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."
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.
'Chronicles of a Village' Is an Avant-Garde Deconstruction of the Familiar Rural Vietnam
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- Published on 15 July 2022
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
How would you tell the story of your birth soil?
From Indulgent Sadness to Renewed Optimism: The Evolution of Nhạc Của Trang
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- Published on 13 July 2022
- Written by Ann Ann. Photos courtesy of Nhạc của Trang.
Over the last few years, Ngô Minh Trang (better known as Nhạc của Trang) has become a household name of the local indie scene thanks to a repertoire of melancholy, poignant songs. This year, after taking a break, Trang has put behind the “blue 20s” era to open a new chapter full of peaceful contemplation and gratitude in her new album “Chỉ Có Thể Là Anh.”
[Photos] A House in Sơn La Cocoons Its Residents Around a Quiet Courtyard
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- Published on 12 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer.
In many up-and-coming urban areas in Vietnam, empty plots of land are sectioned off and sold as narrow puzzle pieces that will eventually become towering tube houses facing the chaos of arterial streets. Wouldn’t it be a welcome change to wake up and face the calm of your own garden instead of traffic?
A Merry Morning Over the Fish Markets and Salt Fields of Phan Rang
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- Published on 11 July 2022
- Written by Eric Hundert. Photos by Eric Hundert.
I live in Đà Lạt, so the most direct route to the coast brings me to Phan Rang, which is where I often go for the beach and seafood.
Local Businesses Find Flexible Solutions at MyStorage
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- Published on 11 July 2022
- Written by Saigoneer. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
The sleek aesthetic of a bakery specializing in meticulously crafted high-end pastries would be ruined by stacks of packaging stored between the bright display case and the open kitchen.
Hẻm Gems: A Thai Feast on a Hẻm Pavement, With Vietnamese Fusion Twists
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- Published on 10 July 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Photos by Alberto Prieto and Lê Thái Hoàng Nguyên.
While Thailand and Vietnam have long been perpetual rivals in the football arena, at this streetside Hẻm Gem, the two cultures forge a harmonious relationship.
Saigon Postcard No. 30: The Cacophony of a Healed Saigon
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- Published on 08 July 2022
- Written by Uyên Đỗ. Illustration by Hương Đỗ.
It doesn’t feel so long ago that Saigon went into battle mode against invaders of microscopic scales.
Ngõ Nooks: A Classic Thanh Trì-Style Bánh Cuốn That Took a Century to Perfect
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- Published on 07 July 2022
- Written by Hà Tạ. Photos by Long Nguyễn.
Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành is nearly a century old, and both the eatery’s name and the authenticity of the food they serve stem from the same source: the culinary wisdom of Grandma Hồng.
