Wednesday, 17 July 2019

The most tranquil coffee shops in Saigon

The most tranquil coffee shops in Saigon
In Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), there are many cafes with various styles from garden cafe, street cafe, family cafe, cafe take away. For people who want a quiet place to read books or working, their choices must be book cafes or co-working spaces, which is considered as mini libraries.

Song Cham Cafe 

Is there time when all you want to do is slow down, to have some moment to do nothing but just sit and think about everything in your life? Is there time when you just want to hide yourself in a little corner, to feel time slowing down?
Song Cham Cafe
Song Cham Cafe is highly recommend for people who want to find their own space, enjoy books and it is also a place where authors and poets living in Ho Chi Minh come to meet and discuss about cultural topics.

Address: 63B Tran Quoc Thao Street, ward 7, district 3, HCMC

Banksy Cafe

Banksy Cafe
This gem hides itself in a concrete building almost invisible to all the street. The three things this coffee shop has are good coffee, a great concept, and a killer cocktail.

The cafe is named after the famous artist “Banksy”, a British graffiti artist. The decor is matched to the concept with books about Banksy lining the shelves and Banksy-related photographs and canvases on the walls, which lend this coffee shop deep urban vibes.

Address: 14 Ton That Dam, Nguyen Thai Binh ward, District 1, HCMC

Chieu Cafe Shop

Chieu Cafe Shop
The cafe shop is named after its owner. It now has more than 1000 titles of book, mostly the owner's, the others are contributed by the customers. Just like other book cafe shop, the aim of Chieu cafe shop is to conserve the reading culture in the internet society.

Address: 377 Hoang Sa street, Tan Dinh ward, district 1, HCMC

Geek Hub

Geek Hub
This coffee shop is located in a small alley, so it is very quiet and tranquil even though it is in District 1, the most active district of Ho Chi Minh City. The Geek Hub design is minimal and is decorated with many cute small trees set in simple wood shelves. You can also make a reservation for a meeting room or room for groups of 12 to 15 people. The best part about this café is the chairs, conference chairs without wheels which makes you feel like a professional working in an office.

Address
27B/9 Nguyen Dinh Chieu street, Da Kao ward, District 1, HCMC 
244/31 Huynh Van Banh, Ward 11, Phu Nhuan District, HCMC

Think in a Box Café

Think in a Box Café
Think in a Box has several types of work rooms for you to choose from, depending on whether you are doing personal or group work. The name Think in a Box seems contradictory to the saying “think out of the box”, but as a working space, this café really offers you a “box” to work in.

Everyone respects the rule of silence in this café. The theme color is white to also inspire clarity. Stay on the first floor if you are working by yourself. You will also have a white board at each seat and it is free to use.

Address: 
116 Nguyen Van Thu street, Da Kao ward, District 1, HCMC
27 Nguyen Khac Nhu street, Co Giang ward, District 1, HCMC

Comma Cafe

Comma Cafe
Operating on the basis of “pay-per-minute” with more than 2000 titles of various genres and a selection of board games, Comma Cafe even surprises you with its book tents and unique beehive cubicles fully equipped with lighting for you to lie down and devour books to your heart’s content or to have a word with your friends without fear of distraction.

Address: 653 Le Van Luong street, Tan Phong ward, district 7, HCMC

See more: 5 interesting places outside Ho Chi Minh City

Source Internet

Typical breakfast dishes in China

Typical breakfast dishes in China
Have you ever gotten curious at what the Chinese have for breakfast? If yes, take a look at this article to know about these most popular breakfast dishes in China.

Soybean Milk (dòujiāng) and Deep-Fried Dough Sticks (yóutiáo)

Soybean Milk (dòujiāng) and Deep-Fried Dough Sticks (yóutiáo)
This breakfast set usually appears together. The two components are the most common breakfast combination. Some locals also like to have deep-fried dough sticks with rice congee. Soybean milk is made with a blender. You can find freshly blended or boiled soy milk in disposable cups at most breakfast stalls. Deep-fried dough sticks are long, brown, deep-fried sticks of dough. You can eat one as it is or dip it in some soybean milk, which has a better taste.

Steamed Buns (bāozi)

Steamed Buns (bāozi)
Chinese people eat steamed buns at any meal, but they are especially popular at breakfast. There is an almost endless variety of flavors, both salty and sweet. Salty flavored buns are stuffed with ground pork, eggplant, eggs, and vegetables, such as chives. Sweet flavored buns are stuffed with bean paste, creamy custard, sesame seeds, and sugar. They are also very convenient for a take-out.

Tofu Pudding (dòuhuā)

Tofu Pudding (dòuhuā)
Tofu pudding is a popular Chinese snack made with very soft tofu, which is made from raw beans. Flavors of tofu pudding vary by region. In the north, people like to have salty tofu pudding with soy sauce or salt, or with meat. However, in the south, people prefer the sweet version with ginger and brown sugar syrup.

Wheat Noodles (miàntiáo)

Wheat Noodles (miàntiáo)
In northern China, where wheat is more commonly eaten, a bowl of hot and flavorful wheat noodles is a popular breakfast dish. In Wuhan, hot-and-dry noodles are eaten at breakfast by almost everyone. This dish is prepared by frying boiled noodles, drying them, then scalding them quickly and adding spicy condiments. The result is chewy and quite tasty.

Rice Noodles (mǐfěn)

Rice Noodles (mǐfěn)
Rice noodles are a good choice if you are allergic to gluten. They are made of rice although they look like wheat noodles and the taste is different. Rice noodles are more commonly eaten in the south, especially in Guangxi and Yunnan provinces. In Guilin, Guilin rice noodles are a very famous and popular cheap meal. Local people eat the dish not just for breakfast, but also for lunch or dinner.

Steamed Glutinous Rice (zòngzi)

Steamed Glutinous Rice (zòngzi)
Rice dumplings are made of steamed glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves. They can be bought at street stalls and have a variety of tasty fillings, including the sweet flavor of red bean paste, egg yolk, and lotus seeds, or the salty flavor of fatty pork and chestnuts. Zongzi are especially popular as a festival food and are frequently eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Rice Porridge or Congee (zhōu)

Rice Porridge or Congee (zhōu)
Congee is probably the most common mainstay of the Chinese breakfast. It is a mild-flavored rice porridge that has been cooked for a long time with plenty of water to soften the rice. To give the congee some flavor, it is usually served with different toppings that vary by region, such as pickled vegetables, fermented tofu, peanuts, eggs, and meat.

Sometimes congee's flavor is sweet. Usually, it is made from red beans, coix seeds, peanuts, and black rice. Some find this colorful sweet congee to be so flavorful that it doesn't require any toppings at all.

Wontons (húntun) and Dumplings (jiăozi)

Wontons (húntun) and Dumplings (jiăozi)
Wontons and dumplings are two similar types of food, which are comprised of a square or round wrapper (a dough skin made of flour and water) and fillings. Wontons can be boiled in a fragrant and watery broth, steamed in a bamboo steamer, or fried in a high-heat wok. Sometimes, wontons are also served with little noodles to make 'wonton noodles'. They are available with a large variety of fillings, such as ground pork, shrimp, fish, mushrooms, and other vegetables.

The stuffing found in dumplings is similar to that of wontons, and the cooking method is similar too.

Pancakes with Eggs (jiānbĭng)

Pancakes with Eggs (jiānbĭng)
These pancakes are quickly-cooked thin pancakes or crepes filled with typically savory or spicy ingredients. As a popular street food in China, they can be easily found and are a favorite "breakfast on the run".

The pancakes are usually wrapped around a deep-fried crispy dough slice and topped with fried egg, finely chopped mustard pickles, scallions, coriander, and a spicy sauce.

See more: The most popular desserts in China
Source: Internet

Visit the most popular regions in Japan

Located in the Pacific Ocean just off the eastern coast of mainland Asia, Japan is remarkably made up of almost 7,000 islands. The four main, and indeed, largest ones are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu, which make up 97 percent of Japan’s landmass.


Visit the most popular regions in Japan

Hokkaido

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
More sparsely populated than any other part of the country, Japan’s northernmost island of Hokkaido is a nature lover’s dream; its wild and untouched landscapes are home to six incredible national parks for you to explore.

As such, the huge island has a wealth of breathing nature for you to enjoy. While some parts are made up of rolling hills, lakes, and paddy fields, others display beautiful cherry blossom trees, towering mountains, and steaming hot springs. While summer offers up innumerable hiking opportunities in scenic places such as Shikotsu Toya National Park, winter makes for perfect skiing conditions, with Niseko and Furano both being popular ski destinations.

Home to Japan’s native Ainu people, much of Hokkaido was only really settled by the Japanese in the last one hundred years. As a result, its cities and towns are quite different in style from the rest of Japan. They are more modern in nature and lack any traditional architecture. The lively city of Sapporo is the capital of the island and is particularly worth visiting in winter when it hosts the famous Sapporo Snow Festival.

Kanto

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Although Tokyo, the world’s largest metropolis, understandably dominates Kanto with all that it has for visitors to see and do, the region actually has a lot to offer up alongside Japan’s futuristic and bustling capital city.

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Shibuya/Tokyo
The small town of Nikko, for instance, is home to impressive mausoleums and a beautiful national park of the same name, while Kamakura has plenty of beautiful shrines and temples for you to check out – in addition to its lovely beaches and hiking trails.

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Mount Fuji
While much of Kanto is located on a plain, the region is also home to some outstanding natural attractions. The Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park is a must-visit for its relaxing hot springs, the breathtaking Fuji Five Lakes, and the fantastic views it boasts of Mount Fuji off in the distance. With history, nature, and culture all on offer, Kanto really does have it all.

Kansai

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
A fascinating region to explore, Kansai is where Japanese civilization all began. It remarkably boasts three of the nation’s former capital cities, which all showcase Japan’s rich and ancient cultural heritage.

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Dotonbori/Osaka
Complete with a stunning array of historical and cultural landmarks in the shape of their many shrines, temples, and palaces, the cities of Asuka, Nara, and Kyoto are all exceptional places to visit. Yet more incredible sights can be seen in the castles at Hikone and Himeji and the wonderful hot springs at Arima Onsen.

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Kobe Harborland
While the region also boasts bustling cities such as Osaka and Kobe, Kansai has its fair share of beautiful nature, with Lake Biwa – the largest lake in the country – and Mount Koya both particularly delightful to explore.

Kyushu

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Kyushu is Japan’s most southwestern main island. While it is mostly made up of stunning mountains and fertile valleys, the broad, flat plain in the north is home to its two largest cities – Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. While both are worth a visit for their interesting historical sights, museums, and architecture, Kyushu’s outstanding beauty is what you really want to see.

Indeed, lots of impressive nature is on a show; you can be visiting the world’s largest caldera at Aso one day, surfing in the huge waves at Miyazaki the next, and exploring the breathtaking Amakusa chain of islands later in the week.

Visit the most popular regions in Japan
Beppu
One of Kyushu’s main draws is the famous city of Nagasaki, which was so tragically devastated by the second atomic bomb attack by the US in WWII. Other points of interest are Beppu – a famous hot spring town – and Kumamoto, which has a gorgeous castle for you to explore.

Read more: Top favorite summer dishes in Japan
Source Touropia