Tieng Viet lovers club

[jackbl]

She is watching this film with another man liao ....... hihi

Originally Posted by KangTuo

I am watching film "money no enough"

[jackbl]

Murky origins, but ancient festival still enjoyable
==================================
Children check out paper lanterns - an integral element in celebrating the Mid-Autumn festival. The Mid-Autumn festival has something for everyone - children, parents and grandparents are all honored. People of all ages get to eat mooncakes as well.


It remains unknown when the Mid-Autumn festival was first celebrated in Vietnam. Archeologists say that pictures depicting Mid-Autumn festivities appear on the Ngoc Lu bronze drum, one of Vietnam’s most ancient drums.

According to the steles at the Doi Pagoda in northern Ha Nam Province, people in Thang Long (Ascending Dragon) capital – nowadays called Hanoi - began to celebrate the event in 1121 under the Ly Dynasty, with such activities as lantern processions, water puppetry and boat racing.

The Ly Dynasty, from 1009 to 1225, was one of the country’s most prosperous periods.

The event grew even more popular during the time Vietnam’s north and south were ruled by the Trinh and Nguyen lords in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the lords holding sumptuous celebrations to mark the event.

Appealing tales

During the Mid-Autumn festival, parents usually tell their children fairy tales while serving them mooncakes and other special treats under the silvery moon.

One of the popular folk tales is Ca hoa rong (A carp turns into a dragon), which tells of a carp who works hard and eventually transforms itself into a dragon.

Parents use this story to encourage their children to study so that they can achieve whatever they desire.

Vietnamese also recount the story of Chi Hang, the Moon Lady, who took an immortality pill and became so light she flew to the moon, where a jade rabbit now keeps her company.



Parents buy mooncakes several weeks before Tet Trung Thu, the Mid-Autumn festival.

There is also another story about a man named Chu Cuoi who discovered a magic banyan tree with special healing power.

He planted the tree in his yard but his wife forgot his care instructions and watered the tree with dirty liquids. The tree uprooted itself and flew away. As it left, Chu Cuoi grabbed onto its roots and rose to the moon.

During Tet Trung Thu, when the moon is roundest and brightest, people try to make out the shape of Cuoi and the magic banyan tree.

Children’s Mid-Autumn lantern processions are designed to show Cuoi the way back to earth.

Exciting activities

Tet Trung Thu was originally called Tet Trong Trang (Moon Contemplating Festival) as the main activities were sipping wine and admiring the moon.

Today a host of alluring activities have been added to the festival.

Preparations are made several days prior to the event, with shops selling mooncakes and lanterns lining the streets.

People still make offerings to ancestors during the 15th day and mooncakes are an indispensable part of the offerings.

Mooncakes, which are believed to first appear during China’s Yuan Dynasty (1280-1368), are traditionally round in shape, symbolizing the full moon.

The roundness of the moon also signifies unity and harmony and the delicacy is often called “the cake of reunion.” Some varieties are rectangular, however.

The cakes are small, yet heavy and dense.

Typical mooncakes are about 10 centimeters in diameter and 3 to 4 centimeters thick.

They contain a thick filling, which can contain bean paste, ham, chicken, salted egg yolks, nuts and seeds. The filling is covered by a very thin crust, usually 2 to 3 millimeters thick.

Banh deo (glutinous mooncake) are white and can be the size of a tray.

In addition to mooncakes with traditional flavors, variations of the festival favorite - French-styled, chocolate, taro, and red bean - are also offered.

The cakes, which taste best three days after being baked, are usually served with aromatic tea.

In addition to mooncakes, a Trung Thu feast also includes fruits such as sugar cane, star fruit and pomelo dexterously crafted intoshapes such as lions or qilins (mythical hoofed creatures that have dragon-like heads), dried or dyed papayas and intricate animals made of dough.

Families in the countryside also gather to make banh duc (rice-flour cakes) which symbolize the full moon.

Women also take part in feast preparation and mooncake-making competitions.

Tet Trung Thu has many traditional activities that appeal to children.

Kids begin lantern processions at dusk and when the moon is at its fullest and brightest, parading along the streets singing songs and swinging their lanterns.

Traditional lanterns are made of cellophane glued on bamboo frames and feature stars, cute animals or kids’ favorite cartoon characters.

With a candle inside, the twinkle of lanterns reflects the glow of the moon.

There are also den keo quan, lanterns which spin around with moving pictures of people and horses that recreate battle scenes from old tales.

The lantern symbolizes the earth revolving around the sun.

Though electric lanterns are now available, traditional ones are still popular as children enjoy taking care of their lanterns so that the candles will not blow out.

Children can also show off their colorful, ornate lanterns in competitions.

Besides lanterns, other toys such as animals made of rice dough, paper and porcelain, dragon or qilin heads, Earth Lord masks and handmade dolls, are an indispensable part of the festival for children.

Lion dancing

Dazzling performances of mua su tu or mua lan (lion or qilin dances) are also part of the festival.

The lion dance is a traditional dance in Chinese and Vietnamese culture, in which performers wearing lion or qilin costumes mimic the animals’ movements to the beat of drums.

Ong Dia (Earth Lord), who has a round, smiling face representing prosperity and wealth of the earth, dances around the lion or qilin, urging the procession on.

During Tet Trung Thu, children dance happily with lion heads on sidewalks or in parks and playgrounds.

During the festival, kids also perform their own lion dances. For weeks before the actual day, kids would practice in their neighborhoods.

On the 14th and 15th, groups of children roam the streets banging drums. A chosen few dress up in lion or qilin costumes.

People hang money in high places and the youngsters use a bamboo pole and ropes to help the child in the qilin costume climb up to grab the money.

Homeowners also reward the kids’ efforts with candies and cakes.

Kids’ lion dances are always a popular sight, drawing large crowds of spectators.

Folk singing

Youths in the northern region take part in hat trong quan in which groups of girls and boys take turns singing, challenging and responding to each other.

Their singing is backed by strumming on a steel string hanging over a hollow container.

The verses of the songs, which are sometimes improvised, must rhyme. Tet Trung Thu is the perfect time for families to get together, sip tea, savor mooncakes, exchange intimate conversations and contemplate the bright moon in the clear sky.

At this time, those who live away from home often miss their families and pine for a reunion.

The festival is also a chance for children to express gratitude to their grandparents and parents.

It is also the time parents lavish attention on young children, indulging them with mooncakes, lanterns and other treats.

However, the event is not all about pampering kids.

Kids learn from their grandparents and parents how to prepare and arrange the festival dinner.

There is usually a "doctorate holder" made of paper or dough on the feast’s tray to remind them to achieve good results in their studies.

It is also during the event that one shows thoughtful consideration for relatives and friends by gifting them mooncakes in red packs.

Reported by Diem Thu

[jackbl]

Old news but good to share. Vietnam so poor but the ppl still donate to the richer CHINA.....

Vietnam raises $554,000 for victims in China, Myanmar
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Vietnamese people have donated more than VND9 billion to crisis victims in Myanmar and China this week. (30th May 2008)


The US$554,000 in donations was made through the Vietnam Red Cross Association.

The organization is still calling for donations nationwide.

According to Chinese government statistics, the deadly 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck the southwestern province of Sichuan on May 12 has caused an estimated 68,109 deaths and 364,553 injuries.

Meanwhile, cyclone Nargis, which tore through Myanmar on May 2, has killed an estimated 78,000 people, left 56,000 missing and caused $11 billion in damages.

Reported by Quang Duan

[jackbl]

Touch of Taoism
================

Can Tho City, as the largest municipality in the Mekong Delta, is a well-traveled tourist stop that features numerous temples, pagodas and ancient houses.


Among these structures, Nam Nha Temple is a site definitely worth a visit due to its impressive architecture and eclectic characteristics.

The shrine, also known as Minh Su Temple, was established in 1895 by Thai Nguyen Giac Duyen and is nowadays located at 612 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street in Binh Thuy District’s An Thoi Ward.

According to local residents, it is situated on a sacred piece of land facing the Binh Thuy River, which undulates like a dragon nursing a pearl in its mouth.

Surrounding the perimeter of the temple is a garden filled with ancient trees and bonsais nearly 100 years old.

Behind the temple lies a tranquil orchard.

The special thing about Nam Nha Temple is that resident monks and nuns are influenced by Taoism, so they don’t necessarily eat vegetarian food, have shaven heads, or wear brown gowns like the regular occupants of Buddhist pagodas.

The structure formerly had three compartments with tile roofs.

After two restorations in 1917 and 1923, the temple was enlarged but still retains its original beauty and architectural style.

The central complex reserved for worshiping and praying is located inside a five-compartment building.

It has an altar honoring the founder of the pagoda as well as altars for the founders of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism, replete with statues of Confucius, Laozi, and the Sakyamuni Buddha.

Behind the altars finds a long corridor leading to two rooms for receiving guests and a graveyard that serves as the resting site for people who originally built the pagoda and individuals who took part in the Dong Du movement, an intellectual and anti-French movement in the early 20th century.

Visiting this site, tourists will have an opportunity to survey exquisite architecture, learn about the influence of Taoism in the southern region and the Dong Du movement of national democrat Phan Boi Chau (1867-1940), as well as relax in the airy setting of the green garden set beside somnolent river banks.

Reported by Diem Thu

[jackbl]

The following report makes me think of eating the dessert at district 10, Nguyen Tri Phong, early this yr


Che: the pudding, not Guevara
==========================

At a popular Ho Chi Minh City che shop, it’s not uncommon for snacking students to order 3 bowls of the traditional hot pudding in one sitting.

On a recent visit, Thanh Nien Daily met a group of four kids who finished a dozen bowls in five minutes.

“It’s delicious,” said one of them.

“There are many kinds of che here,” said another, pointing to the dozen empty bowls that only a few minutes before were filled with hot and colorful che.

For some 30 years, the small che shop on Su Van Hanh Street has been crowded with locals satisfying their sweet tooth.

A few plastic tables and chairs, a glass cupboard and one or two cookers are the shop’s major assets.

But perhaps it’s the shop’s simplicity that makes its che taste so good.

The shop has no name, just a sign that reads “12 kinds of che, VND1,000 (US$0.06) per bowl.” The price is hard to beat.

The shop has changed ownership a few times in its history, but its menu has stood the test of time.

Of the 12 kinds of che offered, the most popular are corn, taro, black bean and green bean.

Owner Huu Nhan, whose aunt gave him the shop in 2003, said that most people order more than one kind of che at a time, as each taste is strong and eating too much of one sweet flavor can be a bit overwhelming.

Nhan says he receives around 500 customers from 3 p.m.-11 p.m. everyday.

Laughter and small talk from the shop mix with the bustling atmosphere of Su Van Hanh Street.

My Lien, a HCMC University of Sciences student, said the shop is her favorite.

She said that nowhere in Saigon was the che so colorful, sweet and cheap.

To get to the shop from Ben Thanh Market, travel along Tran Hung Dao St. until you hit Nguyen Van Cu St.

After turning right on Nguyen Van Cu, turn left at An Duong Vuong St., which then hits Su Van Hanh St.

Turn right and you’ll hit the shop after 500 meters.

Reported by Phuong Anh

[jackbl]

For those whose gf is fr BAC LIEU, here's some info:


Experiencing Bac Lieu
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The famous French-style mansion of Tran Trinh Huy, once regarded as the richest man of the South, is now a magnificent hotel and restaurant

Bac Lieu, a province in the southeast of the Mekong Delta by the East Sea, has many places of interest.

In Bac Lieu Town, Cong Tu Bac Lieu Hotel and Restaurant is a well-known tourist spot.

Managed by Bac Lieu Province’s Department of Trade and Tourism, the hotel and restaurant by the Bac Lieu River used to be the childhood house of Tran Trinh Huy (1900-1973).

Known as Ba Huy or “cong tu Bac Lieu,” he was the son of a mandarin regarded as the Mekong Delta’s richest person.

Although the French-style villa has been converted into a hotel and renovated many times, the original architecture remains.

Guests can experience the richness and lifestyle of Ba Huy’s family.

Apart from the Cong Tu Bac Lieu Hotel and Restaurant, tourists can spend their leisure time at the sea of Bac Lieu, about seven kilometers away.

The sea here does not have cliffs and white sands, like the seaside towns of Vung Tau, Nha Trang and Phan Thiet-Mui Ne, but it abounds in marine resources thanks to the silt from the Mekong River system.

Tourists can stroll on the beach and enjoy fresh seafood at the Huong Bien Restaurant.

Leaving the sea of Bac Lieu, tourists can visit the longan orchards about two kilometers away.

Bac Lieu longans are famous for their flavor though they don’t have as much flesh as longans of other regions.

In the longan gardens, visitors can relax in hammocks in the shade of longan trees and enjoy banh xeo Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu-style rice pancake with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, green beans, vegetables and fish sauce) and longan wine.

Bac Lieu is about six hours from Ho Chi Minh City by car.

It is an ideal destination for discovering nature, studying history and relaxing.

Reported by Diem Thu

[jackbl]

Hoi An, another famous tourist attraction in central vn, its near to Danang...

Topless tanning staggers locals at central Vietnam beach
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On a recent walk along a beach in the famous central tourist city of Hoi An, Thanh Nien reporters accidentally caught a group of foreign visitors sunbathing half-naked onsite, in a sight quite unfamiliar in Vietnam.


Thanh Nien has reported the case and transferred photographs of several female tourists seen bare to the waist at Cua Dai Beach to Hoi An Town’s Sports and Culture Center.

“I will deliver the information to responsible agencies,” the center’s director Vo Phung said.

Phung said he was astonished upon seeing the photos, adding that he had been informed by locals about half-naked tourists sunbathing at the beach but relevant authorities had been directed to preempt the situation.

If nude sunbathing is a need for a large number of Hoi An’s tourists, it would be feasible for the local administration to consider demarcating a nude beach to prevent naked tourists from intermixing with other visitors of Cua Dai Beach.

Apart from Cua Dai, Hoi An is also home to Cu Lao Cham (Cham Island), an archipelago with eight islands where a nude beach could be allocated.

Reported by Dang Ngoc Khoa

[Hurricane88]

Bro Jackbl, thank you fro sharing all the news...enjoyed reading...

[jackbl]

Hope that the news wont be a bother cos too many words to read

Originally Posted by Hurricane88

Bro Jackbl, thank you fro sharing all the news...enjoyed reading...

[cashier]

hi,

what this mean. 2 ngay nua e ve vietnam roi. e muon di hotel voi anh

[Intel Ops]

Originally Posted by cashier

2 ngay nua e ve vietnam roi. e muon di hotel voi anh

something along this line....
going to return to vn in 2 days. i want you to poke me.

another way: ......i want to trap you....

[Sha_Gua75]

Originally Posted by cashier

hi,

what this mean. 2 ngay nua e ve vietnam roi. e muon di hotel voi anh

Meaning Behind: 2 days more I am going back vietnam....I still not enough money....pls go hotel with me so that I can ask u for money....I need to ask u go becos no other guy willing to go with me liao

[naemlo]

Originally Posted by Sha_Gua75

Meaning Behind: 2 days more I am going back vietnam....I still not enough money....pls go hotel with me so that I can ask u for money....I need to ask u go becos no other guy willing to go with me liao

Asked u to translate n u added in so many other words.

[Pongo]

any bros here know any site to d/l viet songs ??

[Pongo]

oh ya bro naemlo ... now u also into Viet scene liao ah ???