Loud and proud Tan Dinh Cathedral

Saigon is of course blessed with some stunning architecture with most people agreeing that the Reunification Palace is probably the most stunning and in the nation’s modern history, most historic.

However, one such structure which has always fascinated me since I sauntered past it tons of times as I first rode around a strange city as a newcomer and invariably got lost. I knew that the ‘pink tower’ as I called it at the time was near my home but I had only had to learn how to get home from the stand-out premises which proudly rises high into the sky.

After a few trips over the bridge on Hai Ba Trung in Phu Nhuan District detours I finally made it to Tran Quoc Thao in District 3 from District 1, quite an achievement for a motorbike novice in less than an hour.

Tan Dinh Cathedral was built by French colonists when the nation was part of French Indochina over a period of six years from 1870-1876.

Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica in District 1 is the largest cathedral in the city, followed closely by the more bright and beautiful Gothic-style Tan Dinh.

In 1929, the cathedral area was expanded and a 52.60m-high tower was added which ensures it is a real landmark in this part of the city.

A year after the American War in 1976 Tan Dinh again was upgraded to celebrate its century and its now distinctive pink and white colors were chosen to ensure the cathedral stands out in the Saigon skyline.

The ‘pink tower’ is a real tourist hotspot with its main tower and two smaller structures at the front. At the top of the tower is an octagon with a bronze cross standing three meters high and the main tower has five huge bells weighing about 5.5 tons.

The dome has fish scale-shaped tiles and arches adorned with decorative leaves, flowers and refined statues of angels and is popular with wannabe-photographers from home and abroad. There are statues of female saints on the left hand side and on the right are male saints. All the altars in the chancel are made from precious marble imported from Italy.

I pass it daily but at the weekend finally popped inside for a look and it is pretty spectacular. I had a quick look around and said a little prayer for my gran, a fervent Catholic, and was on my way again. Worth a visit for Saigonese and tourists alike even if it is just for a few snapshots.

 

Dong Van old market back in business

The old Dong Van Market in the Dong Van Karst Plateau of Ha Giang Province has reopened for tourism after a new market was built for locals 500m away, vice chairwoman of the People's Committee of Dong Van District Ly Thi Kien told Viet Nam News yesterday, Jan 15.

The old market, built in 1908, was a rendezvous for ethnic groups during market days on Saturdays and Sundays.

Last year, the district people's committee decided to preserve the old market as a weekend destination for tourists and proposed a new market for local people at the nearby site.

Kien said: "We have opened the market to serve tourists on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The old market will be a destination for souvenir-hunters and thang co (a soup of horse, goat or buffalo meat) stalls, while the new market will feature butchers, grocery stalls, poultry and livestock sellers."

She said the resettlement aimed to create a clean and fresh market for tourists, but retain the traditional market spirit which has inspired over the past 100 years.

Bui Thi Thai, a resident in the district, said she had expected the old market to open again because the crowded market on weekends was a definitive image of the district.

"It used to be crowded on weekends. The famed weekly market covers a cross-section of ethnic Mong life with their traditional cuisine of thang co and rice wine," Thai said.

The 44-year-old, whose father is from the Tay people and mother was from the Mong people, added that the old market has become quieter as people flock to the new market, with only thang co, men men (maize powder cake) and souvenir stalls being allowed to stay at the previous market.

The Dong Van Karst Plateau, situated 1,000m above sea level, was recognised as UNESCO Karst Plateau – Viet Nam's first Global Geopark in 2010.

A row of 20th-century-old houses, situated opposite the market, also offer old Mong cuisine.

Dong Van District, which lies 150km northeast of Ha Giang City and 500km north of Ha Noi, is only accessible by bus or off-road motorbikes.