vietnam at a glance [minh nguyen]

VIETNAM at a glance

from Minh Nguyen

to best friends

Introduction

• Area: 330.000 km2 (2/3 of France)• Population: 85 mil• Capital: Ha Noi (Hà Nội) • 4000 yrs of history, 1000 yrs of war and colonial

(China, U.S., France, Japan, Mongolia)

• The last war has ended from 1975

• Vietnam is one the SAFEST place in the world (4.1 mil foreign visitors in 2007)

Diversity

• People: 54, minorities can be found in highlands and midlands (Sapa, Tay Nguyen,..)

• Climate: tropical 20-350C, but temperate can be found in Sapa, Da Lat

• Culture: mix of ancient and modern• Gastronomy: 3 typical regions:

North, Central (spicy) and South (sweet)

Hot-spots

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Ha Noi: cultural and political capital

Ha Long bay: one of world natural wonders

Sapa: cultural discovery & highland landscapes

Hue: the former dynasties capital

Da Nang: beautiful sandy beaches

Hoi An: ancient town, UNESCO heritage

Ho Chi Minh (Saigon): economical capital

Da Lat: poetic, romantic city

Mekong Delta: life on rivers

Traditional clothes

World leaders in forms of

Vietnam

‘Ao tu than’

‘Ao ba ba’

(1)

Traditional arts

‘Hat boi’ ‘Cai luong’

‘Cheo’ ‘Roi nuoc’

Gastronomy (soup-based)

‘Hu tiu’

‘Bun bo’

‘Banh canh’

‘Pho’

Gastronomy (cont.)‘Banh xeo’

‘Banh cuon’ ‘Banh khot’

‘Cha gio’

Ha Noi

(1)

Ha Long bay

Fighting cock islet

Sapa

Hue

Da Nang

Hoi An

Ho Chi Minh CitySaigon

Cu Chi TunnelC

yclo

Da Lat

Mekong Delta

‘Ao dai’

..the spirit, the heart of Vietnam..

Miss Vietnam

2004

2005Vu Huong Giang

2006Mai Phuong ThuyTop 17 Miss World

2008Nguyen Thuy Lam

2004Nguyen Thi HuyenTop 15 Miss World

SpiritSport especially football

A family celebrates victory of national football team

The champion team in Asia-pacific Robot contest

Technology

Patriotic and community-oriented generations

Tet holiday

(1)

(2)

Fish sauceThe most famous fish sauce is from Phu Quoc island

Procedures to make fish sauce

Pottery, ceramic, porcelain and villages of art

(1)

‘Tho cam’

Tropical fruits

‘Thanh Long’: fresh, soft and little sour

‘Sau rieng’ or durian: strong sweet, buttery taste and special strong smell

‘Mang cut’ or mangosteen: light and pure refreshment with

little sour taste

‘Chom chom’ or rambutan: cool

sweet taste

Lotus and flowers

Lotus in form of dancing

Bonjour VietnamRaconte moi ce nom étrange et difficile à prononcerQue je porte depuis que je suis née.Raconte moi le vieil empire et le trait de mes yeux bridés,Qui disent mieux que moi ce que tu n'oses dire.Je ne sais de toi que des images de la guerre,Un film de Coppola, [et] des hélicoptères en colère ...Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à ton âme.Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour, Vietnam.

Raconte moi ma couleur, mes cheveux et mes petits pieds,Qui me portent depuis que je suis née.Raconte moi ta maison, ta rue, raconte moi cet inconnu,Les marchés flottants et les sampans de bois.

Je ne connais de mon pays que des photos de la guerre,Un film de Coppola, [et] des hélicoptères en colère ...Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon âme.Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour, Vietnam.

Les temples et les Boudhas de pierre pour mes pères,Les femmes courbées dans les rizières pour mes mères,

Dans la prière, dans la lumière, revoir mes frères,Toucher mon âme, mes racines, ma terre...

Un jour, j'irai là bas, un jour dire bonjour à mon âme.Un jour, j'irai là bas [pour] te dire bonjour, Vietnam (2 fois)

Author:Marc Lavoine, a french who has never been in Vietnam

Singer:Pham Quynh Anh, a vietnamese french, was born in Belgium

Other places to visit..

• Phong Nha cave, one of new world natural wonders• Huong pagoda, traditional and religious destination• Ninh Binh• Binh Thuan• Nha Trang, wonderful gravel beaches• Phu Quoc island, the most beautiful beach on the world*• My Son holy land• Con Dao island, an ancient isolated prison• Cat Ba island• …

*Concierge.com

And..

• Export: crude oil, coal, garment, shoes, rice, seafood, coffee, rubber…

• Agriculture is the strength

• Political: socialism, one-party• Religion (1999): No religion (80,8%), Buddhism

(9,3%), Christian (6,7%), Muslim (0,07%),..

• Border: Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand;by ocean to: Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore

More information?

• Wikipedia.org• Wikitravel.org• Travel.com.vn• Sample of ‘Cai luong’• Sample of ‘Roi nuoc’• Sample of ‘Hat cheo’• Sample of ‘Hat boi’

• minhntb@gmail.com