Traveler's Guide Spring festivals abound in first lunar month Hoang The Phong Monday, Feb 26, 2018,22:05 (GMT+7) Spring festivals abound in first lunar monthHoang The Phong Tourists take a boat trip along Yen Stream which leads to the Huong Pagoda Festival during the first month of the lunar new year - PHOTO: MINH SON In the first month of the Lunar New Year, there are many traditional cultural festivities in different parts of the country. Following are some notable festivals in the northern region. Yen Tu Spring Festival The Yen Tu Spring Festival is taking place from the 10th of the first lunar month until the end of the third lunar month at the Yen Tu historical site on the mountain of the same name in Uong Bi City in the northern province of Quang Ninh. As one of the first activities to usher in the National Tourism Year 2018 hosted by the province, investment has been heavily made, including the construction of a … [Read more...] about Spring festivals abound in first lunar month
Lunar new year stamps
What the rat race has done to the Rat’s Wedding
The Vietnamese village that is home to this art lost almost all its treasures in the form of paintings and woodblocks when the French torched many of its homes, and in an ironic twist of fate, now sells paper offerings to burn.Meanwhile, a handful of people trying to preserve and promote this art face new problems.To illustrate this, artist Nguyen Huu Qua spreads out two versions of a popular Vietnamese motif – “The Rat’s Wedding.”One is a painting made by him and the other is one bought from a shop selling souvenirs in Saigon.Even to a layperson, the differences between the two are obvious.The mass produced one is printed, not painted, on thin paper with pale and blurred brush strokes, and several details are left without colors.And those who know Chinese characters will see more inaccuracies in the painting from the gift shop.“A Dong Ho painting does not just have the picture. It also has Chinese letters to pass on a message. In the 'Rat’s … [Read more...] about What the rat race has done to the Rat’s Wedding
HCM City cooperatives seek expansion abroad
When it was established in 2011, Phu Loc Agriculture – Trade – Services Cooperative had only 12 members growing vegetables and capital of 600 million VND (26,300 USD). By 2016 the capital had increased 10-fold to 6 billion VND (263,000 USD), with the cooperative attributing it to members’ efforts to save. To sustain production, the cooperative has developed five farming areas in Cu Chi and Binh Chanh districts of HCM City and in the provinces of Lam Dong, Tien Giang and Long An. Photo for illustration It has also invested in two processing plants in the two districts with modern technologies and meeting food hygiene and safety standards. In the last four years the cooperative has taken part in the city’s price-stabilization programs for consumer goods, selling 400 tons of products a month, rising to 450 tons during Lunar New year. Its products, which meet VietGap quality standards, are sold at many markets in the city like Ben Thanh, Van … [Read more...] about HCM City cooperatives seek expansion abroad
HCM City co-operatives seek expansion to int’l markets
With strong support from authorities, co-operatives in HCM City have developed strongly and are making efforts to expand their trade on agricutral products even into international markets.– Photo htxphuocan.tvnn.vn HCM CITY – With strong support from authorities, co-operatives in HCM City have developed strongly and are making efforts to expand their trade on agricutral products even into international markets. When it was established in 2011, Phú Lộc Agriculture – Trade – Services Co-operative had only 12 members growing vegetables and capital of VNĐ600 million (US$26,300). By 2016 the capital had increased 10-fold to VNĐ6 billion ($263,000), with the co-operative attributing it to members’ efforts to save. To sustain production, the co-operative has developed five farming areas in Củ Chi and Bình Chánh districts of HCM City and in the provinces of Lâm Đồng, Tiền Giang and Long An. It has … [Read more...] about HCM City co-operatives seek expansion to int’l markets
An American woman’s spiritual bond with Vietnam
Carolyn is wearing a Vietnamese conical hat. A blue stamp In her stamp collection, Carolyn is particularly interested in a small Vietnamese stamp that depicts a blue dragon on a red background. At 12 years old, the little girl asked her father “Where in the world is Vietnam?” She was too young to figure out the location of the country but for some unknown reason, Carolyn had “a good feeling about Vietnam”. In 1967 when she was a third-year student at the State University of New York, Carolyn was allowed to choose to study in any country she wanted over the course of the next two years. She chose France and it was the first opportunity for her to learn more about Vietnam. “I thought Vietnamese students were the best. My French teachers also said the same. Any educated American knows that Vietnamese students are very smart. It is one of the things, other than the war, that Americans know about Vietnam.” At that time, America was in the middle of the … [Read more...] about An American woman’s spiritual bond with Vietnam