Chua Phuoc Hai Tu- pagoda-hopping in Vietnam part 4

It is a temple of numerous names. The most popular is the Jade Emperor Pagoda but it is also referred to as Chua Phuoc Hai Tu (Chua is the Vietnamese term for temple), the Fuhai Monastery or even as the Tortoise Pagoda.


a fountain sits in the front yard of Chua Phuoc Hai Tu, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam


Not surprisingly, the central court features the prominent figure of the Jade Emperor. Flanking him are other Taoist deities made of papier-mâché. Traditional decorations fill the hall, including beautiful inscriptions in Chinese that are as old as the temple which was constructed in the early 1900s. Elaborate carvings filled the other side hall which curiously, depicted visions of hell.


the carved wooden door of Chua Phuoc Hai Tu


I did remember my friend telling me that the temple is Vietnamese and not Chinese. This somehow confused me as all the pagodas I went to, from Thien Hau, Tam Son Hoi Quan and Chua Ong, were Buddhist or Taoist and are definitely Chinese in design and origin. Perhaps he meant that the temple is maintained or managed by ethnic Vietnamese and not by Chinese immigrants.


a conical incense coil inside the temple



a medallion as offering


It was my second time to visit this temple. As in my past, the pagoda was teeming with not just tourists like myself but also with the faithful who brought with them incense, food and other offerings. I tried not to get in the way and observed silently with my camera.


Chua Phuoc Hai Tu worship


To go:
Jade Emperor Pagoda aka Chua Phuoc Hai Tu and Fuhai Monastery
73D Mai Thi Luu, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam

For more of my pagoda-hop series in Vietnam, visit:
part 1: Thien Hau
part 2:Tam Son Hoi Quan
part 3:Chua Ong

the 60s, as frozen in the Reunification Palace of Saigon

The images of the North Vietnamese tanks breaching the walls of the South Vietnamese presidential building made news worldwide in April 1975 and signified the end of the Vietnam War. This wartime headquarters, formerly referred to as the Independence Palace, is now officially known as the Reunification Palace which in the Vietnamese psyche, is a symbol of the Communist’s triumph over West in general and the US in particular.


The Reunification Palace features an 800 meter wide façade. The architect was Ngô Viết Thụ, renowned for his numerous international architectural awards.



a USSR-made T54 tank exactly like this drove through the palace gates in April 30, 1975



the palace’s rooftop is the helipad that saw scenes of escape during the days preceding the fall of Saigon


History is written by the victors and the triumphant “nationalist” forces wasted no time in preserving the Palace as they conquered it, perhaps to serve as an icon of the extravagant “imperialist collaborators” that is the South. Had it been the other way around, the West would be touting Vietnam as the poster child of democracy’s success and the edifice would not be stuck in a time rot that tourists can now witness, if not gawk. So gawk I did.


Several walls have murals painted showing Vietnamese ideals, as done by famous Vietnamese painters



stylized grills in the lower floor used Chinese-style cloud motifs



the palace sits on 12 hectares of land and is fronted by a spacious grass lawn



the Office of the President exemplifies the 60s kitsch



the plump leather chairs and the microphone system were top of the line when the Palace was rebuilt in 1966


old wartime maps recall strategic plans of the South against the North



the President’s International reception room is predominantly red



Newly assigned diplomats presented their credentials to the President in this room



the First Lady had her own reception room for visiting dignitaries



the movie theatre now smells musty and moldy



the radio equipment which saw action during the war



the formal banquet room could sit 22 people in one long rectangular table



the gambling and casino room is used as an example of the profligacy of the South

Chua Ong- an incense coil special

pagoda-hopping in Vietnam part 3

This is the incense special.


Incense are mainly used in Buddhist temples for spiritual purification and blessing, not to mention for aromatic and aesthetic reasons.


Ever since I’ve been coming to Vietnam, I’ve always fancied going to a Buddhist temple and shooting the incense coils which so fascinated me. They are not available in the Philippines and I’m not sure if they are in Indonesia, at least not in the size and form that are common in Vietnam.


Incense coils or spirals are made by extruding the incense mixture into a coil without a core.



Spiral incense, depending on the size, can burn for several hours and even for days


So lo and behold, in my third (or is it my fourth?) business trip to Vietnam, I took the time to pagoda-hop in old Chinatown. I probably visited about four and it’s in the third temple, the Chua Ong, that I saw them in a beautifully lit array.


These incense coils are a type of direct burning incense, where the scents are released by lighting the actual incense.



Probably the most common scent of incense is sandalwood.


So here’s my tribute to those coils. Finally, I got them good.


In a study in Hong Kong, incense burning, contrary to popular belief, did not increase the risk of lung cancer among non-smokers and surprisingly reduced the risk among smokers.



It is possible people who regularly burn incense also engage in healthier dietary lifestyle, like eating more fresh fish and less alcohol.


For more of my pagoda-hop series in Vietnam, visit:
part 1: Thien Hau
part 2:Tam Son Hoi Quan
part 3:Chua Ong

a tale of two Notre Dame cathedrals

Notre Dame – “Our Lady” in French – is a cathedral that epitomizes French grandeur. Images of soaring belfries, gothic filigrees, marble fineries and inimitable stained glass windows never are distant. France has more than one Notre Dame Cathedral though but to this date, the one in Paris is unmistakably the most visited and known.

Such is the iconic status of Notre Dame that as a source of pride, the French made architectural replicas in some of their colonies. Considered as perhaps one of the most beautiful one outside France is the basilica in Vietnam, in its capital Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.

The photographs here take you to a journey to the two edifices.




The most distinguishable difference between the two is color. The Parisian Notre Dame is seemingly gray, being made of concrete masonry and cut stones. The Saigon church, on the other hand, is bring orange red, having been made from special bricks from Marseille.




Both churches sport vaulted ceilings. Expectedly, the Notre Dame in Paris is more structurally complicated. It has ridged pillars which form a network of that actually look smore delicate than solid.




The Vietnamese basilica has one long barrel for nave that is not segmented into numerous domes unlike the French Notre Dame.




For me, the most memorable ornamentation of the French Notre Dame is the set of gigantic rose windows. They probably are the among the most spectacular of windows in the world.




The Saigon version skips the roseate form but its kaleidoscopically colored stained arched glass windows are no less beautiful, albeit smaller and simpler in scale.




For doorway, the French Notre Dame has an overhead pediment made of intricately carved marble, the Apostle’s Head. A Gothic masterpiece, it announces that the church is a wonder to both soul and eyes.




In comparison, the Vietnamese basilica has round decorative arches above its doorways, more Roman than Gothic.




Today, the churches, for all their differences, share the same task of being beacons of the Catholic faith. In the world that we live in, the spirit still matters more than the material.

Quan Hy makes a mark in Saigon

Every country has a cuisine that stands above all others and for the Vietnamese, considered the best is Hue. In concept, Hue cuisine is classified into two- traditional Hue and Royal Hue. Both are renowned for their demand for culinary precision and esthetics in presentation but the royal version is recognized as rigid and inclusive, banned from commoners and reserved only in the palace.


massive pillars announce the presence of Quan Hy
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/50s, f/4.5, 33mm, ISO 800, +1/3EV


The art of traditional Hue cooking is brandished with flair in Quan Hy restaurant. Interestingly, the Ho Chi Minh branch only is a late spin-off of the popular Quan Hy in Westminister, California which opened in 1994.


Dark red hardwood and warm yellows create an embracing and comfortable ambience
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/25s, f/3.5, 18mm, ISO 100


Quan Hy was a recommendation of a friend who was having a social meeting with the owner and some other photographer friends in the restaurant. I had some affairs to conduct so after some introductions, I moved to another table with business associates. This did not mean to say that I did not take the time to study the menu and photograph the gastronomic delights.

From the extensive list, I chose a rice cake dish declared as one of their specialties- the “potstickers”. More like the Chinese jiaozi or Japanese gyoza, the banh it ram is a mélange of mushrooms, pork and shrimps ensconced in a thinly rolled piece of rice dough crimped at the edge. Like most Hue dishes, this came with its specific sauce made of soy and vinegar. The dumplings were delicately balanced over a special rice cake that was extra crunchy, a textural foil to the soft dumpling.


4 banh it ram potstickers - 45,000 (2.6usd)
the banh it ram or stuffed potstickers on crunchy rice cake
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/80s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 200


The next dish was the banh uot thit bo nuong. Rice rolls are definitely Vietnamese and it was my first time to try them stuffed with grilled beef. The rice paper was freshly steamed and enjoyably sticky. Finger-size, the rolls come with a slightly spicy dip which warmed the palate and complemented the provocative taste of beef.


7 banh uot thit bo nuong - 55k (3.2usd)
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/80s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 200, +1/3EV
banh uot thit bo nuong or beef-stuffed rice rolls


As a crustacean fanatic, I did not miss out on the cha gio tom cua which are springrolls stuffed with crab and shrimp. They came in tiny 1 ½ inch squares which bulged with plump and juicy crabmeat. Accompanied with fresh julienne slices of cabbage, carrots and aromatic leaves, the springrolls came with a mouth-watering fish sauce spiked with hot chili. Hands down, this became my favorite of all the dishes I had.


Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/125s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 200, +1/3EV


A distinguishing feature of Hue cuisine is the visuals. The flourish of colors could be vivid, or as in the case of the salad that we had, discreet. More like what the Japanese often do, the greens are tempered with warm browns or yellows and there is always a touch of red or orange. But past the color palette, the goi hen is a clear Southeast Asian inspiration- fresh manila clams, bean sprouts, peanuts, minty leaves over crunchy round rice crackers.


goi hen, a clam salad with mixed vegetables, peanuts and crunchy rice paper
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/60s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 200, +1/3EV


The final dish was the omnipresent bun nuoc noodle soup. Not surprisingly, again, I picked the version with crab and shrimps. Simmering hot, the noodle soup combined the hearty umami flavor of seafood meat and sultrily glutinous stickiness of starchy rice. I am no noodle follower, but the shellfishes were divine.


37 banh canh tom cua - 50k (2.9usd)
banh canh tom cua, a white glue noodle soup with crab meat and shrimp
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/100s, f/1.8, 50mm, ISO 800


True to its name – Quan Hy means “happiness” – the restaurant delivers the beauty, aroma and taste that one can only expect of a cuisine associated with Hue.

Quan Hy Restaurant, 15-17-19 Ton That Thiep, Ward Ben Nghe, Distric 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, tel +848 39141552, www.quanhyrestaurant.com

Seeing red in Tam Son Hoi Quan

pagoda-hopping in Vietnam part 2
part 1: Thien Hau

I wasn’t aware of it until I saw my pictures. The temple of Tam Son Hoi Quan in the Chinatown district of Cholon, Saigon was dripping red.

The gate and fence, white-washed in portions, were pink. The facade had stucco walls in softer carmine but the pillars stood out in a fierier shade of red.


the main entrance of the pagoda
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1250s, f/4.0, 18mm, ISO 200, -2/3EV


The pair of wooden doors was also in red and no less brighter.


the main door has cheerful handles/knockers
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/25s, f/5.0, 28mm, ISO 400, -1/3EV


Inside, the soft red-orange motif continued to spill over the walls, the carved wooden altars and the brick tiles. On places where red was interrupted, gold and black, colors that are no less eye-catching, were splashed.



the central altar
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/25s, f/5.0, 18mm, ISO 1600, -1/3EV


This more-than-a-hundred-year-old pagoda is one of the feminine temples in Saigon. Local women often visit the place to seek blessings for their children from Me Sanh, the Goddess of Fertility. And in China, fertility is symbolized by nothing less than the color red.


a goddess prominently placed in niche by the side wall
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/60s, f/5.0, 80mm, ISO 200



Buddhist deities in a side altar
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/20s, f/5.0, 18mm, ISO 1600, -1/3EV


Instinctively, red demands power and harks for fortune and success. The visual stimulation of fire is innate and for photographers, nothing really can scream more than red.


the incense coils are a shadow before the red walls
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/1000s, f/5.0, 210mm, ISO 200, -4/3EV



this is the same shot as above, with focus on the coils
Canon EOS 350D Digital, 1/640s, f/5.0, 210mm, ISO 200, -2/3EV