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Photo-lovers say adrenaline rush worth the gamble

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:13:42 +0000

The 100-year-old Thang Long Bridge is always crowded, not only with vehicles but with young people, many of whom are absorbed in posing for photos and oblivious to the danger nearby.

Thang Long Bridge.

Travel News – The 100-year-old Thang Long Bridge is always crowded, not only with vehicles but with young people, many of whom are absorbed in posing for photos and oblivious to the danger nearby.

The most popular spot for photo-taking is the railway in the middle of the bridge.

“Standing on the railway, you can capture scenes of green cornfields on one side, and on the other, the image of the modern Chuong Duong Bridge,” says Thu Hang, a student from the Foreign Trade University.

“The bridge’s iron structure adds a special quality to your photo. Posing there, you can shoot very emotional photos,” she adds.

But with reward there is often risk: The bridge is very narrow and there’s little parking room for motorbikes or bicycles.

Many of the youth, who often have to climb over high fences to sneak onto the railroad, admit they are sometimes afraid.

“Well, posing on the Thang Long Bridge makes my hair stand on end,” says Hai Ha, a student of the Ha Noi University of Technology. “You’re exposed to the threat of not only a sudden train, but also a shocking height as you look down toward the river.”

Luu Van Hung, a railway official in charge of the bridge, says the activity is “really dangerous” and advises young people to not “risk their life for a few stunning photos”.

But despite warnings and the obvious danger, more and more Hanoians, including young wedding couples, still flock to the scenic bridge for beautiful shots.

VietNamNet/VNS

“Ha Long Heritage Gala” performance

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:13:41 +0000

Travel News – A “Ha Long Heritage Gala” performance was held at night on May 2 on Bai Chay wharf in Ha Long city, northern Quang Ninh province.

The unique and impressive event is the last in a series as part of the 2009 Ha Long carnival.

Among performance troupes were those coming from different localities in Vietnam and also from foreign countries including the Republic of Korea, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Cuba and China.

The performance featured traditional dances from Quang Nam province’s Hoi An ancient city and My Son historical site as well as Central Highlands’ gongs, which have been recognised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as part of the World’s Cultural Heritage.

The event drew the participation of famous singers, such as Ho Quynh Huong, Hoang Tung, Tuan Anh, Hoang Thai, Tan Nhan and Ngoc Anh. In addition, a fashion show on the theme of the four seasons introduced tourists to the beauty of thousands of islands in Ha Long Bay. The night performance was closed with a brilliant firework display.

Ha Long Bay has become a centre for voting for one of 7 world cultural heritages at the website http://www.New7wonders.com launched by the New Open World organisation. The tourism industry in Ha Long city has carried out activities to create awareness of their destination among domestic and foreign tourists.

In 2009, Quang Ninh province is scheduled to receive 4.8 million arrivals, including 2 million international tourists.

VietNamNet/VOV

A place to remember

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:13:38 +0000

VietNamNet Bridge – Nhat Le Beach on the central coast delivers history, fun and luxury in one dose.

At the mouth of the Nhat Le River in Quang Binh Province, tourists frolic on a long strip of white sand where soldiers once fought and died.

Owing to its strategic location, the river mouth was the scene of a major battle between the forces of Dai Viet (now Vietnam) and the Champa kingdom of Chiem Thanh in the eleventh century.

The estuary where the Nhat Le River ends its journey down from the Truong Son Range is also called Tru Nha, Ha Cu or Cua Sai, and is the location of the provincial capital, Dong Hoi.

When the sky is clear and a breeze is blowing, the splashing waves cast off bubbles like pearls as they lap against the beach. The crystal-clear water is perfect for swimming and splashing around.

The beauty of Nhat Le Estuary can be poetic. At night, fishing boats festooned with lanterns of all colors make the river look like a city or a sky filled with thousands of stars.

For overnighters and day-trippers, there’s a four-star resort called Sun Spa that occupies 29 hectares of Bao Ninh Peninsula and houses a hotel, villas, bungalows, a restaurant serving Asian and European meals, and coffee bar.

Surfing, canoeing, jet-skiing and paragliding are available there, as are football and volleyball on the beach, tennis, billiards, swan boats and the ubiquitous karaoke. They also have yoga and tai chi classes.

Many of the resort’s guests try out paragliding, which affords them spectacular views of the sea, the river, the sand dunes of the peninsula, the expanse of Dong Hoi, and the mountains of the hinterland.

VietNamNet/TN

Sex education goes on holiday

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:13:37 +0000

Travel News – Sex education remains an awkward subject for both parents and teachers in Viet Nam because of the conservative attitude towards things considered “sensitive”.

Tour destination: A view of the Son Tra Peninsula, 8km from Da Nang City.

Thus, adults either end up not talking about sex and relationships to youngsters or else talk down to them or are evasive.

The Da Nang City Youth Union wants to change this state of affairs. It is joining hands with the Viet Da Travel Company to launch a unique tour, one designed to provide youth highly explicit but intensely cultural sex education.

The tour revolves around the Cham ethnic group’s cult of lingam-yoni, which is worshipped as an emblem of the union between male and female and generative power.

The first destination on the tour will be the Cham Museum, which has thousands of precious artefacts and sculptures created during the Champa Kingdom era. Among them are many stone lingams and yonis collected from ancient Cham towers and citadels scattered around the central region.

“The lingam and yoni always go together,” a tour guide explains.

“While the lingam represents the phallus, the yoni is a representation of the vulva. The lingam is often stylised into a smooth cylindrical mass and placed in the centre of yona, a disk-shaped object. It’s this common form that created the sexual dimension.”

Sexual revelation: This 100kg Cham lingam sculpture is being preserved at the Quang Ngai Culture, Sports and Tourism Department. It is made of sandstone that was usually used to build old towers in central regions.

Many of his young audience blush in embarrassment. But as the details mount, only excitement, surprise and murmurs remain. There are no more bashful faces.

The lingam and the yoni are Hindu symbols associated with Lord Shiva and his consort, with the former being a phallic post serving as his representation.

Before their conquest by King Le Thanh Tong in the 15th century, the Cham culture was heavily influenced by that of India. Cham kings frequently erected stone lingams as the central religious theme in royal temples.

“The sculptures also indicate the ancient male-dominated cultures,” the guide adds.

The tour sees the ancient myth of generative power now being examined in a modern, scientific light.

“Thanks to the tour, I can understand what the round statue with 23 breasts under a lingam implies,” Pham Thu Thao, a schoolgirl from Thai Phien High School, says. The breasts symbolise women.

“It symbolises giving birth and teaches us about menstruation as well,” she adds.

“The Cham had a really creative and artistic approach to sex education,” Nham Ngoc, a 10th grader, adds.

On the tour, Son Tra Peninsula is the second pit stop. The young travellers can breath in the ocean air while admiring the Linh Ung Tu Pagoda. The tour continues at the scenic My Khe Beach, with outdoor games focused on sex education.

“The games are meant to normalise physical contact between girls and boys, helping them understand that these contacts are just part of normal communication,” Nguyen Dinh Tri, a member of the Da Nang Youth Union, says.

There is no trace of timidity as the youngsters take enthusiastically to the games.

“We gain soft skills and knowledge of sex more easily through these outdoor activities,” Minh Phuong, a college student, says.

When night falls on the beach, both travellers and educators feast on fresh seafood served at a beach restaurant.

“The idea of starting this tour ignited when I found stories of sexual revolution among teenagers making headlines in most newspapers, and that parents have a headache over how to educate their children about sex in an appropriate manner,” Dinh Van Loc, director of Viet Da Travel, said.

Health workers and consultants cannot agree more with him. Social workers appreciate the creative idea behind merging education in sex and culture and throwing in a travel experience.

The tour manages to provide youngsters basic knowledge of sex and puberty without promoting sexual experimentation. Although the tour is just half a month old, many schools in the city are eyeing it as an interesting extracurricular activity.

“We are trying to include more health experts, consultants and event organisers to make it more informative and helpful,” Loc says.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News

Tourists pack popular beaches during holiday

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 01:29:35 +0000

Phan Thiet City.

VietNamNet Bridge – Holiday makers flocked to the country’s famous landscapes like central Nha Trang city and Ha Long Bay during a four-day holiday from April 30.

Nha Trang welcomed between 25,000 and 30,000 tourists per day during the period, said the local tourism sector, adding that the number of arrivals to the coastal city were three or four times higher than normal days.

On May 1, Nha Trang city also received over 1,600 passengers and crew on board the Bahamas-flagged Legend of the Sea.

The world heritage site of Ha Long Bay the northern province of Quang Ninh saw some 150,000 tourists during the week from April 25-May 2.

Ha Quang Long, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tousim, said the surge in visitor number is partly attributable to the Ha Long Tourism Festival which featured a wide range of activities.

Popular beaches such as Do Son in the northern port city of Hai Phong, Sam Son in central Thanh Hoa province, Cua Lo in central Nghe An province, also welcomed large numbers of visitors who wanted to make the most of the long holiday.

The tourists crowd have sent service charges up sharply and caused traffic jams in many major roads.

VietNamNet/VNA

The legend of the Truong Son troops photo

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:34:09 +0000

Journalist and photographer Nguyen Minh Tuong, famous for his legendary photograph of troops trekking along Truong Son (the route that is now known as Ho Chi Minh Trail), reveals how and why he shot the photo in 1966.

Photographer Nguyen Minh Tuong and the legendary photo of troops trekking along Truong Son.

Travel News – Journalist and photographer Nguyen Minh Tuong, famous for his legendary photograph of troops trekking along Truong Son (the route that is now known as Ho Chi Minh Trail), reveals how and why he shot the photo in 1966.

It was the 28th of the 12th lunar month and I was walking up to the Se Banghion River four days after leaving my office, Vietnam News Agency, in Hanoi for a People’s Army base in Laos.

After wrapping the camera, clothes, and rucksack carefully in a large plastic sheet, I began to wade into the clean, clear and cold water to get to the other side where I would meet Dang Trung, commissar of K75, who had invited me to the base to spend Tet (the lunar New Year) with him and the troops.

As soon as I set foot on shore, I heard the sound of a gun cocking and a shrill female voice saying, “Stop! Who are you?”

A pretty, young volunteer in a khaki shirt and tai beo hat appeared with an submachine in her hands and I showed her my papers. After looking through them carefully, she smiled at me and introduced herself: “My name is Ha. I’m from Ha Noi.”

Before I could greet her, I heard the sound of two metal objects striking together repeatedly; it was an air-raid alert coming from the other side of the river.

After pushing me down into an air-raid shelter, Ha strapped her gun on her shoulder and climbed up a bare tree.

She was counting the number of bombs being dropped by B52 planes. After the planes flew away, she would go to the bombed site to dismantle unexploded bombs — defusing bombs and sweeping mines was one of her tasks.

Thoroughly impressed by the heroic girl, I took some photos of her sitting on the tree branch. Her slender figure in khaki stood out against the blue sky in the photos.

Two days passed quickly and the New Year arrived. On the Eve, we had a meal together while listening to Uncle Ho’s New Year greetings on a small radio.

After the meal, Ha sat silently in a corner of the dugout, writing a letter to her mother in the light of a kerosene lamp. I promised to hand the letter to her mother when I returned to Ha Noi.

Ha worked as a guide for me around the forest in the following days. I took photos of B52 bombings and volunteer girls gardening, feeding chickens, and washing clothes by the stream.

I also took a photo of Ha holding a branch of orchids in her hands. She gracefully inclined her head to one side to pose for photo. How much I liked her!

I then visited a nearby unit for a week. When I got back, I was stunned when Trung told me that Ha had been killed four days ago while defusing bombs. She had neutralized two but a third exploded, he said.

Ha’s death broke my heart. I realized I could not stay at the base any longer and so said good bye to Trung to walk up Path No. 7 to the Cha Lo Border Post at the foot of Mu Gia Pass in Quang Binh Province. In my rucksack were Ha’s letter to her mother and some of her photos.

I thought about the impermanence of soldiers’ lives during war and decided then I would record on film unforgettable moments or events from the war I experience or witness.

It was my way of paying tribute to soldiers like Ha and her comrades who sacrificed their lives so that the nation could achieve independence.

The seminal photo

At the border post, I heard the commanding officer say that the troops would operate along the new border path soon.

An idea flashed through my mind and I asked a soldier to lead me to the site.

We climbed up a tall hill. Standing at the top, I saw a sloping path run between two high, steep mountainsides. I wanted to take a photo of the troops climbing up the slope. I realized it would look very impressive.

I got up very early the next morning to go up the hill again to wait for the troops. At around 11 am, they appeared.

I took out the camera and captured the moment on film. The troops were climbing up the slope while the sun shone brightly down on the forest, the mountainsides, and on the hats and shoulders of the soldiers.

I later returned to Ha Noi. I went to Ha’s house on Hang Than Street to give her mother her letter and photos. The poor woman happily looked at the photos of her pretty daughter, not realizing she was dead. I left without telling her that her brave, young daughter had made the ultimate sacrifice. I couldn’t.

Three years later I met poet To Huu and showed him the photo of the troops. Huu admired the photo for a while and recited two lines of verse:

“Troops are trekking through Truong Son to the South to save the country,
Hardships and challenges could not discourage their firm belief in a future victory.”

I asked To Huu for permission to use the first line as the photo’s title. The rest is history.

VietNamNet/SGGP

Buffalo fights attract thousands of spectators

admin — Sun, 03 May 2009 03:34:06 +0000

Travel News – Sixteen carefully selected buffalos fought in the 2009 Tourism Buffalo Fighting Festival on May 1, attracting thousands of spectators as it coincided this year with the South Liberation Day and May Day holidays.

This is the fourth consecutive festival held by Do Son district of the northern port city of Haiphong, drawing the interest of many tourists to Do Son beach.

After 15 rounds of competition, buffalo number 17, owned by Mr Nguyen Van Son from Bang La ward of Do Son district, won the championship, while second prize went to buffalo number 10. Buffalos 3 and 8 shared third prize.

With a strong and decisive act, Buffalo 17 knocked out and killed Buffalo 2 on site in a quarterfinal.

VietNamNet/VOV

Da Lat to offer international flights

admin — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:30:04 +0000

Da Latâs Lien Khuong Airport is set to serve as an international stepping stone to other Asian countries after Standing Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung approved the areaâs new air routes on Wednesday.

The approval, given at a meeting with provincial authorities, will allow the Peopleâs Committee of Lam Dong Province to offer direct international air routes between Da Lat and South Korea, Singapore, Cambodia and Laos.

The opening of international flights aims to help the Central Highlands province develop tourism and export vegetables, fruits and flowers, authorities said.

In addition, the province will also resume air routes between the resort town of Da Lat and two other cities – Da Nang in the central region and Can Tho in the Mekong Delta.

Reported by Ngan Thong

CULTURE IN BRIEF 2/5

admin — Sat, 02 May 2009 12:29:18 +0000

Fishermen honor ‘Big Whale’; Dien Bien Phu remembered; South Central province introduces hi-tech art

The south central coastal province of Binh Dinh officially opened a photo exhibition, “Dien Bien Phu – Ban hung ca” (Dien Bien Phu – Epic), at Buon Ma Thuoc City’s Culture Center in the Central Highlands’ Province of Dak Lak May 1.

This is one of many events being held to commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7, 1954).

On display are 200 photos documenting unforgettable events of Dien Bien Phu, including the battles at A1 Hill and Him Lam Hill.

Many of the photos also show the feelings between the soldiers and locals, as well as the emotions on the last day of battle.

The exhibition will remain open until May 25.

The Battle of Dien Bien Phu took over two months, leading to a heavy French defeat that helped end the war.

South Central province introduces hi-tech art

Art lovers got to review one-off graphic paintings at the south central costal province of Binh Dinh.

The exhibition commemorates Liberation Day (April 30, 1975) and celebrates International Labor Day.

Forty paintings by ten local artists were presented to the public for the first time. After the exhibit, eight will be added to the Vietnam Fine Arts Association’s collection.

Most of the paintings were warmly received, with Hon bien (Soul of the sea) by Huong Lan, Trang (Moon) by Duy Hong, Bong chieu (Evening shadow) by Dinh Nam and Pho ben song (The little town by the river) by Dinh Tan receiving special attention.

The exhibition will remain open until end of May.

Though the paintings are created on a computer, like canvass painters, each picture is a one-off.

Fishermen honor ‘Big Whale’

The fishermen on Bich Dam Isle in Nha Trang celebrated ‘Cau Ngu’ (Pray to the Big Whale) over May 1 – 3. The festival is held to honor the Big Whale and pray for a good catch of fish.

The Cau Ngu Festival is an annual event for the fishermen, which originated from the province of Quang Binh.

This year, the Bich Dam Isle’ fishermen decided to hold the celebrations one week earlier than usual.

The festival features variety of entertainment and religious events.

Incense is offered to the fairies, ancestors and also local martyrs. Fishermen visit and burn incense at Nam Hai Temple, worship the founder of the isle and pray for peace and a good catch of fish.

The most anticipated event is Ba Trao singing, where fishermen pray for peace and good catches.

This festival is one of the various events for the Nha Trang Festival 2009, with most events to be held in June.

VietNamNet/SGGP

Sa Pa tourism and cultural week begins

admin — Sat, 02 May 2009 12:29:14 +0000

Thousands of domestic and foreign visitors and local people flocked to the Sa Pa district Cultural Centre to attend the opening ceremony of the 2009 Sa Pa Tourism and Culture Week.

In an opening speech, a representative of the district people’s committee highlighted the history, tradition, lifestyle and distinctive cultural identities of different ethnic groups in the district and the province.

Visitors were treated to a special performance given by artists from the provincial performance troupe and villages in the district. They also had the chance to enjoy folk games, including arnis, crossbow shooting and tug of war, and to take in the beauty of local flower varieties at a flower market fair.

On April 30, the Sa Pa Cloudy Festival began on Ham Rong Mountain, about 1,700m above sea level.

Organisers expect to receive 20,000 visitors to Sa Pa during the week-long event.

VietNamNet/VOV