Sometime from late 1962 to early 1963 it was adopted by U.S. advisors and Special Forces in Vietnam. As noted previously it was never an official U.S. issue item, but special operators preferred the locally made uniforms as these proved more durable and blended in better to the terrain than the olive drab uniforms used by the U.S. Army at the time. The intention was to target the alleged superstitions of the North Vietnamese, by making the Ace of Spades the symbol of death, humiliation, and suffering. It was believed that all these features were well-known to the Vietnamese and that the card was a potent symbol that would strike fear into the enemy ranks. Navy SEAL, SEAL in full Sea, Air, and Land, in the U.S. Navy, a member of a special operations force trained to engage in direct raids or assaults on enemy targets, conduct reconnaissance missions to report on enemy activity (especially prior to beach landings), and take part in action against terrorist groups. History Red is the most powerful of all colors in Indian culture and holds many important meanings. Among them are fear and fire, wealth and power, purity, fertility, seduction, love, and beauty. Red is also representative of a certain time and place in one's personal life, including when a woman gets married. A married woman can be identified by the Circular Loop - Made to be Remade: Products whose lifecycles continue after each use, like the Futurecraft Loop running shoe. Bionic Loop - Made with Nature: adidas' ambition to create future where every adidas product can have multiple lives and then return to nature. Fast Money. Every country has its national symbol that stands as its identity, fashion, and tradition. The United States has the baseball cap, while the Indian Punjabi people have unified turbans. Also, Israelis use yarmulke. In Vietnam, there are the Vietnamese Conical Hats. Have you ever wondered why do people wear them? The Non la’ or the conical hat stands as one of the national specialties of the native people of Vietnam, handcrafted traditionally and uniquely. Learn more about this in today’s post! While Vietnam has its graceful and elegant silk ao dai’, the conical hat is another attractive piece of Vietnam that every Vietnamese holds dear to their culture. This blog has you covered if you wish to learn Vietnamese culture and its relation to the conical hat. Please keep reading and discover the wonder behind the traditional Vietnamese hat and its evolution. Why Do Vietnamese People Wear Conical Hats? As far as the Vietnamese history of the conical hats goes, there is a story tied sacredly to the beliefs of the Vietnamese people and their culture of rice fields. It is a belief that began once upon a time when a downpour of heavy torrential rain lasted for several weeks in Vietnam, damaging rural life with tremendous flooding, disasters, and severe disturbances. Under such a scenario, an elegant goddess descended to earth from heaven above. She was rumored to be a giant woman belonging to the sky wearing a humungous hat curated with four large leaves, stitched and attached one above another with bamboo sticks. The hat frame was so big that it could protect and guard all the people suffering from the life-taking obstacles of the rain pour. She then dispelled all the clouds and rain, ensuring safety to the Vietnamese people, who could return to their normal lives. She also taught the people to grow crops and gave educational lessons to the locals regarding livelihood. During one of her storytelling, mankind fell asleep listening to her benevolent voice, and the next thing the Vietnamese people discovered was her disappearance. Ever since the origin and discovery of such a faithful object, the locals started making efforts to mimic the conical hat using palm leaves, and they even built a temple on her account. Locals began looking for leaves and stitching them into bamboo frames to honor her lessons and use the hat for good deeds. Later on, the conical hat became a daily essential of Vietnamese people, such as farmers on paddy fields, Vietnamese women who walk long distances under the hot sun, Boat-man of the village, and many more. After the great recognition, the indispensable item, the Vietnamese conical hat, has become a symbol of Vietnam. The Evolution Of The Vietnamese Hat Ever since the discovery of the Vietnamese conical hats or the non la a thousand years ago, it has undergone several changes pertaining to different states of affairs. Precisely, it has evolved, and today, it has many variations. Usually, women wear Asian conical hats with a broad-rimmed frame, and men wear those with higher cones and smaller brims. Different hats exist depending on the various categories in society, from the upper class, working class, army troops, children or young people, to religious Buddhist monks. Also, the material can change from place to place. Usually, the region and the availability of the source leaves determine the hat structure. Different Conical Hats Amongst the various leaf hats, the two most popular ones are Chuong village’s conical hat, Non la, and Bai Tho hat of Hue city. The Nón Bai Tho is amongst the most known and attractive hats, also famous as the poem hat, as they have poetic verses inscribed under the leaf layers. The fascinating part of the Non Bai Tho hat is that the verses can be seen only under the sun, giving a mesmerizing beauty to the already graceful conical hat. While the conical poem hats are used as an elegant Vietnamese symbol, they have an actual purpose behind their creation. When you visit Vietnam, you will see these unique conical hats being used as protection under the sun, a basket to carry fruits and vegetables; sometimes, the conical hats are used as a bowl to save one from thirst. Not to mention, the hats make a great souvenir. Other than the poem conical hat, there are many others like the pineapple leaf hat, straw hat, Lotus-leaf hat, Chảo hat, Cặp hat, etc., made of various coconut or palm leaves and bamboo sticks. But mostly, the beauty lies in the magic of the palm leaf. How To Make The Vietnamese Conical Hats In Vietnam, making hats has become a tradition of the Vietnamese culture, and many traditional villages are solely entitled to making conical hats. The Chuong village in the Thanh Oai district, Hanoi city, is the most popular crafts village known for its glory of making beautiful Non La hats. Others such as Dong ba market and Thua Thien Hue city are also known for their imperial craftsmen and hats business. Since ancient times, a hat maker has secured a very exalted position in Vietnamese society. There is a special feature of the old imperial capital, Hue, and the conical hat they make. They create special hats where the image of the Huong River and the Ngu mountain is imprinted in the conical hats. Unlike normal bamboo hats, they even have poems between the palm leaf layers, and the hats are very thin and detailed with precision and delicacy. Steps For Making Vietnamese Conical Hats It is not easy to make the traditional Vietnamese Non La. However, to satisfy your curiosity, we are here to give a small tour of making a Vietnamese hat. Step 1 Get Coconut And Palm Leaves The first step is to collect either coconut leaves or palm leaves. After gathering the shiny green ones, hat makers usually dry them for 2-5 hours. Along with leaves, the search for bamboo sticks that are flexible and malleable is an important prerequisite. Step 2 Use Bamboo Sticks To Make The Brim Of The Hat The next step is to make the brim of the hat. It is an important step that one needs to be very careful about. Hat makers take proper care while bending the bamboo, depending on the required diametre. Step 3 Use A Classic Sewing Procedure Craftsmen of Vietnam use a special thread of Nylon to sew the hats as they are tough and transparent. One has to cautiously sew the layers of the hat and connect the brim circles to form a cone shape. This is the ultimate step where the hat takes the form of a cone. Step 4 Add Decoration Once done, it is time to make the hat attractive. This step is open to ideas and one’s choice. The Vietnamese woman who loves designs goes for poem leaf hat features, some who like oriental hat goes for traditional ones, and some try to match their traditional dress. Being a tropical country, every person has their own desired needs. The conical hats take different shapes and forms considering one’s choice; one set is always unique from the other. Learn More About Vietnamese Culture with Ling Well, this was a brief of the origin and beauty of the Vietnamese conical hat. Apart from the conical hat, you might as well want to learn about Vietnamese alphabets, their literature, and more about the Vietnamese people before landing in Vietnam. Acquiring such knowledge will help you gain a better experience in the country. Only a few people make an effort to learn something before a journey. Appreciating the eagerness of souls like you, the Ling App by Simya Solutions has prepared everything you need. From detailed Vietnamese vocabulary Langauge tips to cultural tour guides, you will find everything in just one go. You can start learning Vietnamese and other languages right away as Ling provides free service. Just grab your clothes, leave your books, and let Ling take you on a lifetime trip. 'Absolutely historic' George Conway reacts to Trump indictment 0244 - Source CNN The federal indictment of Donald Trump 18 videos 'Absolutely historic' George Conway reacts to Trump indictment 0244 Now playing - Source CNN Trump supporters outside GOP convention react to indictment 0313 Now playing - Source CNN 'I go on the president's word and he said he did' Rep. 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Hear what legal expert thinks 0048 Now playing - Source CNN CNN — Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on seven counts in the special counsel’s classified documents probe, a stunning development that marks the first time a former president has faced federal charges. Trump is facing a charge under the Espionage Act, his attorney Jim Trusty said on CNN Thursday, as well as charges of obstruction of justice, destruction or falsification of records, conspiracy and false statements. The special counsel has been investigating Trump’s handling of classified documents that were brought to his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort after he left the White House in 2021, as well as possible obstruction of the investigation and government efforts to retrieve the material. The former president wrote on Truth Social that he had been informed by the Justice Department he was indicted and that he was “summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM.” “The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax,” Trump wrote. Trusty told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that Trump’s attorneys received a summons via email from the Justice Department Thursday listing the charges, but haven’t seen the indictment yet. He called the Espionage Act charge “ludicrous.” In a sign of how tightly held the special counsel kept word of the indictment, the US Secret Service and US Marshals did not get advance notice and were surprised by Trump’s announcement on social media, law enforcement officials said Thursday. Law enforcement is now scrambling to prepare for the expected court appearance next week in Miami, and the Justice Department is moving additional resources there, officials said. The special counsel and the Justice Department did not make any public statements Thursday, and a spokesman declined comment. The federal indictment is the second time that Trump has been charged criminally this year. In April, the Manhattan district attorney charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business. But the indictment from the special counsel marks a new and more perilous legal phase for a former president, who is running for president again in 2024 while facing criminal charges in two jurisdictions – and with two additional investigations into his conduct still underway. The charges against Trump come just seven months since Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as a special counsel after Trump announced he was running for president, in order to keep the investigation independent from the Biden Justice Department. Now Trump will face federal charges from the special counsel at the same time that he is trying to unseat President Joe Biden in next year’s presidential election. The White House declined to comment Thursday evening. Trump has railed against the special counsel investigation and the other probes into his conduct, claiming they are all efforts to stop him politically. The former president has insisted that any criminal charges will not stop his 2024 campaign. Trump released a four-minute video Thursday evening repeating many of his past claims, including that the Justice Department is being weaponized and that the investigations into him are “election interference.” “I am an innocent man. I did nothing wrong,” Trump said in the video. Sources tell CNN that Trump and his team pre-recorded the video response before the Justice Department officially informed Trump of the indictment, a detail first reported by The New York Times. Trump has long avoided legal culpability in his personal, professional and political lives. He has settled a number of private civil lawsuits through the years and paid his way out of disputes concerning the Trump Organization. As president, he was twice impeached by the Democratic-led House, but avoided conviction by the Senate. But after leaving office, the Justice Department criminal investigations into the retention of classified information at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election cast dark clouds over Trump. Smith’s investigation into January 6 and efforts to overturn the election is still ongoing. And in addition to the Manhattan district attorney’s April indictment, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is expected to announce in August whether there are any charges in her investigation into attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump’s congressional allies quickly rallied to his defense on social media, just as they did when Trump was indicted in New York in April. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy tweeted that it was “a dark day for the United States of America.” “It is unconscionable for a President to indict the leading candidate opposing him. Joe Biden kept classified documents for decades,” the California Republican said. “The radical Far Left will stop at nothing to interfere with the 2024 election in order to prop up the catastrophic presidency and desperate campaign of Joe Biden,” House GOP conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik, a New York Republican, said in a statement. “Sad day for America. God Bless President Trump,” tweeted House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, an Ohio Republican. Trump’s aides and advisers feel emboldened by the indictment and are “ready to fight back,” a person who spoke with Trump Thursday told CNN. But while Trump and some of his aides may feel emboldened now, others close to the former president have expressed concern and reservation over the indictment. Despite possibly giving Trump a boost in polls and fundraising that could help the former president in the Republican primary, several top advisers know the risk associated with a federal indictment and believe it will hurt Trump in the long term. Trump’s federal indictment will once again make the 2024 GOP primary all about the former president, even in a week where multiple candidates entered the race. Ahead of Thursday’s indictment, several of Trump’s Republican rivals said the DOJ should not charge the former president, including Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence at a CNN town hall on Wednesday. For at least one of the Republicans running in the anti-Trump lane, however, Thursday’s indictment was a reason Trump should leave the race. “While Donald Trump is entitled to the presumption of innocence, the ongoing criminal proceedings will be a major distraction. This reaffirms the need for Donald Trump to respect the office and end his campaign,” said GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson. Several Democrats who investigated Trump during his presidency said that Thursday’s indictment showed no one was above the rule of law. “Trump’s apparent indictment on multiple charges arising from his retention of classified materials is another affirmation of the rule of law. For four years, he acted like he was above the law. But he should be treated like any other lawbreaker. And today, he has been,” wrote Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who led the House’s first impeachment of Trump in 2019. The Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s actions related to documents from his time in office burst into public view in August when FBI agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago and seized thousands of documents, including about 100 marked as classified. The FBI also subpoenaed the Trump Organization for surveillance video from the resort. Prosecutors had said in court filings they were pursuing possible criminal mishandling of national security information and obstruction of justice. The DOJ previously alleged that the classified documents were “likely concealed and removed” from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago as part of an effort to “obstruct” the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s potential mishandling of classified materials. After Trump returned 15 boxes of materials to the National Archives in January, the Justice Department subpoenaed Trump in May, seeking documents with classification markings that were still at Mar-a-Lago. According to a lawsuit he later filed, Trump directed his staff to search for any remaining classified material to comply with the subpoena. After federal investigators retrieved documents from the resort in June, his lawyers later told investigators that they had searched the storage area and that all classified documents were accounted for. Prosecutors said in August that that some documents were likely removed from a storage room before Trump’s lawyers examined the area, while they were trying to comply with the subpoena. In recent months, prosecutors heard from dozens of witnesses, including Trump aides and employees of Mar-a-Lago and the Trump Organization. The bulk of the witnesses appeared before a grand jury in Washington, DC, but in recent weeks multiple witnesses testified before a grand jury in southern Florida. Prosecutors obtained an audio tape of Trump talking about a classified Pentagon document during a 2021 Bedminster, New Jersey, meeting. On the recording, which was first reported by CNN, Trump acknowledged that the document was still classified, undercutting his argument that everything he brought with him to Mar-a-Lago had been declassified. This story has been updated with additional developments. CNN’s Dan Berman contributed to this report. Vietnamese hat is called Nón lá, meaning Vietnamese conical hat. Non La has become a typical symbol in Vietnamese culture, specifically related to the women and Ao Dai dress. Content menu History of appearing Vietnamese hatHow to make conical hatsStep 1 Choosing leavesStep 2 Creating frame and sharpening bamboo sticksStep 3 Put the dry leaves on the hat frameStep 4 Sewing the Vietnamese hatStep 5 Add the strap to the conical hatDifferent types of Vietnamese hatsWhen do the Vietnamese people wear hats?How much is a conical hat in Vietnam?Vietnamese conical-hat villages Many girls like to wears a Vietnamese hat with Ao dai. thanhphuongiir History of appearing Vietnamese hat Where is the conical hat from? Since ancient times, under the influence of the tropical monsoon climate, with a lot of rain and sunshine, Vietnamese people have known how to put leaves together. This way can create items to wear on their heads to cover the sun and rain. Gradually, the traditional Vietnamese hat appeared as a necessary item in daily life. Conical hats are made from simple and readily available materials such as palm leaves, conical leaves, bamboo, etc. With normal materials, but through the skillful hands of artisans, the Vietnamese conical hat has become a symbol of many traditional villages for centuries. According to Vietnamese history, conical hats were born around the 13th century under the Tran Dynasty. At that time, conical hats were used to make accessories for rich women, but the hat was quite thick and heavy. With the flow of time, the hat becomes lighter and more elegant. Conical hats have had many stages of change in their shape, from the round flat hat in the ancient North to the round conical hat in Hue City and Central Vietnam. A conical hat is commonly used because of its solid contouring appearance, both improving the aesthetic and having conical depth to serve the rain and sun protection. Although it has undergone various changes, Vietnamese hats have become an indispensable item in the daily life of Vietnamese people for generations. Many generations have handed this type of hat as a Vietnamese cultural feature, entering poetry and literature. >> You may want to know the clothing in Vietnam. How to make conical hats The main materials to make a Vietnamese hat are mainly palm or coconut leaves, bamboo stalks, thread, etc. Making Vietnamese hats. ahuhtgnoud Step 1 Choosing leaves The first step when making a hat is choosing leaves. There are many types of leaves that can be used to make hats, Vietnamese people often use coconut or palm leaves. Coconut leaves must come from the South, while palm ones are abundant in the North. The leaves will be dried in the sun, then the workers use a heated iron to iron the leaves to make them flat. The temperature on the iron is just hot enough otherwise it will burn the leaves. Step 2 Creating frame and sharpening bamboo sticks Next is the process of making a frame for hats, sharpening bamboo sticks. The craftsmen sharpen each stick so that it is round evenly. Typically, people try to make these sticks a very small diameter so that it is easy to bend them without breaking. Making a conical hat frame. naxouppa_ A complete hat will have about 16 bamboo spokes bent into a circle from large to small arranged in a pyramidal frame. The number 16 symbolizes the most beautiful time in the female lifetime. But, conical hats for Buddhist monks will have 18 bamboo spokes, which says that the Buddhist people want to keep the bustling life away when wearing big hats. Step 3 Put the dry leaves on the hat frame After the leaves are made flat and the conical mold is completed, people arrange about 24-25 leaves on top of each other in 2 layers. Making Vietnamese hats. naxouppa_ To put all leaves on the frame, workers cut one head of leaves diagonally, and sew this head together with a needle. In the middle of the two layers, people add dry banana leaves or paper or pictures, creating the third ordinary layer, to make the hat hard and durable. This step seems simple, but it requires a lot of techniques, to make it even, not to be displaced. Step 4 Sewing the Vietnamese hat The final step is to sew the hat. The craftsman uses a thread and a sewing needle to keep the leave layers together. ahuhtgnoud They often stitch each stitch through several layers to make sure to create a beautiful cone shape. Each stitch on the hat, although there is no specific measurement, it is neat, showing the ingenuity and professionalism of the hat maker. The stitching joints on the hat are also guaranteed to be perfectly concealed. After finishing the stitching, the craftsman will add on the inside top of the hat a flower made of colorful thread to make the hat more beautiful. The hat is finished after being coated with a layer of glossy plastic paint made of plastic. This skill can prevent rainwater not go through the pinholes on the hat. Finally, the hat is dried again to increase its durability. Step 5 Add the strap to the conical hat Inside the conical hat, there are additional straps to create symmetry on both sides, which helps the users can wear it easily, not fall off the hat. The hat strap can be made of normal fabric, velvet fabric, or silk with different colors to add beauty to the wearer. Non La is made with different styles. karakoram690 Different types of Vietnamese hats Vietnamese conical hats have different types according to each historical period. However, many kinds of hats are not suitable, so now there are a few types that exist Palm-leaf hats The hats made of palm leaves and bamboo frames are the most popular type in Vietnam, have a pointed pyramid shape and strap to hats The hats are formed from coconut leaves, usually in the South of Vietnam, especially the Mekong Quay Thao Quay Thao hats are made of palm leaves, with wide and flat brim. This type is popular in the North, only used in decoration or poem hats These hats are also made of palm leaves. But, in between two layers of leaves, there are poems and pictures about Bang hats nón lá bàng This new type of hat has recently appeared in Hue. The artisan uses carefully treated leaves of Terminalia catappa also called Singapore almond to make very beautiful hats, often used for decoration or performing arts. When do the Vietnamese people wear hats? Wear conical hats while working in the fields. palinuro1971 Vietnamese traditional hats have been used in most work, working in the fields, going to the market, and going out. However, today there is a change in fashionable style, not many Vietnamese people use conical hats as popularly as before. In spite of that, you can also see traditional conical hats on the rice fields that farmers still wear. And, when some girls take pictures with a traditional long dress, the Vietnamese conical hat is an indispensable accessory. Vietnamese people also use conical hats to decorate their homes, restaurants, or cafes. In the past, cyclists could wear conical hats; but, today this is not allowed, because of the danger that can occur. Therefore, you need to pay attention when riding a bicycle in Vietnam, you should not wear conical hats. How much is a conical hat in Vietnam? Selling Vietnamese hats in Dong Ba Market. soaipham The price of Vietnamese hats has different from the types, quality, and various regions in Vietnam. At Ben Thanh market, conical hats are sold at souvenir stalls. The hats are printed with many eye-catching patterns and images, with different sizes with prices ranging from 40,000 to 200,000 VND. In particular, hats with hand-embroidered pictures, landscape paintings, or knitted bamboo slats are favorite models. The hats with ancient style are often used as performance props with the highest selling price 200,000 – 300,000 VND. At some high-end fashion stores, this price can increase, but it is never a popular item. In Dong Ba Market in Hue City, you can find a lot of Vietnamese conical hats, typically Nón Bài Thơ – Poem conical hats. The price per one comes from 40,000 VND to 80,000 VND. Nowadays, people who come to buy conical hats are mainly tourists, they buy them as souvenirs from Vietnam. The local people also have bought them but not much because of changing fashionable thinks. Photo TieuBaoTruong/pixabay Vietnamese conical-hat villages Many conical hat villages in Vietnam preserve the image of conical hats. Each hat will have the characteristics of each region, but the common point is that they are all made by dedicated workers. In the North, it is famous for making hats with Chuong conical village Làng Chuông located about 40km from the center of Hanoi in Thanh Oai district, Hanoi. The conical hat of Chuong village was born in 1940, through many generations still maintains the traditional model of conical hat. The special feature of Chuong village’s conical hat is that the palm leaves are quite white, which are taken from the mountainous areas of Thanh Hoa and Ha Tinh. These leaves are dried in the sun until they are silvery white. Along the central region, conical hats flourish in the ancient capital of Hue with many conical villages such as Da Le, Phu Cam, Doc So…The characteristics of Hue conical hats are not only ordinary hats but also masterpiece works of art, the most unique of which is the poem conical hat. In the South, there is Thoi Tan hat village in Can Tho over 70 years old, made of bamboo and typical leaves of local trees. These materials make the hats look smooth and durable. Thoi Tan villagers also divide hats into two types of going-to-market hats and working-in-field hats. The market hats are a more carefully selected type in the leaves, much more elaborate than the field hats. A Vietnamese girl wears non la. dshongthu947 A traditional conical hat is a simple object, but it contains a lot of meaningful cultural values ​​for Vietnamese people. Surely, when visiting the S-shaped country, holding a conical hat in hand, you will have interesting impressions and experiences. So, you should range your time to find out the charm of conical hats along the Vietnam map during your holidays there when you have a chance. The non la Vietnamese conical hat is a typical sight in the rural towns and villages of Vietnam. But what are the origins of this traditional Vietnamese hat, how are they made and what are they made from? Vietnamese woman wearing her non la conical hat This post may contain compensated links. This means if you click on a link and make a purchase, this site receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you. Find more info in my disclaimer. Vietnamese trio wearing conical hats Many Vietnamese people wear the traditional conical nón lá hats and they’re a well-known symbol of Vietnam. You’ll often see the non la worn by Vietnamese women along with an elegant silk ao dai tunic dress over trousers as traditional Vietnamese dress. What does non la mean? What does non la mean?The story behind the Non La hatWhat is a non la hat made from?Where are non la made?Types of Non La Vietnamese hat Woman in Hoi An wearing her non la hat Non la translates simply as conical hat’ but they are also known as coolie hats, leaf hat, oriental hat or rice hats. The hats are worn to protect the wearer from both the sun and rain and can also be used as a cooling fan or a makeshift basket for carrying things. Non la hats also make the perfect Vietnamese souvenir. I bought one in the market place in Hoi An but they are sold all over the country. Buy non la online – click here to buy from the US and here to purchase from the UK. Non la hats are generally associated with Vietnamese people working in the paddy fields or farmers in rural Vietnam. You’ll still see a few people in large cities wearing non la. However, there are thousands of motorcycle and scooter riders nowadays and they’re required to wear helmets so the conical hats aren’t seen so much in places like Ho Chi Minh City. The story behind the Non La hat Woman wearing well-worn Nón Lá in Hoi An Although there are no definite origins of the Nón Lá, evidence of it has been found on inscribed on ancient bronzes and Ngoc Lu kettledrum which date back almost 3,000 years so this simple hat is proven to havae been around for centuries. Vietnamese legend has it that, during a long period of torrential rain, which happens a lot in Vietnam a giant woman descended from the sky wearing a hat so large it shielded the people from the rain. The hat was made with four large leaves woven together with bamboo sticks. The woman taught the people to grow vegetables, trees and herbs and they paid homage by honouring her as a goddess. The people made straw hats in the same shape as hers to protect themselves from the elements and the non la was created. What is a non la hat made from? The non la is a symbol of Vietnam The non la is hand-made generally from palm leaves or straw and bamboo and sometimes from the bark of the Moc tree. Whatever materials are to hand can be utilised. The dried palm leaves are ironed or flattened into shape and then two layers are sewn onto 14-16 circular bamboo frames. The finished hat is left out in the sun to harden and finished with a coat of oil. A chin strap made from fabric is sewn onto each side of the hat to stop it slipping off the wearers head. Where are non la made? Non la hat keeping the rain off Skillful artisans make non la right across Vietnam but Chuong village near Hanoi is where most of the production takes place. It’s estimated that 80% of the villagers earn a living through hat production and 7,000 to 8,000 thousand conical hats are hand-crafted every day. The skills and painstaking techniques used to create the conical hats have been passed down through families for generations. Types of Non La Vietnamese hat Selling non la hats in Hanoi There are various versions of Asian conical hats but the Vietnamese conical hat forms the most perfectly circular cone which tapers smoothly from base to tip. The nón bai tho poem leaf hat originated in the old Imperial Capital of Hue. Lines of verse are romantically stitched between the layers of palm leaf and are only visible when held up to the light. Silhouettes of bamboo and other images can also be used while some hats are embellished with fine embroidery or painting featuring symbols of Vietnamese culture. The Binh Dinh province is known for the thicker Go Cang non la whereas the Tay ethnic group is famous for its red Cao Bang hat. Generally women wear a broad-rimmed version of the hat, whereas men wear one with a smaller brim and higher cone although I didn’t notice any difference during my time in Vietnam. I’m happy to see that the Nón Lá, a symbol of Vietnamese culture and traditional dress, is still widely worn across the country and remains and intrinsic part of Vietnamese culture. Flower seller in Hanoi, Vietnam When I see an image like this I know immediately from the nón lá that it’s a place in Vietnam. Read more Vietnam posts here… An epic two-week Vietnam Itinerary Famous Landmarks in Vietnam Vietnam – Food, Flavour and Pho Hoi An – A Little Piece of Heaven Hoi An – A Culinary Quest Golf at Sea Links Golf Club, Mui Ne, Vietnam Things to do in Mui Ne Mui Ne – Kite Surfing Central Two days in Hanoi – a perfect itinerary Sightseeing and scooters in Saigon A night and a day hanging in Halong Bay Tomb and Temple Hopping in Hue How many motorcycles in Ho Chi Minh City Seeing in the New Year in Saigon I'm an American who tried Vietnamese McDonald's for the first time. Here's what surprised me and how it compared to the US version of the chain. During my stop at a McDonald's in Ho Chi Minh City, I tried items that are available globally and ones that are exclusive to Vietnam. Megan Gilbert I ate at a McDonald's in Vietnam to see how it compared to the chain's US locations. I sampled global favorites along with local specialties that are exclusive to Vietnamese McDonald's. The restaurant was spotless inside, but I wish its menu offered more dishes inspired by street food. Loading Something is loading. Thanks for signing up! Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. I love seeing how McDonald's adjusts its menus to fit different tastes around the globe. It's allowed me to try a cherry-blossom McFlurry in Japan and a Chicken Maharaja Mac in when I visited Vietnam during my three-month trip through Southeast Asia, I knew I had to stop at a McDonald's ordered some of my favorites from back in the US — like a Big Mac, french fries, and chicken sandwiches — to see how they compared. I also tried some unique menu items exclusive to McDonald's in Vietnam. When I got to the McDonald's in Ho Chi Minh City, the branding was familiar, but the inside felt more upscale than the US locations I'd visited. The fast-food restaurant has the same Golden Arches as the US locations. Megan Gilbert There are only about 20 McDonald's in Ho Chi Minh City, and I visited one near Ho Chi Minh City's Bui Vien Walking Street, an area popular with backpackers. It had four stories towering into the sky and massive floor-to-ceiling with outdoor seating, this McDonald's had a much more laid-back environment than the crowded street-food markets I'd grown to love in inside of the franchise was so pristine that it actually made me miss the lovable wear and tear I'd gotten used to seeing at many McDonald's in the US. I arrived around lunchtime, so I was surprised to find no one in line when I went to order. The McDonald's had a touchscreen and a counter in the ordering area. Megan Gilbert Vietnam's food culture is centered around sharing and hanging out at roadside food stalls — two things people can't really do at McDonald' also didn't pick up on a huge burger culture in Vietnam, which made me wonder if Big Macs are a hard I saw a big group of foreigners place orders, followed by some local teens and young adults. I ordered through a touchscreen, which streamlined the whole process and removed any language barriers. Many of the McDonald's I've been to in the US didn't have touchscreens. Megan Gilbert The ordering process was really easy because the touchscreen gave me the option to translate the entire menu into English. I sampled some tried-and-true favorites and some menu items that are only available in Vietnam. I ordered more than I usually would've so I could try a wide variety of dishes. Megan Gilbert For entrées, I chose a McRoyal Deluxe, a Big Mac, an order of fried chicken and rice, and a McSpicy paired them with sides of sweet corn and french fries plus a salted calamansi apricot juice, an iced matcha latte, and a total came out to 480,000 dong, or about $ tried to order as many local specialties as I could while still trying the Vietnamese versions of my favorites. The McRoyal Deluxe was the most similar to the Quarter Pounder, my favorite McDonald's burger in the US. Unlike the Quarter Pounder, the McRoyal Deluxe contains mayonnaise and lettuce. Megan Gilbert The McRoyal Deluxe with cheese shares some similarities with the Quarter Pounder with cheese, but they're really different one thing, the McRoyal Deluxe's bun was darker in color and less soft than the one that comes with Quarter McRoyal Deluxe also had iceberg lettuce, which isn't on Quarter Pounders, and a thick slathering of mayonnaise instead of the Quarter Pounder's combination of ketchup and biggest difference was the McRoyal Deluxe's patty, which tasted drier and less juicy than the ones in Quarter Pounders. I couldn't come to a McDonald's in Vietnam without trying its version of the Big Mac. The Big Mac in Vietnam looked smaller than the ones I've had in the US. Megan Gilbert Before taking my first bite of the Big Mac, I noticed that it looked hastily prepared and a little sloppy. So, I put it back together before snapping a bun was darker than I expected, with a similar hue to the McRoyal Deluxe's breading. It also looked thinner than a typical Big Mac bun, which made the Vietnamese version seem small in also noticed that there seemed to be more Big Mac sauce and lettuce on the Vietnamese version, though that could've been specific to my burger. Overall, this Big Mac was a little sad and didn't compare to the ones I've had in the US. The McSpicy Deluxe was comparable to the US' Spicy Deluxe McCrispy, but it had mayonnaise instead of spicy sauce. I preferred the chicken in the McSpicy Deluxe better than the meat in the Spicy Deluxe McCrispy. Megan Gilbert In the US, the Spicy Deluxe McCrispy has McDonald's Southern-style fried chicken, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and spicy pepper sauce on a potato tried ordering what seemed like a very similar sandwich in Vietnam called the McSpicy Deluxe, but it ended up being a little different. The Vietnamese version had a chicken filet that seemed thicker and juicier, and it came with a slathering of mayonnaise in place of spicy pepper sauce. The fried chicken and rice weren't my favorite, and I probably wouldn't order this dish again. I loved the "M" written with sauce, but the two pieces of chicken and rice missed the mark. Megan Gilbert Not even the McDonald's "M" written in the rice was enough to make up for this meal's dry, overly spicy pieces of chicken. I was also confused to see iceberg lettuce the kind that goes on Big Macs as a side. I found the white rice to be bland and overcooked. To put it kindly, I wasn't blown away. I ordered the dish after seeing an advertisement for it by the counter, but I don't think mine didn't end up looking like the one in the felt like a sad attempt at what could've been an interesting meal, and I wouldn't have chosen it as one of the few Vietnamese dishes on the menu. Customers can order sweet corn as a side instead of french fries. I ordered corn as a side with my Big Mac meal, which was an interesting pairing. Megan Gilbert In Vietnam, you can order a side of sweet corn at McDonald's instead of the brand's french fries. I ordered it as part of my Big Mac meal, and it came in a small plastic container. I thought the McDonald's corn would be buttery and sweet, but it had a plain taste and dull texture. The most interesting menu items were the salted calamansi apricot juice and the iced matcha latte. The salted calamansi apricot juice and the iced matcha latte were the highlights. Megan Gilbert Calamansi are a hybrid citrus plant also known as Phillippine limes, and the salted calamansi apricot juice tasted salty, tangy, and sweet. If the beverage was a bit sweeter and a little less tangy, it might've tasted like sweet iced matcha latte was also a delicious, refreshing addition to my meal. Read next Features Freelancer Evergreen story More...

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