London (VNS/VNA) - A triptych of three large oil on canvas paintingsadorning Viet Rest restaurant in London has become a new magnet to bringVietnamese living in the UK capital city together. 

"Ifeel as if I were sitting on a boat floating on the real Ha Long Bay,"said Long Vi Van, owner of the restaurant, who commissioned painter Vu KimThanh to paint three pieces of Ha Long Bay. 

"Itwas a run down restaurant when I bought it," said Van. "I have commissionedMr Thanh to paint Vietnam's two World Heritage sites on the walls: Ha Long Bayand Son Doong, the world's largest cave."

"Iwanted to show our customers here in London the beautiful landscapes of Vietnam."

Sincethe murals were painted, Van said the number of customers increased. Therestaurant has become a meeting destination for not only the local Britishdiners but also serves as a home for Vietnamese living in the Greenwich Boroughof London.

"Wehave been packed for a few days now," he said. "Many Londoners cameto us, many filled all the seats. Some could not wait they had to leave, butmany asked about the painter and showed their respect. Some even asked for thepainter's contacts and want to commission him to paint more at their places."

Painter Thanhtold Vietnam News he haspainted the landscapes of Perfume Pagoda, Son Doong Cave, and Ha Long Bayfor shops and restaurants. He has also painted the picturesque Ba Vi mountainsand some other landscapes.

Aself-taught painter, Thanh has also honed his skills at an art school inthe UK, where he learned anatomy and painted nude models. 

Hehas also used acrylic, oil, pencils and aquarelle in still-life, abstract andother styles.

Hestarted in 1975 and in 2002, he brought home some paintings to be in anexhibition with 50 other painters in his home city of Hai Phong. 

Earlierin 2000, he had a solo exhibition in London, which was reported by BBCVietnamese. Now Thanh is a member of an art group that exhibits around the UK.

Thanhsaid he felt quite lonely in London, where he's the only Vietnamese painter.

"I'mvery happy and proud to see a Vietnamese painter in London, who painted ourhomeland world-famous landscape for everyone to contemplate, admire and soothe ournostalgia," said a diner who didn't want to give his name. 

Thanhrecalled that a diner saw him paint at the restaurant and said: "Thisrestaurant has been our common meeting ground, you painted homeland picturesand let our souls immerse into our beautiful landscapes. I love you and saluteyou!"

Twowaiters of the restaurants have not only been busy serving the customers, butalso explaining what the paintings are about. 

Paintedon the two opposite long walls of a small restaurant, one painting is 6m x 1.4mthe other is 7m x 1.4m mural. It's impossible to capture the wholepainting in one photo. The third wall features a full moon night on thebay. 

Themurals depict two famous scenes on Ha Long Bay, namely the Rooster &Hen Islands, and the Cave of the Wooden Head. 

Onthe moonlit night mural, the painter even added real pebbles on oil, acombination which he said is very solid and can't even be broken witha hammer. 

Painter Thanhhas injected souls into the mute stone structure, making the figures likehumans interacting with each other.

HaLong Bay is Vietnam's most well-known summer destination. For those who livethousands of miles away from home, they cherish touching something endearinglike the images of the stone islands on the bay. 

Oneof the World Natural Heritage sites recognised by UNESCO, there have been numerouspoems, essays, paintings, video clips and millions of pictures taken at Ha LongBay. But it's truly a rare occasion when a few dozen-square murals of Ha LongBay were painted in the UK.

"Thankyou to painter Vu Kim Thanh and Viet Rest owner for having brought Ha Long Bayall the way to London!" reads a comment on the restaurant's Facebookpage./.