The government of An Giang Province inaugurated the Ba Chua Xu Temple Festival at Sam Mountain with the theme “Sacred Land of Prosperity” on May 28 at the Vinh Dong Trade Center in Nui Sam Ward, Chau Doc City, said the Vietnam News Agency.
This festival is one of the most remarkable events, offering a unique cultural and spiritual tourism experience in the Mekong Delta. This year also commemorates the 10th anniversary of its recognition as a national intangible cultural heritage (2014-2024).
Numerous vibrant cultural and artistic activities were organized throughout the festival, including a costume-making program, an art photo exhibition, a cultural and arts week, a lantern floating contest, and a dragon and lion dance parade.
Furthermore, visitors’ entry fees to Sam Mountain National Tourist Area were waived from May 28 to June 3.
Rescuing people in Hanoi’s lodging house fire
A fire struck a lodging house in an alley on Trung Kinh Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi, on May 24, killing 14 people and injuring others. Amidst the chaos, four courageous young men attempted to smash a wall on the second floor to rescue three trapped individuals.
According to the Tuoi Tre news site, the heroes were Dong Van Tuan, Pham Quoc Luat, Hoang Anh Tuan, and Nguyen Kim Long.
Upon spotting the flames, Luat immediately sought a ladder, hammer, and other tools, while Long swiftly fetched a ladder and hammer to assist. As they arrived with the ladder, Anh Tuan steadied the ladder as Van Tuan climbed through the window, armed with a hammer to breach the wall and free those inside. Together with Luat, they tirelessly worked to create an opening until they successfully smashed the wall, enabling the three trapped individuals to escape safely.
The heroic rescue, captured on video, swiftly circulated on social media, attracting widespread attention and admiration from netizens. Furthermore, the local government commended and rewarded the brave rescuers for their selfless actions in the face of danger.
Saigon-Cho Lon sightseeing onboard open-top buses
On May 29, the sightseeing tours of Saigon-Cho Lon onboard open-top double-deckers were launched in HCMC. These open-top buses will take tourists on the tours of 25 streets totaling some 20 kilometers, crossing districts 1, 5 and 6.
According to plo.vn, there are 30 sightseeing tours of Saigon-Cho Lon onboard open-top buses from 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. every day. A sightseeing tour starts at the Cho Lon Bus Terminal in District 5 and ends at Bui Vien Walking Street in District 1, with 15 bus stops along the way. The open-top double-decker will take tourists to the quarters of the Chinese community in HCMC, President Ho Chi Minh Memorial, the Ho Chi Minh City Hall, the Municipal Theater, Pétrus Truong Vinh Ky Memorial, Dong Khanh Hotel, Dong Khanh Shopping Mall, traditional markets such as Ben Thanh, Binh Tay, Kim Bien and An Dong, herbal medicine and lantern quarters, Ho Thi Ky Flower Market, to name but a few.
Nguyen Khoa Luan, general director of Anh Viet Hop On Hop Off Vietnam Co., the operator of the open-top bus tours of Saigon-Cho Lon, said such tours confirm HCMC as a leading tourist destination in the region.
Eateries serves suspended meals in town
Suspended meal, also known as pending meal, originated from a tradition called suspended coffee, or pending coffee, in Italy, where customers pay in advance for a coffee to be given to someone in need. In Vietnam, pending meal is called cơm treo (hung-up meal), which allows diners at eateries to pay for a meal (or more) that will be offered to those in need.
This anonymous act of kindness has recently appeared at some eateries in HCMC. Thanh Cong, the owner of a broken rice eatery in Ba Diem Commune, Hoc Mon District, has offered suspended meals since May this year. Every day, he offers pending broken rice dishes for needy people in a plastic container placed in front of his shop. He told vnexpress.net that he would offer suspended meals daily even if there were no givers, adding that most of receivers were children, lottery ticket sellers, scrap collectors, and hawkers.
Pending meals are also available at an eatery serving roasted chicken rice in Binh Thanh District, HCMC. Diners of this eatery have learned about this act of kindness through an article posted on social media. Many of them have come over to have their meals and been willing to pay for extra meals for needy people.
