Yen Phu ornamental fish village- the beautyful sight in Hanoi

No job too well known as making paper, planting peach or  planting blueberries, but ornamental fish farming in Yen Phu also contributing to the characteristics of an old village on the ancient land of West Lake.

Located right near the center of Hanoi, close to several busy urban area of West Lake, but the Yen Phu village retains a simple beauty, the wild countryside of Vietnam. Go all the way Thanh Nien  between two large dreaming lakes of Hanoi - Truc Bach Lake and West Lake - a small climb up the small slope, then turn on the Yen Phu street a few hundred meters, you'll see the port village of Yen for design wanderous is very special. Winding village road, winding green space in the grass, trees and leaves. Where is the stuff that looks shrines, temples ancient moss. Sometimes the appearance of new high-rise buildings are springing up with a new architecture but still could not drown out the deep beauty of which is the ancient village of Yen. Suddenly a voice of fish lash resounding makes travelers startled to realize you are standing between space full of fish. There are many kind of fish as swordfish, golden fish, zebra fish, seven colors ... but people still call this fishing village popular fish or "grass fish." These are the types of fish from traditional ancient village.

Work to keep fish seemingly simple but actually extremely sophisticated, requiring farmers to be really passionate, careful, meticulous to be able to do. Anyone say that keep fish like to bring up child that truly! Daily, farmers have to get up early morning feeding, each fish tank inspection, removal small fish and medical fish. Food of fish only  worms  and Hong Tran(a small creature similar worm ). However, if small fish are not eating the worms that people early morning to fish Hong Tran out the river, very little filtration for small fish eat. Afternoon needs for food, medical and water changes. Characteristics of fish live in water environment is very clean, so that farmers have to change her water often, if not fish will get sick or die of asphyxia. North of Vietnam with summers baking sun, winters that water very cold so that the personal care, keep warm for more fish harder. Is hard work so that income from fish farming was not of how much. There were many families to abandon the traditional occupations of ancestors, but it looks like fish farming has become the "profession" that farmers are not easily abandoned.

Today, although there are many ornamental fish village appeared in Hanoi, but ornamental fish Yen Phu village where are the big fish for distribution to Hanoi. In Hanoi, most major markets such as Dong Xuan market, Hom market, Mo market ... were "taking trade" Yen Phu fish by a variety of beautiful fish, very reasonable prices.

People's lives are increasingly changing, the quality of life should be improved breeding of ornamental fish tastes of individual players are also more sophisticated. So apart from the traditional village fish like goldfish, swordfish ... then more and more exotic types of fish such as fish fairy, as carp, Arowana, arhat fish is imported Yen  Phu ... demand for fish of the players. Which is still the most expensive Arowana. Price of a Arowana up to three thousand dollars, depending on color and breed of fish. Besides fish, families here also doubles as both found associated as aquarium, plants in the tank, tank decorations...

Arowana

 

Currently there are 20 Yen Phu village household businesses scenes in which famous Tam Xuan, Yen Loi, Vu Hanh store . Each household has its own fishing secrets, from how to choose the same method for rearing fish quickly make large, healthy and beautiful. Someone needs in public school textbooks, looking for good people to learn how to breed new varieties. Yen Phu village with a list of their currently receiving the people that want to business fish in many places to this place, they rent and sell fishing shops throughout the country.

Between noisy and gaudy Hanoi that retains a traditional village has just beautiful, so simple is valuable. Over the vicissitudes of history, the fishing village on the Yen Phu still engross on the fish pots and preserve the traditional family to  fame of Yen Phu ornamental fish village to be handed down to posterity.

Visit To Vietnam - Du Lịch Việt Nam

Hanoi - The Capital of Vietnam

Sword Lake

Thap Rua

Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam - The first University of Vietnam

Ruong bac thang - Northwest Mountain Region

Amazing sight-seeing

Ha Long bay - Vinh Ha Long

Sapa - Cool Climate All Year

(Northern mountainous area)

Trang Tien brigde - Hue

Ancient capital - Co Do Hue
Han bridge - Danang

White Big Buddha - Ngu Hanh Son Moutain, Danang

My Son sanctuary

Dalat - Wonderful land of Flowers

Nha Trang - Beautiful beach

Notre Dame - Ho Chi Minh City

Spring on Ho Chi Minh City

Train Travel in Viet Nam

had to open a window to take this kind of shot

Though not the fastest, nor at times the most comfortable method of travel, the train does provide certain joys and benefits one could not experience any other way. Before I had even set foot in Viet Nam, I knew that I wanted to experience the Ha Noi/Sai Gon (or HCMC, if you will) at least one way. I did have some preconceived notions about train travel,-one of them being that it is subliminally romantic. Train travel allows you immersion which is simply unaffordable at 41,000 feet in the air; you can breathe the air and live the day of a Viet Namese in small ways: you will follow their footprint in the manner in which they get from point A to point B. You will purchase a ticket, and even though you may not be in the same class, the cars will succeed one another on the same track, and you will arrive at destination with more or less the same story to tell.

this is your ticket; don't lose it

Except that if you are an American, your story will be ever so slightly different. For one, you will not be able to communicate with any of the staff at the train station, on the platform or in the trains unless you are fluent in the language. But that hasn't stopped anyone from boarding the trains. Also keep in mind that the train is a wonderful venue for sharing adventures with other travelers and learning from their experiences, and they from yours. And you will meet them from Australia, from France, from Taiwan, from Israel (yes, Israel, I couldn't believe it either). The thread that weaves the common bond is that of eternal wanderlust and the nearly adolescent excitement of discovery.

 

Every station has vendors all along the platforms

The trains are not without drawbacks, and if you are the type of traveler that must go first class, and chooses the 5 star or 6 star hotel, then this is not for you. Though you might enjoy the luxury car, which we did spot from the outside of the train; it was a dead giveaway, with its white lacy curtains, the victorian lamp that appeared at each window, and I imagine the berths must have been super cushy. Had we done that, I feel we would have missed the point.

Avoid the Upper Berths if you can

Let me start with some of the advantages, other than cultural: it's ridiculously cheap, and we had first class, lower soft berth tickets which is considered the best you can get without hitting the "Trump" car. Keep in mind that you may have to share your cabin with other travelers, since it's 4 berths to a compartment. Try not to take the upper berths unless you enjoy the gymnastics of monkeying up and down every time you need to stretch. (it's cheaper, too).It's also quite safe. In general, the entire country is quite safe and even if I were alone, I wouldn't hesitate to board a train. If it's going to be a relatively short journey (say, 3-4 hours' time), then you don't need the berth, and might want to reserve in the seats only area. Hereagain, they have hard seats and cushy seats.

In this compartment, you can recline, but not sleep

This particular train ride was Ha Noi/Sa Pa/Ha Noi, which is a much shorter journey than the one we had taken the previous year which covered Ha Noi/Sai Gon and a few stops in between. Had we gone without stopping, it would have been about 32 hours. These are not high speed locomotives as you may have guessed. Most trains for Sa Pa leave around 10PM at night, and it makes quite a bit of sense. The trek is long enough to get you into Lo Cai Station by 6:00am the next day. They do have one train that runs during daylight, but since we had photographed the entire length of Viet Nam on the prior trip, it was not crucial to travel by day. 

There will be other stops on the way

The biggest advantage? Someone else is driving. That means that you and your companion can pay attention to each other, and look at maps, edit pictures, take more pictures, walk through all the cars to check out the local scene, have some hot coffee in the dining car (most trains have those) and make friends with other tourists in the corridors. The train does stop at other towns; you have a quick opportunity to get off and buy some snacks,-and in this case, I recommend the sesame rice cakes which are awesome and the peanuts. Of course, I come equipped as well with fruit (bananas, oranges, chocolate bars, diet coke - which is very difficult to find -) and other goodies I might find at the train station kiosks. Keep in mind that the Viet Namese know how to make wicked croissants. 

Not totally automated yet

The berths for me were magnificent; comfortable, with a night light overhead for reading, a little netted pouch on the side could hold my glasses. Blankets and pillows are arranged army style, and you make your own bed when you arrive. A folding table comes in very handy in the center under the window, and that's why you need to take the lower berths. Under your berths, you can store your luggage, but keep in mind that the people above your head also have theirs. Usually, one side is reserved for the couple above, and vice versa. 

Now, for the not so good news. There is one essential item you must bring on any train journey, and that would be your own toilet paper. Don't ask why, or how the citizens here do it, because I couldn't tell you. Just bring it. Actually, the train ride up to Sa Pa from Ha Noi had a mountain of tissues piled in one corner of the corridor by the door, next to the lavatories. This was an unusual occurrence, and please do not count on this to happen to you. Be prepared, or very sorry. Also bring the toothpaste and toothbrush that Viet Namese hotels are so kind in providing for you on a daily basis. They did have tiny cakes of pink soap in most washing areas, but hereagain, bet on the side of safety and bring your own. The toilets are separated from the double aluminum sinks, and you want to ensure you are booked in car with a Western style toilet unless you have become adept at squatting. I feel obligated to show you the hardware below. 

This is rather primitive but might be easier to negotiate for a man than for a woman. In fact, when I first arrived at Narita Airport in Japan, the first thing I did was run to the women's bathroom, and found myself forced to squat. But at least, it was porcelain, and a very pretty beige, at that.

 
commentary not needed here

This could be a wonderful opportunity to bring these sanitizers which kill everything in sight. There are no paper towels for drying, so hereagain, please prepare. Another very slight drawback is the noise. But I found that it was the rumbling of the train that put me to sleep. Since this part of the train also has air conditioning, they do not look kindly upon anyone opening windows. (in case you have a crazed photographer who doesn't wish to shoot through dirty windows.....).

Rice fields as far as the eye can see

What you will have missed by taking the night train is truly a sequence of breathtaking scenery. If rice is life, then Viet Nam is the bowl. Rice fields are infinite and so varied in color, depending upon the stage of the growth. Even the greens offer contrasts, and against a blue sky, or some rugged mountains, you just gape at the scene below, hoping you can slow the train just a bit more. 

Oxen are part of the vernacular

You also realize fairly quickly how the average Viet Namese is part and parcel of an agrarian society. They are hard at work tilling the land, with oxen, their bare hands, and sometimes missing limbs. (reminders of the American War). Everyone here gets up very early in the morning: whether in the cities or the rural areas, or the countryside, Viet Nam is working all the time. Planting, harvesting, and maintaining the family plot which is a must for every family. Graveyards and cemeteries are some of the most colorful we had ever seen. 

A typical cemetery area

As the sun begins to rise, you know you are approaching destination. It's a bit chillier in these parts than in Ha Noi. Sa Pa has been likened to the Alps, and though I have never been to the Alps, I would say that it is indeed a most exquisite town, almost picture perfect with its Fan Si Pan peak as a back drop and a lake that need borrow nothing from the Swiss.

A small shelter on mountainous terrain

The landscape does change dramatically, in that there are now higher elevations, and as soon as you are off the train, and out of the station, you'll be heading further up the mountainous roads that is not for weak hearts. Allow yourself to soak in the rice terraces: they are unlike anything I have ever seen, in pictures or otherwise. Even Bali's rice terraces didn't make that kind of impression on me. As you leave the station gates, also prepare to be assaulted by everyone who is looking to earn some dongs today. The train station here is very similar to all the other stations in what they offer by way of food and drink. But the architecture is unmistakably French. You'll see what I mean very soon.

This is the end of the road..

What If Julia Child cooked for you?

Well, we all know that Julia Child is not of this world anymore, and she's somewhere cooking up a storm, with lots of wine whether or not the recipe calls for it. But make no mistake, the woman's reputation preceded her, and she was hailed as one of the world's greatest chefs. If you click on the link above, you'll find that the Smithsonian Institute has a website just for Julia!

 

So, now you've guessed that I'm going to talk about food, but not just any food. Our friends at Aurora Travel had managed a surprise lunch for us, which we were not going to forget for quite some time. They picked us up at our hotel, and off we went. Of course, we had no idea what or where or who at the time, but it made it that much more delicious and enjoyable.

 

the dining room 

 

We had to go up a very narrow two flights of stairs, and entered the vestibule, from where you could see a huge dining room, with two of the longest dining tables you could imagine. The balcony door was open, and the area looked deserted. Our host was not to be seen for a few minutes, though her husband appeared shortly after we arrived. It's a good thing that we had bi-lingual escorts. I peered at the walls, and realized that Anthony Bourdain

had beat us to this place...darn that man.


No matter, I knew we would have stories to tell after we left this place. Let's get a little background on this famous lady. Pham Anh Tuyet is considered one of Viet Nam's national treasures (in Asia, one cannot be elevated to this status just by knowing how to do something; you really need to be extraordinary) in the art of cooking; she has her own TV show and has hosted culinary tours, and learned her trade through her mother. During Viet Nam's colonial era, in the 1930's, Thi Anh' mother was chef for the French Embassy. (and you know how finicky those French can be). She grew up in Ha Noi, and her restaurant is in the very heart of the city.

All sitting in great anticipation

She's very proud of the honor Viet Nam has bestowed upon her, and we took a picture of it below:


As everyone finds out sooner or later, Vietnamese hospitality goes beyond heartwarming. And that is probably the reason we found ourselves so drawn to this culture. Mrs. Pham is genuine, unaffected, and welcomed us into her home as if we had been family. The meal we were about to partake must have included so many courses, it is hard to remember them all. Every dish was eye candy, and melted in your mouth. Even the nem rolls which are so ubiquitous in Viet Nam were special coming from her oven.

 

Soup, nem rolls, rice noodles

 

chicken w/lemongrass

something amazing with peanut sauce

 

As she served the various dishes, she would tell us about her life, her daughter, whose pictures were on the wall. She seemed tireless. She looked so pleased everytime we showed appreciation for her delicacies. And then, surprise of all surprises, she had a bouquet of flowers for me! I was really touched by this gesture.

Viet Namese take flowers very seriously

In the photo below, you can see Mrs. Pham standing next to her husband, a man with an incredible white head of hair. To the left is Van, our magnificent counsel and friend from Aurora Travel.

 

It was a very difficult place to leave for more than just the food. Ann Tuyet wanted to teach me how to make a Viet Namese meal, and being a gourmet cook myself, I really thought the idea was fabulous. But this was Saturday, and we were leaving the next day. I was so very tempted to prolong this voyage, again, but wisdom prevented me from doing that. I promised that I'd be back and that we would go shopping together, at her favorite market down the street and cook together. To her credit, she came down the stairs to see us out. She was even concerned about my crossing the street on my own, and held my hand till I got into a taxi. Where else?

And of course, now that we knew where we had been, we did turn around and take the picture above.

Sa Pa, Vietnam by Asiatravel.com

Sa Pa is a frontier town and district in the Lào Cai province in northwest Vietnam. It is one of the main market towns in the area, where many ethnic minority groups such as H'mong, Dao and Tay live.