May 7, 2012  

Before I moved to Vietnam, one of the things that
most impressed me about the country were pictures I had seen of Ha Long Bay.
The beautiful pictures showed romantic views of limestone islands sitting in
gorgeous blue water, and I knew this would be a place that I would have to
visit!

Much to my surprise, when I arrived in Ho Chi Minh City I realized that this magical
place was pretty far away. Unfortunately, after a year of working in, and
traveling around, this impressive country I had yet to accomplish my goal of
visiting the bay. Recently, while on a business trip to Hanoi, I took a few extra days and finally
got to Ha Long Bay.

I booked a tour with a local Hanoi travel agent recommended by a friend. I
knew that I didn’t want to go for a cheap, low budget tour on my first visit to
the bay so I decided to go for one of the nicer, but still affordable, options.
When I had everything booked I could barely sleep because I was so excited.

A bus picked me up in Hanoi in the morning and we made the long
drive to the boats. I was surprised how long the drive took as I originally
thought that Ha Long Bay was closer to the city. Still, the ride was
comfortable and we made it to the water with few complaints. Plus, while we drove
along, we got the chance to introduce ourselves to the other travelers who
would be joining us on our adventure.

We boarded a small boat at the somewhat chaotic and
crowded marina and rode out to the larger boat we would be spending the night
on. The boat was beautiful with a rustic, wooden exterior that fit perfectly
with the timeless location that surrounded us. Although the boat looked like a
more traditional vessel, inside it was equipped with all the modern amenities
that you would expect in a modern hotel room. The beds were comfortable and the
rooms were surprisingly large for being on a boat.

Slowly, the boat moved into the area of the towering
islands. Although I had seen many pictures I was unprepared for how truly
impressive the rock formations are in real life! They were truly amazing to
look at and compared to nothing else I had ever seen.

Eventually, the boat came to a stop where the rocks formed
a kind of natural harbor. Here we exited and got the opportunity to check out a
large cave toward the top of one of the large islands. The inside of the cave
was massive, bigger than any other cave I had been to and I was surprised that
it was in as good of shape as it was, considering the amount of tourists that
pass through it daily. While I thought the cave was nice, the best part was the
view it afforded from its high location. The boats resting on the calm water
next to the islands were truly a sight to see, it reminded me of something you
would see in a ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’
movie!

After exploring the cave, we had a couple of hours to kayak around in the
clear, blue water. I had really been looking forward to the kayaking and it
didn’t disappoint. Although the outside temperature was cooler than in HCM city  I
was surprised by how warm the water was as I paddled along.

Once we were finished it was time for dinner on
the boat. We ate some delicious seafood as the sun sat around us and the rocks
were bathed in an orange light. Once night fell I retired to my room where I
peacefully went to sleep. I rested peacefully as the water was gentle and there
was barely a sound outside.

In the morning we watched the sun rise over the landscape,
had a simple breakfast and cruised out of the bay. Overnight, clouds had crept
into the area and we got the chance to see a more mystical, foggy side of the
bay. This was charming in its own way and I felt like an early explorer
discovering a new land.

Finally we made it back to the mainland, boarded a bus and
returned to the city. I didn’t want to leave such a magical place but I knew
this would be the first of many trips as I don’t think I could ever spend
enough time in this picturesque land that is truly a natural wonder.

Angela Schonberg

Source: Tuoi tre news

Hectic, noisy, chaotic, adjective, adjective. Describing Hanoi’s oldest district is somewhat of a waste of breath. No need to ramble on about where exactly to go in the Old Quarter either, as the weaving and winding streets are best explored by aimless wandering. No destination. No pre-planned route. Just left, right, or straight ahead. 

There is no road “less travelled” in this part of town. They’re all loaded with scooters, cars, bikes and people so the main bit of advice we’d give is to watch your step but be assertive when crossing the road. Don’t second guess your moves, look both ways, and enjoy the fact that yes, you are standing in the middle of the road with dozens of scooters whizzing by on both sides. 

Hanoi is hot in the summer time. We’re talking 30 to 35 degrees Celsius at a very, very high humidity, so for a walking tour take lots of water and expect to sweat. The sweating is worth it, as the view of street life you get by covering the district on foot is fantastic. The neighborhood has over 1,000 years of history coursing through its meandering street veins, pumping with life representing both the past and present.

For those able to stand the heat, one full day exploring should do it. For those with less heat tolerance, taking two days at around four hours each day is recommended. Or simply visit during the cooler Fall or Spring months.

Electrical wires string along many streets in hap-hazard fashion. Much of the infrastructure looks like it is being held together by duct tape.

Old buildings line Hang Dao road, just north of Hoan Kiem Lake.

Rush hour in Hanoi’s Old Quarter is an experience. You must be on your toes at all times as the streets fill with scooters, bikes, cars, and people. The rules of the road are “pay attention and whoever flinches first loses the right of way.”

The sidewalks can be just as chaotic as the middle of the street. Locals stake out their spots with small plastic stools and the wares of whatever trade they’re plying. The ever-present scooters are parked at all angles. Small dogs skitter about. People bargain and negotiate for goods and food, and fans sprout from everywhere.

A family sits and chats in the hot Hanoi summer heat in front of their tombstone business.

The Hoam Kiem lake park is a green, shady spot locals like to use to escape Hanoi’s seemingly ever-present frenetic energy. The northern tip of the small lake borders the Old Quarter on P Dinh Tien Hoang road.

One of the Old Quarter’s street markets.

A woman relaxes in the market. Expending as little energy as possible is a common strategy for fighting the heat.

Vendors in the market are mainly women.

A woman barbecues on the sidewalk in 32 degree Celsius heat. Hanoi has a rich street food culture, worthy of a book let alone another article.

Crabs and sea snails ready to be bought.

Locals eating a quick noodle meal.

Various animals roam freely in some parts of the Old Quarter. This scrawny little chicken looked too sad for even a bowl of soup.

An old stuffed deer sneering in a rictus death grimace from a shop window. A sight only seen by walking the streets for hours. Similar random sightings can be expected when least expected.

The Old Quarter has many streets dedicated to specific trades. This was the toy street. Others to be found included streets dedicated to shoes, clothing, tombstones, antiques, and scooter repairs.

These tourists opted for a more comfortable whirl around the Old Quarter. Though it is good to be wary as these rides are often overpriced

As their name suggests, ATA is at their best doing active travel; take advantage of it to get away from the crowds and experience Vietnam in a more direct and authentic way.

We arranged a private, two week, multi-tour package in Vietnam with ActiveTravel Asia (ATA) in October 2011. ATA staff, especially Sunny, worked with us to put together a customized itinerary that met our needs and interests. The result was a remarkable and challenging vacation of dramatic landscapes, intense cultural exposure, physical activity, great food, and beautiful people. Our trip had three major components: a 5D/4N sea kayaking tour of Ha Long Bay (including Cat Ba Island), a 3D/2N trek with homestays in the Sa Pa area, and a 2D/1N bicycling tour with homestay in the Mekong Delta
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When I landed in Hanoi, Vietnam, motorcycles immediately stole my attention. Motorcycles in Vietnam are everywhere and they are used to do just about everything. Streets in Vietnam are like rivers, but instead of water, motorcycles flow in continuous streams of traffic.

You think you could ride like this?

Though I wasn’t able to ride any motorbikes while visiting Vietnam, nearly all my most interesting memories of the country (like single motorbikes transporting as many boxes as a normal pick-up truck) have to do with motorbikes!

I thought to myself how cool it would be to travel through Vietnam on a motorcycle. For me it would be the flexibility of being able to stop at will, or being able to go to a completely off-the-beat destination in the country. I remember riding in a bus from Hanoi to Halong Bay. During the ride I peeked out the window and saw countless little local Vietnamese restaurants that appeared to be serving amazing unique food – and if I had been on my own motorcycle I could have stopped and enjoyed it.

I was amazed by the motorcycle traffic in Hanoi!

After reading the guide to motorbiking in Vietnam, I realized that touring Vietnam on a motorcycle isn’t quite as easy as just jumping on a bike and heading out – there are a few things to think about and organize in order to ensure your journey is a success.

Choosing a Motorcycle: Great tips on finding a motorcycle that best suits your interests and how to go about fully checking it over (condition of the bike) before committing to purchase it.

Riding Tips and Suggestions: Not only does the guide provide useful tips on how to ride like the Vietnamese (using your horn, focusing forward, accelerating on traffic gaps), it’s also packed with valuable tips on what gear to take and what to wear.

Licensing, Permits, Registration, Insurance (both yourself and bike): No, this stuff is not the most interesting, but it really is the most important information you need to think about when organizing a motorcycle trip in Vietnam

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Where to Go: When you’re past the logistics of riding a motorcycle, it’s time to figure out a rough itinerary of where you want to go. Sure you can drive around aimlessly, but since you’ll probably be on a tourist visa, you’ll want to have some sort of rough plan. The guide suggests a few amazing rides and routes that you may want to add to your travel itinerary.

Resources Section: From useful Vietnamese language phrases to a motorcycle specific packing checklist, the resources section is really useful. The guide really made me think through a lot of things I would have never thought of (and that are really important).

For instance, I never would have known to keep my motorcycle gas tank always 1/2 full or more to avoid clogging the gas filter.

1.Take a tour around the legendary Halong Bay

Paddle around Halong Bay in Quang Ninh which is similar to the islands found along the , this is one of Vietnam’s most beautiful areas, Halong Bay has fascinating limestone formations, coves for night-time excursions, sheer cliffs, grottoes, arches and scores of small islets. There are plenty of activities such as Kayaking that are well worth taking time out for as this is one way to really appreciate the beauty of the area as well as a good way to see the fauna and flora without disturbing the nature around one.

2. Get your shirts and suits tailor-made at Hoian

Visit Hoian. From the 16th to 18th centuries, Hoian was a thriving international commercial port for Chinese, Dutch, French, Japanese, Portuguese and Arab traders. These people came to trade primarily for the high-grade silk, which is still produced in the area, and ceramics. The area is now one of four world heritage listed sites in Vietnam and there are lots of interesting things to see and do in the area.

3. Visit Hanoi for an insight of Vietnamese’s past and present

Hanoi has lots to offer the tourist but if you are in the city you can’t afford to miss the History Museum that includes artifacts from Vietnam’s prehistory: proto-Vietnamese civilisations (1st and 2nd millennia BC), the Dong Son civilisation (7th century BC to 3rd century AD), the Oc-Eo (Funan) culture of the Mekong Delta (1st to 6th century AD); the Indianised kingdom of Champa (1st to 15th century), the Khmer kingdoms, various Vietnamese dynasties and their resistance to Chinese attempts at domination, the struggle against the French, and the history of the Communist Party. It gives the visitor an excellent understanding of Vietnam’s past and a better understanding of the present.

4. Shop at Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City

This large market is close to the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao in Ho Chi Minh city. The market was formally established by the French colonial powers after taking over the Gia Dinh citadel in 1859. This market was destroyed by fire in 1870 and rebuilt to become Saigon’s largest market. In 1912 the market was moved to a new building and called the New Ben Thanh Market to distinguish over its predecessor.

5. Explore the Imperial City of Hue

Hue is one of the most popular destinations for visitors to Vietnam. Straddling the Perfume River, this mysterious, somber city is a historian’s dream come true, with numerous 19th century ruins, royal tombs and an excellent museum.

6. Join the hiking and trekking tour up in Sapa

A perfect Sapa tour will give you a fun experience with combination of trek and journeys away from the crowds. More interesting if you have time with staying at traditional Dao home with local people. Learn and participate in village life and truly feel the warmth and hospitality of these incredible people, or visit the most colorful tribal market in Sapa

7. Enjoy a hillside retreat at Dalat

Dalat is the place to be if you want to visit interesting tribal villages. Although most are located further out of town, you can visit the villages of some of the hill tribes, such as Lat Village and the Chicken Village (with a huge statue of a chicken) close to Dalat itself. Don’t forget your camera as the photo opportunities are endless!

8. Relax by the premier beach resort in Nha Trang

Nha Trang is Vietnam’s beach resort town. A major face-lift in 1995-96, and the opening of two upscale hotels later in 1996, vaulted Nha Trang onto the playing field with places like Phuket, Thailand, and Cancun, Mexico. Today, it’s a popular destination for both foreign and domestic tourists. In addition to sun bathing, popular attractions include boat trips to the nearby islands and tours of Nha Trang’s historic sites. If you like typical beach resort towns, then Nha Trang is for you.

9.Cruise in Mekong Delta:

Meander along the Mekong on one of the many boat trips that are available taking you across the water or through the local canals on many interesting sightseeing excursions that definitely require a camera. Larger boats venture up the Mekong River and this is a definite MUST DO if you are in the area of Cantho or one of the other cities or villages that rely on this massive sourse of water for both transport and food. Climb Sam Mountain near Chau Doc if you want to see dozens of temples, pagodas and the like as it is well worth visiting. Located about 6 km from the city, temples abound and the trek to the top of the mountain is also popular…though one can go by motorised vehicle if you so desire.

10. Experience the historic Cu Chi tunnels

Crawl through the Cu Chi Tunnels This extensive network of nearly 500 km of Viet Cong tunnels used in the French Indochina and American wars. The tunnels have complete facilities, from kitchens to printing presses and even street signs, all of which were used to aid the NLF (National Liberation Front) military. Tours involve a description of the tunnels, after which tourists are allowed to crawl about the maze. Located in Tay Ninh a suburb it is 39km northwest of central Ho Chi Minh City.

Những mẫu đèn bàn sáng tạo

Các hình mẫu cổ điển của chiếc đèn bàn đã được thay thế bằng những thiết kế độc đáo để trang trí trong phòng ngủ hoặc phòng khách.

Đèn hình cây nấm nhiều sắc màu của Brando.

Chiếc đèn lấy ý tưởng từ con tàu Titanic lãng mạn, sản phẩm của Viable.

Lass Klein đã thiết kế một chiếc đèn phỏng theo những chiếc đĩa bay của người ngoài hành tinh.

Chiếc đèn này có thiết kế như một chuỗi dây đeo cổ kết hợp với chân đế máy ảnh mini. Thiết kế của YLigthing.

Đèn bàn được thiết kế thêm một “chú heo” nhỏ bên dưới chụp đèn để trẻ em có thể bỏ tiền tiết kiệm của mình vào, thiết kế của Jethro Macey.

Đèn hình nhân treo lơ lửng của Enpieza.

Đèn bàn sỏi đá của Wisteria.

Chiếc đèn hình một chú bé khỏa thân với bóng đèn hình mặt người của Wowzzers.

Đèn mô phỏng con vật nghìn chân của Site Specific Design.

Những chiếc đèn hình vòi nước được thiết kế bởi Rafael Morgan.

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Hà Mai
(Ảnh: Topito)

Nhà cấp 4 diện tích 70 m2

Gia đình tôi có miếng đất diện tích gần 70m2 (6 x 11,4 m), hướng Đông. Tôi sinh năm 1978, vợ tôi sinh 1984 và một con trai 4 tuổi. Tôi muốn nhờ tư vấn xây một ngôi nhà cấp 4 trên miếng đất này. (Phan Lê Minh)

Yêu cầu:

Nhà có phòng khách, bếp và phòng ăn, 2 phòng ngủ có toilet sử dụng chung và chỗ để 2 chiếc xe máy của 2 vợ chồng tôi.

Tư vấn:

Với yêu cầu tư vấn trên của gia đình bạn, Kiến trúc sư DMC Việt Nam xin đưa ra phương án thiết kế như sau:

Phía mặt tiền nhà, chúng tôi bố trí phòng khách, phòng bếp liên thông với không gian phòng ăn. Phòng khách và phòng bếp được ngăn chia bởi một vách ngăn nhẹ tạo sự thông thoáng cho toàn bộ ngôi nhà. Phòng khách có diện tích là 17 m2. Buổi tối, gia đình bạn có thể để 2 xe máy vào khoảng thoáng trước phòng khách, ban ngày có thể dắt ra ngoài để việc giao thông đi lại trong nhà được dễ dàng.

Hành lang dẫn vào các phòng ngủ đặt ở phía cuối nhà. Phòng ngủ của bố mẹ có diện tích 15 m2, phòng ngủ con trai diện tích 10 m2. Phòng vệ sinh được đặt ở lối hành lang tiện sử dụng chung cho cả gia đình.

Tất cả các không gian phòng trong nhà đều được mở cửa sổ ra các bề mặt thoáng của ngôi nhà (mặt tiền, mặt hậu) để tạo độ thông thoáng tối ưu.

Hy vọng, với phương án tư vấn thiết kế như trên, gia đình bạn sẽ có được ngôi nhà xinh xắn, thuận tiện, thông thoáng và đáp ứng đầy đủ chức năng sinh hoạt trong gia đình!

KTS. Đào Nguyên Hải
Công ty CP Kiến trúc DMC Việt Nam

Những sắc màu vui nhộn cho phòng trẻ mùa hè

Sự kết hợp khéo léo của những sắc màu tự nhiên như hồng, tím, xanh, cam… sẽ giúp không gian phòng bé thật sinh động, tươi tắn và thoáng mát khi mùa hè đến.

Mùa hè đang đến gần cũng là lúc cần “thay áo” cho không gian phòng ngủ của các thành viên trong gia đình, đặc biệt là phòng ngủ của các con. Các bậc phụ huynh có thể mang đến cho phòng trẻ một luồng không khí tươi mát bằng những sắc màu thật rực rỡ và vui nhộn.

Căn phòng tràn ngập sắc màu khiến trẻ thêm tươi vui.

Màu sắc tươi sáng rất thích hợp trong phòng trẻ em vì các bé sinh hoạt trong môi trường đó trở nên sôi nổi, hoạt bát và nhanh nhẹn hơn. Những sắc màu được nhiều gia đình lựa chọn sử dụng như màu cam, màu hồng, màu vàng tươi, màu xanh lam, xanh lá cây… Đặc biệt phòng trẻ em nên tránh những màu sắc u ám như màu đen, màu tro, màu thâm sẫm… nhất là trong mùa hè.

Phòng màu xanh dành cho bé trai…

Cùng một căn phòng nhưng cách chọn màu khác nhau đã tạo sự thú vị riêng cho mỗi căn phòng. Đơn cử màu xanh khỏe khoắn cho bé trai và màu tím hồng với các họa tiết trang trí hình mèo Kitty dễ thương cho bé gái.

… và màu tím hồng dễ thương cho bé gái.

Căn phòng thiết kế đơn giản dành cho 2 bé. Sử dụng tông màu trắng kem làm chủ đạo, với điểm nhấn là ga trải giường màu xanh cốm chấm bi và những họa tiết trang trí của chiếc thảm trải sàn màu sắc.

Phòng chung cho 2 bé.

Khi sắp xếp đồ đạc trong phòng trẻ vào mùa hè, nên lựa chọn những đồ dùng có hình dáng đơn giản, không quá nhiều chi tiết cầu kỳ gây rối mắt. Đồ đạc cũng nên được bố trí gọn gàng, ngăn nắp tạo sự thông thoáng, mát mẻ cho căn phòng, đồng thời có nhiều khoảng trống cho bé chơi đùa.

Nên có những khoảng trống cho bé vui chơi.

Bên cạnh màu sắc, ánh sáng là yếu tốt rất quan trọng trong không gian phòng trẻ. Đặc biệt là ánh sáng tự nhiên rất tốt cho sức khỏe của bé. Do đó, dù tiết trời đã sang hè nhưng khi thiết kế phòng trẻ, nên đặt cửa sổ phù hợp để “hứng” được ánh sáng, nhưng vẫn tránh được vị trí ánh nắng chói gắt hay mưa tạt.

Căn phòng ngập tràn ánh sáng tự nhiên.

Cửa sổ phòng nên có rèm che, ban ngày ánh nắng quá chói chang nên buông rèm xuống, buổi tối có thể kéo rèm lên.

KTS. Nguyễn Công Đại
Công ty CP Kiến trúc DMC Việt Nam

Trang trí phòng tắm cho bé

Không gian phòng tắm cho bé trở nên tươi tắn, phù hợp với lứa tuổi các em bằng các họa tiết trang trí nhẹ nhàng.

Không gian phòng tắm được phủ chủ đạo bằng tông màu sáng tạo cảm giá thoáng đãng và cung cấp đủ ánh sáng. Điểm xuyết trên tường bằng các khung hình hay vật dụng phòng tắm màu xanh da trời và xanh lá cây tạo điểm nhấn phù hợp với tông màu của tường, vừa tạo cảm giác thích thú cho bé yêu như được thả mình trong màu xanh của biển, thiên nhiên hoặc bể bơi. Sàn nhà cũng được lát gạch ca rô chen giữa màu xanh và vàng hợp với sắc màu bên trên.

Khu bồn rửa mặt được bố trí một chiếc ghế nhỏ xinh xắn có hai bậc để bé có thể tiếp cận robinet bên trên. Chiếc giỏ đựng khăn tắm được đặc ngay dưới để bé có thể lất khăn nhanh chóng và xếp lại gọn gàng. Một chiếc thảm màu xanh nhạt đặt ngay bồn tắm giúp bé an toàn khi bước ra vào bồn tắm. Kèm theo là một vài vật dụng cùng tông màu như dép đi trong phòng tắm, khăn mặt nhỏ…

Hà Mai
(Ảnh: Mario Dubreuil)

Biến vali cũ thành chiếc tủ đầu giường xinh xắn

Thay vì vất đi chiếc vali đã cũ kỹ, chỉ cần khéo tay và một ít thời gian là có thể biến đổi thành một chiếc tủ nhỏ để chứa những đồ vật riêng tư bên cạnh giường ngủ.

Chiếc tủ vali độc đáo này phù hợp cho căn phòng ngủ dù hiện đại hay mang dáng dấp cổ điển. Ảnh: DR.

Có thể chứa những cuốn sách “gối đầu giường hay băng đĩa nhạc, đồ dùng cá nhân… Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Trước tiên khoan và bắt pát kim loại vào bốn góc mặt dưới của vali. Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Chọn chân gỗ được tiện tròn, sơn đen và gắn ốc vít một đầu. Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Gắn chân đế vào pát kim loại. Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Hoàn chỉnh đã có một chiếc tủ nhỏ xinh xắn. Lưu ý chỉ đựng những đồ vật nhẹ. Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Có thể mua pát và ốc vít đóng gói sẵn thành bộ tại các cửa hàng vật liệu xây dựng. Chân gỗ nếu khéo tay có thể tự làm hoặc đặt hàng các cửa hàng đồ gỗ. Ảnh: Ashley Poskin.

Hà Mai