artviet travel diaries

Vincent Mother's Sewing Machine

2008-09-03T01:55:25Z

I've bought a sewing machine on the internet for a fair price.Unlike previous online transactions, this one was finalized on site, at the seller's house, up north of the island. Vincent is the name of the chap who sold me the machine which includes some spare needles, a couple of thimbles, a screwdriver and a tiny refillable oil tube with no cap and little thread left over after a demo was given. It is a used machine, from his mother who has just moved to a senior residence. The sale was concluded short and sweet as the machine still is in good condition despite the number of years...

The sewing machine didn't escape the attention of curious street's passerby, mostly women. On a few occasions, I had to pretend that it was my mother's sewing machine for it is a true antique one!. As the trip back home seemed to take longer than expected, memories of my mother's sewing machine came back to me in a most intrusive manner: we had a couple of sewing machines too, in Vietnam: a Singer with a big pedal, and an electric one similar to Vincent Mother's sewing machine. That was with the electric one that Mother stayed late to shorten a pair of jeans and other stuff the night before I left the family home to go abroad. The machines still stayed with my mother as far as I remembered from my last trip, at our family house, thousand miles away. I doubt she has sold them, for they have a long history which goes with the house and our family. It has always been a problem to organize a trip abroad for my mother to visit us, even for a short while. It was quite contradictory since she had always shown her desire to join us, but the weight of nostalgia seemed to cloud her mind before any preparation could be made...

Vincent sold me his mother's machine but refused to give away the little metal box which contains all the sewing accessories and probably his childhood. It is pretty touching when my daughter has noticed that his name was even engraved on the case. Looking back at Vincent's reaction when he decided to keep the empty tool box, I suddenly have a strange feeling that I bought the sewing machine for myself instead for my daughter, while Vincent sold it to me against his heart for it was the sewing machine of his childhood.

As the train almost came to a stop, there was favorite song of my sister which I still remember the lyrics, songs she used to hum every time she sat at the sewing table to shorten her mini skirt which my mother never let her wear:

"On ne jette pas un vieux jean usé
On recolle un livre abîmé
Par amour ou par pitié..."

"We don't throw away a worn out jean
We tape up a damaged book...
for Love or Pity."

Both Vincent Mother's sewing machine and the song date from the mid 60s and everything in life as in love, we did it for Love or Pity, according to my sister's song.

Sand of Phan Rang

2008-08-14T12:09:57Z

"Nothing is built on stone; all is built on sand,
but we must build as if the sand were stone".
Jorge Luis Borges.

In Memory of Tuduy, Artist Painter

2008-08-07T15:10:52Z

TUDUY Artist Painter, Hoian .---- Photo Els Ternest

I would like to dedicate this post to Tuduy, an artist painter from Hoian whom I first met in 2003. We quickly become friends for the same taste in arts we have and for other simple things in the old town we have learned to share and to live through. Needless to say, it was Tuduy who walked me into Hoian's lifestyle, and the more I learn about its history, the more I feel like coming back to town on every single occasion I flew home...Tuduy passed away in May 2008. The Email didn't reach me until this morning, when I suddenly feel obliged to check my mail as early as 5.30AM. My deepest sympathy to his wife and his children and my sincere apology for leaning the sad new too, too late... May you rest in Peace Tuduy, your friendship and your talent will never die.

Thierry.
Event Related Link(s): In Hoian, I discovered the Artist., Tuduy ArtSpace

From Venlo, Netherlands: Feel very sorry about the news I received from you about the death of Mr Tuduy. Thanks to my pleasant visit to Vietnam, I am the owner of a beautiful painting from Mr. Tuduy. Through his painting he still remains in my mind as a very creative person. I am wishing his family lots of strength in this difficult period.

Best regards
Jeroen Pennarts

From Boston, USA: I am very sad to hear this. His painting hangs in my room and truly brightens my mood even in the darkest parts of our Boston winters. The day that I spent with him and his assistant was a favorite story about my trip to Vietnam. His concern for me after the tsunami was touching as well. My sincere condolences go to his family and to you as well. He was a wonderful person to have known.

Sincerely,
Kathy Walter

From Toronto, Canada: I like to send my deepest condolence.... Tuduy was a very great man and artist and also a good friend... I hope his spirit and love for art will remain among us.... .

Krisztian Ersek

Rain in SoCal, Snow in Sapa

2008-03-11T17:06:11Z

Who says it doesn't rain in California? It rained on and off during the month of February and many had considered this an omen, since it rarely gets wet in Southern California. And worse, the Nationwide Series race at the Auto Club Speedway was postponed, as the rain had caused California to weep... I saw on the news that it snowed in Vietnam! That, of course, caught everyone off guard. Though it may never snowed in Vietnam, the temperature had dropped to -2°C, and sometimes -15°C in Sapa over a three week period during the month of February 2008.
Sapa a frontier town and district in the Lao Cai province in northwest Vietnam, is one of the main market towns in the area, home of many local trades such as H'mong, Dao and Tay. While its hotels and restaurants were full of tourists who traveled to Sapa to enjoy the unusual scene, happiness for some was already paid for by the misery of others since freezing temperatures had killed a record number of cattle: "families and farmers, draped blankets over water buffalos and lit fires for newborn calves to keep their animals alive for not facing the hardship from the loss of even a single cow. The cold spell, which began early February, was one of the longest running and most-severe to hit northern Vietnam". So far foreigners and locals alike generally remained in good spirits, but not all seemed to appreciate the irony of the situation -- especially for those who had come to Southeast Asia to escape the snow back in the North and Midwest, and yet to their amazement found themselves looking at white-capped peaks in a region of the world known for hot weather and tropical beaches...

Sapa Trekking season has already begun as we are entering the last week of March. Although the weather is still foggy and wet, tourists are too excited to explore the region in the mud and in the rain, of course with a lots of ups and downs. There are so many beautiful mountain valleys to walk down, amazing sceneries to witness and unforgettable experiences with many hill tribe villages to live through, that tourists almost forgot the pain, cause for them, that's the best opportunity to really soak in the true feeling of the town, the surrounding countryside and it's beautiful people. Everyday there are always things to love about it up there and believe me, travelers like you and me, we certainly all left our hearts in Sapa, one way or another!

A Trip of Their Own

2008-02-18T01:00:31Z

Hanneke Van Nistelrooij.
Letter from Holland.
February 17, 2007 (8:16 AM) Hello T. and family,

Thank you for your email and the nice pictures! We have been back to Holland for almost two weeks now, and although the weather is less cold than in Canada, we miss the nice weather in Vietnam. We had a great trip altogether with a lot of highlights: beautiful Halong Bay, Perfume Pagoda, the tombs and citadel in Hue, the waterfalls in Buon Ma Thuot, the buzzing beehive that is Saigon and the tranquility of tropical beaches at Phu Quoc Island. When collegues and friends ask about the trip, it takes us a lot of time to explain about everything.

It is so hard to describe the impact of what we have seen and done in a few words. Fortunately we didn't encounter any ghosts in Buon Ma Thuot (or may be we did, and didn't recognize them). It was a very beautiful place, nice to visit because there were not many tourists. In fact, I don't think I have seen any other foreign tourists at all. We were quite a sight, we noticed this when a couple who just got married, stopped and waved enthusiastically at us! We also met some of the Ede-people, a mountain tribe originating from Malaysia and Indonesia. We couldn't communicate in words with them, they didn't even speak Vietnamese. But it was already great to look at each other, wave and shake hands with the little children who were after a while brave enough to come towards us. We have read your blog about Sapa, it sounds wonderful! We recognize a few of the entertaining stories you told us on the way up and down to the perfume pagoda. Pho Hien sounds like a nice place to visit and meet with local people. We look forward reading more details about it on your blog! Best regards to you and your family, Hanneke en Marijn

March 5, 2007 (8:58 PM) - Reply from Thierry

Good to know that you both enjoyed the trip and were not troubled by the legend of "Ma lai" ghosts. As a matter of fact, the american named Buon Ma Thuot (Kontum and Pleiku) as "Ghost cities" during the Vietnam war, for being too "mystic" dull and gloomy especially when the wet seasons arrived not mentioning uncountable stories about "Ghosts". Ma Lai ghosts borrowed the form of human being during day time(that is why you didn't recognize them), but turned into ghost / vampire at night to go out and feed themselves with human feces!. Ma lai used to disguise as a beautiful woman, married ordinary man, but at bedtime, departed from the headless body to fly out of the house, half a meter above the ground with the internal organs dangling to its head... Will have a post about this story in a coming future. FYI, as of March the 1st, a post entry about Phố Hiến was made available. Hope you find the pleasure to discover it at least through my writings. Of course with photos!. Until next time...

Year of the Rat

2008-02-07T01:17:58Z

The year of the Rat is coming. Like it or not, we all have to embrace it as another new year. As for the prospects, "the Year of the Rat is ruled by the cold of winter and the darkness of night. It will be marked by speculation and fluctuations in the prices of commodities and the stock market; the world economy in general will be affected one way or another starting with a weakening US economy followed by stock markets plunging into turmoils after shares nosedive in Asia". But what is exactly the Rat, in the Chinese Zodiac?. Honestly speaking, after browsing through many websites, I become more confused about the "Virtues" of the Rat. And for what it brings for the Year to come, little specifics are highlighted but a whole lot of generalities are presented with vague exceptions and "mise en garde". For those who were born under the sign of the Rat, it's wise to look for the right Fengshui Master who can predict the future, but for a practical person like me, I have my own way to look at things...

Year of the Rat, Raise a Cat!. By the end of summer 2007, I suddenly felt obliged to shelter three kittens found abandoned under the deck of my veranda. I have kept them ever since to give them a home, but it was all part of my strategy: to scare away squirls which managed to sneak into our house through the kitchen window. And it works. No more squirls wandering in the back yard, but the cats got bored. As the winter was approaching, I almost refused the idea of having three cats in the house, not for the place is too small, but It was almost a full time job maintaining the kitchen clean. Rumors of Rats invading the kitchen of our neighbor's house recently had made me reconsider that decision.

]]> The little creepers haven't made their salute yet, but the cats are on alert. At certain point in time, I thought that they had made a catch but turned out to be a cat toy mouse. There were indeed confirmed reports of rat and mouse droppings being found in some restaurants that have led city officials to order a top-to-bottom cleaning of a few restaurants in the Montreal Downtown area; but that was how far the danger seemed to be "Present and Clear". Sometimes I wondered if Tony my neighbor had overeacted when the rats which had sneaked into his house were in fact the squirls looking for refuge against the cold and the snow. The cats are still with us, watching over the kitchen for invisible rats. Constantly in action, they are conducting daily exercise with the cat mouse toy which almost lost its head. The rats are not to be found anywhere in the house, not in the closets, nor in the kitchen. They must be waiting somewhere, sometime to get into the house of course by the front door on this February the 7th, the Year of the Rat. The Rat is the first animal of the 12 year-Cycle in the Chinese Calendar, which comes to visit every household once every twelve years, with or without the Cats. So let's get alert, and for those who were born under the sign of the Cat or the Snake, You are On Call !..

Year of the Rat predictions 4:28mn [CNNVideo] Raymond Lo, a Feng Shui consultant gives his Year of the Rat predictions for global environment, finance and love:"it's Yang Earth sitting on the Rat which is massive water. So therefore that is why on the outside a Yang Earth person gives you the impression of stability and firmness but underneath the water is unstable, like tension underneath while on the ousitde it is more peaceful..." (Source CNN).

Shocking/Offbeat news about Rats. 2008 is the 'Year of the Rat' in the traditional Chinese calendar. Although rats are not everybody's favourite animals, the rodent's meat is considered, at least by some, a delicacy in rural Vietnam (AP ASSOCIATED PRESS).

Chinese Deliver Live Rats to Restaurant. "Central China, plagued with about two billion rats forced out by a flooded lake, trucks the live rodents to the south to be used in restaurant dishes. Some Guangdong Internet users have already offered rat recipes as a way to deal with the rat invasion problem. The idea to cook rat meat in restaurants was partially suggested by the lack of snakes, a popular dish in the south of China, and owls, traditionally used in Chinese medicine." (InfoNIAC).
Central-china-on-disease-alert-after-rat-invasion. Poison has also been widely used to kill the rats but that has already had side effects. In Binhu village of Lujiao town, about 1,000 cats died after eating rats killed by poison.

Jessie Eating Rat: A daring experience
which is worth the try.

Giant Rat discovered in Indonesia Jungle. JAKARTA, Indonesia - Researchers in a remote jungle in Indonesia have discovered a giant rat and a tiny possum that are apparently new to science, underscoring the stunning biodiversity of the Southeast Asian nation, scientists said Monday (MSN). Group calls on China to respect rats. BEIJING - An animal rights group called Monday for China to treat rats with kindness and respect, as millions across the nation begin to celebrate the coming Year of the Rat. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, said it has asked the Chinese government to consider animal welfare laws for rats used in laboratory experiments. The group also recommended a series of guidelines for animals used in science (Yahoo News).

Love Letter, Not mine

2008-01-05T07:32:56Z

This post is about a love letter, but it's not mine. Exactly one year ago, today, I was standing in the hall of Vinh Hung Resort with all the luggages well packed. As the cab was late for the airport, I sat at the bar on the riverside, just killing a few cups of tea. The waiter who served me looks very familiar. He identified himself as the eldest son of Thành and Xuân, whom I met a couple of years ago.Indeed, Thành used to work for an art gallery but was laid off at the height of the SARS crisis. Xuân, Thành's wife worked from home as a hair dresser: she was detected with an ovarius cancer, the year I came to Hoian but has recovered marvelously well ever since.

Trung is his name, and he remembered well the day, I first stepped into their house. He sadly told me that soon the whole family will be relocated due to Hoian new urban development program. Basically, streets will be widened, and their house might be torn down in exchange for a modest compensation. Knowing that I was about to depart anytime, Trung showed me a letter with both hands. At first, I thought that he was seeking for some financial help, but as I glanced throught the letter, I quickly grasped the meaning.

The writing was all in english and started with "Dear Sweetie"...Trung never learned how to read nor to write in english and what he showed me was just an e-mail print out. In the letter, the girl said that she missed him a lot since her return to Canada as she was living with memories of their trip to Nha Trang and all the places where Trung had been with her. She worried a lot as she got no news from him despite sending so many E-mails. But she hoped that he is doing well, and must be very busy coping with his day to day life. At the end of the letter, she said that "she will pursue and complete her studies in Medicine and looks forward coming back to Vietnam"...

Trung thanked me for the quick translation he had been waiting for months, or years perhaps. I asked him if he needed help to compose a draft in english for a reply.

Click the button on the bottom-left
of the video (Love Letters).

He wisely folded the letter with his head down and preciously put it into his pocket. Trung went on explaining how he met the girl on a sunny day, as she was looking for direction in the old town. Trung never worked as a tour guide but was offered to keep her company as a pathfinder. Througout the trip he managed to use sign language and broken english and as the trip ended, their relationship has turned into love. Trung has been married for more than a year and has his first child with a Vietnamese local. He kept all of her E-mails unanswered for he is not capable to read english. For Trung, "every trip has its end, he is happy to know that she was still fond of him after all these years".

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A year has gone by since I had translated Trung's Love letter. As I am about to finish watching a film on DVD I had for quite sometime, I have this sudden idea to type up this post as there is strong resemblance between what Trung had lived and the Captain Corelli's Mandolin movie. It is about the daughter of a Greek island's doctor who resisted to the attentions of an Italian Captain. Despite being engaged to a local fisherman, the girl gave in to her passions. Pelagia (Penelope Cruz), could not be blamed for her affairs with Corelli (Nicolas Cage), because her fiancé (Christian Bale) never answered to her letters. Not a single one. Movie watchers like you and me, could not hold back our tears to find out that Mandras, her fiancé carried her heart through all the time he was in Albania, fighting against the Italians, the Nazis allies. Like Trung, who never learned how to read nor to write, Mandras had all of her letters read by others. Pelagia was never married to Mandras. As the the war reached its end, she chose to stay with her father and worked as a medical trainee...

By the time the post is published for you to read these lines, storms and flooding in Hoian have become things of the past and life in the old town continued apace. Montreal is having a lot of snow this winter comparing to last year: though I am not a very religious person, Iooking at the falling snow through my windows, I pray God for this post could reach Trung' s Canadian Sweetheart with Best Wishes for a Happy New Year and a lot of Success in her studies to become a doctor like Pelagia. On Trung's Behalf.

Useful Links for Vietnam Medical Projects : IMO Vietnam Medical Project (Stanford University USA), Medical Aid For Vietnam EMAS, CMDS (Vancouver, Canada)

Editor's Year-End Note

2007-12-30T04:01:21Z

As the Year-End nearly unfolds, fresh memories of last year celebration in Phan Thiết, vividly come back to me. It was Exactly ONE YEAR ago Today, I was on the unspoilt romantic beach of Mủi Né. Images of those good moments are so alive as I can still hear the sound of waves rushing to shore... There has been a lot of snow in Montreal, comparing to last year's same period of time. Walking in the snow is as fun as walking in the sands of Mủi Né, but the feeling is quite different, and shoveling snow is more a duty than pleasure during these days when snowstorms are very frequent.

While snow brings both leisure and miseries to us, storms and flooding in the Southeast of Asia and in Vietnam killed hundreds of people, ruined many houses and facilities. It is almost unthinkable to hear that people were mauled to death by a tiger in a San Francisco Zoo , whereas in Vietnam, villagers and tourists ran for their life after hundreds of crocodiles had escaped from the farms which were inundated. And again, sarcastically speaking, while automatic assault weapon AK47s was used in a shooting spree in Omaha Mall, US, killing dozen of innocent people, in Khánh Hòa, Vietnam, Soldiers, militiamen and forest rangers armed themselves with the same type of rifle(AK47s) to hunt down almost 5000 crocodiles that flooding had washed away from a state-owned farm...

As the year wraps up, It is good to learn from friends in 'Nam, that recovery and reconstruction effort are under completion to restore normal life: after all it is reassuring to know that they all have survived the flooding and none of them was bitten by crocs. Thanks Wendy and Jack from New Zealand for worrying about my safety. No I didn't fly home this year. Wish I could be there, to join the rescue team or at least to hunt down for the escaped crocs. Thanks Els Ternest from Jersey, Channel Islands who just sent in her Email of Sympathy to the folks in Hội an where flooding has caused serious damage: "many relics of Hội An town, a world cultural heritage, could fall at any time due to being submerged in floods".

On a more positive note, I was pretty excited after being informed by Ken, that the last group of 140 stateless Vietnamese refugees still remaining in the Philippines are soon leaving for Canada. Stella Nhung Davis, a Vietnamese-Canadian Vancouver-based immigration consultant and Ken's sister has been working actively there ever since to help administer the funds raised by the Vietnamese-Canadian community to meet December 31 2007 Canada Dead Line set for the Project Freedom at last, closing the chapter on the boat people.

Last but not least, thanks to friends and fans who have supported me, thanks to all of my readers for visiting my blog, leaving comments (but not spam messages), subscribing to my feed, special thanks to Rina Vardi , the Poet, Artist and Painter from Aussie for her valuable advices about life and love, for sending me beautiful photos of Vietnam before it was destroyed by flooding, and Dank u wel Els Ternest for your Email of sympathy(*) and your story about trekking experiences in Sapa.

Chúc mừng năm mới, Happy New Year, Bonne et heureuse année, Gute newen yar, Gelukkig Nieuwjaar ...

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(*) Hi T!. First of all a very Happy New Year for 2008 to you and your family!!! Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!!!. I read about the heavy rains and severe flooding in Vietnam. My deepest sympathy to everyone in Hoi An and its surrounding areas who have been caught up in these very difficult circumstances. Is Tu Duy ok? Please let your friends know I'm thinking of them and wish them strength in this difficult time!. Your Belgian friend, E. Greetings from Jersey, Channel Islands.

So this is Christmas

2007-12-27T02:40:09Z

PEACE on Earth ...

Cats and Dogs, Pet or Meat

2007-09-14T01:17:19Z

Stray Cats: Lillie, Pipie, Mimie

In this post, Thierry reveals his most recent experiences with those 3 stray cats (kittens), his deepest reflexions about animal's gratitude towards his decision to shelter them. He also presents a dark outlook of pets mistreat in Vietnam and in Asia where domestic animals generally do not receive the kind of protection and care found in most of civilized countries. Cats and dogs, Pet or Meat? Coming soon to Artviet Travel Blog.

Cyclomania, Cyclo Manners

2007-08-03T21:56:32Z

The cycle rickshaw is known in vietnam as CYCLO. Also called as Cyclo-Pousse, it was first brought into Vietnam via Phnom Penh around 1940. The Saigon Daily La Presse indochinoise dates its entry more precisely to January 1937. The following pictures show the Cyclo Driver Bargainning, Transporting, and finally Resting ...

Event Related Link(s):Annual Saigon Cyclo Challenge Event organized by The Saigon Children's charity.

What Four Pigs Bring You, in Sapa

2007-07-12T18:12:06Z

Pigs Salute at Ban Ho Entrance Gate in Sapa

In the Western World, with many marriages ending up in divorce, more and more couples ask themselves what it takes to get married and to make it last. Some even wonder why should they bother getting married. In Vietnam, marrying the right man to get abroad is more problematic than getting divorced. The emigration obsession is so high now that it becomes a lure for many young girls to rush into a blind lifetime decision. For young men, getting married is hardly speakable when the social requirements for an engagement could not be met. If you are not an expatriate or a foreigner, you may find many challenges to overcome. The Murphy law about dating in Vietnam has shaped the way young women set out their criteria. Like in any modern societies, the guy must be educated, has a well paid job and projects himself as a trend follower if not a trend setter: always calls his date on a latest cell phone model, takes her out with an expensive motorcycle and the blessing of the family surely will follow. But not all stories about dating and getting married in Vietnam are that sophisticated. In the country side where traditions still govern, people mate easily and get married. Poultry, farm animals and / or land usually are the most popular wedding presents requirements and celebrations usually last for three days. While in urban areas where the groom arrives at the bride's house on his wedding day, bearing wedding presents of jewelry, clothing and money, in Sapa, Northern Vietnam, I've learned that four Pigs are what a groom of the tribal Tay should bring with him. Raising pigs is part of the traditional agrarian economy which is based on family farms and Pigs mean prosperity as each Pig could in turn give birth to piglets to be sold on the market for 30US$ when each one reaches about 20 kilograms in weight. Pigs also represent Happiness as matrimonial life of the ethnic minorities has always been harmonious. Divorce is rare since men and women seem to find compatible partners to share an everlasting love...

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Dating Tips for Single Men: The Piu Scarf
Marrying somehow still requires four Pigs.

Pigs are perceived as bad and dirty animals by some religions. Despite such beliefs and strict practices against the use / consumption of Pigs, In Vietnam and largely in the globe, they contribute positively in our lifestyle, from delicacies for weddings or festivities to the image of Happiness and Prosperity: delightful ways to encourage savings often are represented with Piggy banks / Money boxes made of ceramic earthenware and funny Wedding Congratulations Cards now contain Lots of hogs and kisses!. There is no absolute commandment about the Pig's Image, either should it be banned from our sights or should it be worshiped for all the good things it brings us. In Pledge of human acceptance, Vietnamese pot bellied pig has proven to be a very intelligent, active pet that has a mind of it's own, and can provide many hours of entertainment into the household (*). As to an everlasting love, there is no secret nor a magic number to quantify what we must give to love or to be loved. Probably what matters the most is When and How we gave each other, "Timely and effectively, sometimes giving more with less..". To close this story on a philosophical note, there is a factual promotional statement to share and to reflect on, and it was used by a Jeans Manufacturer in the mid 80's which claimed the durability of its Jean versus others by comparing it with an Eternal Love: "Some love come and go, others last for ever...". (But you have to wear it once to check it out!. That's marketing!) Pham Do Trieu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (*) "Vietnamese Potbelly pigs are a dwarf swine breed which were developed in the 1960's from the breed of Vietnam. They were originally brought into Sweden and Canada and have since moved into a number of countries, including the USA in 1986".

Streets of the Rising Sun

2007-03-11T12:06:57Z

Morning at Ben thanh rotary in Saigon

It's sunday morning as the sun is glowing through my window glass. Though I did'nt mind changing my clock to align with DST, I managed surprisingly well to raise my ass up off the bed right on time for breakfast, with Highlands coffee I brought back from Vietnam.

In canada, we observe the DST (Daylight Saving Time) and change our clocks some time between midnight and 3:00 a.m, on the second week of march. For weekdays, it might be hard to get up one hour earlier for work, but for weekend, there is little effect on my sleeping habits nor on my evening activities. As I am about to finish my coffee, vivid memories of my last journey in Vietnam come back to me in a such manner I can hardly tell myself I am having breakfast in Saigon or in Canada. Streets of Saigon, Streets of Hanoi have its own manner to start the day, but in general, they all wake up at the rising sun. Though the country does not observe the DST, each street has its morning break characteristics to commence the day at its own pace. The familiar noises of the street vendors, the smell of the Phở, the Bánh Cuốn and the motorcycles all contribute to the wake up of the city.

Florist morning scene

in Hanoi, Vietnam

On March 11th, 2007, residents of countries which observe DST, shift their days forward and are likely to be working early in the morning. They save money by getting up earlier to use morning sunlight, thereby spending less lighting resources in the evening. In Vietnam, people wake up early in the morning to start the day as they are all driven by the work desire. There is not much saving to gain but instead, it is a collective effort for catching up, to Drive, to Start and to Thrive. As I am changing all the clocks in the house, I decided to keep one I never change, to have its time in sync with the time of Saigon now that I know the sun never sleeps in Vietnam.

Pham Do Trieu

Pho Hien, the forgotten city

2007-03-01T16:28:02Z

As the Vietnamese once said about Phố Hiến, it ranked first among the country major cities, second only to Thăng Long, the Capital of Đại Cồ Việt(*), the Very Big, Big Vietnam. Indeed, Phố Hiến once played a major role as a busiest trading port, but after two centuries of its establishment, it changed from being one of the most bustling commercial center to a small town with nostalgic old traits...

Going on a trip to Vietnam is something everybody is talking about these days. To visit places like Phố Hiến, one might wonder what it has to offer in terms of vestiges and attractions. My most recent stay in Vietnam dates back to early January of this year, and Phố Hiến (*) destination was on my itinerary. That idea was thrown in at the last minutes to close my journey in the Northern part of Vietnam, with a location in Hưng Yên 60km south east of Hanoi, a site rarely mentioned by tour operators.

Using the national Highway 39A, running through rice and corn field we arrived at Phố Hiến, after 2 1/2 hour drive. For a cold season of January, the weather was mild comparing to Hanoi. Our first stop, the Chuông Pagoda. Walking through the three-door entrance gate, we found ourselves at a lotus pond with a stone bridge that leads us to the main compound court. The place was so quiet as there was only the four of us, visitors of the forgotten city. Once in the yard, by the side entrance we introduced ourselves into the lateral part of the main sanctuary, to be greeted by statues of Arahats (Thập Bát La Hán) and from the 10 halls in the Kingdom of Hell (Thập Điện Diêm Vuơng) which line up along the wall. Knowing it is a trip with no tour guide assistance, the research made a day earlier was of great help: those 18 Arahat (*) statues made of lacquer-coated earth - the type of lacquered antiques unique to Viet Nam, represent accomplished and immortal Saints - spiritual practitioners who had 'laid down the burden' and realised the goal of Nibbana, the culmination of the spiritual life.

"Such a person, having removed all causes for future becoming, is not reborn after biological death into any samsaric realm!". While each Arahat statue is presented in a different attitude, thoughtful and expressive, the other 10 statues show tough looking face but appear righteous for they represent Presidents of ten tribunals in the Kingdom of Hell (Thập Điện Diêm Vương).That is exactly where those who sinned are judged on their way to Hell. "Each court deals with a different aspect of atonement. Most legends agree that once a soul has atoned for their deeds and repented, he or she is given the Drink of Forgetfulness and sent back into the world to be reborn".

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Moving from one corridor to another corridor we finally entered the main altar to pay our respect. As there was no caretaker to brief us about the Pagoda's history, we had to rely on explanatory notes on the wall to tour the place, not mentioning the precious personal research I made on a scratch sheet. We were short of going up to the Bell tower, but rather chose to contemplate one of the Pagoda's most important stele which dates back to the 7th year of King Vinh Thinh (1711)s. On the stele are engraved the pagoda's scenery and names of contributors to the pagoda's restoration. It also lists all the Phố Hiến streets names with its 20 wards. There is no doubt that the researchers use that stele to understand Phố Hiến during its heyday to find out that the commercial road between Phố Hiến and Thăng Long had passed by Chuông Pagoda's gate.. With a prayer and a humble offering, we left the Sanctuary compound (Thương Điện) using the same path we took to get in: the Tiên Đường (Ancestor-worshipping House), and Thiêu Hương (Incense Burning House), back to the yard then the stone bridge crossing the Lotus Pond this time in the opposite direction. For the last picture, I took a panoramic view of the Pagoda before stepping out through the three-door gate which brings us back to the main road, the same commercial road which interfaced Thăng Long and Phố Hiến many, many centuries ago... San Francisco has its Golden Gate, Phố Hiến has its Golden Bell Gate too, symbol of a glorious and privileged past.

(*) In 939 AD, the Vietnamese threw off Chinese domination to institute an independent state.The kingdom was named Đại Cồ Viềt, Great Viet State. -- Phố Hiến used to be an international trading port formed in the 13th century during the Lê and Trầ dynasties.The Portuguese, Dutch, English, and French had all established trading posts in Phố Hiến by 1680. Chuông Pagoda is situated in Nhân Đức village, Hiến Nam commune, Hưng Yên province. Kim Chung từ is Chuông Pagoda's name in Chinese scripts.

**PHỐ HIẾN in Hưng Yên**
Gallery: Take a stroll - See Artviet Photo coverage of Phố Hiến Street scenes and main attractions.	Related Entries (Coming Soon) Đông Đô Quảng Hội Club House Phố Hiến, Hội an and Cholon axis

Pham Do Trieu

Legend of the Love Market

2007-02-05T20:02:06Z

Time is precious and True Love has always been scarce. In modern societies, Escort Services often help remedy to those problems by offering for a fee, the pleasant company of a mate for your convenience either for business or leisure. In Japan, professional married couples who could not agree on a timetable to share their holidays together, usually turn to "Husbands and Wives for Rent" services to pick up a companion to fill up the place of the missing partner. "No woman no cry", now that the Japanese have found a reason to revamp their Geisha concept adapted to the modern life: select your partner with a matching social / professional profile, to guarantee a durable and joyful relationship, at least for the moment of the service fulfillment...

Not long ago, before embarking on my first trip back home, I have heard stories about the Love Market in Sapa. It's a city that lies on the Hoàng Liên Sơn mountain pass in the northern part of Vietnam, close to the border with China. That' s where you can find ethnic minorities like the Black H'mong, the Red Zao, with young girls trekking down every Saturday morning from their remote hillside villages to hawk souvenirs to the tourists who come to take pictures. There were accounts and unconfirmed rumors about "trading places" for single travelers to Sapa. "If you're going to Sapa, don't forget to visit the Love Market. If you want the companionship of a lover, pick up a girl for less than a hundred dollars, but if you want to marry her, pay her more and the rest has got to be lived.." Sounds incredible, but for a country like Vietnam which was left alone in isolation by history circumstances, for nearly 30 years, one might feel tempted to believe the existence of such a market. Of course to have a good reason to come to Sapa for the sake of adventure...

That opportunity finally came to me in October 2004. By the midnight express train from Hanoi, I reached Sapa early in the morning. Despite the fatigue of a 10 long hour ride, I managed successfully to check into the Mountain Views hotel for a fair price and jumped right away on the backseat of a Russian motorbike heading towards Ta Phinh.

Under a sunny sky, I discovered a small commune surrounded by mountains with water buffalos wallowing peacefully in the rice fields. It was an absolutely fascinating day and probably the most amazing scenery I have ever seen since a long time. Girls dressed up in colorful traditional costumes speak amazingly good English. In less than no times both my wrists were filled up with bracelets I had to buy in exchange for photos I was allowed to take. Scenes like that went on repeatedly during the next day en route for Ta Van as I was trekking on small paths distance then down through the Seo Bridge to reach Bản Hồ village, home of the Tày, another colorful ethnic tribe. There I spent the night at the village: during the super, I was briefed by the Tay woman about the virtues of her tribe, wedding traditions and the legend of the "Piu Scarf" and countless popular stories until unknowingly I closed my eyes to drift away into a deep sleep ..

]]> I woke up the next morning at the smell of breakfast. As I was sipping my cup of coffee, I carefully put down my thoughts in a pocket diary, along with the recollection of what I had witnessed.

Still there was nothing I could mentioned about the sensational "Love market" as I had heard though a lot of money had been spent for bracelets, scarves, hats and photos. So far it was all about charity and admiring the beauty of Sapa composed by its mountains, valleys and rice paddies, its people and the simplicity of their lifestyles...But the journey didn't stop here as I packed up my things and said goodbye to the Tay host family. With Loc, my tour guide we left Bản Hồ and trekked up the long and winding footpath to reach the checkpoint right on time for the transfer back to the hotel in motorbike.

We had a switch of tour guide in the afternoon during the visit to Lai Châu. Minh speaks fluently English as we had now a dutch tourist on the trip. Unluckily we ran into hostile reception at the gate of the village. According to Minh, the presence of foreigners let the chief of the tribe believe that missionaries are coming to distribute propaganda leaflets: the locals are afraid of losing their religion and theirs wives. Needless to say, we were ordered to refrain from taking pictures and were asked to depart at once. The itinerary was diverted onto the next village, where a Lự family surprisingly showed a great deal of interest in our visit.

There we were showed weaving scenes performed by a Lự woman. For nearly half and hour, we were invited to share a typical Lự family lifestyle and quickly learned how single, married or widow woman dressed up differently. We continued our route in motorbike, and occasionally stopped to chat with small groups of Green H'mong wandering in the middle of the road, probably heading to market..Exchanges like that were quite common as we were rushing back to the Hotel in the mist and thin rain...

I spent the rest of the afternoon drafting a checklist of things to do for tomorrow's trip back to Hanoi. Later on, I had E. a young anthropologist working in Holland who joined me for super. E. had just come back from a 2 days trekking to Fansipan, a 3143 meters Vietnam�s highest mountain 9 km from Sapa. My congratulations on her efforts came right on time as I learned that she had also reached another birthday(E. was born under the year of the Snake) when conquering the top of the mountain!. A kind of friendly comfort she just needed as she'd been waiting for news from her boyfriend which never came. As we went on exchanging our trekking experiences, a wedding celebration between an American groom and a H'mong bride captured our attention: though it took everybody by surprise, the event brought a sense of enchantment and became a subject for discussion around the tables. Past midnight, all the activities seemed to calm down at the last candle light, and the dining room soon was emptied...

That was a great evening, and I felt quite relaxing about the trip. Realizing I was going to leave Sapa tomorrow morning, I just accepted the fact that tonight's wedding festivities had indeed confirmed the existence of the Love Market. Question was, where and when was it held. For my comfort, to make the sleep come easier and the night even better, I decided to open the window partly: fresh air slowly got into the room. It was dark outside, and across the street, there was a lamp post illuminating the sidewalk where a group of H'mong teenagers still gathered for a street party. Back into my bed, I wrapped myself in thick drape sheets and gently fell asleep at the sound of soft voices whispering , the breeze of young girls humming and laughing, and chorus singing throughout the quiet night. It was my last night in Sapa...

Thanks to the hotel's wake up service, I was able to get off my bed and packed my luggages before sunrise. During breakfast, I asked Lộc to help me board the bus. Pretending he saw me at the windows side last night (probably to find the sleep), Lộc politely explained to me that those were the young men and women who sang and hummed: "they were courting each other, and if the tunes rang in harmony, they became a couple!". And he went on commenting about the Love Market as the bus was not ready to depart yet: "In the early days, they had to stay over in Sapa for a while until the market ended before returning back to their tribes. That was how young men and women got dating and romancing during the evening get together party". But sadly, strict rules between different tribes forbid them to marry each other, and often they ended up marrying someone else of the same tribe for convenience. As there were so many heartbroken stories like the one of Romeo and Juliette, Lộc had learned from his grand mother that the Love Market was initially set up to reunite long time lovers, once in a while after years of unjust separation... As Lộc was about to finish his stories, the chauffeur ordered us to check our belongings for the last time. The sound of the gaz throttle got louder and we can feel the bus moving slowly. I shouted over the car window to thank Lộc for the stories and promised to get in touch with him. Though the rear window glass, I saw him and the hotel staff waving goodbye: I waived back with tears in my heart and watched them getting smaller until I lost sight of them at the right turn...

Pham do Trieu