rice on the bank. The least loss of balance tosses him over into the water.
In Tich Son Village of Vinh Phuc Province, a cooking competition takes place on the morning of the fourth day after Tet. The finished rice must meet particular criteria of taste and consistency. Contestants use two pots. First they boil the rice in a copper pot over the fire. Once the water boils, they pour both the rice and water into an earthen pot and cook the rice over charcoal until done.
During the temple's weeklong festival the first week of Tet, villagers hold culinary competitions: cooking ordinary rice in water, steaming sticky rice and making rice cakes.
Contestants cook in the open air while in a bamboo boat floating on the village pond. Charcoal, the usual fuel, is prohibited. Instead, each competitor receives some dried sugar cane, which burns only with difficulty. The challenge increases if it is windy and raining. Each contestant must set her rice pot in exactly the right place to take advantage of the wind and avoid extinguishing the fire.
The competition begins precisely at dawn. Hundreds of boats are tied up along the pond bank since as many as 200 young women may participate.
After a salvo of drumbeats, competitors step into their boats, bringing along cooking tripods, rice pots, some damp straw and fuel. They row to the centre of the pond, make a fire and wash the rice.
A second salvo of drumbeats sounds, punctuated by three final beats, the competition starts. The cooking may be done in one pot after another or by using all pots al the same time. The tiny, light boat sways with the competitor's every movement, keeping the craft stable while cooking is like performing a circus act. The competitor who finishes first wins, but quality also counts. People from many villages watch from the pond bank, mothers who have trained their girls for months impatiently wait for the results of their efforts. Other women take advantage of the occasion to look for prospective daughters-in-law who are both good cooks and can also face difficulties with calmness.
Contests for boys and girls villagers in Chuong Village of Ha Tay Province organise similar competitions separately for boys and girls. Female participants must cook rice on the ground while simultaneously carrying a six-to seven-month-old baby from another family on her hip. She must console the infant when he or she cries. At the same time, she must prevent a toad from jumping out of a chalk circle drawn around her. The competition is all the more difficult because the spectators, especially children, take every opportunity to tease the baby.
The contest for boys is no less rigorous. Each boy must stand ready with all the necessary items (rice, water, matches and firewood) on a light boat moored the pond bank. At a given signal he paddles with his hands to the opposite bank, where a row of pots is placed on tripods. He must stay in his unmoored boat while cooking the rice on the bank. The least loss of balance tosses him over into the water.
In Tich Son Village of Vinh Phuc Province, a cooking competition takes place on the morning of the fourth day after Tet. The finished rice must meet particular criteria of taste and consistency. Contestants use two pots. First they boil the rice in a copper pot over the fire. Once the water boils, they pour both the rice and water into an earthen pot and cook the rice over charcoal until done.
The game of squares (O an quan)
Either boys or girls, usually age’s seven to ten, play the two-person game of O an quan (literally "Mandarin's Box"). They draw a rectangle on the ground and divide it into ten small squares called "rice fields" or "fish ponds.
"They also draw two additional semi-circular boxes at the two ends of the rectangle, which are called"mandarin's boxes," hence the game's name. Each person has 25 small pebbles and a bigger stone.
Each player places the stone in one of the mandarin's boxes and five small pebbles in each of the other squares (see diagram above). Then the game begins. The first player takes up the contents of one square on his or her side of the board (but not a mandarin's box) and distributes the pebbles one by one, starting with the next square in either direction. (Since each square contains five pebbles at the beginning, the first move will distribute five pebbles to the left or right).
After the last pebble is distributed, the player takes the contents of the following square and repeats the distribution process. But if the following square is one of the mandarin's boxes, the turn ends and passes to the other player.
If the last pebble falls into a square that precedes one empty square, the player wins all the contents of the square following the empty square and removes these pebbles from the board. If this square is followed by another empty square, the player wins the contents of the square after that, and so on. However, if there are two or more empty squares in a row, the player loses his or her turn.
Once a player has taken pebbles from the board, the turn is handed to the other player. If all five squares on one player's side of the board are emptied at any time, that player must place one pebble he or she has aside back in each of the five squares so that the game can resume.
The game continues until the two mandarins' boxes have both been taken. At the end of the game, the player with more pebbles wins, with each of the large stones counting as ten points. If each player retrieves an equal number of points, then the game is a tie. O an quan remains deservedly popular among older children since it requires good counting skills and forethought in order to win.
"They also draw two additional semi-circular boxes at the two ends of the rectangle, which are called"mandarin's boxes," hence the game's name. Each person has 25 small pebbles and a bigger stone.
Each player places the stone in one of the mandarin's boxes and five small pebbles in each of the other squares (see diagram above). Then the game begins. The first player takes up the contents of one square on his or her side of the board (but not a mandarin's box) and distributes the pebbles one by one, starting with the next square in either direction. (Since each square contains five pebbles at the beginning, the first move will distribute five pebbles to the left or right).
After the last pebble is distributed, the player takes the contents of the following square and repeats the distribution process. But if the following square is one of the mandarin's boxes, the turn ends and passes to the other player.
If the last pebble falls into a square that precedes one empty square, the player wins all the contents of the square following the empty square and removes these pebbles from the board. If this square is followed by another empty square, the player wins the contents of the square after that, and so on. However, if there are two or more empty squares in a row, the player loses his or her turn.
Once a player has taken pebbles from the board, the turn is handed to the other player. If all five squares on one player's side of the board are emptied at any time, that player must place one pebble he or she has aside back in each of the five squares so that the game can resume.
The game continues until the two mandarins' boxes have both been taken. At the end of the game, the player with more pebbles wins, with each of the large stones counting as ten points. If each player retrieves an equal number of points, then the game is a tie. O an quan remains deservedly popular among older children since it requires good counting skills and forethought in order to win.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Halong sport & entertainments
Some entertainment and relaxation centers in Halong City Area:
- The international tourist resort in TuanChau Island, Tel: 033342115
- The International Royal Park: Halong Street, Bai Chay beach, Halong City,
Tel: 033346658
- Quangninh Provincial Museum:
165 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Halong City, Tel: 033325031.
- Viet Nam - Japan Cultural Center:
Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325431
- Halong Cinema: Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325383
- Quangninh Provincial Library:
174 Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325384
- Sports Center:
Nguyen Van Cu Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33323249
- Tennis courts: at the Children's Center, Le Thanh Tong Street,
Halong Hotel 1 and 2, Baichay, also next to the Halong Cinema.
- The Electronic Games Machine Club:
Halong Street, Baichay
Tel: 033344878, Fax: 033344879
- Dancing:
+ Heritage Hotel, 8 Halong Road, Baichay Tel: 033345020
+Top Disco, Halong Road, Baichay Tel: 03336000
+ Queen Vosa, 70 Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong Tel: 033326193
- The international tourist resort in TuanChau Island, Tel: 033342115
- The International Royal Park: Halong Street, Bai Chay beach, Halong City,
Tel: 033346658
- Quangninh Provincial Museum:
165 Nguyen Van Cu Street, Halong City, Tel: 033325031.
- Viet Nam - Japan Cultural Center:
Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325431
- Halong Cinema: Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325383
- Quangninh Provincial Library:
174 Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33325384
- Sports Center:
Nguyen Van Cu Street, Halong City
Tel: 84.33323249
- Tennis courts: at the Children's Center, Le Thanh Tong Street,
Halong Hotel 1 and 2, Baichay, also next to the Halong Cinema.
- The Electronic Games Machine Club:
Halong Street, Baichay
Tel: 033344878, Fax: 033344879
- Dancing:
+ Heritage Hotel, 8 Halong Road, Baichay Tel: 033345020
+Top Disco, Halong Road, Baichay Tel: 03336000
+ Queen Vosa, 70 Le Thanh Tong Street, Halong Tel: 033326193
Chau Doc, Vietnam
How to get to Cambodia? We can either get the bus or sail down the Mekong Delta. No contest. We set off early in the morning from Saigon and were at the dock a couple of hours later. The Mekong looked impressive and I felt rather smug, we'd found a pretty cool way to cross the border.
I sat back in a hammock and watched the locals busily getting on with it all while I topped up my ever improving tan (it's just past the embarrassing stage). Just then it all started to go a bit .... crap! We wandered into a coconut candy factory where I tried some snake wine,
When the boat was fixed it all started to get exciting again.
I sat back in a hammock and watched the locals busily getting on with it all while I topped up my ever improving tan (it's just past the embarrassing stage). Just then it all started to go a bit .... crap! We wandered into a coconut candy factory where I tried some snake wine,
Snake Wine
the poison gives it extra potency (either that or you die) and that was the extent of the Mekong Tour (other than watching activity on the banks). Our floating hotel was way too pricey for the standard we got and the little town (Chau Doc) that it was floating by had about as much charm as the hookers in Saigon. Damn Kids!
The next morning we visited a fish farm (it was feeding time ... the joy) and a minority population of Muslims (who tried to sell us cakes that would apparently give us colic). This was all after getting us up at 6am, i'd have took the extra two hours in bed. As we headed towards our fourth country, the boat broke down.When the boat was fixed it all started to get exciting again.
Uh Oh!
The Cambodian border crossing was swift and hilariously informal, the guy who granted me my visa didn't even require me being there, our guide just took our passports and got them for us. The Cambodian people of the Mekong were fascinating and friendly, they waved at us from the banks as they washed their skinny cows. Mekong
When we reached the appropriate part of the bank we got off the boat, into a bus and headed for sunny Pnomh Penh.
Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, and the DMZ, Vietnam
The bus ride out of Da Lat was even more interesting than the trip in. The approach we took to get there was a much more gradual climb up through the mountains but leaving and heading northeast proved a quick trip out of the mountains. Within about 30 minutes we were on the edge of a mountain with a spectacular view of the countryside below. The bus driver was descent enough to stop for a few minutes so those of us who wished to take pictures could, those who wished to pay to use the bathroom could, and the rest just had to be patient.
The road down the mountainside was a slow go due to all the hairpin turns. Once we reached the bottom it was back to the slow grind again averaging about 30mph for the 6 hour trip to Nha Trang.
Nha trang sits right on the South China sea and has a beautiful beach that to me looked just like the beach in Ft
I was only in Nha Trang about 5 hours. Again I had no intention of visiting Nha Trang much like Da Lat but due to the slowness of the buses I ended up passing through. It really is a nice little city and would be a good place for someone wanting a beach holiday in Vietnam. I spent my time wandering the market where I bought a new pair of sandals, eating lunch, eating ice cream, drinking coffee, and writing a travelogue for your entertainment.
At 6pm I ate dinner at a sidewalk eatery with the locals and caught my bus for Hoi An at 6:30pm.
An overnight bus trip in Vietnam is only more interesting than spending the night on a bus in the states because it is Vietnam. The bus will stop twice during the night or at least they plan on stopping twice. Once is for dinner for a half hour and the second time is for a break as in toilet break and for the drivers to watch some bad television. Of course if you are hungry they usually have some potato chips for sale or a beer is you are thirsty
Shortly after leaving Nha Trang it began to rain. This is the first rain I have seen during my trip. I really did not think it the most ideal time for rain. It was night on a narrow, winding road with a sheer drop into the South China Sea. This did not seem to deter the driver a bit. I was amazed at the speed he drove under the conditions. We would pass other buses and trucks going uphill in blind corners and downhill for that matter. He really seemed to know the limit of how fast that bus could go without sliding off the road. It certainly kept me awake a little longer than planned.
We arrived in Hoi An about 6:30am. We went through the normal routine of stopping at a couple of hotels they would have liked us to stay in. This time as opposed to in Da Lat I did not think they were doing me any favors. The alternative is to have them drop you off at their office in town to seek out accomodations on your own. Fortunately there are plenty of places to stay nearby and it is the slow season so the inn keepers are eager for the business.
Hoi An is a very touristy place. I have seen more westerners here than any other place
I struck up a conversation with the young ladies working for the bus company and we along with a friend of theirs all went out for some authentic Vietnamese food that night. Me being the "rich American" seemed the natural choice to pick up the tab. The food was very good and we all had a lot of laughs and they increased they vocabulary also.
At 8am the next morning I caught the tour bus to Hue. Hue is about 5 hours north along the coast from Hoi An. This was the most interesting bus ride yet. We stopped twice, once to have lunch and once at a place called Marble mountain
After Marble mountain we went of a mountain pass along the coast that had another great view of the water and the mountains. This piece of highway is considered the most scenic in Vietnam.
We arrived into Hue about 1:30 in the afternoon. Hue is a very historical area containing a 200 year old citadel that was the scene of very intense fighting during the Vietnam war and unfortunately many of the structures were destroyed. In the area I believe there are seven emporors buried. The Perfume river runs through the center of town and reminds me more of chocolate milk than perfume. There is a very nice park area running quite a distance on both sides of the river
Thus far I like this city more than any I have visited in Vietnam thus far. Today I just wandered around trying to get my bearings. I had some very good food for lunch trying a couple of the local specialties. I have tried to do this lately and have found it enjoyable. So far I have not found any $.20 local beer though. I am looking into taking a tour of the DMZ a few hours north of here. I will take all day but could be very interesting. It will consist of visiting a couple old US bases and a chance to go through some of the tunnels the locals used to survive during the war.
The people seem a little friendlier here than other places. Today I was walking by a school yard where the kids about middle school age were doing exercises outside. This one kid lets out a loud "hello". This is a common thing for the children to do not that the adults don't do it but the adults do it because they want to get your attention to sell you something, and if they don't say hello they just say "you". Anyway after I responded to this boy half the class turns around. We have the usual conversation of "how are you"? "fine", "how are you"? "fine, thank you" and they are all laughing. I have met many younger people who are eager to practice their English conversation skills
This afternoon I met a young woman while pricing the DMZ tour who became quite chatty when she found out I was American. She asked my name and when I told her she about fell out of her chair. She said that she an American "friend" named Dale who visited her last year and had been sending her money every month ever since. It was an interesting story if it was true. I asked her where in America her friend lived and she could not tell me. Hmm? I told her she should work harder on the details if she wanted to make a good impression on him. This mail order bride situation seems to be alive and well here in Vietnam.
In the late afternoon I walked over the brigde to the other side of the mighty Perfume river to see the market and whatever else there was to see. They have a very large market there though much of it closes down in the afternoon. I did look around at the clothing for sale which is a tiresome experience.
It is NOT possible just to simply ask how much for that T-shirt? This just starts a process that usually leaves everyone involved dissatisfied. It works like this. You ask how much something, anything is.
Yesterday I asked about the price of a shirt and they took it down and put it on me and said "you a handsome man" hey it isn't quite like "I love you a long time" but certainly of questionable sincerity. Anyway I am almost to the point where unless I am serious about buying something I hate to even look around.
Today I decided to get adventurous and rent a bicycle. This bike was probably used by the North Vietnamese during the war from the condition and color of it. It should have been melted down thirty years ago and made into a hand grenade. Actually road pretty well but barely had any brakes. I rode about 2 miles out to see a pagoda along the river. It really was a nice little ride. The pagoda was under renovation so all you saw was scaffolding, but there was a nice temple behind it with a monk striking something that looked like an upside down bell but made a sound like a gong.
After riding back into town I decided to ride out into the countryside for kicks. As I am riding along daydreaming a woman on a motorcycle pulls up along side and says hello. She asks where I am from and I tell her. She says her village is up ahead and is very nice and would I like to see it. I say sure and she leads me about 6 miles out into the hinterland. As we get near her home she says would you mind is we stop at my house for 2 minutes? I said ok. We pull up in the yard of a modest stucco one story house with a yard full of trees, chickens, ducks, dog and a cat. She invites me to take a seat at a table on the porch in the shade.
Me being the naive lad that I am think she would just like to brush up on her english language skills. She brings out a tea pot and a couple of glasses and introduces me to her 18 year old daughter. Her daughter speaks excellent english the best I have encountered on my travels. We start talking and do so for over three hours on many subjects then the daughter cuts to the chase.
She asked if I can give her some money to help pay her tuition at the university. This being the third time I have been hit up for money by people that have befriended me has made me shall I say REAL F***ING CYNICAL about saying anything more than hello to the locals
I tell her I am not in a position to help since I do not even have a job myself. A few minutes later she asks again the answer has not changed. She bows out and sends her Mom out to give it a shot. She is no luckier. At this point she says she wants some money for the tea. I give her about triple what tea would be in a restaurant and she demands twice that much. At this point I am so angry I want to pour the tea over her head. I give her what she wants and jump on my trusty bike and head for town.
Spent the rest of the day unwinding. I have enjoyed Hue more than any other city I have visited in Vietnam and highly recommend it. It seems Vietnam gets more interesting the further north one travels.
Halloween day 2004 starts early 6am with a tour bus picking me up for an all day tour of the area near the former border between the north and south of Vietnam. The tour is appropriately called the DMZ tour.
We drive for 2 hours and stop for a meager breakfast included in the tour. Then a few minutes up the highways we pass an something called the Doc Mieu base. Turns out it was just a high spot the US used to observe the enemy from. Next we stop and the river which marked the middle of the DMZ, looks just like any other river and bridge. Another half hour up the road to the highlight of the tour, the Vinh Moc tunnel complex.
The Vinh Moc tunnel were dug in 1966 because the villagers were tired of getting blasted out of bed by the battleships of the coast. There is still just short of a mile of tunnels left and we stumbled through about 250 meters of them reaching a depth of about 70 feet. Most of them were about 5ft tall and 3ft wide, other than the meeting area where they actually showed movies and got together for the news of the day where I could actually stand up straight but just barely. There were 13 entrances/exits, 7 of which opened to the sea which was really picturesque. The lighting was poor which made it more interesting and realistic. They said that up to 700 people lived underground for as much as 5 days at a time without coming about ground. Seventeen children took their first breaths from below ground.
Next on the agenda was a drive toward the Lao border where again they pointed out a large hill that our soldiers once used to view the area. Onwards to the Ho Chi Minh Trail though I don't think it was paved back then. A short stop at an "ethnic village" where the locals carry their firewood in baskets on their backs as opposed to in baskets at the end of a piece of bamboo draped across their shoulders.
The final stop was in the town of Khe Sanh where the US had a very important airbase. Again the key word here is had. Long ago the Vietnamese figured out that it might be a more productive use of this very fertile ground to grow coffee so they turned the area into a coffee plantation. By the time somebody figured out that they were missing out on a tourist opportunity it was pretty much too late. The did bring in two old helicopters and some old rusty bombs to put outside a small museum they built last year.
I can understand why our soldiers refered to the place as hell. I looked very indefensible to me. Khe Sanh is only 12 miles from Laos which made it very convenient for the North Vietnamese to access through Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
This entry is getting a bit long so I will put it bed. Tomorrow morning I will see the sunrise from Hanoi the former capital of North Vietnam and final resting place of Ho Chi Minh.
The road down the mountainside was a slow go due to all the hairpin turns. Once we reached the bottom it was back to the slow grind again averaging about 30mph for the 6 hour trip to Nha Trang.
Nha trang sits right on the South China sea and has a beautiful beach that to me looked just like the beach in Ft
Beach at Nha Trang, Vietnam
. Lauderdale, Florida. The road runs right along the beach and between the road and the beach is a sidewalk with benches. Along the edge of the sand are coconut trees.I was only in Nha Trang about 5 hours. Again I had no intention of visiting Nha Trang much like Da Lat but due to the slowness of the buses I ended up passing through. It really is a nice little city and would be a good place for someone wanting a beach holiday in Vietnam. I spent my time wandering the market where I bought a new pair of sandals, eating lunch, eating ice cream, drinking coffee, and writing a travelogue for your entertainment.
At 6pm I ate dinner at a sidewalk eatery with the locals and caught my bus for Hoi An at 6:30pm.
An overnight bus trip in Vietnam is only more interesting than spending the night on a bus in the states because it is Vietnam. The bus will stop twice during the night or at least they plan on stopping twice. Once is for dinner for a half hour and the second time is for a break as in toilet break and for the drivers to watch some bad television. Of course if you are hungry they usually have some potato chips for sale or a beer is you are thirsty
Beach Nha Trang, Vietnam
.Shortly after leaving Nha Trang it began to rain. This is the first rain I have seen during my trip. I really did not think it the most ideal time for rain. It was night on a narrow, winding road with a sheer drop into the South China Sea. This did not seem to deter the driver a bit. I was amazed at the speed he drove under the conditions. We would pass other buses and trucks going uphill in blind corners and downhill for that matter. He really seemed to know the limit of how fast that bus could go without sliding off the road. It certainly kept me awake a little longer than planned.
We arrived in Hoi An about 6:30am. We went through the normal routine of stopping at a couple of hotels they would have liked us to stay in. This time as opposed to in Da Lat I did not think they were doing me any favors. The alternative is to have them drop you off at their office in town to seek out accomodations on your own. Fortunately there are plenty of places to stay nearby and it is the slow season so the inn keepers are eager for the business.
Hoi An is a very touristy place. I have seen more westerners here than any other place
Citadel in Hue, Vietnam
. Half the town is easily made up of tailor shops. They claim they can reproduce an garment from an example or a photograph. Someday I would like to come back and take advantage of this opportunity but this time around I do not have the luggage space for such luxuries. The town is otherwise very compact and quite easy to walk around in. It has a little waterfront and market there which were quite nice. For me the highlight of the town was when I found a little restaurant that served draft beer for 20 cents a mug. I at there twice and would have had breakfast there had I found it earlier. By the way the food was excellent also. They served something called "White Roses" which was as I remember it a sort of shrimp dumpling and it was fantastic.I struck up a conversation with the young ladies working for the bus company and we along with a friend of theirs all went out for some authentic Vietnamese food that night. Me being the "rich American" seemed the natural choice to pick up the tab. The food was very good and we all had a lot of laughs and they increased they vocabulary also.
At 8am the next morning I caught the tour bus to Hue. Hue is about 5 hours north along the coast from Hoi An. This was the most interesting bus ride yet. We stopped twice, once to have lunch and once at a place called Marble mountain
Coastline between Hoi An & Hue, Vietnam
. Lunch was the usual but Marble mountain was worth the stop. This area just south of Da Nang is an area where there are marble quarries and the people believe themselves to be Vietnamese Michaelangelo's. There were some very impressive scuptures of all sizes. There were huge lions, buddhas, elephants, and all sorts of other figures. As for souvenir stands, as far as the eye could see. I could not resist picking up a few items which I now have to lug all over Asia until I get home. There are so many things I would like to buy but I just can't pack all this stuff around the rest of the trip.After Marble mountain we went of a mountain pass along the coast that had another great view of the water and the mountains. This piece of highway is considered the most scenic in Vietnam.
We arrived into Hue about 1:30 in the afternoon. Hue is a very historical area containing a 200 year old citadel that was the scene of very intense fighting during the Vietnam war and unfortunately many of the structures were destroyed. In the area I believe there are seven emporors buried. The Perfume river runs through the center of town and reminds me more of chocolate milk than perfume. There is a very nice park area running quite a distance on both sides of the river
Elephant outside Hue
. Thus far I like this city more than any I have visited in Vietnam thus far. Today I just wandered around trying to get my bearings. I had some very good food for lunch trying a couple of the local specialties. I have tried to do this lately and have found it enjoyable. So far I have not found any $.20 local beer though. I am looking into taking a tour of the DMZ a few hours north of here. I will take all day but could be very interesting. It will consist of visiting a couple old US bases and a chance to go through some of the tunnels the locals used to survive during the war.
The people seem a little friendlier here than other places. Today I was walking by a school yard where the kids about middle school age were doing exercises outside. This one kid lets out a loud "hello". This is a common thing for the children to do not that the adults don't do it but the adults do it because they want to get your attention to sell you something, and if they don't say hello they just say "you". Anyway after I responded to this boy half the class turns around. We have the usual conversation of "how are you"? "fine", "how are you"? "fine, thank you" and they are all laughing. I have met many younger people who are eager to practice their English conversation skills
Hue, Vietnam
.This afternoon I met a young woman while pricing the DMZ tour who became quite chatty when she found out I was American. She asked my name and when I told her she about fell out of her chair. She said that she an American "friend" named Dale who visited her last year and had been sending her money every month ever since. It was an interesting story if it was true. I asked her where in America her friend lived and she could not tell me. Hmm? I told her she should work harder on the details if she wanted to make a good impression on him. This mail order bride situation seems to be alive and well here in Vietnam.
In the late afternoon I walked over the brigde to the other side of the mighty Perfume river to see the market and whatever else there was to see. They have a very large market there though much of it closes down in the afternoon. I did look around at the clothing for sale which is a tiresome experience.
It is NOT possible just to simply ask how much for that T-shirt? This just starts a process that usually leaves everyone involved dissatisfied. It works like this. You ask how much something, anything is.
Nha Trang, Vietnam
They respond with a ridiculous price. You say no thanks and begin to move on. Then they say wait mister how much you pay? Unless you just walk away things get real involved. They just keep badgering you for a price which when you give them one they don't like they look at you like you have called them a four letter word.Yesterday I asked about the price of a shirt and they took it down and put it on me and said "you a handsome man" hey it isn't quite like "I love you a long time" but certainly of questionable sincerity. Anyway I am almost to the point where unless I am serious about buying something I hate to even look around.
Today I decided to get adventurous and rent a bicycle. This bike was probably used by the North Vietnamese during the war from the condition and color of it. It should have been melted down thirty years ago and made into a hand grenade. Actually road pretty well but barely had any brakes. I rode about 2 miles out to see a pagoda along the river. It really was a nice little ride. The pagoda was under renovation so all you saw was scaffolding, but there was a nice temple behind it with a monk striking something that looked like an upside down bell but made a sound like a gong.
Perfume river Hue, Vietnam
After riding back into town I decided to ride out into the countryside for kicks. As I am riding along daydreaming a woman on a motorcycle pulls up along side and says hello. She asks where I am from and I tell her. She says her village is up ahead and is very nice and would I like to see it. I say sure and she leads me about 6 miles out into the hinterland. As we get near her home she says would you mind is we stop at my house for 2 minutes? I said ok. We pull up in the yard of a modest stucco one story house with a yard full of trees, chickens, ducks, dog and a cat. She invites me to take a seat at a table on the porch in the shade.
Me being the naive lad that I am think she would just like to brush up on her english language skills. She brings out a tea pot and a couple of glasses and introduces me to her 18 year old daughter. Her daughter speaks excellent english the best I have encountered on my travels. We start talking and do so for over three hours on many subjects then the daughter cuts to the chase.
She asked if I can give her some money to help pay her tuition at the university. This being the third time I have been hit up for money by people that have befriended me has made me shall I say REAL F***ING CYNICAL about saying anything more than hello to the locals
Tunnel entrance at Vinh Moc
. Just because I have that blue passport with the big eagle on the front does not automatically make me rich does it? They off course take it as a given. They seem to view an American as an easy mark for a sad story.I tell her I am not in a position to help since I do not even have a job myself. A few minutes later she asks again the answer has not changed. She bows out and sends her Mom out to give it a shot. She is no luckier. At this point she says she wants some money for the tea. I give her about triple what tea would be in a restaurant and she demands twice that much. At this point I am so angry I want to pour the tea over her head. I give her what she wants and jump on my trusty bike and head for town.
Spent the rest of the day unwinding. I have enjoyed Hue more than any other city I have visited in Vietnam and highly recommend it. It seems Vietnam gets more interesting the further north one travels.
Halloween day 2004 starts early 6am with a tour bus picking me up for an all day tour of the area near the former border between the north and south of Vietnam. The tour is appropriately called the DMZ tour.
Vietnam coast
We drive for 2 hours and stop for a meager breakfast included in the tour. Then a few minutes up the highways we pass an something called the Doc Mieu base. Turns out it was just a high spot the US used to observe the enemy from. Next we stop and the river which marked the middle of the DMZ, looks just like any other river and bridge. Another half hour up the road to the highlight of the tour, the Vinh Moc tunnel complex.
The Vinh Moc tunnel were dug in 1966 because the villagers were tired of getting blasted out of bed by the battleships of the coast. There is still just short of a mile of tunnels left and we stumbled through about 250 meters of them reaching a depth of about 70 feet. Most of them were about 5ft tall and 3ft wide, other than the meeting area where they actually showed movies and got together for the news of the day where I could actually stand up straight but just barely. There were 13 entrances/exits, 7 of which opened to the sea which was really picturesque. The lighting was poor which made it more interesting and realistic. They said that up to 700 people lived underground for as much as 5 days at a time without coming about ground. Seventeen children took their first breaths from below ground.
Next on the agenda was a drive toward the Lao border where again they pointed out a large hill that our soldiers once used to view the area. Onwards to the Ho Chi Minh Trail though I don't think it was paved back then. A short stop at an "ethnic village" where the locals carry their firewood in baskets on their backs as opposed to in baskets at the end of a piece of bamboo draped across their shoulders.
The final stop was in the town of Khe Sanh where the US had a very important airbase. Again the key word here is had. Long ago the Vietnamese figured out that it might be a more productive use of this very fertile ground to grow coffee so they turned the area into a coffee plantation. By the time somebody figured out that they were missing out on a tourist opportunity it was pretty much too late. The did bring in two old helicopters and some old rusty bombs to put outside a small museum they built last year.
I can understand why our soldiers refered to the place as hell. I looked very indefensible to me. Khe Sanh is only 12 miles from Laos which made it very convenient for the North Vietnamese to access through Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
This entry is getting a bit long so I will put it bed. Tomorrow morning I will see the sunrise from Hanoi the former capital of North Vietnam and final resting place of Ho Chi Minh.
Royal remembrance
A smal restaurant in HCMC renders the original cuisine and atmosphere of the ancient central imperial city of Hue.
Located on a cul–de–sac off of bustling Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Mi Tau Restaurant is a real native spot for central folks missing home. The restaurant’s name is inspired by the colloquial identification of “you” and “I” that Hue locals on friendly terms tend to call each other by.
The architecture of Mi Tau Restaurant is supplemented by antique furniture, which creates a warm and sensual atmosphere for diners to relive the romance of the ancient capital. Elegant decorations in soothing colors and pictures depicting the old capital’s landscape adorn the walls. In the corner, wooden shelves full of books and magazines hide away patrons who want to retreat from the crowd for an intimate chat.
The restaurant is also decorated by original works portraying a piano, a viola and a map of Vietnam made from various kinds of butterfly wings.
In addition to the tasteful setting, Mi Tau’s cuisine is really the draw for patrons. Preserving the unique elements of Hue cuisine is the restaurant’s forte. Gastronomic specialties such as Hue’s beef noodle soup, banh beo (thinly sliced flour cake with shrimp toppings), com vua – hoang hau (king and queen rice) will please the most discerning central gourmet.
Traditional dishes like ruoc tom chua (sour salted shredded shrimp and meat), khoai lang duong ngoc (sweet potato) and fish sauce will hark diners back to sweet childhood memories of tantalizing homemade meals. The dessert choices include some delightful offerings like dua dong suong (cold coconut jelly) and other sweet cakes.
Last but not least, the reasonable prices suit all pockets. With dishes ranging from VND20,000-80,000 (US$1.20-4.80), Mi Tau Restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall spot not to be missed.
Mi Tau Restaurant
6/33 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, District 1, HCMC
Tel: (08) 38 272 856
Located on a cul–de–sac off of bustling Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, Mi Tau Restaurant is a real native spot for central folks missing home. The restaurant’s name is inspired by the colloquial identification of “you” and “I” that Hue locals on friendly terms tend to call each other by.
The architecture of Mi Tau Restaurant is supplemented by antique furniture, which creates a warm and sensual atmosphere for diners to relive the romance of the ancient capital. Elegant decorations in soothing colors and pictures depicting the old capital’s landscape adorn the walls. In the corner, wooden shelves full of books and magazines hide away patrons who want to retreat from the crowd for an intimate chat.
The restaurant is also decorated by original works portraying a piano, a viola and a map of Vietnam made from various kinds of butterfly wings.
In addition to the tasteful setting, Mi Tau’s cuisine is really the draw for patrons. Preserving the unique elements of Hue cuisine is the restaurant’s forte. Gastronomic specialties such as Hue’s beef noodle soup, banh beo (thinly sliced flour cake with shrimp toppings), com vua – hoang hau (king and queen rice) will please the most discerning central gourmet.
Traditional dishes like ruoc tom chua (sour salted shredded shrimp and meat), khoai lang duong ngoc (sweet potato) and fish sauce will hark diners back to sweet childhood memories of tantalizing homemade meals. The dessert choices include some delightful offerings like dua dong suong (cold coconut jelly) and other sweet cakes.
Last but not least, the reasonable prices suit all pockets. With dishes ranging from VND20,000-80,000 (US$1.20-4.80), Mi Tau Restaurant is a hole-in-the-wall spot not to be missed.
Mi Tau Restaurant
6/33 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street, District 1, HCMC
Tel: (08) 38 272 856
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