Back to English Comments Trend - February 15, 2019 | 08:15 am GMT+7 Despite some basic, irreconcilable differences with Vietnamese traditions, Hanoi’s Muslim community manages to practice its faith in harmony. Every Friday noon, the sidewalk on Hang Luoc Street is crowded with vehicles.It is prayer time, and around 300 faithful Muslims from Hanoi and surrounding areas gather to pray at Al-Noor, the only mosque in northern Vietnam, which has been built for over a century.The small mosque has typical Islamic architectural features, including a dome, curved doors and pointed towers.The small prayer room cannot accommodate all the followers, so many woolen carpets are placed in the yard for people to kneel down in rows.A small communityThere are an estimated 72,000 Muslims across Vietnam, according to the Government Committee for Religious Affairs."For Muslims who are originally from Hanoi, there are around 100 people. There are more than 300 foreign Muslims (in the … [Read more...] about Hanoi Muslims keep their faith in consonance with Vietnamese traditions – VnExpress International
Grilled snakeheads
When people spend the night grilling snakehead fish for God of Wealth
On Tan Ky - Tan Quy Street in Saigon, many stalls have been selling grilled fish for more than a decade. But they are busiest on the Day of the God of Wealth, which this year falls on February 14 (10th day of the lunar year). From the previous evening workers at the stalls were busy making fire and preparing and grilling the fish for the morning. The God of Wealth, worshipped by many families, is believed to control money and finance. People, especially families doing business, pray to Him for wealth and luck for the whole year. In the south, when people pray to Him, they usually make offerings of gold, fruit, grilled meat and, unfailingly, grilled snakehead fish. The grilled fish stalls had to employ more staff to work throughout the night. Each person was in charge of a particular task like keeping the charcoal fire going, skewering the fish on sticks and washing vegetables. "On normal days we have only five people to help, but when the Day of the God of Wealth comes we need 10 … [Read more...] about When people spend the night grilling snakehead fish for God of Wealth
A guide to the top items which bring luck for the year ahead
Some of the items include: Salt Buying a small bag of salt is highly recommended during the first days of the Lunar New Year. This is based on the belief that it will bring one’s family luck and prosperity. Fire Fire is widely considered lucky to Vietnamese people in the Lunar New Year. Many people purchase boxes of matches and lighters in a hope that they will bring them good luck throughout the year. A blessing from a Confucian scholar Asking for a blessing from calligraphers on the first days of the Lunar New Year is a popular tradition in Vietnam. The custom of asking for such words is a cultural practice surrounding people’s beliefs and their aspirations to do good. Gold Traditionally, Vietnamese people buy gold to bring good luck and prosperity throughout the year. Grilled snakehead In Ho Chi Minh City, grilled snakeheads are a must when worshipping the Gods of Wealth. This is usually done if you're hope for a prosperity in the new year. Roasted pigs and ducks … [Read more...] about A guide to the top items which bring luck for the year ahead
A fish out of water: Cần Thơ’s newest tourist attraction
Viet Nam News Văn Châu CẦN THƠ — Lê Trung Tín, a farmer in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta city of Cần Thơ, makes a good living, training a bunch of snakehead fish to leap out of a pond. Tourists often visit to see the fancy trick and later eat a tasty meal made of the fish. Tín, whose pond and house is located on Cồn Sơn (Sơn Islet), has bred the fish for 20 years. Initially, he gave them fresh food but later used processed feed to encourage the fish to jump out of the water. Gradually, the fish began to “fly” up to 40 to 50 centimetres above the water to catch the food. “Unlike other snakehead fish which often dive deep underwater, my fish leap from the water to snatch their food," Tín said. Before he began training the fish, he sold all of them before Tết (Lunar New Year) holiday every year, earning about VNĐ200 million (US$9,500), with profit of about VNĐ90 … [Read more...] about A fish out of water: Cần Thơ’s newest tourist attraction
Fancy a snakehead fish, head and all?
Châu Đốc-style snakehead fish soup with rice vermicelli is a favourite at Bún Cá Lóc Plan Lê restaurant in HCM City. VNS photos Minh Phi Viet Nam News Diners in HCM City should check out Bún Cá Lóc Phan Lê, a new restaurant that will surely please lovers of all things fishy. Mỹ Duyên reports. Do you sometimes long for your Mekong Delta home and hunger for bún cá lóc Châu Đốc style (snakehead fish soup with rice vermicelli) when the flood season comes, the time when the fish is especially tasty? Look no further: you can now find the traditional delicacy at a new restaurant in HCM City. Located on Cao Thắng Street in District 3, Bún Cá Lóc Phan Lê is renowned for its snakehead fish soup cooked Châu Đốc style and other snakehead fish specialties: fish head, filet and maw. With a good street view and eye-catching … [Read more...] about Fancy a snakehead fish, head and all?