Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Vietnam Tea Days held in Hanoi
The fifth Vietnam Tea Days officially opened in Ly Thai To flower garden in downtown Hanoi on July 19 to honour tea culture and promote the Vietnamese tea trademark.
The two-day event, held by the Vietnam Tea Association, displays tea products from across the country. It also features many special programmes, including street performances, drum playing, concerts, traditional opera, and royal dance.
In the spotlight is a programme introducing different ways of brewing and serving tea, ranging from the simple to the luxurious. Visitors to the tea festival can taste various kinds of tea, talk with artisans and view an ancient tea tree brought from the northern mountain province of Thai Nguyen.
Vietnam is one of the world’s five largest manufacturers and exporters of tea and its tea is shipped to 70 nations and territories worldwide. Tea has actually helped reduce poverty among local people in many remote and mountainous areas of the country.
Phung Hiep Floating MarketLocation:
Situated where seven branches of the Mekong River and canals converge, 30km from Ninh Kieu Wharf in the centre of Can Tho City. Characteristics: To Phung Hiep, visitors will see thousands of small boats full of agricultural products from Western corners to form 1km long floating market. It's said to be a fruit-market of the Southern part and the market is cultural identity of the Mekong Delta.
The market meets all day long, but most noisy and busy in the morning. The precious evening, from far-and-wide, boats full of seasonal vegetables and fruits: mangoes, durians, bananas, oranges, coconuts... left their villages to head for the sunrise market. Every boat is full of fruits. Some boats are covered with roofs, some are not. On boats without roofs, the sellers have to hold high a stick hanging with fruits as signaIs. Market-goers do not bargain, just a few words exchange, they sell and get paid. Normally, fruits are sold and brought to big boats. Then they will be transported to fruit-processing factories or to Ho Chi Minh City, Vung Tau, even to Hanoi and Northern provinces.
It's a floating market' but services are available, foods and drinks on small boats twist and turn to serve hungry sellers and buyers. Signal to buy is only a whistling or waving band. Apart from fruits, local products: snakes, birds, turtles... are easy to find near Phung Hiep bridge. These specialties are almost bought and brought to restaurants in Can Tho or Ho Chi Minh City.
Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen MonasteryLocation: Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery is located in Dai Dinh Commune, Tam Dao District on Tay Thien Mountain, 85km west of Hanoi.Characteristics:With Zen Monastery in Da Lat and Yen Tu, it is considered to be one of the most impressive and peaceful monasteries in Viet Nam.
Built on the ruins of an ancient pagoda named Thien An Thien Tu, and using remains of that ancient pagoda's floor, Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery sits majestically on the apex of the mountain, where from below the red tips of its tile-covered roof can be seen peaking through the pine trees. Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery was officially inaugurated on November 27, 2005. It is very ornate, from carved pictures on the doors to embossed works on the wall, ceiling, and pillars, every detail was considered. In addition to the monastery there are supporting buildings constructed in the ancient architectural style that house a library, a museum, a meditation house for monks and the Tam To Truc Lam Temple. 
Walking around the buildings, you can almost taste the tranquility and calm that is in the air. Visitors can go up by motorbike or car to gate of Zen Monastery along concrete path. Otherwise, you can climb up to enjoy grandiose overview from the bottom. Truc Lam Tay Thien Zen Monastery is just 17km far from Tam Dao Golf Club so tourists can go both sightseeing, relax and picnic.
Vung Tau is an old port and the first Vietnamese area to be visited by vacationers and people seeking health treatment.Vung Tau is situated in Ba Ria - Vung Tau Province, 125km southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.Vung Tau, with an average temperature of 28ºC, has 20km of coastline with famous soft-sand beaches and calm waters.Vung Tau has five beaches scattered over the peninsula.
Bai Truoc, also called Front Beach, is located on the western side of Vung Tau and stands between Nho and Lon Mountains. Restaurants, kiosks, and hotels are close to the beach. Vong Nguyet, also called O Quan Beach, is a peaceful cove with good wind. Surfers particularly enjoy this area.
Bai Dua or Dua Beach is located approximately 2km from the center of the city. People who do not like crowded beaches particularly enjoy this quiet beach. Bai Sau, also called Back Beach, is the longest stretch of sand on the peninsula. It is located approximately 2km from town on the southeastern side of Vung Tau. It is exposed to East Sea wind and surfing there is excellent. Finally, Bai Dau Beach is located at the foot of Lon Mountain. It is a small quiet beach, 3km west of Vung Tau.Beside beautiful beaches, Vung Tau also has many unique architectural achievements as: Jesus Christ's Statue, White Villa, Sakyamuni Pagoda, Thang Tam's Local Gods.
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