Simon

The story of Princess Huyền Trân and King Chế Mân is one of the most famous marriages in Vietnam’s history. Huyền Trân (1289–1340) was the princess of the Trần Dynasty of Đại Việt and daughter of Emperor Trần Nhân Tông. Chế Mân (reigned ~1288–1307) was King of Champa and a respected military leader. After Emperor Trần Nhân Tông left his throne to become a Buddhist monk, he traveled to Champa and promised his daughter’s hand in marriage to seal a long-term peaceful alliance between the two neighboring states. Roughly five years later, Chế Mân sent generous wedding gifts to Đại Việt, including two Champa provinces (Châu Ô and Châu Lý) as the marriage dowry. Princess Huyền Trân became Queen Parameshvari of Champa. Unfortunately, less than one year after the marriage, King Chế Mân passed away. At this time in history, the Cham custom was that the queen was expected to be cremated (sati) alongside her husband. Unwilling to let the princess perish, the Trần court in Đại Việt developed a sec...

After landing in Hanoi, I took a taxi to my hotel through traffic that never seemed to quit. Scooters and cars wove through the streets in a chaotic yet synchronized melody. When I asked a local for advice on crossing the street, he suggested raising my hand to signal drivers. I tried observing this technique, but it appeared to have little effect. Ultimately, I realized the only way through the madness is to breathe, keep walking, and trust you'll reach the other side.   The scale of the country surprised me. Exploring Northern Vietnam, I encountered rolling hills, green valleys, and more buffalo than I could count. The local communities there are quite dependent on tourism, and I was frequently approached by vendors during my two-day stay. While it was initially difficult to find meals beyond the standard chicken or pork dishes, a bit of exploring and some help from Google led me to several healthy alternatives. I even found the occasional Bánh Mì shop serving tofu and vegetable...