Posted by admin on October 8, 2010 under Vietnam travel News | 
By Hong Nhung | dtinews.vn |
On the occasion of Hanoi’s 1,000 year anniversary, 19 records for Vietnam have been set by organisations and individuals from all 3 regions of the country.
Edict on the Transfer of the Capital made from a precious type of wood
The 19 records include 13 art pieces and gifts and 6 community activities. Many of them reflect the history of 1,000 years of Hanoi. Some of the records are the longest pair of ceramic dragon statues from the Ly dynasty, the biggest Edict on the Transfer of the Capital made of a precious type of wood, the longest pair of Ao dai (traditional long dress) with a theme of “Convergence of 1,000 years” and a two metre “to he” in the shape of a dragon from the Ly dynasty made by masters of Xuan La village.
“To he” is also known as toy figurine which is a traditional toy for children in Vietnam. It is made from glutinous rice powder in the shape of things such as animals, flowers or characters in folk stories. The figurines are also edible.
From September 25 to October 10, 1,000 Vietnamese heroes, heroines and heroic mothers from 63 provinces and cities around the country have conducted a journey titled “Thang Long- the Mountains and Rivers’ Sacred Soul”. The road journey started from Dong Thap Province, went through 26 provinces and cities and will end in Hanoi on October 8. This is a historical journey from the North to the South with the largest numbers of Vietnamese heroes, heroines and heroic mothers.
In the North, the Hanoi Golf Association held a tournament of 1,000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi attracting the highest number of players within one day.
In the South, the Ho Chi Minh City Young Business Association will organise a football match on October 10 with the highest number of football players and longest competition duration.
On September 26, 1,000 students from 20 universities in Ho Chi Minh City took part in a bicycle journey titled “Green action” to welcome the great celebration as well as to raise awareness among the public on protecting the environment and saving energy. This journey had the largest number of participants so far.
These 19 records were all established to enrich the content of the celebration’s activities.
A giant “to he” of a dragon which is over 2 metres in length and weighs 100kg
The longest pair of Ao dai having the largest number of dragon and phoenix patterns
1,000 students gathered to join the bicycle journey (Photo by Hoai Luong)
Posted by admin on under Attractions, Vietnam travel News |
By Nam Hang | dtinews.vn |
Foreigners, whether coming to Hanoi for the first time or living here for years, are sharing in the happiness and excitement of Hanoi’s 1,000 year anniversary celebrations.
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| Sebastien and Amelie from France |
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| Melina from Germany |
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| Andrew Smith and his girlfriend from Australia |
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| Horst Woalenweb from Germany |
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| 11 year old Patrick and his 8 year old younger sister Jasmine |
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| Daniel from America |
Sebastien and Amelie, both 25 years old from France, were walking around Hoan Kiem Lake. This is their first trip to the capital city however, the young people have been fascinated by the atmosphere filled with cultural identities.
“The streets are very busy. I am interested in watching the surface of Hoan Kiem Lake in the late afternoon and souvenir shops nearby,” Amelie said. She was also surprised to see many people, particularly youths, crossing roads effortlessly, which might be among her most memorable things about Hanoi.
Melina, a 22-year old woman from Germany heard about Hanoi numerous times through media and came here by luck during the millennium celebrations.
“Hanoi is much more beautiful than I imagined. Local people are very friendly and kind. On October 3, while I was looking for the way to Hang Gai Street to buy a long dress, a student showed me to there with enthusiasm,” she told DTiNews.
Andrew Smith and his girlfriend from Australia enjoy pictures at a shop in Ngoc Son Temple. The girl had her eyes fixed on a drawing of Hanoi during autumn.
Asked about his most impressive memory of Hanoi, Andrew said, “Most people I have met in Hanoi express their deep love and pride of the city. They wear bands and hold flags printed with a line named “I love Hanoi”.
A 56-year old German traveler, Horst Woalenweb, was wearing a red T-shirt printed with the Vietnamese flag. He and his Vietnamese wife were taking photos on Luong Van Can Street and Hoan Kiem Lake to capture the exciting moments of the 1,000 year anniversary.
“Despite coming back to Vietnam for the sixth time, I am amazed at the changes. The city has become more beautiful with striking colours, covered by flags and flowers”, he said.
He likes dishes in Hanoi, especially banh cuon, nem cuon and banh bao. “I am keen on sitting on a cyclo to travel around the old quarter, but it is quite expensive to hire one these days,” Woalenweb said.
After the anniversary ends, he will continue his Vietnamese journey to Ha Long Bay and Hoi An.
11 year old Patrick and his 8 year old younger sister Jasmine have just arrived in Hanoi with their parents after leaving Ho Chi Minh City. The children are attracted by toys named To He displayed around Hoan Kiem Lake. “How nice and lovely they are,” Jasmine exclaimed.
Patrick said, “Hanoi has lots of flowers, streets and motorbikes also, very different from my hometown in Australia. My parents planned to take a taxi to go around the city, but they did not due to the crowded streets. Instead, we decided to walk along Hoan Kiem Lake first.”
A 56-year old American man, Daniel, who has lived in Hanoi for three years, was standing on pavement of Hang Be Street to watch the crowded flow of traffic participants. Daniel said, the streets that had become familiar with him, in the last few days have put on a new and exciting look. Daniel shared that he particularly loves Hanoi foods, and he himself owns a restaurant here.
