Record book announces new records

The Vietnam Record Books today announced 4 new national records: the biggest rice map, the longest rice road, the biggest tea set and the largest wedding ceremony.

The biggest rice map was made with 23 different kinds of seeds from various locations such as Hanoi, Hung Yen, Hai Phong, Da Nang, Long An, Can Tho.

55 artisans worked with 16.2 kg of seeds from October 28 to November 5 to create the map which is 6m wide and 9m long and has an area of 54 square meters to represent 54 different ethnicities in Vietnam.

This map was made for the second rice festival in the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang on November 8-11. Also as a part of this festival, a 1.2 kg stretch on Soc Trang’s Hung Vuong Road lined with 47,000 rice pots was also unveiled.

This road is now recognized as the longest rice road.

Made for the first International Tea Festival which will open tomorrow in the northern province of Thai Nguyen, a terracotta mosaic tea set is also considered the biggest of its kind in Vietnam.

The set consists of a tea pot of 3m in height with a diameter of 4.5m together with 3 cups of 1m in height and a diameter of 0.8m.

And the record of the largest wedding ceremony went to a wedding of 80 couples at the White Palace Convention Center in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City organized by the city’s Youth Support Center.

The brides and grooms are workers in industrial areas, export processing zones and companies located in HCMC and southern provinces.

HD cafés, a new kind of movie theatres

HD cafés that screen high-definition movies have become more and more popular in Ho Chi Minh City.

Operating like a karaoke shop, a HD café will cost customers VND60,000 - VND800,000 per hour to watch their favorite movies on a 100 to 120 inch screen with a projector and a 5.1 digital surround sound speaker system.

Reda Café on Phan Van Tri Street in District 5, for instance, has attracted young customers, especially teenagers, not only with its huge amount of movies but also its beautiful decoration.

Nguyen Hong Linh, owner of HD Media on D2 Street, Binh Thanh District said his café has received positive feedback from customers.

“This kind of screening is suitable to cinema fans, who are usually young people,” Linh said.

He said his café, with 7 screening rooms, usually got crowded on weekends.

He said he wanted to expand this lucrative business even though it costs around VND40million (US$2000) to equip a screening room.

Another popular destination is Say Café on Thanh Thai Street in District 10.

After 2 months of operation, the café has attracted a large number of regular customers.

According to Bui Thi Ngoc My, owner of the café, most of her customers are students who can afford the reasonable price of VND60,000 an hour of screening and a surcharge of VND10,000 for 3D glasses for 3D movies.

Ngoc said she invested around VND70million (US$3500) for each screening room and expected to see profits after 9 or 10 months of operation.
 
French jazz singer comes to Hanoi

French-Algerian jazz singer Kad Achouri will perform at L’Espace in Hanoi on November 15.

He will be accompanied by percussionist Adalberto de Jesus Morgado Alves, guitarist Kim Marray, and bass singer Lan Toothill.

Achouri,42, was born to Algerian parents but is fluent in French, Spanish, and Berber.

He taught himself to play the piano before moving to London in 1993 to study music and make a living playing the piano in bars.

He later began composing and gained a reputation with his very first song, “Latina Me,” in 2000.

In 2002 he released his debut album “Liberte” and was named “Young French Talent of the Year” by the French Phonographic Society Adami while his songs were played on the national radio station France Inter.

Also that year he was honored as a “Young Talent” at the Midem-International Music Fair at Cannes.

Achouri has so far released three albums. The latest, pop and jazzy album “Lettre a Marianne,” was inspired by his childhood, roots, family, and travels.

Tickets to the show cost VND100,000 for the general public and VND50,000 for L’Espace members.

Tuoi Tre releases English book about cancer victim

Tuoi Tre Newspaper unveiled the English version of a book on Le Thanh Thuy, a well-known cancer fighter, on Wednesday morning.

Translated from the Vietnamese original “Xin hãy cho con thêm thời gian” (Give me just a little more time), the book is a collection of articles about Thuy, a resident in Ho Chi Minh City, and the “Thuy’s Dream” program which helps children who have cancer, and blog entries Thuy wrote on her last days fighting bone cancer.

The “Thuy’s Dream” program was initiated by Tuoi Tre in September 2007 to help give material and spiritual support to children with cancer, a dream Thuy always wanted to fulfill before her death at 19 years of age in the same year after a long time struggling with cancer.

“Give me just a little more time” can be purchased at the two festivals Tuoi Tre is organizing for children with cancer on November 13th at Youth Culture House (4 Pham Ngoc Thach, District 1) in HCMC and Hanoi Student Culture House (37 Tran Binh Tron, Hai Ba Trung District) in Hanoi.

The book is also available at Tuoi Tre’s office at 60A Hoang Van Thu Street, Ward 9, Phu Nhuan District, HCMC.

All proceeds from the book sales will be donated to young cancer patients across the country.

Excerpts from this book and its audio CD will also be available at tuoitrenews.vn starting Thursday.

Saigontourist launches over 300 tours for Tet

The Saigon Travel Service Company (Saigontourist) has launched over 300 inbound and outbound tours to welcome the upcoming Christmas and Lunar New Year (Tet) festival since early November.

Saigontourist has so far opened over 50 tours of popular coastal destinations of Phu Quoc, Con Dao, Nha Trang, Danang, Phan Thiet and Ha Long and the flower festival city of Da Lat.

It also offers a cluster of Tet tours, including island, trans-regional and honeymoon tours, as well as tours for the elderly and overseas Vietnamese welcoming Tet in the homeland.

During the Christmas and New Year festivals, holidaymakers will also have a chance to explore famous destinations worldwide like Paris, Rome, Zurich, New York and Tokyo.

On the occasion of Tet, the leading travel operator will offer a promotional program with special prize totalling VND200 million.

Sheraton Nha Trang serves up French cuisine this month

The Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa will welcome guest chef Sebastien Volontier from Le Meridien Nice, France to its kitchen from November 11 to 20.

During this period, Sebastien will honor French cuisine with a special food corner on the dinner buffet line as well as a delectable a-la-carte menu for lunch and dinner in Feast, the hotel’s main restaurant.

There will be a themed wine dinner by the pool on November 18, where guests can sample unique creations of the French chef and the magnificent night view of the bay. The dinner is priced at VND850,000++ per person.

On November 19, Sebastien will teach guests how to concoct a number of original French delicacies in a special cooking class, available at VND665,000++ per person.

For dinner reservations, call 058 388 0000.

“Flavours of Vietnam” food festival opens in Sydney

A food festival themed “Flavours of Vietnam” has been held at Grace hotel in the centre of Sydney, Australia.

This is the first festival of this kind organized by the Consulate General of Vietnam in the city in co-ordination with the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and Vietnam Airlines Corporation.

At the opening ceremony on November 10, Vietnamese consul general Mai Phuoc Dung said Vietnam has been widely known for its protracted struggle for national independence and reunification, fast economic growth and famous traditional food.

The event has drawn the participation of famous cooks and artists from the northern, central and southern regions of the country.

The festival will last until November 27.

Artists display works in HCM City

One-hundred artists under 40 years old will participate in the biennial Youth Fine Arts Festival, which will open at HCM City University of Fine Arts on November 12.

The artists, all from HCM City, will display 129 works in various genres, including painting, sculpture, graphics and installations.

The organizing board will award prizes to the 11 best works in different categories.

The two-week festival, organized by the city’s Fine Arts Association, in co-operation with the Vietnam Fine Arts Association, will take place at 5 Phan Dang Luu Street in Binh Thanh District.

Malaysian Tourism Minister votes for Ha Long Bay

 “Ha Long Bay is a wonderful landscape and I will vote for it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World”, said Malaysian Tourism Minister Dato Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen.

On November 8, Malaysian Tourism Minister Dato Sri Dr Ng Yen Yen, and Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) Nguyen Van Tuan cut the ribbon to open the representative office of the Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board in Hanoi.

The Malaysian Minister said that Vietnam is considered a key market for the Malaysian tourism sector and she predicted that approximately 200,000 Vietnamese tourists will visit Malaysia next year.

During her recent tour of Ha Long Bay, Mrs Yen Yen said that Vietnam, with its ancient culture and beautiful landscapes, including Ha Long Bay, deserves to be put on the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)’s list of the most attractive tourism sites.

She said she hopes the opening of Malaysia’s tourism representative office in Hanoi will help promote cooperation in tourism between the two countries.

Vietnam is one of the top 15 markets with the highest number of tourists to Malaysia, she noted.

Last year, Malaysia welcomed more than 159,000 Vietnamese visitors, and the figure hit 75,752 in the first half of this year.

Vietnamese Embassy in Sri Lanka votes for Ha Long Bay

The Vietnamese embassy in Sri Lanka held a meeting on November 9 to vote for Ha Long Bay as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

This was part of activities in the framework of a program to promote Vietnam’s tourism industry.

The meeting attracted Vietnamese diplomats, overseas Vietnamese, journalists and representatives from travel agents in Sri Lanka.

Addressing the event, Vietnamese ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ton Sinh Thanh emphasized the importance of voting for Ha Long Bay to enhance the image of Vietnam to international friends, he said.

Cambodia Cultural Week to kick off

Cambodia Cultural Week in Vietnam 2011 will take place in Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long province, and Headquarters of Military Zone No7 from November 9, featuring special folk dances of the Khmer people.

Within the framework of the week, a 35-member Cambodian art troupe headed by Undersecretary of State Kong Kanthara will be in the country from November 16-23.

It will perform at the opening ceremony of Cambodia Cultural Week in HCM City on November 17, and in Military Zone 7 on November 18. They will later have two shows in Vinh Long City and Tam Binh district, Vinh Long province, on November 19 and 20, respectively.

In the spotlight will be traditional dances and songs in praise of the traditional relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam.

Talented Vietnamese painters step together  

The annual “In Step Impression”- an exhibition, organized by 5P Club’s famous painter, Nguyen Thi Tam, aimed at creating opportunities for young and amateur painters to meet and interact with renowned painters - opened November 11 at 92 Le Thanh Ton Street, District 1, HCMC.

This year’s exhibition consists of 95 works of 14 artists focusing on the countryside landscapes of southern Vietnam.

Among the many talented artists presenting their work is architect/painter Co Van Hau, whose paintings are a blend of classical features and modern technique and Nguyen Nhu Khoi, Nguyen Thi Tam’s son, who is presenting his latest works of art featuring the Vietnam market.

Tran Thuy Linh, an attendee at the international exhibition in Korea last year, is presenting oil-on-canvas paintings. These romantic and abstract works convey an underlying message of protecting the environment and preserving nature.

Linh will be participating in the upcoming international exhibition in Singapore on January 1, 2012 with fellow artist, Nguyen Thi Tam.
“In Step Impression” will run to November 21.  

Jessica Minh Anh visits home for internship talk  

A Vietnamese model and businesswoman in the UK will meet with Hanoi college students Tuesday, November 15, during her first visit home after eight years, according to her company's press release.  

Jessica Minh Anh arrived at Hanoi on Thursday and will meet with students from Hanoi University and Hanoi Science and Technology University. She also will attend Vietnam Fashion Week and the “Talk Vietnam” program with Vietnam Television.

Anh has made headlines after her fashion and modeling company, J Model Management, garnered attention last month at the eight-day J Autumn Fashion Show on the Tower Bridge in London.

The fashion show, inspired by James Cameron’s blockbuster movie “Avatar," was organized 44 meters above sea level and along the 61 meter long bridge, one of the country's iconic bridges.

Anh was the only foreigner sitting on the judge's panel at the Miss UK finale last year, J Model Management said in a press release.

During the Hanoi visit, the model said she will share her internship and business experience in the UK with Vietnamese youths.  

Anh is preparing for a bigger fashion show than Tower Bridge, her company said.

Documentaries tell stories of three different communities in Hanoi  

Three documentaries made under a Ford Foundation community-based media project will be screened at Hanoi’s Cinematheque on Nov 14.

The three films, made by staff from the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and VTV5, are:  The Silent Teachers, The Trash Collector – Village People in the City and Hiphop – My Life.

To produce the films, project participants worked with three different communities in Ha Noi to guide them in finding and expressing the stories they want to tell in their own voices.

The three communities are young people who live to hip hop dance, a group of university students who work as home tutors, and women recyclers from the northern province of Nam Dinh who come to Hanoi to earn a living by trading scrap.

Each film is about 25 minutes long. Some community members and project participants will share their experiences in creating these films before the screenings, presented in Vietnamese with English subtitles.

Tickets are priced from VND50,000 to VND100,000 for adults.

Please register at lefthanded2hanoi@yahoo.com.

Hanoi Cinematheque is located on 22A Hai Ba Trung, at the end of the alley leading to the Artist’s Hotel.

‘Ngo’ boat races held in Tra Vinh

The ‘Ngo’ boat races took place yesterday on the Long Binh River in Tra Vinh City as part of the Khmer Ok Om Bok Festival in Tra Vinh province.

This year’s competition, organised by the Tra Vinh provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attracted six teams from districts and cities in the province, which competed in 800m and 1,200m races.

More than 1,000 people lined the riverbank to cheer for the rowers.

The team from Chau Thanh district won both events. The team from Cau Ngang district took second in the 800m race and the Tra Vinh City team came in second in the 1,200m race while the Cau Ke and Cau Ngang district teams ended up with the third places.

'Ngo' boat racing, a traditional ethnic Khmer sport, was added to the National Sports Administration’s list of annual national sporting events in the Mekong Delta region.

Seminar talks Tagore’s life, legacy in Hanoi

The Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Indian Embassy in Hanoi hosted a seminar entitled ‘Life and great legacy of Ranbindranath Tagore’ on November 9 on the occasion of his 150th birthday (1861-1941).

At the event, the participants focused on discussing the impacts of the Indian poet, writer and a philosopher’s legacy on the East Asian and Southeast Asian regions, the socio-political context of his works, the thought of life, traditional community and reconstruction of rural areas, and his art legacy values.

Ranbindranath Tagore translated a collection of his poems entitled ‘Gitanjali from Bengali’ into English and became the first Asian to win Nobel prize in 1913.

Tagore was also a social reformer, a patriot and a great humanist who composed both Indian and Bangladeshi national anthems. As a teacher, he paid attention to the concept of adequate and comprehensive education and established the Visva – Bharati University in Shantiniketan town.

He was knighted by the British government in 1915, but several years later, he resigned the honour as a protest against the British policies in India.