Through a brief conversation with the Tourism Ambassador Ly Nha Ky, what impresses me is not only her beautiful and luxurious looks but also the openness and enthusiasm in her communication. Her eagerness for Tet, especially Tet dishes makes me feel her close like a friend long time no see , with the same common sense for such important holidays of Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay has been selected as one of the seven natural wonders of the world recently, is she glad when this event is exactly in your tenure of Tourism ambassador?

I’m very happy and furthermore I also feel proud. This miracle doesn’t come by chance, and doesn’t fall in my term randomly. We all know that the campaign to vote for Ha Long Bay has lasted for four years, and in July this year, in the decisive ending time, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has developed a campaign to call for votes and accelerate the search and appointment to the positon of Tourism ambassador to promote this campaign.

Compared with those who push for the campaign” seven new natural wonders of the world”, I have only contributed a very small part of my effort. This victory belongs to all of people. But indeed, in the last days, I feel the weight of my responsibility. And also because of that mood, I am very happy when the words "Ha Long Bay" appears on the computer screen on the website of the organization New Open World ".

Many people just look into your private life or your degree, not your doings as a Tourism ambassador, how have youovercome this?

When you are determined to achieve something great for yourself, and for the whole community, you will feel injustice that happens to you is very small. It just hurt your outside and cannot damage your heart, or disturb your mind. It even makes you feel stronger to win. Immediately after my appointment, as I said, not waiting for the ceremony promptly I decided to start the first actions, and followed a hectic schedule, busy from the South to the North with all classes of people , so I do not have time to take care of what people talk about me. For transparency, the Ministry has stood out for me to answer the journalists in the press conference. So  I feel more confident, because besides the people who deliberately talk up a lot of things, people still believe me.

Ha Long Bay has been selected as one of the seven natural wonders of the world, is that victory your answer for those who have been opposed to you before?

I think this victory not only can make me head up before the criticism who aim at my capacity, my status, but also confirm that Ministry of culture, sport, tourism did not choose the wrong person. And furthermore, the campaign to vote for Ha Long Bay is very correctand effective.

In your opinion, what is the role of Food in the development of tourism and the promotion of the image of Vietnam to the world?

Eating is not only an essential needs of visitors every day but also a value system that they want to discover after arriving in a new land. Vietnam has a very rich and creator cuisine. Cha Ca La Vong and  Pho have been recognized as one of the world's most delicious dishes, or ” dishes to eat before you die”. The specialties of three regions is not the culinary elite convergence of the whole nation, but also in them "national spirit", "national drug", worthy of the intangible cultural heritage which should be preserved and honored. Advertisements of food  is a way to promote Vietnam's image through ... the taste of tourists. That's the way to conquer the stomach of the visitors before conquering them with different values.

As a Tourism ambassador, if you choosea dish of Vietnamto introduce to the foreign friends, which will you choose ? Why?

I will choose Pho, although I am not a person of the North and my love for Pho is lower than Beef noodle. However, I find in Pho a value which will be able to conquer the foreign friends. It has beef which is very familiar and close to Western visitors, so they can use it immediately without any shyness. And the Chinese, Korean, Japanese people can also see in noodle wheat species which is very typical of their countries. Pho has all those things, stained together in rich-of-protein soup, which is very close to the typical cuisine of the Vietnamese soup. I keep thinking about a harmony between East, West and Vietnam in the bowl of  Pho.

Can you cook? Which food do you like best?

I can cook, but I’m so busy with my job that I do not have much time to cook. I like“Canh chua bong sung“ and“Bun rieu”. I still remember on my mother’s birthday, I wanted to make her surprised with “ Canh chua bong sung” which I myself cooked because my mother loves this dish. At that time, I really did not know how to cook so I cooked follow the instructions of a book..The result was that it was very sour, the more I tried to improve it, the more problem it had, but my mother still ate it deliciously. It made me remember forever.

Tet holidays are coming, do you intend to do something? 

Recently,I have been so busy that I do not have much time for my family so Tet holidays this year, I will spend more time with my family, my relatives, especially my mother.

This year is the year I take on more responsibility as the first Tourism Ambassador of Vietnam and the first person to take the 8 diamond brand- famous all over the world- of Enigma group to Vietnam. With this responsibility, I am trying to do my best.

In your opinion, which food is an indispensable item in Tet holidays? And does it have any meaning to you?

Of course that’s “ Banh chung”. Every time I see it, I feel that New Year has arrived, a year has passed.  And eating a piece of Banh chung during this holiday is an opportunity to remember the old year, to test my feeling about it. Honestly, I kept looking for a delicious feeling, rapture of  a piece of  Banh chung on 30^th  Tet when I was a child, eating it after peeling off the slightly- hot leaves, taste pieces of fat and greasy meat . These sensations never seem to be found again, though “Banh chung” is more delicious now, I still want to taste the “Banh chung” that day.

 
I feel a piece of Banh chung as a marker of one year to look back, compare and imagine, to see that I have grown, have become mature and childhood has passed.

 Tet 2012 has coming, do you want to send any greetings to the readers of  “ Quan Ngon 3 mien” ?

 Wish you have a happy New Year full of all tastes ! (laughing). Because we are talking a lot about the food, so I would like to wish the readers of “Quan Ngon 3 mien” a happy New Year with family, friends ... A New Year with  relaxation, delicious and nutritious diet will give us a lot of energy to start a full of hope new year.