A: According to CNN, Cam cake comes in a round shape with an orange-like color. Made from glutinous rice flour, with a sweet mung bean filling and sprinkled with sesame and then fried. A staple of An Giang province, it is eaten with banh canh or thick noodle soup.

B: CNN explains that Banh mi (baguette) is a remnant of the French colonial period and has been modified to suit the taste of Vietnamese people. You can find Banh mi virtually on every street corner at prices starting from 70 cents.

A: Banh bot loc is a famous dish from Hue city in the central region. Made from tapioca flour with shrimp paste, each piece contains a slice of fatty meat to make it more fragrant. Usually covered with dong leaves (phrynium placeentarium) or banana leaves, the aroma of the leaves also affect the flavor of the cake after steaming.

B: Among the dishes to appear on the list of the world’s best soups from the CNN, Pho bo (beef- and pho noodle) is the most popular version of Pho, according to the news channel. It can be served with slices of beef cooked thoroughly in a broth, or raw beef slices blanched into boiling water.

A: Actually, a food tour has been named the top experience in Vietnam by Lonely Planet. The renowned travel guide book publisher describes Vietnamese food as balanced between sour and sweet flavors, crunchy and silky textures, fried and steamed dishes, soups and salads. “Essentially it’s all about the freshness of the ingredients – chefs shop twice daily to collect fresh herbs from the market,” it says, adding that eating out in Vietnam is a feast for the eyes and treat for palate.

B: Food tours have become a special tourist product in many localities across Vietnam. Recently, Hai Phong city released its second version of its successful "Food Map". 

Hai Phong's signature bread sticks. (Photo: VOV)

A: Since the municipal Department of Tourism released the first Hai Phong Food Map, the city’s street food has been attracting a growing number of tourists. Even in the middle of the week, the downtown area is crowded with visitors from Hanoi and neighboring localities who come to sample delicious local dishes - crab noodles, spicy fish noodles, spring rolls, shrimp pancakes, bread sticks, and snails, all at affordable prices.

Foreign tourists enjoy Hoi An Eco Cooking Class. (Photo: TripAdvisor)

B: Hoi An has also been recognized as Vietnam’s new food capital by the World Association of Chef Societies. The ancient town, already  known for its peaceful streets and mossy houses, is now a culinary destination in Vietnam.

A: We hope that you will have the chance to sample the dishes in Vietnam now that the pandemic is under control. Why don’t you visit Vietnam to explore our land, culture, people and food?

B: For more information and recipes for Vietnamese food, check out our Food Delight segment on our weekly broadcast on Wednesday and Thursday on VOV Media app and on our website at vovworld.vn.

A: Next, we’d like to acknowledge an email from Tieu Nhut Hao of HCM City and his reception report for our program on the frequency of 9840 khz on June 23 from 15:00 to 15:28. He praised our program about voters’ meetings in Hanoi, international reactions to the Afghanistan earthquake, support for people with disabilities, and the world’s longest glass-bottom bridge in Moc Chau. He wrote: “Fantastic program! I thank VOVWORLD for maintaining its shortwave service.”

B: This week, VOVworld received more than 380 letters and emails from listeners of 35 countries and territories.

A: Hugo Longhi from Argentina wrote: “On June 21, I’d like to congratulate Vietnamese journalists on Vietnam Revolutionary Press Day. On this day, I recalled the day in 1925 when President Ho Chi Minh published the first edition of the Thanh Nien (Youth) newspaper, a very important media agency at that time.”

B: José Saquimux of Guatemala wrote: “Last week, I was in Havana, Cuba. I paid tribute at the Ho Chi Minh monument in the city. I was very happy standing by the monument of the great leader of Vietnam.”

A: Johnny Antonio Ramírez López of Lima, Peru expressed his interest in the story about the freedom of cyber space development in Vietnam in line with international law. He wrote: “Thank you, VOV, for sharing the reflections of the world’s current affairs which are very useful for us.”

B: We also received multiple letters from listeners in Cambodia on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Journey to overthrow the genocidal Pol Pot regime.

A: Reinhard Westphal of Germany praised VOV’s interesting stories and shared his interest in Vietnamese culture.

B: Also from Germany, Frank Bresonik said he wanted to learn more about the images on Vietnamese bank notes.

Vietnamese bank notes

A: The State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) is the sole issuer of the currency of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Its monetary unit is the Vietnamese Dong, abbreviated in the domestic market as “đ”, and abbreviated in the international market as VND.

B: The State Bank of Vietnam applies modern science and technology to the printing of banknotes in order to enhance the quality and anti-counterfeiting features of the Vietnamese Dong, as well as to save on issuance costs.

A: From 2003 to 2006, the SBV issued a new set of money to supplement the structure and denominations in circulation. In particular, polymer banknotes have denominations of 500,000 VND, 200,000 VND, 100,000 VND, 50,000 VND, 20,000 VND, and 10,000 VND. But the 5,000 VND, 2,000 VND, and 1,000VND banknotes are made of cotton paper.

B: All the Vietnamese banknotes have one side decorated with the national emblem of “The Socialist Republic of Vietnam” and portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, while the other side is different.

A: The  500,000 VND banknote is blue and bluish purple and features Uncle Ho’s house in Kim Lien, while the 200,000 VND bank note is brownish red and features Ha Long Bay.

A: The 100,000 VND bank note is dark green and features the Temple of Literature. The 50,000 VND bank note is red and purplish brown and features Nha Rong wharf.

B: The 20,000 VND note is dark blue and features the Pagoda Bridge in Hoi An while the 10,000 VND note is dark brown on a greenish yellow background and features Oil and Gas rigs.

A: The 5,000 VND bank note is dark blue and features Tri An Hydropower Plant. The 2,000 VND bank note is dark brown and features a weaving workshop. The 1,000 VND bank note is purple and features a wood production site.

B: The 500 VND bank note is lotus red and features Hai Phong port while the 200 VND bank note is reddish brown and has an image of agricultural production. Lastly, the 100 VND bank note is blackish brown and features Pho Minh tower in Thai Binh province.  

B: Next, we’d like to acknowledge letters and emails from Jayanta Chakrabarty of India, Abdul Mannan of Bangladesh, Fumito Hokamura of Japan, Saleem Akhtar Chadhar of Pakistan and other listeners who sent us emails or posted comments on our Facebook fanpage, VOV5 English Service.

A: That concludes today’s program. We welcome your feedback at: English Service, VOVWorld, the Voice of Vietnam, 45 Ba Trieu street, Hanoi, Vietnam. Or you can email us at: englishsection@vov.vn. You’re invited to visit us online at vovworld.vn, where you can hear both live and recorded programs.

B: Check out our VOV Media App, available on both the IOS and Android platforms, to hear our live broadcasts. We look forward to your feedback on the mobile version of vovworld.vn. Once again, thank you all for listening. Goodbye.