The Prehistoric Permanence of Cá Sấu, Vietnam's Farmed Predator
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- Published on 18 August 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
I’ve always hated cá sấu. Not because they’ve threatened my safety or had any real impact on my life whatsoever, but simply because they survived. When a meteor cratered into Earth 66 million years ago and sent sun-engulfing clouds of sizzling rock into the sky, alongside ferocious tidal waves and incessant firestorms, the planet lost some of my most beloved creatures.
Ghosts and Other Myths: How Vietnam Celebrates the 7th Lunar Month
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- Published on 17 August 2022
- Written by Hoàng Hạnh Phương. Top photo by Alberto Prieto. Illustrations by Hannah Hoàng.
In Vietnamese customs, the lunar month of July contains many special days of worship and celebration, with various traditions.
From the Lab of Forever Wheelchair, Hope for Vietnam's Handicapped Animals
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- Published on 12 August 2022
- Written by Khang Phạm. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên and Chương Đỗ.
The ability to roam and frolic around is essential for our canine and feline companions' well-being, but too often, it can become a privilege for cats and dogs living with disability and immobility from neglect and abuse.
Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
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- Published on 12 August 2022
- Written by Bảo Hoa. Photos courtesy of Great Vietnam.
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
A Mosaic of Vietnam's Landscapes Through the Windows of the North-South Train
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- Published on 08 August 2022
- Written by Adrien Jean. Photos by Adrien Jean.
Traveling on the Reunification Express from Saigon to Hanoi feels like a ride through history and time.
Ngõ Nooks: The Peculiarity of a Coffee Sanctuary With No Menu and No Address
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- Published on 07 August 2022
- Written by Mervin Lee. Photos by Mervin Lee.
"SOLitude" — At first glance, the word conjures a sense of melancholic privateness in my ever-anxious soul. But not in a pessimistic way, fortunately.
Once Derided, 'Lục Xì' Is a Trail-Blazing Lesson in Nuanced Sympathy
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- Published on 04 August 2022
- Written by Hoa Đỗ.
Lục Xì is a reportage written by Vũ Trọng Phụng in the first volume of Tương Lai newspaper in 1937. In the series, Phụng describes his experiences visiting the dispensary (nhà lục xì) where prostitutes with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) were being treated. During a week of visits, he noted his interactions and conducted interviews with responsible officers and specialists.
From Oral Lore to a Mini Encyclopedia of Folk Demons, Ghosts, and Restless Spirits
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- Published on 03 August 2022
- Written by Ann Ann. Images courtesy of Duy Văn.
River entities hiding the bodies of drowned victims, spectral ma lai whose head and guts hover in the air, ma trành spirits luring unassuming victims into the path of tigers, or the ghosts of a family with consecutive deaths — these are just some ghastly myths from Vietnamese folklore that the Ma Quỷ Dân Gian Ký project (The Chronicle of Folk Spirits) was inspired by.
Exploring Chợ Quán Asylum, Saigon’s Oldest Prisoner-of-War Camp
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- Published on 01 August 2022
- Written by Tuyết Nhi. Photos by Tuyết Nhi.
In a secluded corner of Saigon’s Bệnh viện Nhiệt đới, or Hospital for Tropical Diseases, a prison continues its century-long existence hidden from public memory and discourse.
Ngõ Nooks: A Spicy Bún Lòng Cá From Hải Phòng That Takes Guts to Try
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- Published on 31 July 2022
- Written by Lam Lê. Photos by Kit Humphrey. .
Út Hà Quán looks nothing like the kind of traditional Hanoi street food eatery that makes it to glossy magazines and world-famous food channels. There’s no grumpy grandma, no mold on the walls and no trash on the floor.
Born in Cần Thơ and Raised in the US, Rapper Mixed Miyagi Stays True to His Many Roots
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- Published on 28 July 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Graphic by Phan Nhi.
"Miền Tây sông nước tao ngắm cánh đồng xanh / Buổi sáng là thức dậy để đi cày mà làm ăn / Trên đời này thành công là siêng năng / Không có giống mấy thằng chó, có chút tiền rồi kiêu căng."
Hẻm Gems: Indonesia's Ayam Penyet Is a Smashing Celebration of Spices
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- Published on 27 July 2022
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
The most straightforward definition by which to explain ayam penyet to the Vietnamese layperson is perhaps “cơm gà Indo.” It’s technically not wrong: the dish has rice and chicken, and originates from Indonesia. But once you've actually sunk your teeth into this special fried chicken, the translation seems unfairly reductive because ayam penyet is so much better than the sum of its parts.
In Huế, a Glass Cottage to Spend the Rest of Your Life With Your Beloved
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- Published on 26 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
If somehow your relationship manages to survive illnesses, conflicts, and external temptations to endure until both of you are in your sunset years, how would you spend the rest of your life?
The Punishing, Breathtaking, and Fulfilling 14 Days in Nepal to Reach Everest Base Camp
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- Published on 25 July 2022
- Written by Quang Hiệu Đặng. Photos by Quang Hiệu Đặng.
Our trek to Everest Base Camp from Lukla begins on the first days of summer. Just two weeks into May, throngs of mountain climbers have already congregated here, despite the bitter cold, striving to conquer Earth’s highest base camp.
Airport Officer Suspended After Passenger Brings Knife on Flight to Prepare Mango Snack
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- Published on 22 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
A passenger's seemingly innocent in-air fruit snack has called into question the effectiveness of Tân Sơn Nhất's security screenings.
Banana Island Is a Peaceful Oasis Amid Hanoi, but for How Much Longer?
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- Published on 22 July 2022
- Written by Linh Pham. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Linh Pham.
As the xe ôm is about to reach the halfway point of Long Biên Bridge, I tell him to stop.
An Exploration of H'Mông Fashion Through the Eyes of a Young H'Mông Curator
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- Published on 21 July 2022
- Written by Hải Yến. Photos courtesy of Hnubflower.
Combining elements of the traditional and the modern, Hnubflower and her collaborators have brought to life a project to recreate the fashion of many H’Mông communities in provinces across Vietnam.
The Collector Preserving Decades of Saigon History, From Vintage Brands to Pandemic Memories
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- Published on 20 July 2022
- Written by Như Quỳnh. Photos by Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
"A Việt Kiều customer living in France paid me a visit. She looked at my sofa and started tearing up because its design was so similar to one she had in her childhood home. She said she missed home and missed those days a lot,” Huỳnh Minh Hiệp, the owner of Lúa Cafe, says.
Gõ Nước: An Endangered Tree That Offers Hope for Conservation Efforts
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- Published on 20 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer
Is it true that the more names something has, the more beloved it is? Consider all the nicknames you have for your best friends, or the myriad of terms people have invented for deities. If one can assess value by tallying up all the terms that define it, surely Intsia bijuga is a cherished species of tree.
Ngõ Nooks: Cafe Yên, Where the Line Between Coffee Shop and Alley Blurs
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- Published on 17 July 2022
- Written by Huyền Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Mai Phương.
Yên (adj): quiet, unmoved.
