Spring photos on display at Fine Arts Museum

A photo on spring in the Central Highlands (Photo: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) 

An exhibition opened at the Vietnam Museum of Fine Arts on January 30, featuring 40 photos on the theme of spring across the country.

The photos on display take viewers to different regions of Vietnam, from the rustic beauty of peach blossoms and young leaves in the northern mountainous provinces to the bustle of the flower markets in the capital Hanoi and the jubilant festivals in the Central Highlands.

Through the exhibition, the audience can immerse themselves in the breath-taking spring scenery and share the joyous feelings of people throughout the country as spring arrives.

Nguyen Anh Minh, the museum director, said that the exhibition is expected to bring the atmosphere of spring to the viewers and leave them with a good impression of the country and people of Vietnam.

The exhibition runs until February 20.

Hanoi’s all-girl band perform at GUFO Lounge

Laxie consists of four female musicians. — Photo courtesy of Laxie

Laxie – a new band consisting of four female musicians will perform at the GUFO Lounge & Cuisine every Friday, from February 1.

Hà Nội’s all-girl band will perform a range of popular tunes, in both English and Vietnamese.

Their performance at the venue will start at 9.30pm every Friday until March 29. The GUFO Lounge & Cuisine is at 30 Tô Ngọc Vân Street, Tây Hồ District. 

Photographer records successful year for Vietnamese football

The unforgettable moment when the Vietnamese football team lifted the AFF Suzuki Cup.

All of the smiles, tears, sweat and pain of Vietnamese footballers are captured in a book released yesterday by photographer Nguyễn Á.

Titled “2018 – A Hallmark in the History of Vietnamese Football”, the 400-page book includes more than 500 photos showing the many remarkable matches of the Vietnamese football team over last year.

The year marked big successes for Việt Nam, with the team winning the AFF Suzuki Cup. The players are being hailed by fervent fans as the golden generation of Vietnamese football. The team, along with South Korean coach Park Hang-seo, received praise from local audiences and international media for their efforts.

“Like many other Vietnamese people, I have waited for the moment our team would lift the AFF Cup and raise the national flag,” said the photographer.

“The warriors and their coach brought us pride and joy that can’t be described in words. So I decide to express that feeling in photos.”

Historian Dương Trung Quốc said the book gives a panoramic view on Vietnamese football during the year.

“Á was known widely for photo collections with different inspirations, all focused on humans,” he said. “These photos are fruits of labour after a serious working process of the photographer. The book helps inspire people and preserve beautiful memories of Vietnamese football.”

Photographs from the book are on display at Văn Miếu (Temple of Literature) at 58 Quốc Tử Giám Street in Hà Nội until February 2.

A ball and a shirt with autographs of the football team will be auctioned, with proceeds going to the Vừ A Dính Fund. Founded and chaired by Trương Mỹ Hoa, former Vice President of Việt Nam, the fund nurtures and develops young, talented ethnic minority people from mountainous regions.

Á, 51, is based in HCM City. He has worked on collections of photos of ethnic people, disabled people, Mother Goddesses worship and Vietnamese intangible heritage. He has received many awards at home and abroad. 

Music and Light for Tết Celebration at Air 360 Sky Lounge

The Spectacular Music and Light Tết Celebration will be held from 5.30pm to 11.30pm on February 4 at Air 360 Sky Lounge on 136-138 Lê Thị Hồng Gấm Street in HCM City’s District 1. — Photo saigoneer.com

The Spectacular Music and Light Tết Celebration will be held from 5.30pm to 11.30pm on February 4 at Air 360 Sky Lounge on 136-138 Lê Thị Hồng Gấm Street in HCM City’s District 1.

Organisers hope the throbbing drums from lion dance performances will bring luck and fortune to visitors when celebrating this special holiday "in the air".

An exciting show by seductive dancers is expected to impress visitors’ eyes all night’, they say. 

Romantic Valentine’s dinner at Park Hyatt Saigon

The Valentine’s Day dinner will be held from 6pm to 10.30pm on February 14 at Square One of Park Hyatt Saigon on 2 Lam Sơn Square in HCM City’s District 1. — Photo saigoneer.com

A Valentine’s Day dinner will be held from 6pm to 10.30pm on February 14 at Square One at Park Hyatt Saigon on 2 Lam Sơn Square in HCM City’s District 1.

The romantic dinner starts with lobster, rhubarb nage, with colours of zucchini, foie gras poêlé, daikon confit, and mint and radish petals.

The first main dish is steamed sole with beurre blanc, caviar and asparagus, followed by lamb ‘two ways’ (rack and saddle) with artichoke, lemon confit and lamb jus.

Finish your meal with a delicious almond sablé dessert with pistachio mousse line, raspberry and strawberry ice cream. 

Salon Saigon hosts “Classical Favorites” music night

The music night “Classical Favorites” will be held from 6.30pm to 8pm on February 16 at Salon Saigon on 6d Ngô Thời Nhiệm St in HCM City’s District 3.

The  “Classical Favorites” music night will be held from 6.30pm to 8pm on February 16 at Salon Saigon on 6d Ngô Thời Nhiệm St in HCM City’s District 3.

The performance includes classical music and visual arts in an inspiring artistic venue.

The concert programme is curated by Saigon Classical, an organisation that brings Vietnamese classical performers to the public sphere and creates a platform for classical music lovers in the city.

Tickets are VNĐ200,000 and VNĐ450,000. 

Relic sites awarded national certificate

An overview of today’s Triệu Ái Commune, Triệu Phong District, Quảng Trị Province, with various traces of the Nguyễn lords. — File Photo

Authorities of Triệu Phong District in central province of Quảng Trị held a ceremony on Tuesday to receive special national certification for historical relic sites of the Nguyễn lords in the locality.

The sites include residential palaces in communes of Triệu Ái and Triệu Giang and Ái Tử Town of Triệu Phong District.

On June 20, 2018, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism added these places to the list of national relic sites

The sites include Ái Tử Palace (used in 1558-1570), Trà Bát Palace (1570-1600) and Cát Palace (1600-1626) and Trảo Trảo Temple (Ái Tử Town).

Nearly 500 years ago, in October 1558, Nguyễn Hoàng was assigned by King Lê Anh Tông to move to Thuận Hóa to manage the locality. Nguyễn Hoàng and his troops took to sea to reach Việt Yên Beach and then went upstream of Thạch Hãn River and stopped at Sa Khưu in Ái Tử Commune, Vũ Xương District.

When he set feet on the new land, Nguyễn Hoàng was supported by local authorities and people. He decided to choose the sandy area to camp, which was then the first palace of Nguyễn lords in Triệu Phong.

During his 68 years living in Triệu Phong, Lord Nguyễn Hoàng moved his palace twice. After 12 years at Ái Tử, he moved the camping area to Trà Bát. Then in 1600, he moved the camping place from Trà Bát to Dinh Cát. The areas acted as political and administrative centres to manage the whole Thuận – Quảng area.

In 1613, Lord Nguyễn Hoàng died. His son Sãi Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên took his position and completed his father’s wills. In 1626, Lord Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên moved the administrative office to Phước Yên (now Quảng Điền District, Thừa Thiên Huế Province).

In 68 years managing Triệu Phong area, lords Nguyễn Hoàng and Nguyễn Phúc Nguyên focused on establishing military camps and promoting trading and culture with various localities.

The period witnessed advances in economic and society for the Thuận Hóa-Đàng Trong region.

According to historians, the first palaces of Nguyễn lords in Ái Tử and Trà Bát in Vũ Xương District have great meaning to the nation’s development as these were the first administrative bases to mark a milestone for a new royal reign - the reign of the Nguyễn lords and the Nguyễn dynasty.

Tao Đàn Spring Flower Festival opens

Designed to look like a colourful garden, the annual 2019 Spring Flower Festival at Tao Đàn Park attracts many foreign and Vietnamese photographers, sculptors and painters who find inspiration in nature. 

The annual 2019 Spring Flower Festival opened yesterday at the Tao Đàn Park in HCM City’s District 1.

The 12-day event displays 5,000 indigenous and foreign flowers, ornamental fish, bonsai plants and trees, most of which were provided by florists, farms, handicraft villages and businesspeople involved in agriculture from southern provinces.

Well-known handicraft villages and farms in HCM City, Đà Lạt, and the provinces of Bình Dương, Đồng Tháp, Tiền Giang, Vĩnh Long and Bến Tre are introducing their products at the festival. 

“We often visit Spring Flower Festival at Tao Đàn Park every year to see and buy flowers for display at home for Tết. Visiting it is part of Saigonese lifestyle,” said Vũ Thúy Ngân, a resident of District 3, who took her children to the festival’s opening ceremony last night. 

Dozens of musical and dance performances in praise of the country, soldiers and late President Hồ Chí Minh, which were staged by State-owned traditional art troupes, are also included during the event.   

A variety of street shows featuring folk art and games staged by hundreds of puppet and circus performers will dazzle visitors every night.  

Cultural exhibits such as traditional food festivals, calligraphy and painting displays are also featured.

“Designed to look like a colourful garden, the Spring Flower Festival at Tao Đàn Park attracts foreign and local photographers, sculptors and painters who find inspiration in nature,” said Võ Khánh Hưng, deputy director of the city’s Department of Transport, a member of the festival’s organising board. 

“We have worked to make the festival a famous tourist site,” said Hưng, adding that last year more than 800,000 people visited during Tết. 

The festival will end on February 10, the sixth day of the lunar calendar’s first month. Tickets are VNĐ30,000 (US$1.3). Entrance is free for children under 12 years old.