Norway - Heaven of dreams

Situated at Northern Europe, Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world with famous majestic mountains, bays, lakes, and lots of modern cities. 

Found in 997, Trondheim is the oldest city in Norway. This city is proud of a rich cultural herritage as well as major center of Norway. Although the city's area is modest, there are various cultural and artistic events taken place in Trondheim.

Lysefjord is one of the famous fjords of Norway. Every year, it has 300,000 visitors come to visit and discover the exceptional natural beauty.

Rago National Park, located in Sørfold - Nordland county, has an area of 171 kilometers square. This is also a place where there are so many beautiful natural scenery that makes all visitors astonished to admire.

Geirangerfjord is a fjord in the Sunnmore, in the southernmost part of More og Romsdal county. It is considered the most beautiful bay in the world and was recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.

Lofoten Islands is the place owning beautiful natural scenery which is attracted to tourists. Even though it is located in the Northern Hemisphere, the warm climate makes Lafoten difference in this icy land.

Bergen is a port city located in the southwest of Norway; it is considered the gate to the spectacular and majestic bays. Bergen is the second largest area in Norway after the capital - Oslo.

Coming to Berlevag, an urban county of Finnmark, visitors will have opportunity to admire the Northern Lights. This is an extremely interesting scientific phenomenon showing the full color of light in the night sky.

Gjende Lake in Jotunheimen is 18 miles long, with the blue color, and surrounded by towering mountains blue water color characteristics.

Read More

From Tu Le to Sapa Vietnam

Admire the beauty of the way from Tu Le to Sapa Vietnam through these magnificent photos

Photographer: Xversion1 (Vietnam)

1. Near Tu Le

 2. Tu Le Terraces

3. After vegetable harvest

4. Afternoon at the Lim Mong

5. Afternoon at the Lim Mong

 6. Dawn at Tu Le village

 7. Dawn at Tu Le village

 8. Dawn at Tu Le village

9. Way to "O Quy Ho" Pass

10. On "O Quy Ho" Pass

11.  On "O Quy Ho" Pass

12.  On "O Quy Ho" Pass

13.  At "O Quy Ho" peak - Heaven gate

14. Cat cat village

15. Cat cat village

16. Cat cat village

17. Way from Tan Van to Sapa 

18. Smoke on Muong Hoa valley

19. Smoke on Muong Hoa valley



20. Rocky church

21. Sapa square

Photos by: Xversion 1 - Phuot.vn

Read More

6 things to know when travelling to Mongolia

(Gotravelings.com) The trusted drivers and special style tents have helped da harsh country as Mongolia attract lots of tourist from all over the world.

These are some suggestions for your trip to this beautiful steppe country.

1. Trust your drivers.

Even when you do not have maps, GPS, or any other detector equipment, you still can trust Mongolian drivers. With their skills, they will drive you to the exact place you want to go. Let your worry be vanished and enjoy the magnificent scenery here. However, if you find out that the driver is speeding up, do not hesitate to remind him to slow down.

The old Russian bus on the way to conquer Mongolia steppe

2. Time zones in Mongolia

Mongolia's time zone is UCT/GMT +8. You can compare to your country time zone to adjust your living mode. However, if you are in emergency, you can emphasize with the local people in order not to affect your expected plan.

3. Meet up and play with local children

The innocence of Mongolian children

Mongolian children are extremely friendly and cute with pink cheeks taking up most of their face. However, if you want to take picture with them, you'd better ask their parents for allowance first.

4. Taking bath

Dried shampoo is very popular in Mongolia. If you are not familiar with it, bring your favorite shampoo. In some luxurious tents, they may have solar shower. Nevertheless, you should get used to the fact of the lack of comb and mirror during your journey at this country, which is the reason for your messy hair.

5. Camping on the steppe

A tent on the steppe

There are a lot of famous destinations in this country, but do not forget to experience a night in the tent. The sound of rain dripping on your tent in a silent night will give you the unforgettable emotions. This is also an opportunity for you to explore the lives of the nomads in small huts among the vast steppe.

6. Gifts / Souvenirs

After a long trip is time for shopping whatever you like. It sounds strange to buy wool scarf in a country with harsh climate as Mongolia; however, there is nothing in the world better and smoothier than Mongolia sheep wool.

- Anna Pham -

Read More

"Giant mushrooms" in Y Ty, Lao Cai, Vietnam

(Gotravelings.com) Standing high above looking down, the rustic and ancient beauty of old houses with green moss roofs in Y Ty, Lao Cai make many people think of the beautiful giant mushrooms growing on the side of the mountain.

Y Ty is one of the poorest areas of highland Bat Xat district, Lao Cai. Here, the haze cover year round and the weather is extremely harsh. However, more and more tourists come to Y Ty. Besides the cloudy valleys and terraced fields at the height of 1500 m, people also come here the see the villages with houses located closely together, against a backdrop of mountains as in the fairy tales.

Houses in Y Ty is only arounf 40 - 60 meter squares. Photo: Duc Ky

Only about 70 km far from Lao Cai, the road up to Y Ty is very mazy. Go along the spiral and twisted back to the top of Nhu Co San peak, you will feel like "straight to heaven", then sinking in fog and white clouds. Then suddenly, Y Ty is out front with the poetic scenery of Ha Nhi women carry baskets of firewood to the market between vast mountains.

As one of the most ethnic minorities in Vietnam who live in Y Ty besides the other ethnic minority such á Hmong, Dao, Giay; Ha Nhi people, especially black Ha Nhi, make and unique ​​charms for thís harsh land, with their mushroom house and unique wall. Unlike the common stilt houses of the highland ethnic minority, houses of Ha Nhi people located on the ground, walls and roofs made ​​from clay that looks like a pyramid shape.

The house foundation is not deep under the ground but being placed just on the rock base. 

Photo: Duc Ky

The most impressive in the architecture of the Ha Nhi houses is house's walls with the thickness of 40-45 cm, and height of 4-5 m , with two laps inside and outside. This structure is not only because of low economic conditions of a highland village, but it also shows the adaptation to harsh weather here. The houses built with very thick walls will help people here keep warm in winter Hanhi and cool in the summer .

Looking at the simple architecture of the houses, no one think to build the 40 m2 houses, Ha Nhi people have to spend months. The time for reconstructing houses usually follows each season. The first stage after selecting the suitable soil samples are building the foundation by mountain rocks. The foundation are placed on the ground without having to dig deep into the ground as the houses in the delta.

Next step is to build the wall. The land chosen has been put into formworks splinted strongly; then they use wooden pestle to pound together this layer to the other layers to create a solid and strong wall. Then assembling the wooden beams and rafters to make roof. This type of house does not have balcony, but the roofs are short and are covered by "gianh" grass.

The mushroom house keep warm in the winter, and cool in the summer. Photo: Duc Ky.

There is one main door and another door in the left of the house, or in the right of the house to go to the stall, and stables at the back. Look far away, the windows look very small like the arch holes. Compare to the H'mong minority people houses, the walls inside and outside of Ha Nhi house are retired, and finely polished to look smoothly. The shape of the house is often square instead of rectangle.

Although the original shaped houses of Ha Nhi people are not many, but its attraction to visitor is always remain, especially for photographer love shooting photos at the sunrise or sunset. Therefore, many people who have chance to admire the green moss house in the white fog have to utter that "heaven is here !". 

Read More