“When Covid-19 hit, the number of tourists dropped to a very low level, just like a trickle. We are struggling to make a living. How do we feed the horses?”, Ms. Begum talk to AFP . During last year’s blockade, 41 horses, including Begum’s eight, died, she added. Dozens of horses in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, starve to death because their owners can’t afford to feed them. Photo: AFP. At Cox’s Bazar, people often keep horses to rent to tourists when they go out on the beach. The owners of the horses say they are struggling to have enough money to buy hay for their cattle. Some owners have freed their horses, in the hope that they can make a living on their own. Not to mention raising cattle, horse owners here say they also struggle to feed their families. Many people, including Ms. Begum, have to borrow money from small lending companies to make ends meet. “Every week, employees of the loan company come to my house to collect installment loans. But, if tourists don’t come to Cox’s Bazar, I don’t have the money to pay,” Begum said, adding that she borrowed about $1,200. Dozens of horse riders, often hired by horse owners to teach tourists how to ride, have turned to cart drivers or masons. Like many other countries, Bangladesh is struggling with a new wave of Covid-19. The health system is bearing the brunt, and lockdowns have been imposed across the country.

A corner of Da Vien dune. According to the People’s Committee of Hue City, the plan of planning and investment in Da Vien islet along the Perfume River is currently being urgently promoted, with many items and functions for tourism, promoting cultural, historical and landscape values. nature. This investment is part of the detailed planning project on both banks of the Perfume River which has just been approved by TT-Hue Provincial People’s Committee. Con Da Vien has long become a famous place, its name is also used to name road bridges and water factories. Accordingly, at Da Vien dune south of the Perfume River, Millennium Park will be formed, with a scale of 10.5 hectares. This is considered as a garden “Ngu Yuan” in the ancient Citadel, creating an attractive destination for tourists and people. There are still some vestiges of the past, which used to be the Ngu garden under the Nguyen Dynasty. Accordingly, the city government will build at Da Vien dune a system of walkways and pedestrian bridges connecting to the dunes from Bui Thi Xuan street, forming lawns, tropical forests, squares, and promenades. overhead, riverside scenic spots, gardens. The park in Da Vien is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year. Promote the embellishment of a part of Da Vien dune space. In addition to the current landscape decoration, tree system, and walkways, the research on building a garden “Ngu Yuan” like under the Nguyen Dynasty at Da Vien dune is being promoted, to be deployed in the future. next. This garden is located in the west of Da Vien dune, with landscape architecture arranged in a terraced style, as is often used in ancient mausoleums and in the Hue Citadel. Restoring landscape trees damaged by storms by the end of 2020. The garden “Ngu Yuan” includes a system of green trees associated with clusters of historical vestiges on Da Vien dune such as: Quan Phong floor, gun field, boat dock, Du Da Vien stone stele, earth god temple… At Ngu garden, there will be tall green trees typical of Hue garden landscape such as field corn, milkweed, camphor, horse music, etc. Besides, there will be shrubs suitable for flooded areas such as boron jelly, water bamboo. , mai just Thien, jasmine flowers, bamboo, bamboo … in the area close to the river When it becomes the garden “Ngu Yuan”, many species of trees from the North – Central – South regions will converge here. The space of Da Vien Water Factory with the water tower built in 1953 is expected to be the venue for symposia, cultural, political, artistic events, and a space to display tourism products and services. herbal therapy and performing arts field… This place also arranges species of tamarind, black star, phoenix dance, Christmas incense, pink trumpet typical for the Southern space, and plants with changing leaves such as milk flowers, cold rice, and eagle typical of the North… According to historical and cultural documents, Da Vien dune has a length of about 850m, the widest place is about 185m, southwest of Hue Citadel. When building the Hue Citadel, Hen islet was chosen as a feng shui element “left dragon”, Da Vien dune is “huu white tiger”. Con Da Vien has a length of about 850m, the widest place is about 185m, this is considered an important feng shui element “friendly white tiger” when building the ancient Hue Citadel. Those are two natural islands located in the Perfume River (the section that flows through Hue City today), visualized by the architects as “chau dragon” and “tiger bow” to protect the dynasty according to the style of art. oriental water. According to some ancient bibliographies, in the reign of Lord Nguyen Phuc Khoat (1738-1765), an arena between elephants and tigers was held here. The epic battles between elephants and tigers later took place in Ho Quyen, built by King Minh Mang in 1830. It is known that the name Da Vien appeared in the reign of Tu Duc (1848-1883). According to the existing stone stele on Da Vien dune, the garden was established in May, Tu Duc year 21 (July 1868). Da Vien road bridge crosses the Perfume River and goes on Da Vien dune. Posts “Sign of the Wild Wilderness” written by King Tu Duc when the construction of the Ngu garden was completed here (The National History of the Nguyen Dynasty was engraved in the collection of Ngu Ngu Van Thi Tape in the year of Tu Duc 29-1876, tamed during the period 1868-1876). ) described quite fully the contents related to geographical location, natural features, nature, people’s life before and after being relocated, cleared to get land to build Du Da Vien as well as such as the description of the architecture, activities, pleasures and rest of the king in this royal garden. There is a railway bridge running across it named Bach Ho. Today, Da Vien dune is a green area with the existence of Da Vien Water Factory (water tower built in 1953) and has a number of houses. Across Da Vien dune and Perfume River, there are two road and railway bridges named Da Vien and Bach Ho. 15 years ago, this place was deliberately turned into a reinforced concrete high-rise tourist area. This intention was met with a reaction from the public, so it did not come true. 15 years ago, Da Vien dune was targeted by investors to build a high-class tourist and resort area; with a 3-storey 5-star building complex, a 2-storey international conference area… However, this investment direction encountered a drastic response from public opinion, so the authorities were forced to stop. Currently, the local government is planning, investing, embellishing and promoting the value of Da Vien dune in a suitable and harmonious way with the detailed planning of the two banks of the Perfume River approved by the TT-Hue Provincial People’s Committee.

The magic rock in La Pan Tan. Photo: Thai Sinh. I was told by many people about the sacredness of the magic rock located in La Pan Tan commune, where there are beautiful terraced fields, which in 2020 was ranked as a special national scenic spot by the Prime Minister, in 2020. Especially the Raspberry Hill makes many people fascinated by the wonderful creativity of the people here. I have been wandering around the land of Mu Cang Chai (Yen Bai) for many days, heard many stories about the magic rock but did not know where it is located, until today, the Secretary of the Youth Union of La Pan Tan commune was named: Mr. Lu A Tu led him up to see and tell the stories that his own family had come to beg for with many inexplicable mysteries. It turned out that the magic rock was located next to the road from the headquarters of the People’s Committee of La Pan Tan commune to the Mam Xoi hill. From the concrete road to the place where the god resides, it is only about 50m, passing several terraced fields and a small stream. Miraculously, around the rock are terraced fields, absolutely no other rocks, as if this rock was lifted by some magical hand from another place to put it neatly here. The rock is vertical, almost as high as a two-story house leaning against the strip of land like a dragon’s body, and the rock is the dragon’s head slithering from the top of Ta Xa mountain down to the stream to drink water. People come to give thanks to the god rock. Photo: Lu A Tu. An old story has it that, in the rainy season of that year, the rain was so heavy that it lasted for a whole month, it rained continuously and persistently, causing the soil to loosen, and thunder and lightning were so intense that no one dared to step foot out of the house. On one night, there was a huge thunderclap that shook the whole mountain and forest, the sleeping children cried and cried, the old people crouched as if the mountain had collapsed, the sky was as black as kitchen ash suddenly lit up, looking up at the top of Ta Xa mountain. saw a flash of light along with the sound of thunder, and the thunder lasted for half a chicken without stopping. Early the next day, people looked up at the top of the mountain and saw a huge gap, then last night lightning struck the mountain top and split the rock, half drifted down to Pu Nhua which was the wife’s island, half drifted down the Hang. When Sung met the mountain, he stopped by the stream, which is the husband island. The Mong people call it Na Chi Khua Pao De. That is, the parent rock or the magic rock. Lu A Tu sat down on a stone by the stream and told me, his daughter’s name is Lu Thi Tuyet Nga, born in 2016, when she was over a year old, the stunted person couldn’t eat or sleep and cried all day, walking unsteadily with shaky steps… I don’t know what the disease is, no matter how much medicine I take, I can’t get rid of it, and even inviting a priest to worship doesn’t do anything. The new couple discussed taking the baby to the rock to ask for a name, like asking for a god’s adoption. As a union cadre, Tu didn’t really believe in such things, but his parents urged him so he and his wife took their child to carry a thread to make their ass. Three days before taking their daughter to ask for the health of the magic stone, the couple ate, drank, slept very pure, bathed the child with fragrant leaves, they chose a beautiful time to take their daughter to the place where the divine rock resides, place thread on the rock, the couple and the child knelt down to pray: My name is Lu A Tu from Ta Chi Lu village, today with my wife and my wife brought our daughter, Lu Thi Tuyet Nga, to ask Na Chi Khua Pao De to accept it. My daughter is adopted. God of stone, please give my child good health, grow up fast, walk as steady as a stone… The vows of the couple Tu are very long with sincere hearts and praying to the stone god to protect their daughter. After making offerings, they tie a thread to their daughter’s wrist and call her Goat. Goat, Hmong means stone. Since that day, Lu Thi Tuyet Nga is the adopted child of the stone god Na Chi Khua Pao De. Unexpectedly, after that day of worship, the girl ate well, slept well, her steps were steady, no longer shaking and falling like before. To repay the favor to the god rock, from the 2nd to the 5th day of the lunar new year, Lu A Tu and his wife choose a day to bring a chicken or a piece of pork to the foot of the rock to give thanks. The people knelt at the foot of the god rock. Photo: Lu A Tu. Vang A Sao, an officer of the Mu Cang Chai Protection Forest Management Board, from Pung Luong commune, said: Any family who comes to ask for a stone has the god of health, luck, rice and cattle… they have to pay the ceremony for three years. The stone god ceremony is simple, just a chicken, or a piece of meat. That piece of meat must be kept from the family’s Tet slaughtered pig, not meat bought at the market. Any family that can do business should bring a pig about 15-20kg to give thanks… The old people come to the ceremony to stick talismans on the stone for good luck. Photo: Lu A Tu. According to Lu A Tu, from the 2nd to the 5th day of the Lunar New Year, hundreds of people from all over Mu Cang Chai district come here to celebrate, some 200 people a day. They built a kitchen along the stream bank around a rock several tens of meters long, they slaughtered chickens and pigs to make offerings around the rock to worship. After the ceremony was over, they ate and drank at the foot of the rock… Looking at the foot of the rock, I saw that there were many bowls and rice bowls left behind and a few handfuls of unlit incense, Lu A Tu pointed to a small altar attached to the stone niche and said: People worship here, people worship on the ground, You can worship anywhere around this god rock… The sacrifices of the deceased shamans were brought by the family members and left on the rock. Photo: Thai Sinh. Looking up at the side of the rock, there are wooden slats like altars or stairs that have been left on it for a long time. I asked why there were items placed on it, Tu explained that: It was the altar or the sacrifices of the shamans, after the shamans died, the family carried those things on their backs. the stone, as if returning it to the magic stone, or having the magic stone bring it to the dead in the afterlife, or the things of the god stone, just return the god stone… The dress of the person who came to the ceremony left behind. Photo: Thai Sinh. I looked down at the stream and saw many new dresses and shirts as if someone had brought them up and left them here. Tu explained that many sick people want to be healthy, they wear two shirts or skirts each, one new and one old, and place at the foot of the rock to pray. After praying, they wear a new dress or shirt, and the old dress and shirt are left behind. The dress and shirt worn carry the power of the magic stone, that person will be healthy and less sick. The mountain wind blew those skirts and dresses down the stream that I saw. Tu bent down and lifted a dress from the stream to show me, the dress sent back to the magic rock with the belief that it would give them health. On the way back, Lu A Tu continued: My father was told by the elders that that year, a couple brought a son about 6-7 years old, who was sick and crippled, his studies were not going anywhere, so he came to ask for help. The stone god of health and wisdom. They worshiped at the foot of the rock, when they bowed their heads to the rock, the boy saw an old man with white beard and white hair appear from the rock to help them up. Suddenly, the old man was nowhere to be seen, and when he returned home, he told his parents. After that day he was healthy and studied very well, was appointed as an official… Another miracle is that the stream at the foot of the magic rock never dries up, March is in the middle of the dry season, all over the mountains and forests of Mu Cang Chai are dry, many streams are dry at the bottom, especially the stream at the foot of the rock. Not big, but the water is abundant all year round.

Wild mustangs in the US are of Spanish origin. According to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), mustangs are not wild horses because they come from a domesticated population, and therefore, wild mustangs are considered wild. They can be found freely throughout the western United States but are kept and ridden by humans like other horses. According to Horse Canada, a government-run horse website, the Mustang has a muscular body and hard hooves, which makes them suitable for scouting and horseback riding. Equus horses, evolved in North America about 4 million years ago, before spreading to the rest of the world. The last real American wild horses died about 10,000 years ago, possibly due to climate change and human interactions. Characteristics of Mustang Mustangs, like other horses, are usually measured by hand, typically 14 to 15 arm span tall. This is equivalent to 56 inches to 60 inches (140 to 150 cm). They weigh about 360 kg. Mustangs can be available in a variety of colors. Usually, they are reddish brown, or sorrel, chestnut in color. They can also have multiple patches, spots, and stripes. Mustang lives in the grasslands of the western United States and mainly feeds on grasses and palms. The US Land Administration oversees “wild” horse and burro populations, and allows them to run freely on 10.9 million hectares of public land. The range is divided into 10 herd management zones: Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana-Dakotas, New Mexico, Oregon-Washington, Utah and Wyoming. According to Smithsonian Magazine, wild horses also live on the Atlantic coast and on islands such as the Sable Islands, Shackleford and Assateague. Mustangs live in herds. According to the Humane Society, a herd consists of a stallion and about eight females and calves, although separate herds have been known to mix when they are in danger. Each herd is led by a mare or mare and a stallion over 6 years old. In dangerous situations, the dominant mare will lead the herd to a safe place, the stallion staying to fight. Like other mammals, the mare is 11 months pregnant and usually born in April, May or early June. This gives foals time to grow before the cold months of the year. Horses typically live for 25 to 30 years in captivity, although some live up to the age of 40. Horses that live in the wild, like wild populations in public lands in the western United States, generally have a shorter lifespan, although they have been reported to live up to 36 years. There are many types of mustangs? Horses originally introduced by the Spanish into North America bred with other domestic horses for many years and, therefore, Mustangs are often a mix of several different breeds. These breeds include draft horses and purebred horses. Mustangs bred between different populations and some more closely resembled their Hispanic ancestors than others. For example, Oregon Kiger mustangs live in small, isolated herds and their bloodline is largely derived from early Spanish horses. Mustangs are known for their wild nature, but they can be domesticated and rode like other horses. However, this process will take longer if they are obtained directly from the wild – rather than in captivity – and they are not used to being handled by villagers. The number of mustangs declined dramatically in the 20th century due to horses being killed and captured for a variety of reasons, including for human and dog food. America in 1900; According to AMNH, by 1971, the number of mustangs had decreased to 17,300. The Mustang was later secured on public lands, along with burros. The US Congress declared the mustang “a living symbol of the historic spirit and pioneer of the West.” This Act also allows them to be regulated and controlled. The US Land Administration controls mustang and burro counts on public lands. The process is controversial and several wildlife protection groups. Without human intervention, mustang populations can rapidly increase because not many predators, such as wolves, can naturally control them, according to AMNH.