|
Support Online
 
Advanced Search
More Information
FAQ Categories
Payment
|
 |
Vietnam Open Tour News & EventsSATURDAY 08 AUGUST, 2009 |
 Hoi An - a living museum Located along the Thu Bon River, the ancient town of
Hoi An Port was called
The older houses in Hoi An are interesting works of art. They were built in different styles and within each one can see quite different kinds of carving and decor. Hoi An is sometimes called a living museum. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recognized Hoi An as a world cultural heritage center.
Since 1998, on the 14th day of each lunar month, Tran Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Le Loi and Bach Dang Roads in Hoi An are illuminated by lanterns only. Wandering along these four streets one could imagine what it might have been like 300 hundred years ago. Hoi An is charming and hold the remains of a glorious past that have been well preserved. VietNamNet/VEN
Ha Noi pagodas lure visitors with rich historical offerings The Tay Phuong and Thay pagodas were among destinations Rett Townsley, a third year recreation management student at the Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, visited during a tour of suburban Ha Noi.
Intrigued: A visitor looks at arhat statues at Tay Phuong Pagoda in Thach Xa village, 30km west of Ha Noi. "It was interesting to see the Buddhist Tay Phuong Pagoda, which is typical of those in the rural areas," said Townsley. The pagoda is renowned for its lacquered wood statues of arhats, considered among Southeast Asia’s most beautiful statues. It was built in the late 16th and early 17th centuries during the Later-Le Dynasty era on Tay Phuong mountain in Thach Xa village, about 30km west of central Ha Noi. The pagoda features three separate two-storey buildings. Built with bricks from Bat Trang village, each has unplastered walls. Each roof has eight apexes, which represent living beings, while carving of dragons, phoenix and flowers enhance rafters and beams. Archways feature a mixture of round and square bricks and the windows are round. "The pagoda is typical of Orient architecture and Buddhism philosophy," said Nguyen Hoang Anh, of Focus Travel company. Pagodas are popular with Vietnamese but a mystery to tourists. "The pagoda attracts visitors because of its long history and arhats". The pagoda has 62 lacquered Buddha wood statues from the 18th century. They feature different expressions of Buddha, who reached the peak of the religion – Nivarna. Sculpture
Neverland: A view from Sai Son Mountain of Thay Pagoda in Quoc Oai district in Ha Noi. The pagoda was built to honour Zen Buddhist Tu Dao Hanh, founder of Vietnamese water puppetry. "Tourists can experience country life and learn more about pagodas during trips around Ha Noi. Pagodas are mainly in rural areas where the pace of life suited Buddhists." The pagoda is the first stop on one-day trip in suburban Ha Noi. Another stop is Thay Pagoda, 8km from Tay Phuong Pagoda. The Thay Pagoda, at the foot of Sai Son Mountain in Quoc Oai district, was built to worship Zen Buddhist Tu Dao Hanh, founder of water puppets in Viet Nam. Built in the 11th century, its small pagodas ha (lower), trung (middle) and thuong (upper) are surrounded by a lake and trees, where Hanh spent his religious life. The pagoda is the biggest and tallest, and has statues for worship of the Zen Buddhist. The upper pagoda’s main gate features two 4m statues made of a mixture of clay, honey, egg and chopped paper and were lacquered more than 500 years ago. They are biggest clay statues in Viet Nam. Most of the statues are made of jack fruit wood, which is popular in northern provinces," said a local guide, Do Thi Huyen. Thay pagoda was a place where Zen Buddhist Tu Dao Hanh meditated and died. He began his religious life in Lang Pagoda in Ha Noi. "Followers flock to the pagoda on the fifth day of the third lunar month when the main festival is held," she said. Local people also wash the statue of the Zen Buddhist, who also introduced wresting and folk games to the area. The Thay Pagoda’s front yard opens to Long Chieu Lake which has a water pavilion in the middle. The pagoda looks like the head of a dragon while the front yard appears as its jaw. Two small bridges link the yard to a small islet and a mountain path. Thay Pagoda is a complex of pagodas. Tu Dao Hanh first meditated on top of Sai Son Mountain, which is home to many caves. "Cac Co cave is known as a place for young people, who love each other and get together during the Spring Festival," the guide said. Townsley made several visits to the water puppet theatre to image what things he saw at the pagoda. "It’s great break from city life. It’s interesting to see Thay Pagoda, where water puppetry originated. I could have spent more time there," Townsley said. For tour information visit www.focusvietnam.com, or email infor@focustravel.com.vn. VietNamNet/Viet Nam News
The island of storks and night herons Around 30km from Hai Duong city, Chi Lang Nam stork-night heron island occupies the middle of 4ha An Duong Lake.
While other stork gardens like Lang Giang in Bac Giang province and Lap Thach in Vinh Phuc province are owned by individuals and facing difficulties in preservation, the stork island in Chi Lang Nam district, Hai Duong province is strictly protected by the local government and residents.
A few decades ago, the first storks and night herons migrated to this island. As Chi Lang Nam is uninhabited, many people went there to hunt storks. The local government then banned stork hunting and instituted measures to preserve the birds.
Since then, the number of birds has soared. In the winter, the island is home to hundreds of thousands of storks and night herons, according to a local official.
The best time to visit Chi Lang Nam stork island is in the early morning or late afternoon. At these times, visitors will see the “shift change” between storks and night herons. Night herons return to the island in the morning after a working night while storks leave the island in the morning to search for food.
It is very interesting that the “shift change” is very bustling but in strict order. Storks and night herons on this island never fight each other for food. They protect the island together against mice and owls.
Though the island is not far from gardens of local people and many people have tried to “invite” the birds to their gardens, storks and night herons only live on the island.
To visit this special island, visitors have to pay only 6000 dong ($0.3) for a boat trip around the island. Tourists can also fish there.
VietNamNet/Dan Tri Pity body art For the first time body art was used at a traditional festival in Vietnam, the Lanh Giang temple festival in the northern province of Ha Nam. This event created controversy as some have called the use of body art disrespectful to saints. Art critic Nguyen Hung, who has suggested organising a body-art festival next month, presents a view about this contemporary art.
As an art critic, what do you think about body art at the Lanh Giang temple festival?
Not too impressive, just like illustrations.
What is body art’s place in the history of art in your conception?
Body art can be simply seen as an art that employs human bodies as the means of expression. It is extremely difficult to track the origin of body art, but as an art trend, body art appeared in the US in the 1960s. It quickly spread everywhere along with movements to liberalise personality like hippy and women’s rights movements.
In many countries in the world, many people were afraid of body art because of the above “things” that accompanied it, which challenged the so-called traditional values. Body art, however, has become very popular today.
What are the relations between body art and tattoos and body painting? Some say that tattoos and body painting are major forms of body art. Tattoos appeared in Vietnam in ancient times, so body art is not so strange to Vietnamese culture, is it?
Tattoos and body painting appeared a long time ago as custom. The tattoo is close to the water civilisation. Body painting is attached to aboriginal culture. Roughly, they were the ancient people’s disguise arts to adapt themselves to the challenging living environment. Neither of them have relations to art in the past. They are only seen as art when they are expressed as art by artists.
In Vietnam, many people don’t understand about the origin of body art, installation and performance art.
Is body art too sexy? Do you think that supporting body art is paving the way for bad behaviours in society?
Which aspect of body art is seen as overly sexy? Because the body is revealed? Firstly, showing bodies is not always sexy. There are many examples in art to prove this opinion. To be sexy, in many cases, bodies are not exposed. Briefly, it is dependent on the viewpoint and the way of expression to determine whether body art is sexy or not.
Secondly, is sexy bad? Frankly, sex is a part of life and sex is indispensable. No cultural institution or even religion can eliminate sex, but only control sex.
In Vietnam, body art is popular in the forms of tattoos and painting on bodies. Before it became an art phenomenon, it was a social phenomenon. Supporting body art at this moment is not paving the way for wrong behaviours.
Thirdly, it is easy to see through body-art performances that artists display their unique creativeness. Body art looks even less sexy than swimwear fashion shows or swimwear competitions in beauty contests.
You suggested holding a body-art festival this year. Do you think that it will be a success in this situation?
I hope that the festival will be a big show that can draw a panorama about the conception and practice of body art in Vietnam. I’m sure that once we have an open play ground, the “face” of body art in Vietnam will be different.
Could you tell more about this event?
I only raised the idea and sketched the contents. I have to find an organiser. I want to hold it in Hanoi but some partners proposed Nha Trang. I cannot disclose more details about the programmes, but I can say that it will be very attractive!
VietNamNet/TT&VH What’s On August 3 - 9 Exhibitions L'Espace 24 Trang Tien St., Tel: 39362164 - Itinerant plastic installation exhibition Hanoi-Paris-Rio, July 29-Aug 28.
Hanoi Future Art 64, Lane 310, Nghi Tam Road - Exhibition entitled Business As Usual of six Vietnamese and Danish artists, till Aug 21.
25Studio Lane 34, Giang Van Minh St. - Exhibition entitled Chap (Crazy) of nine young Vietnamese artists, till Aug 25.
National Museum of Vietnamese History 1 Pham Ngu Lao St. - Exhibition entitled Sa Huynh Culture, 100 Years of Discovery and Study.
Maison Des Arts 31A Van Mieu St, Tel: 7478096 - Photo, painting, video & sculpture exhibition entitled Long Bien Bridge's Memory, till Oct 10. All artistic works featuring the author's souvenirs with the Long Bien bridge and Hanoi are welcomed and will be displayed at the Long Bien Festival on Oct 10-11.
Ho Chi Minh City
War Remnant Museum Vo Van Tan St., Dist 3. - Photo exhibition showcasing images of the war and subsequent changes in Viet Nam by Japanese photojournalists Yasufumi Murayama and Nishimura Yoichi, till August 27.
Tu Do Gallery 53 Ho Tung Mau St., Dist 1. - Contemporary art paintings, daily 9am-7pm.
Performances
Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre 57B Dinh Tien Hoang St, Tel: 38220268 - Water puppet excepts at 4pm; 5.15pm; 6.30pm; 8pm; 9.15pm. Tickets: VND20,000-40,000.
National Circus Theatre 67-69 Tran Nhan Tong St. Tel: 38220277/68 - Shows at 10am; 8pm everyday. Tickets: VND40,000-50,000.
Ha Noi Cheo Club 15 Nguyen Dinh Chieu St. Tel: 39437361 - Vietnamese popular opera accompanied by traditional orchestra. Performances on Mon & Fri at 8pm. Ticket price at VND50,000.
Viet Nam Museum of Ethnology Nguyen Van Huyen Rd., Tel: 37562193 - Water puppet performance at 10am; 11.30am; 2.30pm; 4pm. Tickets: VND10,000-20,000.
Viet Nam Tuong Theatre 51 Duong Thanh St,. Tel 38287268 - Five scenes from traditional Tuong plays, at 5pm, Wed & Thu. Ticket prices at VND50,000.
Hanoi Daewoo Hotel 360 Kim Ma Rd, Tel: 8315000 Lake View - New Attitude - Fillipino band, Hanoian hottest live performances nightly from 9pm to midnight from Tue to Sun.
Melia Hanoi Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Tel 39343343 Latino Bar - Authentic Tapas Bar and live band: happy hour from 4pm-8pm, Mon-Sat and all night happy hour on Sun.
Sofitel Metropole Hanoi Hotel 15 Ngo Quyen St. Tel: 38266919 - Performance of jazz diva Kathryn, from 9.45pm onwards, Tue-Sun.
Ho Chi Minh City
Park Hyatt Sai Gon Hotel: Park Lounge 2 Lam Son Sq, Dist 1, Tel: (08 385202329) Tel: 08 38241234 - Live performance by American singer Hilary Scott, every night except Tue, from 8pm till midnight.
Municipal Opera House Lam Son Sq, Dist 1. Tel: 38322009 - Live concert entitled Duc Tuan On Broadway-Music of the Night by singer Duc Tuan, 8pm, Aug 29.
Sheraton Sai Gon Hotel & Towers 88 Dong Khoi St., Dist 1. Tel: 38272828 Nightspot (level 23) - Four-night music performance by Latin pop band - Habana Revolution, Aug 24-27, 8pm, Aug 29.
HCM City Labour Cultural House 55B Nguyen Thi Minh Khai St, Dist 1. - Water puppetry performance, 6.30pm and 8pm, Sat & Sun.
Caravelle Hotel: Sai Gon Sai Gon Bar
Tel: 08 38234999 - Live music by the Juram band led by Filipino guitarist Juram Batapa Gavero, every Mon night. - Live performance featuring Latin and Cuban rhythmic music by the Warapo, Tue-Sun, 8pm till late.
Majestic Hotel 1 Dong Khoi St., Dist 1. M-Bar (Level 8) - Live music entertainment by the Filipino band, 8.30-11pm. Catinat - Romantic piano music with cocktails&soft drinks, noon-11pm.
Legend Hotel Saigon 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St., Dist 1. Tel: 38233333 - Live piano music at the Legend Lounge, daily 5-11pm (12noon-2pm on Sun)
Cinemas
MegaStar Cineplex 191 Ba Trieu St, Tel: 39743333
- Bedtime Stories (US, OV) - Red Cliff 2 (China OV) - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN)
National Cinema Centre 87 Lang Ha St, Tel: 5141791 - Red Cliff 2 (China DV) - Marley & Me (US, DV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN)
Dan Chu Cinema 211 Kham Thien St, Tel: 38516702 - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN)
August Cinema 45 Hang Bai St, Tel: 04 38253911 - Marley & Me (US, DV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam)
Ngoc Khanh Cinema 521 Kim Ma St, Tel: 7712750 - Bedtime Stories (US, OV) - Marley & Me (US, DV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN)
Bach Mai Cinema 437 Bach Mai St, Tel: 36273966 - Marley & Me (US, DV)
Dang Dung Cinema 17-19 Dang Dung St, Tel: 37342832 - War Inc (US, DV)
Ho Chi Minh City
Galaxy Nguyen Du Cinema 116 Nguyen Du St, Dist 1, Tel: 08 38235235 - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Red Cliff 2 (China OV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN). Buy-one-get-one every Tue.
Galaxy Nguyen Trai Cinema 230 Nguyen Trai St, Dist 1, Tel: 39206688 - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Red Cliff 2 (China OV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN). Buy-one-get-one every Tue & Wed.
Megastar Cineplex Hung Vuong 126 Hung Vuong Dist 5. Tel: 32220388 - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (US, OV) - Yes Man (US, OV) - Dep Tung Centimet (Beautiful to the Last Centimetre) (VN). - Giai Cuu Than Chet (Saving The Angel of Death) (Viet Nam) - Red Cliff 2 (China, OV) - Huyen Thoai Bat Tu (The Legend is Alive) (Viet Nam) - Bedtime Stories (US, OV) - Red Cliff 2 (China, OV)
Dining Out Hanoi
Hanoi Cooking Centre 44 Chau Long St, Tel: 37150088 - Hands-on Vietnamese and international cooking classes including, Ha Noi & the Northern Highlands, vegan tofu and BBQ & Salads. Daily at 9.30am and 2.30pm, $45-55/person, includes local market tour (morning classes only), all dishes, free flow local wine/beer.
Melia Hanoi Hotel 44B Ly Thuong Kiet St, Tel: 39343343 El Patio - Daily buffet dinner featuring BBQ sausage, hamburger and spring rolls, rib and sushi corner, BBQ meat feast and Vietnamese seafood market, $22/person, pay 2 adults free 1 kid under 12. El Oriental - Summer Promotion: choice of secret recipes set menus created by award winning Vietnamese chefs. - A la minute grill Nha Trang lobster served with garlic butter or dry scallops and celery sauce, $18/person. Latino Bar - Happy hour from 4pm-8.30pm, Mon-Sat. All night happy hour, Sun. Ladies Night every Wed.
Nikko Hanoi Hotel 84 Tran Nhan Tong St, Tel: 8223535 1/ La Brasserie - Lunch buffet featuring flower crap and delicatessen festival with different tastes, weekdays, till Aug 30. 2/ Tao Li - Succulent duck presented with many different ways of cooking at lunch and dinner, till Aug 31. 3/ Benkay - Kushiage fair: simple, tasty with deep fried skewers, in Aug.
Hilton Hanoi Opera Hotel 1 Le Thanh Tong St, Tel: 39330500/550 Hilton mooncake with eight traditional flavoured pastes available from Aug 28. 1/ Ba Mien Restaurant - Red Apron wine dinner: welcome reception and 4-course set menu. - BBQ brunch including classic Vietnamese favourites cooked to order, seafood and prime cut terrace BBQ and live traditional Vietnamese entertainment, 12am-3pm, every Sun. - 50% discount lunch of more than 40 most popular traditional dishes, Mon-Sat. 2/ Chez Manon - International dishes with a Mediterranean twist, thru August.
Ho Chi Minh City
Legend Hotel Saigon 2A-4A Ton Duc Thang St, Dist 1, Tel: 38233333 Atrium Cafe - Swiss National Day Celebration's Sunday brunch buffet featuring Swiss specialties such as fondue, pastetli and many more, Aug 2.
Sheraton Sai Gon Hotel & Tower 88 Dong Khoi St, Dist 1, Tel: 38274002 Sai Gon Cafe - Spanish Nights with a selection of tapas and traditional Spanish cuisine, every Mon, 6-10pm. - International buffet for lunch and dinner, daily 12-2pm; 6-10pm. Li Bai - Dim sum and other Chinese specialties for lunch and dinner.
Hotel Equatorial 242 Tran Binh Trong St, Dist 5, Tel: 38397777 Chit Chat at the Cafe - Extensive buffet with over 60 food items for daily lunch ($10++) and dinner ($25++). - Smorgasbord Night, every Fri. - Family Sunday brunch with foie grass, Alaska King crab, raclette cheese and other international and local dishes, 11.30am-2.30pm. Orientica Seafood Restaurant - Special set dinner menu, daily, from $35++. - All-you-can-eat with a selection of over 60 Chinese food items, daily 11.30am-2.30pm. - Best valued set lunch in town, featuring Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese, and Western set, daily.
Majestic Hotel 1 Dong Khoi St, Dist 1. Tel: 38295517 Cycle Cafe - Special buffet dinner with fresh seafood and a selection of International and Vietnamese dishes for daily lunch and dinner.
Renaissance Riverside Hotel Sai Gon 8-15 Ton Duc Thang St, Dist 1, Tel: 38220033 Kabin Chinese Restaurant - Exclusive Kabin mooncake in stylish packaging, Aug 20 - Oct 3. - Signature starter during dinner in Aug, 6pm-10pm. - Executive set lunch, 12noon-2.30pm. - Finest dim sum in town by master chef Loi Ming for lunch, daily 12noon-2.30pm.
VietNamNet Bridge News for Friday 07 August, 2009
View all news for Friday 07 August, 2009 on one page Recent News
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
