Culture and Tourism Week scheduled next month in Quang Binh

A series of cultural and sporting events will greet tourists during Culture and Tourism Week 2011 beginning on June 5 in the central province of Quang Binh. 

The week aims at promoting the province's many tourist attractions, including its numerous outstanding caves, as well as attracting investment to the province, Le Hung Phi, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sport and ourism, told Vietnam News.

It will include the Cau Ngu (Fish Worshipping) Festival to pray for a good fishing season and safe seafaring, a volleyball tournament from May 26 to June 4, and the dedication of Bao Ninh – The Sea Square.

The main events will be held from May 27 in the city of Dong Hoi, as well as at the UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage Site of Phong Nha-Ke Bang, which includes the Phong Nha and Thien Duong caves.

A programme entitled Discovering the Magnificent Beauty of the Caves, to be held at Thien Duong (Paradise) Cave on June 11, would be broadcast live on VTV2 and reveal the mysterious and irresistible beauty of the local cave system, Phi said.

"Audiences will enjoy performances not on a stage but in the cave," said Phi. "We will also present documentaries about Paradise Cave and other grottos to promote tourism. The programme will be organised like a documentary, with researchers who have surveyed the cave system talking about the beauty and geological characterisitcs of the cavern."

Paradise Cave was discovered in 2005 by the British Cave Research Association.

The 300-400 million-year-old, 31km-long cave system – believed to be the nation's most extensive – was created by underground streams and is located in Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park.

The park, in Bo Trach and Minh Hoa districts, is well-known for its system of 300 caves and grottos, only 20 of which have been surveyed by Vietnamese and British scientists. The park was recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003.

 During the week, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will also launch tours to Chay River and Hang Toi (Dark Cave). Chay River tour will take tourists by boat into primeval forests, with waterfalls and whirlpools. Displays of the province's traditional cuisine and folk music performances will introduce tourists to the customs and unique culture of the local people.

Quang Binh People's Committee chairman Nguyen Huu Hoai has ordered the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to co-operate with other local authorities to guarantee the safety of tourists and the quality of services during the week.

TRADITIONAL TET PREFERRED BY EVERYONE IN VIETNAM

Last week, Vietnam News asked readers for their favourite memories of Tet holidays and questioned what they think of the suggestion that the country should celebrate Tet under the solar calendar instead of the lunar one. Here are some responses:

Choi Yi Seob, Korean, Ha Noi I have been in Hanoi for nearly five years. My wife and I enjoyed two Tets in Hanoi and two others in South Korea. This year, we will stay here. My wife – a traditional Vietnamese woman and myself often go together every year to the flower market to buy peach blossom, a kumquat tree and many flowers to decorate our house. I have learned how to cook Vietnamese traditional dishes; however, I have to admit that this is difficult and takes time to do well. Nem (spring rolls) is my favourite dish. I think Tet is really a traditional custom and Viet Nam should keep it. It is better to celebrate it according to the lunar calendar rather than solar because every country has its own traditional customs. Tradition has to be the pride of the nation. In our country, Lunar New Year, known as Seollal (also spelled Seolnal) is one of South Korea's major holidays. Preparation for Seollal has similarities to the Tet of Viet Nam. The day before Seollal, family members gather to prepare the dishes required for the ancestral rites offerings. These must not only taste good but also look perfect. While Viet Nam has banh chung (rice square cake), nem (spring rolls), xoi (sticky rice), gio lua (pork-pie), South Korean has tteokguk (rice cake soup) and 20 other dishes such as wild vegetables, Korean style pancakes, various types of fish, galbijjim (rib stew), japchae (noodles with meat and vegetables) and many more. Vu Minh Duy, Vietnamese, Japan It is time to change, I think. As far as I know, only Vietnam, South Korea and China still celebrate New Year under the lunar calendar and consider this time as a time for holidays. I have lived in Japan for a couple of years. Japan has celebrated New Year based on the solar calendar since 1873. The Japanese New Year celebration is called shogatsu. New Year's Day is on January 1 and is called gantan, it is a Japanese national holiday. Although celebrating New Year using the solar system, Japanese people still maintain their traditional customs. I found many similarities in New Year celebrations between Japan and Viet Nam. Homes and entrance gates are decorated with ornaments made of pine, bamboo and plum tree, while clothes and houses are cleaned. On New Year's Eve, toshikoshi soba (buckwheat noodles), symbolising longevity, are served. It is a tradition to visit a shrine or temple during shogatsu. Most impressive are visits at the actual turn of the year, when large temple bells ring out at midnight. Various kinds of special dishes are served during shogatsu. They include osechi ryori, otoso (sweetened rice wine) and ozoni (a soup with glutinous rice). Claire Huppert, French, HCM City I have been living in Viet Nam for 10 years and what impresses me most about the traditional Vietnamese New Year celebrations is the family union, the traditional food and the customs. Like all Vietnamese people, during Tet holiday, I, together with my Vietnamese husband and children, usually visit my friends and family. I also buy Viet Nam's speciality, fruit jam and ginger jam, to send to my relatives back in France because the winter there is very cold so the people enjoy ginger jam and hot tea. Since getting married to a Vietnamese husband, I enjoy cooking traditional food myself on the first days of lunar year, worshipping the ancestors in accordance with Vietnamese customs and especially watching the Kitchen Gods show on the night before with my family. In my opinion, Tet helps to improve Viet Nam's social relationships, make people become more friendly and brings them closer to each other; therefore, the society becomes more and more stable. The Tet holiday shows the noble national character of Viet Nam, so I think it should be preserved, allowing foreigners like me to enjoy the best of the unique Vietnamese customs. Vuong Dieu Linh, Vietnamese, the Netherlands I went to the Netherlands for study seven years ago. However, I always try to find time to return home to celebrate Tet with my family. I never forget the first time I was far away from home during Tet – it was 2005. I missed my family, friends, and everything relating to Tet so much. I even cried when my mother phoned me on that New Year's Eve. Tet, for me, is actually a time for reunion and relaxation. One expert suggested that Viet Nam should celebrate Tet under the solar calendar instead of the lunar calendar. He reasoned that having a long Tet holiday under the lunar calendar hampered business transactions, especially with counterparts in countries that normally work during this time. I think there are not many people whose business transactions may be hampered due to long Tet holidays. It may account for a small part of the national population. So, it is not a reason to change a long-standing traditional custom. Andrew Burden, Canadian, Ha Noi Viet Nam should be ‘loud and proud' about all things Vietnamese and show off to the world its traditions. You are a tough, hardy people who have withstood pressures from the north as well as foreign colonial and imperialistic forces. Anyone who knows their history knows which countries I allude to. I look forward to staying in Ha Noi this Tet as I will buy a new bicycle and camera. Deserted streets and closed shops will make for good, rare photo opportunities. I will stock up on a few loaves of bread and will finally act like a tourist buying postcards and t-shirts. As for changing the lunar calendar and succumbing to globalisation's 24/7 supply chain management system: be wary, be careful. Certainly, you need to remain competitive and appease your international customers and clients. At the same time, it is essential to have an annual vacation where family, tradition and history maintains its rightful place. Do not get caught up in the ‘rat race' trying to ‘keep up with the Jones'' buying the latest gadget, blindly following the latest fashion. Celebrate the ao dai, non la, pho and nem. You do not want to fade into history where only a few tourists know why you do this and that on April 30 or September 2 or at Tet. I did not visit (and stay) in Viet Nam for another cafe latte and pizza. I crave authenticity. I want Vietnamese coffee. I want Vietnamese nem. I want pho. Do not disappoint me - you will lose your identity and I will lose my reason to stay. Travel to Vietnam

International friends enjoy Tet in Vietnam

In addition to an exciting experience, foreign visitors to Vietnam tour this time of year will gain a better understanding of the country’s traditions and culture by experiencing the Vietnamese people’s preparations for the upcoming lunar New Year (Tet) celebrations.

For many foreigners, the traditional Vietnamese Tet has become a special tourism attraction, offering a good opportunity for the country to introduce its true colours and traditions to the international community.

VOV is providing an online forum for international guests in Vietnam to share their experiences and feelings about the festive season in the S-shaped country.

Steve Groff, a visitor from the UK, says, “I’m looking forward to enjoying Tet in Vietnam”

I think, Tet in Vietnam may look like the Christmas season in my home country, which brings to mind many things such as family reunions and time spent together with loved ones. Tet in Vietnam, of course, is a little different than the holly-draped version of my memories.

Tet does provide a reason to decorate, go shopping, or just go out and have a party, but that is clearly only setting the stage for the real holiday, Tet.

For foreigners, Tet is a sometimes bewildering but almost always heartwarming season. The overwhelming impression is of the hospitality of almost everyone you run into during Tet; you get invited to so many Tet feasts that you shouldn’t be hungry again until around June!

Tet is the time here to be with family, and Vietnamese do this with such single-mindedness that there is literally no one on the streets. After a month in which the normally busy streets are even more hectic with everyone preparing for Tet, when the big day actually comes my neighborhood in central Hanoi is astonishingly empty.

It really does feel like a different place, the street vendors, the sidewalk eateries, the cafes and restaurants, the shoeshine guys, the motorbike taxi guys, the sidewalk motorbike mechanics, the sidewalk barber… everyone has gone home to eat banh chung and visit with all their relatives.

The city streets, for just these few days out of the year, are peaceful places. Don’t worry about too much quietness though, you will be feasting and making merry with friends, both new and old.

Happy New Year to all who have the good fortune to be in Vietnam for Tet! Greg Nelson from the US: “I’ll travel to the beautiful beaches in central Vietnam during Tet”

Living in Vietnam for many years and knowing Vietnamese Tet as well as the back of his hand, I am still eager to welcome this upcoming Tet when I’ll go on a tour to central Danang city with my girlfriend.

The beaches are always wonderful, especially during Tet holiday when Vietnamese people are always busy preparing their family parties and visiting relatives and friends. It’s nice to move far from a peaceful Hanoi with few people on the street and silent atmosphere during Tet.

This year, Danang is my destination to celebrate New Year’s Eve and enjoy meaningful time with my beloved.

David Frank, a French tourist, says, “I am impressed by the busy shopping and cozy atmosphere before Tet”

Following my friends’ suggestion, I pay a month-long visit to Vietnam where I am traveling to different provinces and cities in all three regions of the country.

I moved from one place to another in both of Vietnam’s two major cities – Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, however, I decided to celebrate the New Year in Hue – the former capital city in central Vietnam.

I love Hue people, they’re charming and hospitable. The traditional foods there are so tasty and special I always eat too much and get very full!

I already experienced Christmas in Vietnam when I spent time going out and being with friends drinking rice wine and eating hotpot. We also had, hot chocolate and cookies. It was really fun, and created a lot of good cheer and memories.

I’ve heard many things about special Vietnamese Tet traditions, particularly “first-footing” and “lucky money.” I hope to explore these traditions more in Hue this year.

I would like to send my best very wishes to all the people in Vietnam during Tet.

Perri Black, a foreign editor for VOV, shares: “May the upcoming Year of the Dragon bring peace and prosperity to all”

Tet is a very interesting time in Hanoi. The month or so before the actual New Year’s Day is a bit like the frantic month-long build up to the Christmas holiday in the US.

People in Hanoi enthusiastically begin their Tet preparations on January 1, after the Western New Year’s Eve festivities the night before. Supermarkets and shopping centers are jammed with all kinds of seasonal goodies in bright, glittering packaging and shoppers gleefully sort through them to find just the right things. The festive spirit is palpable and seems to permeate everything.

It’s a great time to be in Hanoi and you can’t help but get caught up in the general excitement. The traffic increases alarmingly, which can be bit unnerving, but people are always in a good mood and look forward to spending time with family and friends. The restaurants are packed with partiers singing along to Abba’ ‘Happy New Year’ and the mass exodus out of the city a few days before New Year is amazing!

It all comes to a grinding halt about 3pm on New Year’s Eve and an eerie, expectant quiet falls over the city as everyone awaits midnight, fireworks and the beginning of the official holiday. In the days that follow the streets are relatively quiet but pagodas and temples are mobbed. As a foreigner, you will probably receive numerous invitations to visit friends’ homes during the holiday, and they are well worth accepting to enjoy the true spirit of Tet, sample the traditional foods, and welcome in the New Year.

I want to wish everyone the best of luck in their Tet preparations and a safe and happy holiday with their families. May the upcoming Year of the Dragon bring peace and prosperity to all.