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Phno Don pagoda is also called Gong Lon pagoda or Stork pagoda. It was built in 1677 on the alluvial bank of a big canal in Dai An commune, Tra Cu district, 40 km south of Tra Vinh city.   The pagoda is surrounded by green bamboo groves, several species of evergreen trees, and vast rice fields stretching to the horizon. Flocks of storks come here to shelter. Trinh Van Minh, a resident of Dai An commune, said, “Storks stay in the land surrounding the pagoda, so people call it Stork pagoda. They come here in the rainy months to nest and breed. This is the largest, most famous, and most beautiful pagoda in Tra Vinh province. It attracts many visitors from across Vietnam and even some foreigners. During the New Year holiday the pagoda is very crowded.” Decoration at Phno Don pagoda The Khmer architectural style can be seen in the pagoda gate, the main hall, the monks’ house, the main hall, and the towers that hold the ashes of cremated monks. The external de...

The world’s famous chef Gordon Ramsay has listed many dishes from Vietnam among the best in Asia and globally.   Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay. Photo: Getty Images Ramsay, the owner of many restaurants, a TV star, and a famous cooking show judge, has recently expressed his love for Southeast Asian cuisines, including Vietnamese ones. Specifically, he shared in an interview with a Korean YouTuber that Vietnam and Laos were two of his favorite culinary destinations. When asked, “Where would you say is the No.1 food destination?”, Ramsay picked three names, including two from Southeast Asia: Vietnam and Laos. “Vietnam is an extraordinary melting pot of food. I fell in love, there’s just such a humble approach to eating food,” he exclaimed. He added that “I recently came out of Laos, and going back to the provinces and spending time in the countryside away from the tourist traps, the food was just off the charts.” It prompts a question what is good about Vietn...