The Hanoitimes - Vietnam’s wonderful cuisine, friendly people, spectacular natural beauty, fascinating history and rich culture appeal to a growing number of independent travelers looking for something exotic and different. Independent travel specialist Avanti Destinations, a free independent traveler (FIT) tour operator, has introduced new food-focused itineraries and cultural experiences in Vietnam. Cai Be Floating Market, Vietnam. Photo: Avanti Destinations According to Avanti’s Executive Chairman Paul Barry, Vietnam’s wonderful cuisine, friendly people, spectacular natural beauty, fascinating history and rich culture appeal to a growing number of independent travelers looking for something exotic and different. “And like much of Southeast Asia, Vietnam offers excellent value for the dollar,” he added. Avanti also announced two new tours that can be added to any itinerary: a shared traditional painting and lantern-making workshop in Hoi … [Read more...] about FIT tour operator introduces new culinary and cultural experiences in Vietnam
Cooking new york times
A food tour of Vietnam is not to be missed: New York Times
It has specifically mentioned a culinary tour along the Mekong River. The New York Times’ recommendation comes as food tourism emerges as a rising trend, prompting tour companies and cruise lines to organize tours led by accomplished chefs around the world. The chefs serve as tour guides, introducing the quintessence of local cuisine and culture to guests. The APT travel group is launching a new food tour next month in Vietnam, led by Vietnamese-Australian celebrity chef Luke Nguyen. The 14-day tour will take guests through the alleyways of Ho Chi Minh City to meet his relatives, visit their kitchens, and take a trip down to market stalls to buy ingredients, the New York Times said. The highlight of the tour will be the chance to join the famous chef in cooking while sailing down the Mekong River. A food tour along the Mekong River will take tourists to explore the quintessence of local cuisine and culture. Photo by … [Read more...] about A food tour of Vietnam is not to be missed: New York Times
Gunman kills at least five, injures others in Maryland newsroom
A man brandishing a long gun walked into the office of a small newspaper in Maryland on Thursday and killed at least five people in an attack that led police to beef up security at media outlets in other cities as a precaution, authorities said. Police officers in the Maryland capital city of Annapolis responded within minutes to a 911 call about a shooting in progress at the offices of the Capital Gazette newspaper group and apprehended the suspect hiding under a desk, authorities said. Police have said nothing about a possible motive for the attack, in which at least three other people were wounded, but authorities are treating it as a local incident, with no links to terrorism, a law enforcement source told Reuters. The newsroom looked “like a war zone,” Phil Davis, a Capital Gazette crime reporter who was in the building at the time of the shooting, said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun. He said he was hiding under his desk along with other newspaper employees … [Read more...] about Gunman kills at least five, injures others in Maryland newsroom
Apple touts privacy features of new operating systems
Apple on Monday (Jun 4) unveiled new operating systems for its iPhones and computers with features designed to thwart the use of secret trackers to monitor people's online activities. Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC). (AFP/Josh Edelson) The announcement by Apple comes amid a growing focus on protecting privacy following a Facebook data scandal and new rules being enforced by the European Union for online services. Apple, kicking off its annual developers conference, appeared to be setting itself apart from Facebook, which has drawn the ire of privacy activists, and even showed how its software could prevent the social network from tracking users on Apple devices. The upcoming versions of software powering iPhone and Mac computers will block the use of so-called "cookies" from Facebook "like" buttons that can follow people from one website to another, Apple said. "Turns out 'like' buttons and 'comment' fields can be used to track you, … [Read more...] about Apple touts privacy features of new operating systems
Fast food and its invasion of Vietnam’s culinary paradise
For seven happy years, from 2003 to 2010, I lived on Tran Hung Dao Street, Hanoi. Right behind our elegant French villa, within a few blocks, there was a food paradise. The area to the south was full of wonderful eating places, from grand restaurants to sidewalk cafés. I loved the oceanic taste of stir fried squid, the freshness of rice-paper spring rolls, the strength of beef in black pepper sauce… But perhaps my biggest favorite was bun cha, which we used to purchase from a little restaurant on Le Van Huu Street, to eat at home on Sundays. Renowned chef Anthony Bourdain once wrote: “You don’t have to go looking for great food in Vietnam. Great food finds you. It’s everywhere. In restaurants, cafes, little storefronts, in the streets; carried in makeshift portable kitchens on yokes borne by women vendors.” I was not at all surprised that the little restaurant on Le Van Huu Street where we used to buy our Sunday bun cha was the place where … [Read more...] about Fast food and its invasion of Vietnam’s culinary paradise