CLOTHING IN VIETNAM
Vietnamese people have a very conservative dress code. For example:
- It is considered inappropriate to dress in revealing clothes during daytime .
- Educated people must tuck in their shirt. It is believed that they will be more respected if they do so and considered inappropriate.
Ao Dai:
- Long wide legged pants worn under a high necked fitted tunic with slits on each side
- It is considered an elegant yet modest piece of clothing
- A traditional dress for women. The word and style is derived from the Chinese.
- The word Ao Dai stems from a Chinese word meaning “padded coat”
- In academic commentaries, they like to emphasize how the ao dai links feminine beauty to nationalism in Vietnam
- The first Vietnamese ao dai is the northern 4 flap dress –> worn during the Tet Festival
- By looking at the ao dais worn at an event, you can see the importace of the event. For example: When worshipping, the ao dai has little to no design. It is believed that temples and churches are simple, so there is no need to have flashy designs.
Non la (traditional Vietnam conical hat):
- It is a simple conical hat
- The hat is a symbol that represents the hard working spirit of Vietnam and its people
- Also a symbol of feminine beauty
- Many different designs have been incorporated into the hat
Link: http://www.xuvn.com/foodofvietnam/vietnamese_clothing.htm
FOOD IN VIETNAM
The food in Vietnam is a mixture of Malay, Indian, French and influences. It also incorporates baguettes and pate from Franc and curries and chilies from India.
- Pho, Vietnam’s chicken soup
- Pho stalls can be found all over hanoi
- A bowl can cost between 5,000 to 10,000 dong (2-4 HKD), depending on the location
- The favourtie in Hanoi is “Bun Cha”. It is grilled meat is eaten at makeshift restaurants serving patrons on the street
- Bia Hoi is a freshly brewed and served in plastic jugs. The word “Bia” is derived from the word beer in English
- Exotic foods include: fried silk worms, cobra meat, dog meat. These are eaten to cure sickness, increase virility or when it is the right season
The Center:
- Imperial Spring rolls and Bun Bo Hue, a spicy beef soup, are commonly eaten in the center of Vietnam
- The Banh Koai is the most famous. It is a pancake like dish eaten with a very rich peanut sauce. It includes eggs, shrimps and bean sprouts
- The Banh Beo is a popular snack. It is a tiny ceramic dish with boiled rice topped with bits of pork. It is eaten with a spoon.
- A lot of seafood is eaten in this area, boiled crabs are a one of the area’s specialty
- Exotic foods include: Com Hen (cold rice dish flavoring with clam juice including white vermicelli noodles, chili and shrimp sauce)
The South
- Banh Xeo is on of the South’s most famous dish. It is similar to Banh Koai but much larger. The dish uses more green beans, shrimps and coconut milk. Eaten with fish sauce after being wrapped.
- Cuon is a freshly cooked spring roll combining sliced shrimp, mint leaves, cold vermicelli noodles, and rice paper that is dipped in fish sauce
- Exotic foods in this area include: Hot Vit Lon (a fertilized duck egg eaten with a spoon. Served in street stalls/markets)
Link: http://www.activetravelvietnam.com/culture_customs/typical_vietnamese_foods.html
- Traditional thatched-roof homes on piles in a village outside Sapa. These homes are more common among poorer, rural families.
- One or more rectangular-shaped houses made of brick and mortar
- Villages plant dense stands of bamboo around their communities to define their boundaries and protect them from trespassers
- In poor areas many families still live in these house
- The main entrance to most homes is in the center of the long side, directly before the family ancestral altar
- Highland minority groups often live in either thatched houses or in houses raised on stilts
- Many of these houses maintain discrete spaces defined by age or gender
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