Asian Promise

29/05/2022

Thank you Sophie and Matt for travelling with us! We hope that the coffee shops we suggested were to your likings! -Asian Promise: Our care is beyond your trip!

14/05/2022

Thank you Sandra for traveling with us! We hope that the shoes that we helped you pick out in Hanoi for your friend's wedding in Qatar will really shine at the party! -Asian Promise: Our care is beyond your trip!

14/05/2022

04/05/2022

Thank you Ksenia for traveling with us! Wishing you many more wonderful trips in the future!

29/04/2022

Get the itineraries for all of our tours at:
https://sites.google.com/view/asianpromise

27/04/2022

15/04/2022

What's better than winter? Summer. And what's better than a summer day in Halong bay? Nothing! Book a tour to Halong bay with us this summer and be awestruck by this natural wonder of the world. Contact us via WhatsApp +8483 598 7085

15/04/2022

Ice, jello and tropical fruit. Those are the perfect ingredients of joy for a sunny day in Hanoi! Book a tour with us to experience it firsthand! Contact Asian Promise via WhatsApp +8483 598 7085

09/04/2022

Where to get some of the best Vietnamese sandwiches in Hanoi? Book a street food tour with us to find out! WhatsApp +84 83 598 7085

09/04/2022

09/04/2022

Matt a physicist, PhD and Franzi, a psychologist from Germany after having enjoyed our street food tour!Thirteen years together. Three years married. Two years on the road. Those numbers are envious for a couple as young as they are. What is the secret to their happy marriage? They knew that they not only shared good times together like having good food on the trip but they also had to learn to endure the unpleasantness together due to circumstances, said Matt. Let Asian Promise be a part of your love journey and book a tour with us today via WhatsApp +84 83 598 7085!

20/03/2022

Chu Van An- The saint-like figure in the Temple of Literature

In the famous Temple of Literature in the center of the bustling Hanoi, one man is being worshiped side by side with Confucius, Chu An( or better known today as Chu Van An). Since being recognized in the political arena, his name has been synonymous with integrity and wisdom. What is so special about this man that gives him a place at the altar alongside the famous thinker and ideologist of the east?

Chu An (1292–1370) was born in a small village near the capital city of the empire. The capital of the kingdom was Thang Long( or The city of the rising dragon) at that time. He passed the prestigious imperial examination but turned down the offer to be a mandarin or a government official. He went back to his hometown and opened a school. Eventually he was asked to return to the imperial academy, or the Temple of Literature to become a teacher under the reign of Tran Minh Tong (1314–1329). Chu An was overseeing the education of the crown prince himself at the academy. This post wielded enormous influence but it was often overlooked. Chu An was molding the mindset of the crown prince Tran Hien Tong and the future imperial officials who would later shape the vision of the empire. Many of his students also went on to become high-ranking officials at the imperial court. Due to the Confucian education, these powerful officials had the highest respect for their teacher, Chu An, even when they already were influential politicians. Having an audience with their former teacher was considered a privilege and an honor so these former students would humbly dismount themselves long before entering Chu An’s house. On the other hand, being rejected by their teacher was a disgrace in Confucian belief so when some of Chu An’s students showed signs of corruption at court, he would simply not meet with them.

When Chu An arrived at the Temple of Literature, this imperial institution was already quite well-established. This temple of learning was constructed in 1070 during the reign of emperor Ly Thanh Tong. The temple was dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars.
Chu An finally ascended to be an influential figure in the government but he suited the role of an activist and a scholar better than that of a politician. The frankness in his character directly clashed with the artful flattery bestowed to the emperor from other government officials. From a true Confucian standpoint, reveling in artful flattery not only deserved contempt but also was the omen of danger to the entire empire.
No longer able to watch all the manipulation and deception at court, he submitted the seven decapitations petition to emperor Tran Du Tong suggesting the executions of seven government officials who were favored by the emperor but considered corrupt by him. The emperor rejected his petition. Tran Du Tong was an impotent emperor and a hedonist who was primarily concerned with leisure pursuits such as wine, women and music according to contemporary historians. Upon the refusal of the emperor, Chu An deserted the Tran court and withdrew himself to Phoenix Mountain in Hai Duong province where he spent the rest of his life.

The Imperial Academy lost a great teacher. However, Chu An’s talent and integrity had not gone unrecognized by the scholars at the academy. An altar was dedicated to worship him and has been well looked-after until these days. The reverence of Chu Van An in the Temple of Literature reflects the emphasis of Vietnamese values where education, integrity and wisdom are placed above all else.
Photo Credit:
https://live.staticflickr.com/964/40788355855_d196ab1f4d_b.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/Chu_V%C4%83n_An.jpg

20/03/2022

Lemon tea- The signature drink at St. Joseph's Cathedral

In the west when people get together, they often order tea, beer or coffee. What about in Vietnam? We can have what people call “let's get lemon tea and shoot the breeze!”

Lemon tea is a spin-off from the green tea drink, a long standing traditional drink of the Vietnamese people. A green tea stand is commonly found in every corner of Vietnam, may it be rural or urban. After a long day of working in the rice fields, the Vietnamese farmers often would stop at a tea stand which served some snacks, to***co and of course, green tea. A tea stand is a good place to stop and have a chat, the kind of chat that often occurs at the water cooler in modern offices. These very same tea stands would provide the same benefits to millions of working class citizens in the city. Additionally these urban tea stands are excellent points to gather news. All the juicy pieces of news in the neighborhood can be presented and discussed very much like a debate club, minus the formality, of course.

The urban tea stands also serve as information boxes where outsiders can ask the stand owner for the information about the neighborhood such as directions, available properties for sales and lease and on not so uncommon occasions, independent viewpoints on a person. The old joke is that if a bachelor is courting a lady in a neighborhood, it is prudent of him to do an independent character-wise background check on a lady at the local tea stand.

Adding lemon to the tea is a relatively new thing in Vietnamese culture. But it turns out to be one of the best inventions of Vietnamese beverages. The ingredients are quite simple for this drink. Green tea, ice cubes, lemon juice, sugar. A few slices of lemon are topped off as a decoration.
There are various locations where you can get lemon tea. They can be just a small stand within the shade of a big tree or a really fashionable teahouse with a theme to it. For some reason the area in front of the St. Joseph's Cathedral has become a hotspot for lemon tea. Many shops nearby were turned into teahouses. Ones would be drinking lemon tea and snacking on shredded beef jerky or sunflower seeds. People often go in couples or in big groups. Occasionally a solo patron would show up with their headphones on and a little care for the rest. The facade of the cathedral is dignified enough to offer a pretty view to all the patrons. And the view is even more beautiful at night with all the decorative lighting. Visitors who find comfort in idleness might enjoy people-watching while sitting at these teahouses. The cathedral is such an iconic landmark that it always seems quite busy with people coming in and out for their photos being taken.

The tea house and its association with the St. Joseph's cathedral has become a part of Hanoian culture. The lemon tea is the symbol of change in the culinary scene in Hanoi from a necessity to a more fashionable one.
Photo credit: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/Lemon_tea-04.jpg

18/03/2022

Tired of your your chicken salad? Let's try out a more exiting dish from our street food tour: Quail salad!