by Xuân Đăng A redemptorist monastery with a typical French colonial architecture that is one of the ancient religious buildings in Đà Lạt. VNS Photo Xuân Đăng The Central Highlands city of Đà Lạt is famous for its cool climate, pine-scented air and mountain views. Often referred to as a “city in a forest”, “fog city” or "city of flowers", it is also home to many old religious buildings. Most of them were built during the French colonial period after the French founded the city as a resort town to get away from the humid, hot climate in the south. Monasteries with arched windows and balconies with large glass doors are European in design, but are also in harmony with the gentle rhythm of the city. Some monasteries are still places of prayer, while the rest have been assigned to state units for maintenance and repair or have been changed to become tourist attractions. New life The most typical of these is the Redemptorist monastery, which is now being used as a biological museum managed by the Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) Biological Institute. The former monastery, built in 1952, is located in the middle of a pine forest on Tùng Lâm hill, seven kilometres from Đà Lạt. The building was constructed with the typical symmetrical French architecture. At the centre of the building stands a cross with the Latin inscription "Copiosa Apud Eum Redemptio", often translated as "With Him is plentiful Redemption". The monastery is built of solid stone. Each wall and brick is imprinted with time and from the back of the building, you can see a panoramic view of the city. At the time of its construction, the monastery was only the second stone Catholic building in the country after Phát Diệm Church in the northern province of Ninh Bình. It served as a place for Redemptorists, a Catholic congregation of missionaries, to worship and fulfill their missions. Walking inside the monastery you can see classrooms arranged side by …
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Cloud Nine – High above the hubbub
PERFECTION ON A PLATE: Grilled Australian beef tenderloin served with mashed potatoes, pumpkin puree, asparagus, carrots, and black pepper sauce. VNS Photo Ngô Minh Sitting on the ninth floor of the La Siesta Hotel in the heart of Hà Nội, Cloud Nine Restaurant boasts sensational views over the centre of the capital. The main colour palette is black and white, but unlike the rest of the hotel, large windows let light stream in. The food and service are both excellent, and while it’s not cheap it’s definitely worth your while. I have walked along Hàng Bè Street many times but never seen any sign of Cloud Nine. La Siesta is a boutique hotel for foreign tourists, and the restaurant was especially popular among in-house guests. The damage inflicted on the tourism industry by COVID-19 saw both the hotel and restaurant become deserted. Undeterred, the owners designed a new menu with set lunch options suitable for local people and expats. The decor is undoubtedly chic, with a hint of French and a wonderful Asian style and finesse. It serves a fusion of Vietnamese and Western food, and the set I ordered featured both local and European dishes prepared and presented in a fine-dining style. The cream of sweet potato and prawn soup was a lovely way to start. It had a graceful appearance, with a custard-yellow hue. While the thick soup clung to the spoon, the sweetness of the sweet potato lingered on the lips. It was less sweet than cream of pumpkin soup. TOP-NOTCH: Coconut core salad, a refreshing mix of coconut core, prawns, peanuts, and aromatic herbs. VNS Photo Ngô Minh Then came the củ hũ dừa (coconut core) salad, a popular delicacy in Việt Nam’s south. Coconut core is the 'heart', the flesh of the coconut tree, and is found at the very top, hidden among branches. When you remove the layers of a coconut tree's skin, you will find the coconut core. It’s white, sweet, fresh, cool, crunchy, and highly nutritious. Strips of coconut core, carrots, …
Exquisite images bathed in light
COLOURED IMAGERY: Duy’s lightboxes showcase ancient Vietnamese royal costumes, landscapes, and traditional culture. VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Đạt By Minh Anh Ancient Vietnamese royal costumes, landscapes and traditional culture have all provided inspiration for Nguyễn Duy Duy to create enchanting 3D lightboxes. A native of Thạch Thất District on the outskirts of Hà Nội, Duy came up with the idea of combining LED lighting and the Japanese art of “kirigami”, inspired by shadow puppetry, to create magical lightboxes as his university graduation project in 2018. With the help of a friend, he experimented making lightboxes for over three years and then established his own brand -- Fox Design. He and his friend are now considered the innovators of such creations in Việt Nam. KEY CREATIONS: Duy's lightboxes are a source of pride for him because he understands the importance of culture for a country. VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Đạt The 25-year-old’s latest completed project, entitled Việt Nam -- Đất Nước và Con Người (Việt Nam -- Land and People), is a combination of three distinct parts, in which the “People” part aims to honour the beauty of Vietnamese women in traditional or ancient royal dresses. Meanwhile, the “Land” part features beautiful landscapes in Việt Nam, from the north to the south. When seeking ideas for the project, Duy happened to hear the song Nhớ Về Hà Nội (Remember Hà Nội) presented by singer Hồng Nhung, which brought back childhood memories of hanging out with his father and rekindled his affection for his hometown. DETAILED PROCESS: The first step is designing paper layers on a computer, then printing them and placing them in a certain order to complete the image. VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Đạt Much of the scenery inside his lightboxes is associated with outstanding Hà Nội landmarks like the Old Quarter, the Instagram-famous “train street”, and St Joseph’s Cathedral. Stunning national landscapes also make an …