Fodor's Vietnam, 1st Edition: The Complete Guide with Cities, Villages, Mountains and Coast from North to Sout h

Fodor's

ISBN 10: 0679035435 / ISBN 13: 9780679035435

Edité par Fodor's, 1998

A propos de cet article

May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.

N° de réf. du vendeur G0679035435I4N00

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Fodor's Vietnam, 1st Edition: The Complete Guide with Cities, Villages, Mountains and Coast from North to Sout h
• Éditeur: Fodor's
• Date de parution: 1998
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN à 10 chiffres: 0679035435
• ISBN à 13 chiffres: 9780679035435
• Reliure: Paperback
• État de l'article: Very Good
• État de la jaquette: No Jacket
• Poids: 0,64 livre

A propos de ce titre

Synopsis

Offers fifteen vacation itineraries, smart travel tips, and information on festivals, accommodations, shopping, restaurants, museums, and nightlife.

Extrait

Pleasures and Pastimes

Architecture
Vietnamese architecture is as eclectic as its culture. A host of invading and vanquished civilizations -- the Cham, the Chinese, the French, the Americans, and the Russians -- have left their marks on the nation in a hodgepodge of contrasting styles. Historically, the Vietnamese themselves were not big builders. The oldest existing buildings in the country are temples built by the Cham, the Indianized Hindu culture occupying south-central Vietnam around the area of present-day Nha Trang from the 4th to the 15th centuries (many Vietnamese from this region are  descendants of the Cham people). Temple sites such as the Po Ro Me Tower and the Ra Thap Towers outside Phan Rang on the central coast are still centers of annual Cham pilgrimages. Khmer influence (descendants of the Kingdom of Angkor, now Cambodia) can be seen in the Po Klong Garai
Towers built in the 12th century at Thap Cham. Most temples and pagodas around the country reflect the Chinese influence on Vietnamese culture.
But because the Vietnamese mainly built using wood, many ancient pagodas and temples "still standing" have actually been rebuilt, often many
times. The layout and foundations of the Temple of Literature in Hanoi, for example, may be 900 years old, but many of the wooden structures of
the pagoda and entrance gate are renovations. In Hue, the impressive Imperial City, though modeled on its Chinese counterpart, the Forbidden City in Beijing, is actually relatively modern -- it was constructed in the early 19th century by French architect Olivier de Puymanel. Sadly much of this exquisite palace was destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Hue also has an incredible collection of tombs -- vast and beautiful temples to emperors, constructed in an array of architectural styles reflecting the wealth of Vietnam's royal families. Some structures have been around for centuries, for example, the ancient, 10th-century capital of Hoa Lu, southeast of Hanoi. French architecture has probably had the most pervasive foreign influence on Vietnamese building. In Hanoi you still find such classic French colonial architectural treasures as the Governor-General's Palace, the National Assembly, and the exquisite Opera House, modeled on its counterpart in Paris. The city also possesses treasure troves of various styles that would excite any student of architecture -- for instance, beautiful Art Deco blocks that seem to step straight out of 1920s Le Corbusier-influenced designs.

Art
Whether you're a seasoned collector or just like pretty pictures, you can appreciate the explosion of Vietnamese art splashed onto canvases
throughout the country. Much of the work is derivative (copies of French Masters, for instance) or clichéd, but some is truly impressive
and unique. A handful of painters, including members of the loosely knit but hiply and cleverly named "Gang of Five," are treated as conquering
heroes by expatriates, collectors, and international artists. The undisputed art capital is Hanoi, where dozens of galleries line their walls with the latest by Vietnam's rising stars. An afternoon meandering through the galleries is a must. Lacquerware (a Chinese creation, which the Vietnamese have embraced as their own) and stone and wood sculptures are for sale everywhere. Many pieces are painstaking replicas of ancient figures or statues, while others are chintzy knockoffs. A trained eye will easily distinguish the trash from the treasure. And if you're in the country to make major art purchases, it is crucial you work with a respected dealer; fakes of the more famous artists are sprouting like weeds.

Beaches
Unlike Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam's beach culture is still very underdeveloped. The country's endless stretch of pristine coast is still a working shoreline, home to thousands of fishing families who row daily into the surf in tiny, oval-shaped boats woven
from reed and rattan. Some towns along the coast, however, are beginning to be developed with the influx of tourists. Nha Trang is home to the
Thai-style Ana Mandara resort, and China Beach, near Danang, has the Furama Resort, an international hotel opened in 1997. Other new resorts are opening in Phan Thiet and Vung Tau.

Dining
Though it may not look it at first glance, Vietnam is a nation obsessed with its culinary traditions. Rule 1: Vietnamese food is not "Chinese food without the spices." Sophisticated cuisine, distinct from what is north of its border, has evolved in Vietnam over the last few thousand years. Soy sauce is not as common in Vietnam as in China, for instance; instead, the nearly universal seasoning of choice in the country is nuoc mam -- inadequately translated as fish sauce -- a clear amber liquid pressed out of large barrels of anchovies and salt. This exquisitely complex condiment submerges itself in the flavors of other ingredients -- it's truly a remarkable concoction. Don't be put off by the smell of this potent liquid; skeptical foreigners have been known to become converts after a couple of experiences. But do take care not to overdo, as a little bit goes a long way.