Travelling about 47km from the downtown of the capital city of Hanoi, people will arrive in the village and feel a real countryside atmosphere. The village gate was made of a special kind of stone, which is locally called laterite which has many pores and look like bee hives while two wings were made from iron wood (Tali) in the shape of a cricket. On the left there is a banyan tree while on the right is a green lake. In the past, the two wings of the gate served as a place for farmers to take a rest after their hours of hard working in the field. The ancient characteristics of the village show in all things, from the gate to the walls, and the brick roads. Walking along brick roads and contemplating the village, visitors will certainly find a lot of old-style houses with tiled roofs, brick yards and big jars. Those are unique architecture features of the ancient Red River Delta people. According to the … [Read more...] about Peaceful ancient village in Hanoi
Hanoi
Murals liven up Hanoi street
Phan Dinh Phung Street in Hanoi has been revived with beautiful mural paintings featuring the beauty of the capital city. The mural project has been carried out on a section of wall on the street by a group of artists who were former students of Phan Dinh Phung High School on the occasion of marking the 45th school birthday on October 14. To date, many works have been finished, while some have been still underway. The pictures from left to right depict Hanoi’s landscape and historical sites from the past to the presence. One Pillar Pagoda in the past and present A corner of Dong Xuan Market Hanoi Old Quarter Long Bien Bridge Phan Dinh Phung Street A flower vendor, the common image on Hanoi streets The paintings attract the attention of many young people A foreign visitor Earlier, under a community art exchange project funded by the Korea Foundation, UN-Habitat, and the Hoan Kiem … [Read more...] about Murals liven up Hanoi street
Early Doi Moi Hanoi through a Japanese lens
50-year-old Yuichi Kobayashi, has lived in Hanoi for 14 years and holds special feelings for the capital. A corner of Hanoi in a photo by Yuichi Kobayashi Kobayashi came to Vietnam in 1995 to monitor a factory construction process. Arriving in Hanoi when it was raining, his first impression was the lack of colour and unmaintained houses. But his love for the city grew and he considered Hanoi his second home. He often took photos of the daily lives whenever he had free times. Even though many said the city was very crowded and dirty, for him, Hanoi has many green streets. Kobayashi said the atmosphere in Hanoi in 1995 felt like Japan's in 1960. Despite being poor, the citizens always found ways to cheer themselves up and kept working. "I liked living in Hanoi," he said after returning to Japan. He also wants to return to Hanoi someday. Some more photos about Hanoi by Kobayashi: Bicycles were also a main means of transport Hang Gai Street Pham Ngoc Thach Street in 1995 … [Read more...] about Early Doi Moi Hanoi through a Japanese lens
Colourful lanterns to light up Hoan Kiem Lake area
Hanoi’s first lantern road will be opened along the pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake for the Mid-autumn Festival. The event scheduled to take place on the evening of September 23 at Ly Thai To flower garden area near Hoan Kiem Lake will be jointly held by the Hanoi city People’s Committee, Vietnam Television, and Phuong Dong Joint Stock Company. Hanoi’s first lantern road will be opened along the pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake for the Mid-autumn Festival Hundreds of colourful giant lanterns and stars will be on display along the road, offering an ideal place for pedestrians, families and visitors in Hanoi on the occasion. There will be also a range of activities such as music, comedy, circus and exciting dance performance popular Vietnamese comedians and singers such as Xuan Bac, Tu Long, and Ai Phuong, as well as those from the Thang Long Puppetry Theatre and the Vietnam Circus Federation. Along the road are stalls selling traditional toys … [Read more...] about Colourful lanterns to light up Hoan Kiem Lake area
Street festival wows local and foreign visitors
Graceful: Models paraded in áo dài (traditional Vietnamese dresses) for onlookers. — VNA/VNS Photo Thành Đạt Viet Nam News HÀ NỘI — Thousands of locals and foreign tourists enjoyed a street festival entited The Quintessence of Hà Nội – Converging and Shining, held on the pedestrian street in Hà Nội on Sunday morning. The event attracted a large number of participants of various ages and backgrounds, including more than 800 folk artists performing traditional dragon and lion dances, 400 professional dancers, hundreds of models wearing traditional áo dài, more than 700 senior citizens putting on a fan dance, as well as 700 pupils and students carrying flowers and balloons. The event concluded with a street carnival-style dance by nearly 1,700 young people. “The Street Festival is not only a rendezvous for artists but also an opportunity for local people especially the young generation to … [Read more...] about Street festival wows local and foreign visitors