Food for the palette from every corner of Vietnam

(Vietnam Travel)Ha Thanh Food Festival is one of the main activities that has come along with the 1000 year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi.
The opening ceremony of the festival attracted so many visitors that traffic was severely jammed along Lac Long Quan Street. People hurried, pushed and shoved to get to the food festival.
A very large parking area was arranged to watch vehicles for visitors but it could not meet the demand. Many people had their vehicles kept at private parking areas. However, these visitors were over-charged with prices as high as VND50,000 ($2.6) per vehicle which is much higher than normal price.
Over-crowding left many visitors disappointed. There was not much space to enjoy the exciting atmosphere of the event. Many felt exhausted after being kept waiting to buy coupons or to queue at food booths.
The crowded atmosphere made it quite difficult for visitors to soak in the cultural and artistic value of the event.
However, in the coming days, the situation should be much improved so visitors can enjoy the unique food culture of the North, Central and South of Vietnam.
At the parking areas, they won’t have to queue up too long tor worry about being overcharged.
Below are some pictures of the festival:

Below are some pictures of the festival:

 

“Banh cuon” (rolled cake) of Ba Hoanh is a famous brand in Hanoi 

Cha ca (fried fish with dill recipe) is a specialty of Hanoi

Food court from the central region lured many customers with unique dishes

Vegetarian food has its own special features at the food court of the South

Visitors have a chance to understand more about special kinds of tea, which were often used by kings from dynasties of the Old Capital city of Hue

Children look on in awe

A dragon made from fruit

Calligraphy also attracted a lot of visitors

Souvenir area showcases traditional gifts

Many young people want to keep images of the festival

Hanoi Turns Blue Purple

(Vietnam Travel)Hanoi is adorned with a carpet of Ban (Bauhinia) flowers in purple colour spreading around Hoan Kiem Lake and along Thanh Nien and Bac Son Roads.
It looks like a corner of the northwestern region.

Hanoi - Old streets and traditional trades

(Vietnam Travel) Hanoi has an old quarter of 36 streets, each being closely attached to a traditional trade that is clearly shown by its name, such as Hang Muoi (salt) Street selling salt, Hang Manh (curtain) Street selling bamboo curtains, Hang Bac (silver) Street selling silver jewellery.

 A corner of Hang Quat Street in Hanoi

Mentioning the old streets of Hanoi, the essay “Notes taken on rainy days” by Pham Dinh Ho writes: “Dien Hung ward (present-day Hang Ngang) and Dong Lac ward (present-day Hang Dao) are places where many cloths and silk products are sold.” According to Hanoi researcher Nguyen Vinh Phuc, all kinds of papers, such as Giay ban (tissue paper), Giay moi (inferior tissue paper), Giay boi (coarse paper) and other popular papers made by people in Buoi and Cot Villages were sold on Hang Giay Street in the past.
Some streets were named after a legend or special ana, such as Hang Chao (rice porridge) Street which was the place selling rice porridge to candidates who came to the capital to attend “Thi Hoi” (National Examination) and “Thi Dinh” (Court Examination) or Trang Tien Street near Hoan Kiem Lake where once existed a coin casting workshop of the Nguyen Dynasty (the 19th century).
At present, the number of old streets in Hanoi is a matter of controversy because someone said that 36 is only a symbolic number. However, it is correct to say that people on each old street engaged in a trade. In the past, people from all parts of the country flocked to the capital to set themselves up in business. Following the trade motto “It needs friends when trading and it needs to establish guilds when selling”, they lived together in one place and gradually established guilds specializing in trades and products.
Due to this unique feature, Hanoians usually think of one street where they can buy what they want. For example, the locals usually venture to Hang Manh Street to buy bamboo curtains, Thuoc Bac Street to buy medicinal herbs, Hang Chieu Street to buy mats, etc.
Hanoi is undergoing drastic changes daily and the old quarter with “Hang” streets are also affected by the process of development. Hotels, restaurants, coffee shops, etc., have mushroomed on these streets, so only a few streets with the traditional trades remain, such as Hang Bac, Hang Ma, Hang Manh, Hang Chieu, Hang Dong, etc.
The others have engaged in other trades, for example, Hang Than Street now sells Banh com (green rice flake cakes), teas and cigarettes in service of wedding ceremonies; Hang Vai Street sells bamboo products; Hang Chao sells mechanical and electric products to meet the demand of customers in the modern life. In addition, many new streets with new trades have been established in Hanoi, such as Hai Ba Trung Street selling electronic products, Ly Nam De Street selling computers, Luong Van Can Street selling children toys, Hoang Hoa Tham Street selling ornamental trees and Dang Dung Street selling second-hand mobile telephones.
Strolling through the old quarter or “36 streets” of Hanoi one can perceive the beauty as well as typical feature of these streets which should be preserved by not only the authorities but also the locals.  

 Lo Duc is the only street having rows of Sao trees (Hopea odorata) hundreds of years old

 A family engaging in the traditional goldsmithery on Hang Bac Street

 Making unicorn’s heads on Hang Ma Street

 Traditional toys are available on Hang Ma Street

 A stall selling different kinds of bamboo curtains on Hang Manh Street

 Thin Pho restaurant on Lo Duc Street

Hang Than Street is famous nationwide for making cakes for wedding ceremonies

 Hang Thiec Street still preserves the traditional craft and now the locals in the street also participate in making other mechanical products

Making bronze products on Hang Dong Street

Hoa Sua burst into bloom in Hanoi

(Vietnam Travel)Hoa Sua, also known as Dalbergia bouruana gagu flowers, have become an integral part of Hanoiains.
At this time of March the city is adorned with white blossoms, even though drizzles continue with no signs of stopping.

A romantic scenery in Hanoi

(Vietnam Travel) The ancient lecythidaceae trees by Hoan Kiem lake are shedding their leaves.

This year, the trees started to turn yellow very late, not just before or after the Tet holiday as usual.

Many visitors have stopped to admire the changing colour of the leaves before green buds burst in the next few days. if you can go to Hanoi, you can see, it very beautiful