Sapa Sapa, about 5 - 6 hour drive from Hanoi, is a tourist paradise for visitors all year round. It is considered as an ideal place to avoid heat in summer while in winter, this small town in the Northwestern region wears a new coat weaved from mist. At the end of the year, when the climate in Sapa is getting colder, many tourists prefer Sapa for enjoying snow. Sapa Sapa has a wide variety of accommodations for tourists to choose, including motels, homestay, hostels, 4-5 star hotels, and luxury resorts. One of the interesting experiences for tourists, especially for foreigners, is trekking to villages inhabited by people of ethnic minority groups and exploring their life and culture. Visiting Sapa, visitors can enjoy a number of local specialities such as horse meat and viscera soup - called “thang co,” “Men Men” - a dish made from maize powder, fish soup, grilled meats, grilled sticky rice-in-bamboo-tube, and free-range pig. Hoi An ancient … [Read more...] about Five must-see destinations in the upcoming New Year holiday
Examined life philosophy is in the streets
Hanoians enjoy the colour and music in the street carnival
The Hanoitimes - The carnival is among the top events to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hanoi`s boundary expansion. Thousands of people in Hanoi enjoy the colour, music and tradition in the street carnival with theme “The Quintessence of Hanoi – Confluence and Shine” around Hoan Kiem Lake on Sunday morning July 29. The dragon dance. Photo: Pham Hung The carnival is organized by the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports in coordination with the Center for Preservation and Development of Vietnamese Stage Arts on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Hanoi's expansion of its administrative boundary (2008 – 2018). Hanoi turned out in style to enjoy a colourful return for the street carnival. Dancers and music filled the streets as the carnival made its way up around Hoan Kiem Lake, passing by Ly Thai To Square, Ba Kieu Temple, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square, the Ba Trieu - Hang Khay intersection, and the Hang Bai - Trang Tien intersection. … [Read more...] about Hanoians enjoy the colour and music in the street carnival
Vietnamese coffee takes revolutionary stand in the heart of Belfast
More than 10,000 kilometers from Vietnam in Belfast, Northern Ireland, President Ho Chi Minh’s face gazes out over a small café. The wall features the benevolent smile of Vietnam’s late president and the quotation “Nothing is more precious than independence and liberty.” Martin and Gary Small, who visited Vietnam once, five years ago, for a grand total of 10 days, opened Vietnamese Coffee Co more than a year ago on May 1, 2017 for a simple reason: they love Vietnamese coffee. The two brothers first arrived in the country in 2013 as part of a tour of Southeast Asia before visiting their sister in Australia, but it would be another four years before they brought a taste of Southeast Asia to Belfast. Towards the end of 2016, Martin and Gary were both made redundant from long-time jobs in banking and civil service respectively. After years of working for others, the Smalls saw this as an opportunity to strike out on their own. Keen travelers, Martin and Gary … [Read more...] about Vietnamese coffee takes revolutionary stand in the heart of Belfast
Vietnamese coffee takes revoluntary stand in the heart of Belfast
More than 10,000 kilometers from Vietnam in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ho Chi Minh’s face gazes out over a small café. In a city infamous for intimidating murals, the wall in this establishment features the benevolent smile of Vietnam’s late president and the quotation “Nothing is more precious than independence and liberty.” While depictions of Ho Chi Minh are common in his homeland, Belfast is a strange place to find a painting of the revolutionary hero. Perhaps even stranger though, is that this cafe is owned and operated by a pair of local brothers who have visited Vietnam once, five years ago, for a grand total of 10 days. Take a chance Martin and Gary Small opened Vietnamese Coffee Co more than a year ago on May 1, 2017 for a simple reason: they love Vietnamese coffee. The two brothers first arrived in the country in 2013 as part of a tour of Southeast Asia before visiting their sister in Australia, but it would be another four years before they … [Read more...] about Vietnamese coffee takes revoluntary stand in the heart of Belfast
Air France’s future in the balance, warns economy minister
France's economy minister on Sunday (May 6) warned that the survival of strike-hit Air France was in the balance following the departure of the company's chief executive over a pay dispute. The survival of strike-hit Air France is in the balance, French Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire has warned. (AFP/STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN) Unionised staff are set to walk out for the 14th day on Monday as they press for a 5.1 per cent salary increase this year as the company recovers from years of losses and restructuring. Jean-Marc Janaillac, boss of parent company Air France-KLM, resigned on Friday after staff rejected a final pay offer from him which would have raised wages by seven percent over four years. "I call on everyone to be responsible: crew, ground staff, and pilots who are asking for unjustified pay hikes," Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told the BFM news channel on Sunday. "Be responsible. The survival of Air France is in the balance," he added. He warned that the state, which … [Read more...] about Air France’s future in the balance, warns economy minister