Latest news with #Huyen
The Star
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Writing history in every stroke
Huyen practising her brush strokes. — AFP At a calligraphy class in Hanoi, Hoang Thi Thanh Huyen slides her brush across the page to form the letters and tonal marks of Vietnam's unique modern script, in part a legacy of French colonial rule. The history of romanised Vietnamese, or 'Quoc Ngu', links the arrival of the first Christian missionaries, colonisation by the French and the rise to power of the Communist Party. It is now reflected in the country's 'bamboo diplomacy' approach of seeking strength through flexibility, or looking to stay on good terms with the world's major powers. A month after China's Xi Jinping visited, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to arrive. Huyen, 35, takes weekly calligraphy classes alongside six others at her teacher's tiny home as 'a way to relax after work'. 'When I do calligraphy, I feel like I'm talking to my inner self,' she said, her head bent in concentration. Today, Macron is due to visit Hanoi's star attraction, the Temple of Literature, whose walls and explanatory panels are decorated with calligraphy in both traditional Chinese-influenced characters and Quoc Ngu. Ink-redible: A woman reading inside the calligraphy house at the Temple of Literature. — AFP Colonisation led to the widespread use of Quoc Ngu – which uses accents and signs to reflect the consonants, vowels, and tones of Vietnamese – but it was created two centuries earlier on the initiative of Catholic priests. When the Avignon-born Jesuit Alexandre de Rhodes published the first Portuguese-Vietnamese-Latin dictionary under his own name in 1651, it was primarily intended for missionaries wishing to spread their religion in what was then called 'Dai Viet'. The French then spread the Latin alphabet while training the civil servants who helped them govern Indochina, explained Khanh-Minh Bui, a doctoral student at the University of California, Berkeley, specialising in 19th- and 20th-century Vietnamese history. Another motive was 'severing connections with an older civilisation, which has greatly influenced the elites'. Compared to the characters that had been in use for centuries, Quoc Ngu was far easier to learn. Its adoption fuelled an explosion in newspapers and publishing which helped spread anti-colonial ideas that ultimately led to the rise of the Communist Party. 'Quoc Ngu carried the promise of a new education, a new way of thinking,' said Minh. When Ho Chi Minh proclaimed independence in 1945, it was 'unthinkable' to turn back the clock, she added. Today, a Western tourist lost in the alleys of Hanoi can read the street names, but would have a hard time pronouncing them correctly without understanding the diacritics used to transcribe the six tones of Vietnamese. Calligraphy teacher Nguyen Thanh Tung, who has several young students in his class, says he has noticed rising interest in traditional Vietnamese culture. 'I believe that it's in our blood, a gene that flows in every Vietnamese person, to love their traditional culture,' he said. 'Culture is not the property of one country, it's an exchange between regions,' added Tung. — AFP
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
What to do and see in Hanoi: How I spent 3 days in Vietnam's capital
There's no way to prepare for the chaos that is Hanoi. With about nine million people and seven million scooters, it's a different world. You'll see moms on motorbikes lined up outside schools and daycares, waiting for their kids to hop on behind them. Traffic lights don't seem to mean much and there aren't many of them to begin with. Instead, you'll hear endless honks, which may seem redundant, but it helps explain why in my three days in Hanoi, I didn't see one accident. With its international airport, I used Hanoi as my entry and exit point for Northern Vietnam, spending about a day-and-a-half for each stint, as I had my sights on exploring Ninh Binh, Cat Ba and the Ha Giang Loop. Truthfully, I wouldn't make Hanoi the basis of a vacation, but it is a truly unique city, one that I'm happy to have experienced during my two weeks in Vietnam. If you're staying in Hanoi and want to be in the middle of it all, the city's Old Quarter is where you'll want to be. Among the chaos is an assortment of bars, restaurants, food markets, shops and historic sites. But just as a heads up, if you're staying in the Old Quarter, get a hotel room that isn't directly facing the street — or even better — a room without a window, to avoid being woken up by those honks as early as 6 a.m. I stayed in a private room at Hanoi Golden Hostel to start my trip, and then decided to treat myself a little by staying at Omina Hanoi Hotel & Travel when I returned to finish my Vietnam adventure. Both spots did the trick. Staying in the French Quarter is a more quiet alternative that's still nearby the Old Centre, while it's also known for its French colonial architecture. But no matter where you stay in Hanoi, getting around is cheap. Download the Grab app, which is their version of Uber. It's affordable, but even cheaper if you're willing to sit on the back of a scooter. In terms of when to visit Hanoi, guidance is similar for most of Northern Vietnam. You'll want to target between April to June or September to December. That way, you'll avoid the overbearing summer heat and humidity during the region's rainy season, while still being able to bask in 25 to 30°C weather. When I was there in November, I was perfectly OK day and night in a T-shirt and shorts. Eating out is a large part of Vietnamese culture. It makes sense; meals such as pho can take hours to make, so it's only right to make it in large quantities, which makes it pretty cheap to serve. Since I was staying in Vietnam for two weeks, I knew I had to familiarize myself with the food. For anyone who's starting their vacation here, I recommend the Hanoi Food Tasting Tour in the Old Quarter. My tour guide Huyen was a gem. She shared all her favourite spots, from getting a solid banh mi (a classic sandwich) to banh cuon (stuffed rice flour rolls) to mango and ice cream desserts. All these meals will cost you from 20K-75K VND, which is about $1-4 CAD. It's also fun to indulge in the keg culture, since beers are about 79 cents CAD a glass. Doing this tour gave me confidence to fully immerse myself in the food culture. By the next day, I felt like Anthony Bourdain. I'd throw on my shades, dodge traffic like a pro and find my go-to spot for bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs and noodles). I'd enjoy my meal while sitting on the tiny chairs among the locals, have a couple beers for lunch, and finish it off with a Vietnamese coffee. I did a walking tour with Central Backpackers Hostel, which was convenient for meeting other travellers. It was also a nice introduction to learn the history of Vietnam, a country that really knows how to win a war. Whether it be the French, Americans or anyone else, it's always 'Vietnam No. 1.' As for the tour itself, a highlight was the Ngoc Son Temple at the Hoan Kiem Lake, a popular hangout spot when it's super humid. Ta Hien Street, more commonly known as Beer Street, is also a sight to see at night. With clubs and bars blasting Vietnamese techno music, you'll find cheap beer and helium balloons. At 20 years old, I may have enjoyed this a bit more. But at 27, it felt touristy and outside the nature vibe I had come to Vietnam to pursue, especially with all the men on Beer Street trying to sell drugs and prostitutes (which, not so-conveniently, are also called 'pho'). Given the fact that Hanoi is also the worst place in the world to experience a hangover with its endless chorus of scooter honks, I'd likely skip Beer Street the next time around. A highlight instead was Hanoi Train Street, where a train literally passes through a stretch filled with dozens of cafes and bars. There's some confusion about when this happens, so here's the info I received from a Train Street bar owner: Weekdays: 8:40 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m., 10 p.m. and sometimes 7:30 p.m. Weekends: 8:20 a.m., 8:40 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 6:15 p.m.. 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10 p.m. Ideally, if you're looking for a good quality suit for cheap, you'll head further south to Hoi An, a world-renowned city for tailored clothing. If you're only vacationing in the north, Hanoi will certainly do. I went to Adam's Store, and got myself a custom three-piece cotton suit for $300 CAD. It took 12 days to make, so I placed the order at the start of my trip. Since I'm a bit picky and don't know much about suits, I had a lot of questions. Thankfully, I had Google Translate, which I used for the majority of my conversations with locals. Everyone was also super kind, even during some awkward translations as I described how I wanted the pants to fit my derrière. To complete my look, I bought a bamboo dress shirt from Adam's Store ($50 CAD), and a silk tie from Village Silk Tailor ($15 CAD). In terms of shopping in the Old Quarter, you'll see tons of knock-off active-wear, replicating brands like Arc'teryx and Patagonia. It's not bad if you need a rain jacket or extra T-shirt, and it also allows you to test your bargaining skills. As for myself, I got a North Face fanny pack (not for the fashion). If you're worried about knock-offs, you can go to the Aeon Mall Long Bien. It's where I got myself a big suitcase. Since many airlines in Southeast Asia, like VietJet Air, require you to check-in anything over 7kgs, you might as well go big on your shopping before you head back home. This article is a part of travel series for Northern Vietnam, as I explored Hanoi, Cat Ba, Ninh Binh and the Ha Giang Loop. If you're looking for a two-week itinerary, along with answers to commons questions, such as visa requirements, what to pack, the best times to visit and more, read here at Yahoo Canada.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Yahoo
What to do and see in Hanoi: How I spent 3 days in Vietnam's capital
There's no way to prepare for the chaos that is Hanoi. With about nine million people and seven million scooters, it's a different world. You'll see moms on motorbikes lined up outside schools and daycares, waiting for their kids to hop on behind them. Traffic lights don't seem to mean much and there aren't many of them to begin with. Instead, you'll hear endless honks, which may seem redundant, but it helps explain why in my three days in Hanoi, I didn't see one accident. With its international airport, I used Hanoi as my entry and exit point for Northern Vietnam, spending about a day-and-a-half for each stint, as I had my sights on exploring Ninh Binh, Cat Ba and the Ha Giang Loop. Truthfully, I wouldn't make Hanoi the basis of a vacation, but it is a truly unique city, one that I'm happy to have experienced during my two weeks in Vietnam. If you're staying in Hanoi and want to be in the middle of it all, the city's Old Quarter is where you'll want to be. Among the chaos is an assortment of bars, restaurants, food markets, shops and historic sites. But just as a heads up, if you're staying in the Old Quarter, get a hotel room that isn't directly facing the street — or even better — a room without a window, to avoid being woken up by those honks as early as 6 a.m. I stayed in a private room at Hanoi Golden Hostel to start my trip, and then decided to treat myself a little by staying at Omina Hanoi Hotel & Travel when I returned to finish my Vietnam adventure. Both spots did the trick. Staying in the French Quarter is a more quiet alternative that's still nearby the Old Centre, while it's also known for its French colonial architecture. But no matter where you stay in Hanoi, getting around is cheap. Download the Grab app, which is their version of Uber. It's affordable, but even cheaper if you're willing to sit on the back of a scooter. In terms of when to visit Hanoi, guidance is similar for most of Northern Vietnam. You'll want to target between April to June or September to December. That way, you'll avoid the overbearing summer heat and humidity during the region's rainy season, while still being able to bask in 25 to 30°C weather. When I was there in November, I was perfectly OK day and night in a T-shirt and shorts. Eating out is a large part of Vietnamese culture. It makes sense; meals such as pho can take hours to make, so it's only right to make it in large quantities, which makes it pretty cheap to serve. Since I was staying in Vietnam for two weeks, I knew I had to familiarize myself with the food. For anyone who's starting their vacation here, I recommend the Hanoi Food Tasting Tour in the Old Quarter. My tour guide Huyen was a gem. She shared all her favourite spots, from getting a solid banh mi (a classic sandwich) to banh cuon (stuffed rice flour rolls) to mango and ice cream desserts. All these meals will cost you from 20K-75K VND, which is about $1-4 CAD. It's also fun to indulge in the keg culture, since beers are about 79 cents CAD a glass. Doing this tour gave me confidence to fully immerse myself in the food culture. By the next day, I felt like Anthony Bourdain. I'd throw on my shades, dodge traffic like a pro and find my go-to spot for bun cha (Vietnamese meatballs and noodles). I'd enjoy my meal while sitting on the tiny chairs among the locals, have a couple beers for lunch, and finish it off with a Vietnamese coffee. I did a walking tour with Central Backpackers Hostel, which was convenient for meeting other travellers. It was also a nice introduction to learn the history of Vietnam, a country that really knows how to win a war. Whether it be the French, Americans or anyone else, it's always 'Vietnam No. 1.' As for the tour itself, a highlight was the Ngoc Son Temple at the Hoan Kiem Lake, a popular hangout spot when it's super humid. Ta Hien Street, more commonly known as Beer Street, is also a sight to see at night. With clubs and bars blasting Vietnamese techno music, you'll find cheap beer and helium balloons. At 20 years old, I may have enjoyed this a bit more. But at 27, it felt touristy and outside the nature vibe I had come to Vietnam to pursue, especially with all the men on Beer Street trying to sell drugs and prostitutes (which, not so-conveniently, are also called 'pho'). Given the fact that Hanoi is also the worst place in the world to experience a hangover with its endless chorus of scooter honks, I'd likely skip Beer Street the next time around. A highlight instead was Hanoi Train Street, where a train literally passes through a stretch filled with dozens of cafes and bars. There's some confusion about when this happens, so here's the info I received from a Train Street bar owner: Weekdays: 8:40 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 9:15 p.m., 10 p.m. and sometimes 7:30 p.m. Weekends: 8:20 a.m., 8:40 a.m., 9:15 a.m., 12 p.m., 3:15 p.m., 5:40 p.m., 6:15 p.m.. 8 p.m., 9:15 p.m. and 10 p.m. Ideally, if you're looking for a good quality suit for cheap, you'll head further south to Hoi An, a world-renowned city for tailored clothing. If you're only vacationing in the north, Hanoi will certainly do. I went to Adam's Store, and got myself a custom three-piece cotton suit for $300 CAD. It took 12 days to make, so I placed the order at the start of my trip. Since I'm a bit picky and don't know much about suits, I had a lot of questions. Thankfully, I had Google Translate, which I used for the majority of my conversations with locals. Everyone was also super kind, even during some awkward translations as I described how I wanted the pants to fit my derrière. To complete my look, I bought a bamboo dress shirt from Adam's Store ($50 CAD), and a silk tie from Village Silk Tailor ($15 CAD). In terms of shopping in the Old Quarter, you'll see tons of knock-off active-wear, replicating brands like Arc'teryx and Patagonia. It's not bad if you need a rain jacket or extra T-shirt, and it also allows you to test your bargaining skills. As for myself, I got a North Face fanny pack (not for the fashion). If you're worried about knock-offs, you can go to the Aeon Mall Long Bien. It's where I got myself a big suitcase. Since many airlines in Southeast Asia, like VietJet Air, require you to check-in anything over 7kgs, you might as well go big on your shopping before you head back home. This article is a part of travel series for Northern Vietnam, as I explored Hanoi, Cat Ba, Ninh Binh and the Ha Giang Loop. If you're looking for a two-week itinerary, along with answers to commons questions, such as visa requirements, what to pack, the best times to visit and more, read here at Yahoo Canada.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Vietnam drags feet over 'urgent' pollution problem
Toxic smoke billows from a burning mound of plastic bags and leaves on Le Thi Huyen's farm in Hanoi, a city battling an alarming air pollution surge that the communist government appears in no hurry to fix. In the last three months the Vietnamese capital has regularly topped a list of the world's most polluted major cities, leaving its nine million residents struggling to breathe and even to see through a thick blanket of smog. Despite a string of ambitious plans to address the crisis, few measures have been enforced and there is little monitoring of whether targets are actually achieved, analysts say. Officially, the burning of rice straw and waste was banned in 2022 across the country -- but that is news to Huyen. "I've never heard of the ban," Huyen told AFP. "If we don't burn, what should we do with it?" she said, glancing at her smouldering heap of waste. The stench of smoke and burning plastic is a constant feature of life in many Hanoi districts. The country's poor air quality -- which kills at least 70,000 people a year, according to the World Health Organization (WHO)-- is also linked to its coal power plants, the rising number of factories, high usage of petrol motorbikes and constant construction. Vietnam is a manufacturing powerhouse with a soaring economy and energy needs to match, but its growth has come at a cost, particularly in its buzzing capital whose geography compounds its air quality woes. However, unlike in other prominent Asian cities battling pollution, such as Delhi or Bangkok, life in Hanoi goes on as normal no matter how bad the air. Authorities do not close schools. There is no work-from-home scheme. The government -- which has close links to powerful economic interests, analysts say -- has also imprisoned independent journalists and environmentalists who have pushed for faster solutions. - Call for action - Hanoi has frequently sat at the top of IQAir's ranking of the world's most polluted major cities and was rated among the top 10 polluted capitals by the Swiss monitoring company in 2023. Breathing the toxic air has catastrophic health consequences, with the WHO warning strokes, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory diseases can be triggered by prolonged exposure. The World Bank estimates that air pollution -- which returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 -- costs Vietnam more than $13 billion every year, equivalent to almost three percent of the country's GDP last year. "The situation is urgent," said Muthukumara Mani, World Bank lead environmental economist, based in Hanoi. Even state media, after years of near silence on air quality, has become noticeably vocal in Vietnam, a one-party state. VietnamNet, the official news site of the ministry of information and communications, published a rare call for action in January, warning air pollution was "a crisis demanding immediate attention". Authorities declined to talk to AFP but Mani said there was recognition of the problem "at the highest level in the country", citing a trip to China made by senior Hanoi officials to learn how Beijing fixed its once-awful air. While Hanoi has floated the idea of low-emission zones and devised an action plan that aims for "moderate" or better air quality on 75 percent of days annually, it is not clear whether either will be enforced. "The issue sometimes with Vietnam is that people pay much more attention to targets than what's actually being delivered," said Bob Baulch, professor of economics at RMIT University Vietnam. - Repression - Tran Thi Chi had years of breathing difficulties before she made the difficult decision to uproot from the city centre house where she lived for more than a decade. "The air in Hanoi had become so thick that I felt like I didn't have oxygen to breathe," said the 54-year-old, one of the first of her friends to buy an air purifier. But millions of others have no choice but to live with the noxious air, prompting environmental activists to push for faster change -- until authorities launched a crackdown. Nguy Thi Khanh, founder of GreenID, one of Vietnam's most prominent environmental organisations, was a rare voice challenging Hanoi's plans to increase coal power to fuel economic development, before she was jailed in 2022. Four other environmentalists were also imprisoned between 2022 and 2023. "This repression has had a chilling effect that has made it virtually impossible for people to advocate for the government to address the problem of air pollution," said Ben Swanton of The 88 Project, which advocates for freedom of expression in Vietnam. Vietnam has pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, which should help improve air quality, but government statistics show coal imports were up 25 percent last year compared to 2023. Chi is fearful for the city she has always loved. "We need urgent, realistic measures from authorities," she said. "We have no time to wait around." bur-aph/pdw/cms/pst
