Rice has always played an important part in the lives of the Southerners. The art of growing rice began in the 10th century B.C up in the North, but the conditions of the plains surrounding Mekong River and other rivers in the Southwest of Vietnam are still good enough for the rice plants to prosper. It would come as no surprise to know that the Mekong Delta is regarded as “the rice fields of Vietnam”, and is responsible for feeding the nation’s supply of grain. The rice plant and rice grain have become so embedded in traditional Vietnamese culture – a primarily agricultural society – that one simply cannot begin to comprehend the image of rice disappearing from our tables and meals. Whether a poor man’s plate or a rich man’s banquet, the rice grain would appear in one way or another.

The abundance of rice and other fresh products, such as bananas, coconuts or cassava, in the Mekong Delta has led to the creation of many special cakes and treats that are both delicious and reflective of the area. They are vibrant, colorful, rustic yet full of flavor, not unlike the people of the Delta. Some favorites include banh tam khoai mi, a string cake made from cassava flour served with coconut milk and toasted sesames; banh chuoi hap nuoc dua, a banana cake steamed with coconut water; and banh pia, a flaky pastry from the province of Soc Trang, filled with green bean paste and salted duck eggs; banh trang nuong, Vietnamese pizza made by rice paper” – Trung Tran

To see more photos, check the open album below or go to Flickr:
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Words by Trung Tran
Photos by Nhi Nguyen

The post The Southern Folk Cake Festival in Can Tho appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

It must have been three years since its first establishment on 17th May 2014. Despite having a short time of existence, Trúc Lâm still bears the typical architecture that a place of Buddhism worshipping should have.  The whole monastery is a land area of approximately 38 016 square meters and it is, until the present, the largest monastery in Cửu Long Delta. The head temple is a complex of re-known oriental architecture with the eight-roof-tile pattern virtualizing Trần Dynasty art nouveau. The design, to be described, is way-near-to-perfection, a remarkable combination of old and new, of religious epitome and de rigueur formality.

Beside the head temple, the four-roof-tile temple complex is also a noticeable design with the architecture which resembles Lý’s pattern. The Bell Tower, also known as Đại Hồng Chung, is 1.5 tons in weight and bears many resemblances to Keo Pagoda’s bell tower in Thái Bình. One of the most outstanding features of Trúc Lâm Monastery is the bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha sitting and holding a flower.

As a whole, the monastery has mostly of its designs in common with that of others’ such as Trúc Lâm Monastery in Huế City. However, it is still a much-to-be-proud construction to Cần Thơ city and its citizens who often come to find the peace that is left in their souls.” – Trang Nguyen

To see more photos, check the open album below or go to Flickr:
Photo Album Flickr
(Please use the left/right arrows to navigate in the files of the open album)

Photos by Nhi Nguyen
Words by Trang Nguyen

The post The Southern Truc Lam Zen Monastery in Can Tho appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

To see more photos, check the open album below or go to Flickr:
Photo Album Flickr
(Please use the left/right arrows to navigate in the files of the open album)

Words by Trang Nguyen
Photos by Nhi Nguyen

The post Ninh Kieu Quay in Can Tho appeared first on Maze Vietnam.