Vietnamese publisher releases ‘Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang’

Kim Dong Publishing House has released a Vietnamese version of the delightful children’s novel ‘Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang: The Magical Car’translated by Hoang Anh.

The novel, which was first published in 1964 by Ian Fleming two months after his death, tells the story about a racing car Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is a story that Fleming created for his son Caspar at bedtime. It is a tale about a magical car that flies, floats and even thinks. This enjoyable story follows Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the Pott family as they embark upon adventures that take them to the sky, the sea and beyond!

Familiar to many through the original book, the 1968 classic film starring Dick Van Dyke also helped mark the story an enduring classic for children and adults throughout the world.

Vietnam-Japan Festive Day to blast off at Royal City

Thousands of youth and students from universities, colleges and schools in Hanoi and surrounding region are expected to participate in the 2015 Vietnam-Japan Festive Day celebration January 11 at the Vincom Mega Mall in Royal City.

The organising board has announced a wide array of exciting activities have been planned including Japanese puzzle games, karate performances, Japan’s tea making demonstrations and Japan make-up events.

Participants will also have chance to try on Yukata and discover Japan’s fashion through Harajuku – Shibuya stalls.

Tourism representatives will also be on hand to provide information on tourism and opportunities to study in Japan, helping Vietnamese people explore Japan culture in a variety of fields.

The event has been organised by the Japan National Tourism Organization and the Embassy of Japan in Vietnam.

Artist's installations present unique perspective on life

A new exhibition by Vietnamese artist Tran Duc Quy offers the public an original perspective on life.

The installation exhibition, entitled Life Portrait 5 – Inclined Shadow by Quy, reflects on the relationship between a subject and its shadow, their interactions and the elongation or shrinking of the shadow based on the angle of the suns rays.

Quy invites the visitors to think about questions such as what is the shadow and what does it reflect, contain and hide.

"It is impossible to imagine how my flat black shadow transforms in the sun. Sometimes my shadow looks exactly like me and talks to me. What will happen if I become the shadow of the shadow that I have become? How should I behave? How can I lean without falling?" he said.

Born in 1973 in Hai Duong, Quy is known nationwide for his series of artworks entitled Life Portrait.

In the first series, he exhibited 500 white ducks made of plaster. The second series showcased 36 sets of twin pigs made of real pig leather. The third series featured the portrait of a strange creature, which was like a Japanese deer with several heads and 88 legs.

The exhibition will run till February 24 at l'Espace, the French Institute, located at 24, Trang Tien, Ha Noi.

Tay Son-Tam Kiet Temple declared special national relic site

Tay Son-Tam Kiet (Three Great Heroes in Tay Son) Temple, located in the coastal central province of Binh Dinh, has been recognised as a special national relic by the Prime Minister in a recent decision alongside 13 other sites.

This is the first national relic in Binh Dinh to receive the esteemed honour.

Located in Phu Phong town, Tay Son district, the temple was built on a foundation which, according to legend, belongs to their house in the past.

The temple worships King Quang Trung (Nguyen Hue), his brothers – Nguyen Nhac and Nguyen Lu, and Tay Son soldiers. King Quang Trung and his troops defeated the Qing invaders to liberate Thang Long (now Hanoi) in 1789.

The complex, including the temple, a tamarind tree and a well had been recognised as a national relic site in 1979.

The 9.5ha complex welcomes between 70,000 and 80,000 domestic and international tourists each year.

First Tiki Book Awards presented

Online retailer tiki.vn has announced the winners of its first book awards, most of whom were voted by Tiki's readers.

The Best-Selling Author prize was awarded to Nguyen Nhat Anh, who also won the Favourite Children's Book Award for Cho Toi Xin Mot Ve Di Tuoi tho (Give Me a Ticket to Childhood).

Nha Nam Culture and Communications JSC was voted the Favourite Book Distribution Company.

Ca Mau-based writer Nguyen Ngoc Tu was named Best Author for her contribution to Vietnamese literature.

"The Tiki Book Awards are the first in a series of awards praising writers, books and distribution units, with the aim of promoting a reading culture across the country," said Thai Son, director of Tiki.

My Tho's second night market branches out into food

My Tho City in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tien Giang has got a new night market on Nguyen Van Nguyen Street which, besides selling all kinds of stuff, also has food.

It is the second of its kind in My Tho following the popular first one in Ward 6.

My Tho is one of the delta's top tourism destinations with its vast fruit orchards, Cai Be floating market, Thoi Son island tourism area, and Dong Tam snake farm.

Can Tho set for Mekong Delta Green Tourism Week

Can Tho City will host the Mekong Delta Green Tourism Week from April 26 to May 2 featuring several events, including a fair with more than 1,200 booths and festivals to introduce the tourism and cultural highlights of the city and the delta's 12 provinces.

At the same time Can Tho will also play host to a southern traditional cake festival that will showcase the region's cakes made from rice, glutinous rice, and other locally available ingredients.

The delta is tailor-made for tourism with its criss-crossing river and canal system, submerged forests, unending rice fields, and orchards.

Da Nang designates streets to showcase fashion, food

Le Duan and Huynh Thuc Khang streets in Da Nang's Hai Chau District, famous for their fashion shops and eateries respectively, have now become dedicated just to those.

The section of Le Duan from Ong Ich Khiem to Tran Phu streets has nearly 100 fashion shops now, while Huynh Thuc Khang has 40 shops selling breakfast. With the makeover the eateries will remain open through the day and also for dinner.

The streets will get a face-lift while owners will be helped with improving their shops.

The district authorities next plan to create streets dedicated to books, souvenirs, and electronic products.

Lang Son Province to hold winter tourism festival

The northern province of Lang Son will organise the Mau Son Winter Tourism Festival at the Mau Son Tourism Site on Saturday.

It will feature art performances, traditional foods and wines of Mau Son Mountain and several other activities. The wines are made using yeast from some unique local plants.

Located 30km northeast of Lang Son city, Mau Son Mountain is surrounded by 80 large and small mountains. It has beautiful, wild landscapes, clean air, and an average temperature of 15oC and sometimes gets snow in winter.

Its many specialities include peach, Tuyet Son tea, and wine. The mountain is inhabited mostly by the Dao, Nung and Tay ethnic minorities.

Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint to be opened soon

The OdysseaHospitality Management JSC has just announced that the Liberty Central Saigon Citypoint hotel (City Point-Photo) which located at 59 Pasteur Street, HCMC will be officially opened on January 15.

This will be the 3rd hotel under Liberty Central brand managed by the OdysseaHospitality Management JSC in the country.

City Point will provide 171 rooms at 4-star high-class standard, it also puts into service restaurant, café bar, meeting room, fitness center, spa, rooftop swimming pool.

Veteran Cai Luong actress Hong Nga will give a special performance celebrating her 55th years of singing career at Hoa Binh Theater on January 17.

The show themed “Nua the ky con tam van nha to” (translated as a silkworm spewing out ceaseless threads during the past half-century) will also aim to mark the 70th birthday of the artist.

The performance will have the participation of renowned veteran cai luong actors and actresses, such as Ngoc Giau, Bao Quoc, Minh Vuong, Dieu Hien, Ngoc Huong, Phuong Hong Thuy, Linh Tam, young artist Que Tran;  comedians Hoai Linh, Viet Huong and Truong Giang; singers Cam Ly, Hoai Lam, Mai Quoc Huy; and the host Thanh Bach.

Hong Nga has had a singing career of more than five decades. She has impressed Vietnamese audiences of cai luong plays with roles in Co Gai Do Long, Tuyet Tinh Ca, Me Yeu, Tinh Nghe Sy and others. The show is a chance for her to thank to her audiences. All proceeds of the show will be donated to charitable activities, she said.

Propaganda painting exhibition features revolutionary spirit

A propaganda painting exhibition entitled ‘A Revolutionary Spirit’ opened on January 8 at Vietnam Fine Arts Museum in Hanoi.

Over 70 propaganda painting works and stamps by Vietnamese artists during the 1950 - 1980 period, which reflect the work, fighting spirit and image of Vietnamese woman and Uncle Ho's soldiers, are being displayed at the exhibition.

The exhibition offers visitors, especially younger generations, a clearer insight into works during two resistance wars against the French colonists and US imperialists.

The propaganda paintings, considered as weapons of combat whilst stirring up the spirit of the people and serving political tasks, were collected by Dominic Scriven from Ho Chi Minh City.

The exhibition runs until January 22.

Arts programme to greet overseas Vietnamese

The 2015 ‘Xuan que huong’ (Homeland Spring) arts programme will be held in Ho Chi Minh City on January 7-8 to welcome overseas Vietnamese (OV) returning to their homeland to celebrate Tet (traditional Lunar New Year) festival.

This year’s event, themed ‘Glorious Fatherland’, will feature well-known Vietnamese and international artists and singers. The performances are expected to bring audiences a warm and exciting atmosphere in the first days of the New Year.

The programme will be held by the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs (SCOVA) under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee.

The annual event creates an opportunity for more than 4.5 million OV around the world to receive greetings from the Party and State, as well as to observe the development of their homeland. It also contributes to promoting the image of the land and people of Vietnam to the rest of the world.

According to the organising board, the OV who are living and working abroad can register at the Vietnamese representative offices in their localities or at the SCOVA office at 356 Pho Hue Street, Hai Ba Trung District, Hanoi.

The 2014 ‘Homeland Spring’ arts programme, held at the Thang Long Royal Citadel on January 23, attracted more than two million OV and was attended by the President Truong Tan Sang.

New executive chef at Sofitel Plaza Hanoi

Sofitel Plaza Hanoi has welcomed its new executive chef Cameron Gardiner to the hotel’s ambassador team.

Chef Gardiner is bringing his eight years of international experience in fine dining to Sofitel Plaza Hanoi’s kitchens of celebrated and delightful cuisines and at the same time, further guiding the hotel towards culinary distinction and innovation.

Hailing from Australia’s capital, chef Gardiner draws from diverse experience in modern gastronomy. He began his culinary career at the age of 15 working for leading 5-star hotels and restaurants in his home town before moving to the Middle East in 2007 to join the opening team of Hotel JAL Fujairah Resort and Spa, the first Middle Eastern Hotel by Nikko Corporation. 2011 saw his relocation to Hongkong as group executive chef for Chiram Strategic Group, one of the city’s premier restaurant groups, overseeing three fine dining outlets.

No stranger to Vietnam, chef Gardiner joined the hotel following a season in MGallery La Veranda Resort Phu Quoc and the recent opening of the ‘up-beat’ Novotel Danang Premier Han River in 2013.