In Vietnam’s capital, Ha Noi, one thousand years of history intertwine with frenetic sights and sounds of modern life.  The Temple of Literature, site of Vietnam’s first university, was established there in 1076. Ha Noi’s Old Quarter originated in the 1300’s. Its web of 36 narrow streets now channel the incessant  beep-beeping of modern-day motor scooters, but are still organized by the centuries-old tradition of naming streets after craft guilds. I strolled whole blocks of shoe stores, clothing stores, carpet stores, paint stores, and more.

The food is also a mix of old and new. Traditional Vietnamese dishes co-exist with Vietnamese-French fusion and international fare.

My favourite parts of Gail Hall’s culinary tours are the “off the beaten track” experiences – like the rainy night we turned into a narrow alley, climbed steep stairs — and entered Anh Tuyet restaurant that once hosted American chef Anthony Bourdain. The next day we tasted street food with chef Daniel Hoyer, an American who travelled to Vietnam to research his next cookbook, and made Ha Noi home. We browsed a market stocked with the freshest of everything, sipped ca phe (iced coffee with condensed milk), and sampled salad rolls and toasted corn. After a trip to the Temple of Literature, we enjoyed bún chă – grilled pork slices and patties in sweet and sour fish broth, served with rice noodles and fresh greens and herbs. Then we were off to sample bia hoi (very light draft beer).  We spent much of the day perched on plastic stools, at what look like kids’ tables – a common way of eating street food.  At five-feet-one, I felt tall that day! Daniel, a skilled raconteur, informed and entertained us at every stop. Some of us later visited his restaurant, Provecho, which serves international food and doubles as a travel agency.  There, Daniel shared more tales of life in Hanoi – about traffic, street food, Vietnamese business and politics, and more.  I purchased Culinary Vietnam, and have since made several of Daniel’s recipes at home.

The last day of our tour, we enjoyed a cooking class in the villa-style home of well-known chef Didier Corlou, owner of the French Fusion restaurant la Verticale. Didier demonstrated his passion for creating diverse flavour mixes of spices and herbs. His wife Mai walked us through the steps of preparing our lunch of banana flower salad, grilled chicken with lemon leaves, Ha Noi spring rolls (fried nem) bún chă  and sautéd pumpkin stems. We relaxed at the Corlou’s long dining table, enjoying sun and fresh air through the wide open doors, while feasting on our celebratory lunch in honour of Jon Hall’s birthday.

Another of my great enjoyments of Gail’s culinary tours is the balance between structured and free time. One free afternoon I walked to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum. Its three floors of permanent exhibitions — beautifully renovated in recent years — focus on family, traditional women’s work, history and politics, fashion, and tributes to modern women’s accomplishments. While exploring the special exhibition Shining Light, about lives of female street vendors — many of whom sell food — I was moved by their resilience and determination in the face of poverty, violence and other adverse life experiences.

Our 12-day tour of Vietnam has given me lots of wonderful memories of food, history, art, ‘street energy’, beautiful scenery – especially the rocks and caves of Halong Bay — shopping, and companionship. I am already looking forward to new journeys – wherever those take me.

Water Puppet Theatre

Modern water puppetry is performed in a pool of water four meters square with the water surface being the stage. Up to 8 puppeteers stand behind a split-bamboo screen, decorated to resemble a temple façade, and control the puppets using long bamboo rods and string mechanisms hidden beneath the water surface. The puppets (pictured on left) are carved out of wood and often weigh up to 15 kg.

A traditional Vietnamese orchestra provides background music accompaniment. The instrumentation includes vocals, drums, wooden bells, cymbals, horns, Đàn bầu (monochord), gongs, and bamboo flutes. The bamboo flute’s clear, simple notes may accompany royalty while the drums and cymbals may loudly announce a fire-breathing dragon’s entrance.

Singers of chèo (a form of opera originating in north Vietnam) sing songs which tell the story being acted out by the puppets. The musicians and the puppets interact during performance; the musicians may yell a word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encouragement to a puppet in need. The puppets enter from either side of the stage, or emerge from the murky depths of the water. Spotlights and colorful flags adorn the stage and create a festive atmosphere.

The theme of the skits is rural and has a strong reference to Vietnamese folklore. It tells of day-to-day living in rural Vietnam and Vietnamese folk tales that are told by grandparents to their grandchildren. Stories of the harvest, of fishing and of festivals are highlighted. Legends and national history are also told through short skits. Many of the skits, especially those involving the tales of day-to-day living, often have a humorous twist.

Vietnamese Cooking Techniques

The Food and Wine tour learned a lot about how Vietnamese typically cook their food. Below are some of the more interesting methods!

Xáo măng: Cooked/sautéed with bamboo shoots.

Nhồi thịt: Squid or vegetable stuffed with minced meat then cooked.

Kho khô: literally dried stew (until the sauce thickens).

Kho tiêu/kho gừng/kho riềng: Stewed with peppercorns/ginger/galangal.

Nấu nước dừa: Cooked with coconut juice.

Om: clay pot cooking of Northern style.

Om sữa: Cooked in clay pot with milk.

Om chuối đậu: Cooked with young banana and tofu.

Nướng ống tre: Cooked in bamboo tubes over fire.

Nướng mọi/nướng trui/thui: Char-grilled over open fire.

Nướng đất sét/lá chuối: Cooked in a clay mould or banana leaves wrap. Recently clay moulds and banana leaves are being replaced by kitchen foil, hence the method has evolved into nướng giấy bạc.

Nướng mỡ hành: Grilled then topped with melted lard, peanuts and chopped green onions.

Nhúng dấm: Cooked in a vinegar-based hotpot.

Cuốn: Refers to any dish featuring rice paper wraps with bún and fresh herbs.

Fun Facts

1. Vietnamese keep Potbelly pigs as pets

2. Vietnamese have a life expectancy of 72 years

3. Literacy rate in Vietnam is 94%

4. Vietnam is only 40 km wide at its narrowest point

5. Vietnam has the world’s cheapest beer at about US16 cents!

Floating Markets in Mekong

 Cai Be, one of the many well-known floating markets in the western region of southern Vietnam was formed in the Nguyen Dynasty in the 19th century. The Cai Be Floating Market is always busy, bearing all the characteristics of the locals’ life in the western region. All the goods are transported to the market by rafts and boats.

Floating Market

The floating market lies in the Tien River, adjacent to three provinces of Tien Giang, Vinh Long and Ben Tre. The market is divided into two parts: buying and selling places. Rafts and boats are anchored along the two sides of the river for kilometres. Approximately 400 to 500 boats filled with fruits, vegetables and other products are anchored along the banks of the river. The merchandise sold in each boat is hung on a pole in front of the boat to attract customers. Hundreds of such poles point the sky wards. From the floating market, goods are transported to inland markets or small boats take them for delivery along canals in the Plain of Reeds.

From 3:00 am in the early morning, rafts and boats are crowded because Cai Be is one of the biggest wholesale markets in the region. Traders live on the river and some live on their boats for generations. Cai Be seems to be an inseparable part of their daily lives. Along the criss crossing canals, people in the Plain of Reeds take their unique cultural elements, creating a beautiful river painting.

Robin Tapley took this photo of our intrepid group of hikers at Everest Base Camp!

We are pleased to report that everyone completed their mission and stood at Everest Base Camp, as shown in the above photo from Robin Tapley.  For anyone interested in doing something similar, this 10-day trek is an ideal way to experience the majesty of the Himalayas. It offers excellent views of the world’s highest peaks including Lhotse, Thamserku, Ama Dablam, and yes, Everest.  When we say we run a trip to Everest Base Camp, many people are thrown off by the intimidation factor and assume it is a high intensity trek suited for advanced hikers. However, this is actually a trek that anyone can do. Although definitely suited for those in reasonable shape who enjoy walking, it is not a difficult trek by any means and no special training or previous experience is required. This trek is flexible in that it allows you to go at your own pace and take as much time as you need to rest and acclimatize to the altitude. The maximum altitude along the trails is 3850m at Tengboche Monastery.

After starting in Kathmandu, you take a mountain flight to Lukla, and from there start your hike. Along the way you stay in a variety of villages and towns including Monjo, Namche and Tashinga.  All in all, this trek offers incredible panoramic views, insights into Himalayan village life, and the chance to say you made it to Everest Base Camp!

Intended to be published as a weekly installment in a Japanese newspaper  it is an easy book to pick up when you have a few minutes to ready a letter or two. The letters express Aung San Suu Kyi’s political beliefs and include accounts of the work of the National Democratic League. There are also vivid descriptions of Burmese culture and countryside.  This book is a great introduction to the politics and culture of the country and is sure to get you in the mood to explore.

To get in the mood, I asked Rick Phillips for some thoughts on Stravinsky to share. The following is the chapter on the Stravinsky ballets from Rick Phillip’s book – The Essential Classical Recordings, 101 CDs published by McClelland & Stewart. Available at bookstores everywhere or from Rick directly at his website – www.soundadvice1.com.

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): The Firebird, Petrushka & Le Sacre du Printemps

       In the world of 20^th century dance, the name Serge Diaghilev stands out as one of the most important. Diaghilev was the great Russian impresario and founder of the Paris-based company, the Ballets Russes. He was a shrewd businessman and an innovative artistic administrator, with an eye for talent. Diaghilev commissioned ballet scores from composers like Ravel, Satie, Falla, Debussy, Prokofiev and Stravinsky. He employed the talents of Pablo Picasso and Leon Bakst as set and costume designers. And the choreographers Leonide Massine, Michel Fokine, and Georges Balanchine all worked for him.

            In 1909, Diaghilev got the idea for a ballet based on the old Russian tale of the Firebird. He approached Anatol Liadov to compose the score, but Liadov dawdled with it, and took too long. Diaghilev had heard some music by Igor Stravinsky, a twenty-something student of Rimsky-Korsakov’s, and been impressed. Taking a huge gamble, Diaghilev turned to Stravinsky for the ballet, and the result was The Firebird, a magical folk story of good versus evil, complete with a supernatural ogre, beautiful princesses and a happy ending. It was premiered inParisin June, 1910 and rocketed Stravinsky to stardom. From then on until his death in 1971, Stravinsky was viewed as one of the great “modern” composers and the virtual leader of the avante-garde in music. Stravinsky later compiled several suites of music from The Firebird, for concert use, but the most powerful experience comes from hearing the full ballet.

            Always the good businessman, Diaghilev realized he was onto a hot property and was keen to repeat the success of The Firebird. Stravinsky had been working on a piece for piano and orchestra, that outlined the life of a puppet. After hearing some of the music, Diaghilev, realizing the balletic potential, encouraged Stravinsky to turn the work into another full-length ballet. The result this time was Petrushka, the Russian version of the universal puppet character of Punch, Pierrot or Harlequin. Set amid the bustling crowds at a Shrovetide Fair, the story hovers around an unlikely puppet “ménage-a-trois.” Petrushka longs for the beautiful Ballerina but she’s more interested in the Blackamoor. A fight ensues with the jealous Petrushka being killed by the Blackamoor. But in the end, Petrushka’s ghost appears on the puppet booth roof, mocking all that has taken place. Petrushka was premiered inParisin 1911, within a year of the success of The Firebird.

            Less than two years later, Stravinsky came up with yet another ballet for Diaghilev. This time it was the story of ancient pagan rites and rituals at springtime, called Le Sacre du Printemps or The Rite of Spring. The premiere inParisin 1913 caused a riot in the theatre, but it was caused just as much by the crude, awkward movements of the half-naked dancers, as it was by Stravinsky’s score. Pushing melody to the background and bringing rhythm to the fore, Stravinsky created music that caught the primitive, barbaric nature of the pagan tribes in the story. Never before had an orchestral work broken the rules of melody, harmony and rhythm quite like this. Le Sacre grabs us in a primal, primitive way – through our basic reaction to rhythm. Even today, over 90 years after the premiere, many find Le Sacre disturbing and crude. But it is recognized as one of the masterpieces of ballet, and of all music.  

            These recordings of the three major ballets by Stravinsky with Sir Colin Davis conducting the Concertgebouw Orchestra ofAmsterdamwere made in the 1970s. In The Firebird,Daviscreates a magical, colourful world that slowly opens up, enhancing the mystery of the story. The slower sections are atmospheric, with the faster ones energetic and exciting. For Petrushka, the standard of performance of the Concertgebouw Orchestra really shines. It’s precise and concise, with great clarity of textures and line. Recordings of Le Sacre du Printemps can often sound cacophonous and uncontrolled. ButDavisbrings out the music of the score, concentrating on structure, sonorities, clarity and texture instead of just energy and momentum. All three ballets are in their complete versions.                

Hi everyone. I have been on a culinary tour of Vietnam for a little more than a week now, with Gail Hall, whom many of you know or have heard about (in a good way ). We have been to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Hoi An, and Hue areas. I have some down time tonight, and decided to stay in and relax – and share some reflections on the trip to date with family and friends.

What I am most enjoying is being immersed in a place that is so different than Edmonton, and not just for the weather. Every day we experience new (to most of us) foods or food combinations, in bowls, on plates, or wrapped up in some type of tropical leaf – which feels a bit like unwrapping a culinary gift. Through our hands-on cooking classes, we are seeing where these wonderful flavour combinations come from and how to create them.

Despite their long history of wars and occupations, the Vietnamese people are gracious and friendly toward outsiders, take pride in their traditions, and are generous in sharing them. Highlights for me have included our afternoon of floating through the jungle in basket boats and learning traditional net fishing methods, as well as our morning and lunch on a small organic farm. So was the afternoon I was measured up for tailored clothing.

Our guide, well versed in the history and tradition of Vietnam, as well as being delightful company, told us that the Vietnamese people are welcoming of tourists – including Americans. He said their way is to forgive but not forget, and they do not talk much about the American war anymore. The Vietnamese have remembered and shared their history over many centuries, through both ancient and recent historical sites and art, some of which we have seen.

On an earlier culinary tour, I recall hearing the expression ‘pack an open mind’. The markets can be overwhelming at first. The fish are often still swimming. Parts of animals not usually seen as meat are prominently displayed (like pigs’ ears and tongues – the Vietnamese do not waste anything). People can buy cages full of birds to release – in the market – for good luck. Crowds are thick. Vendors can be aggressive in their marketing. People with limited opportunities to earn a living bring postcards and trinkets to the market to sell to shoppers and can be very persistent. I have said ‘no thank you’ a lot in the last week. Motorcycles drive through the market laden with food or housewares. Today one was carrying a large ‘shipment’ of bananas.

Despite all of this, I love the energy of the markets, and how markets are such a central part of the community. People buy fresh food there every day.

The traffic is another challenge, with no rules (or none that are enforced). Motorbikes are everywhere – including the wrong side of the road and the sidewalks. Crossing the street requires skill, courage and concentration! I do, however, love the vibrant street life, with shops open late and people hanging out on the sidewalks, open air restaurants and parks – on these summer (to us) evenings in March!

Tomorrow we fly up to Hanoi for more great adventures. I will keep posting photos. Best wishes to all. I look forward to sharing stories when I get back.

Tammy

Paula Swart

Paula is a museum curator and has published several books and numerous articles on the art and architecture of Asian cultures. She studied in the Netherlandsand at the Universityof Nanjingin China, receiving degrees in Sinology, Asian art history, Chinese history and archeology. Now based in Victoria, she specializes in Buddhist art, the history of ceramic trade in Southeast Asia, and maritime archaeology.  Paula developed the display of the Asian section at UBC’s Museum of Anthropology.

Paula has guest curated the exhibit “Visions of Enlightenment, Buddhist Art at MOA” on display at Vancouver’s Museum of Anthropology from May 10 – September 30, 2012. For a peek at Paula’s exhibit, take a look at the Museum’s website: http://www.moa.ubc.ca/exhibits/upcoming_exhibits.php    And if you’re in the area this summer, Paula is teaching a course at UBC’s Summer Institute on World Heritage sites.

Not only an accomplished scholar, Paula is an experienced Asia traveller and brings with her a wealth of knowledge about the area. It’s a lucky few who will enjoy travelling with Paula in November.

I’ve just read an arcticle in the New York Times Travel section describing three great itineraries;  the “One-Week Trip”, the “Two weeks is better” and the “Three weeks, Divine”.  The article reveals many of my favourite experiences; early morning strolling on the Rajpath, the heart of colonia Delhi; sunset at Humayun’s Tomb; the evocative ruins of Fatehpur Sikri; the first view of the Taj Mahal; the elephant ride up to Amber Fort in Jaipur  – and that’s all in the first week! 

First view of the Taj Mahal

In the second week, the articles’ author ventures further into Rajasthan, starting with the blue city of Jodhpur that always reminds me of a cubist painting – Cezanne moved from Provencal green to Rajasthani blue… There are great forts to discover here; the forts of Kipling fame that evoke memories of great battles and charging elephants.  The author moves on to the ‘quietly humming spiritual intensity’ of the Jain temple of Ranakpur; I always ask the priest for a special blessing here that sustains me through till my next trip. 

A perfect cubist vision of Jodhpur

The third divine week is spent in the desert, where there’s a whole different world to discover. We try to go every couple of years to the Pushkar Camel Fair, a rolicking display of rambunctious trading under the desert sun. Here there are camels, elephants and Rajasthani tribes people in the traditional bright colours. There is beautiful craftsmanship here; everything from old silver tribal jewellery to hand-knotted carpets and carved furniture. And unfortunately, it can all be shipped home! (Meaning that there is no excuse not to indulge your purchasing whims!)

Pushkar in the desert

There are wonderful trips to be made in India, whether you have one, two or three weeks available, whether you like to travel on our of our small group trips or on a Private Journey designed just for you. I couldn’t agree more with the author: In India the plans you made at home are seldom the final word on the matter. Do yourself a favor and keep that in mind. 

Compelling and bewildering, India is outstandingly the trip of a lifetime. Take a look at the article and give us a call to make it happen for you. 

http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/travel/through-indias-desert-cities-three-itineraries.html?pagewanted=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1332598858-4bscMeau31xwaJvLuuS78Q

Our Quest naturalist, Dave Milsom, led the hardy group of 16 club members on this fabulous tour in February, 2012 and we asked Dave for a few highlights from their experiences. If you are interested in creating a customized tour for your group, please be in touch with Laurielle at the WQ office.

Here’s Dave’s report:

I have just completed a wonderful trip to Costa Rica with 16 Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists from the Ottawa area. The tour was 11 days and many people remarked at trip’s end that it had gone far too quickly!

The group on Tiskita Beach at sunset

Hundreds of natural history highlights including the viewing of two gorgeous snakes, a Coral Snake and an Eyelash Pit Viper; beautiful birds like trogons, toucans, hawks, parrots,hummingbirds, tanagers and manakins; striking poison arrow frogs, many bats, sloths, caimans, crocodiles, butterflies and orchids. A major highlight was the 4 species of monkey seen well by everyone: Howler, Spider, Capuchin and, best of all, the oh-so-cute Squirrel Monkeys which frequented the grounds at Tiskita Lodge.

Eyelash Pit Viper at La Selva Reserve

Squirrel Monkey female with baby at Tiskita Lodge

The lodges were first-class, as was the Tico food with numerous fruits and vegetables. But the component which made it such a special trip was the group itself ! Everyone was interested in nature, all had a great sense of humour, no-one complained, our Costa Rican guide Nancy was amazing, it was truly a joy to travel with such a group.
The country of Costa Rica is beautiful with much lovely scenery, from the volcanoes of Arenal and Poas to the waterfalls of La Paz to the forests of Braulio Carillo. The people were always friendly and helpful too.
Definitely a trip to remember!

Scarlet Macaws at dusk at Tiskita Lodge

On another exciting note, the construction of the Tokyo Sky Tree, the world’s tallest communications tower, has just been completed – and just in time for our tours! Although the tower was completed two months late because of the quake and tsunami that struck Japan last March, it is now a new symbol of revitalization for the country. At 634m, the tower is expected to overshadow other landmarks such as the 333-m Tokyo Tower built in 1958. It also tops the 600m Canton Tower in Guangzhou, China, as well as Toronto’s own 553m CN Tower!

For more information on the above stories, click on the following links.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2012/feb/24/japan-street-food-kyoto-tokyo?newsfeed=true

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/tokyo-sky-tree-japan-completes-construction-of-worlds-tallest-communications-tower/articleshow/12087318.cms