As we took in this amazing city, all of it - the old and not so old, we realized that the folks here were above average gardeners. I still don't know the trick to make my plants flower. But they had it going for them, bougainvillea, roses, blue bells and yellow bells, and more. Houses that lined main roads and also the inner lanes, were all dotted with colours. I do acknowledge that the tropical climate had something to do with this, but even so, I got to give credit where it's due.
The balconies of these slighly older homes were truly beautiful. And the inner lanes held the same promise, hidden gems, small homes with bigger balconies - lush green. Life in Hanoi, probably like in most of Vietnam, was slower, more tranquil and different. Walking around in the Hàng Trống neighbourhood was a nice experience, with all the sights and sounds of the older quarters of Hanoi.
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| Just a small vase of sun flowers. Ever so often, while walking the streets, we would find street vendors riding cycles, selling flowers. |
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| This low rise building had a whole tangerine tree - or some other edible/non edible fruit like situation |
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| We saw plenty of flower vendors, cyclists actually. |
We stayed in the older quarters, so it was nice walking around the city. A slow but energetic vibe, one that spells out that you don't need to rush around and worry so much. Cycles and Scooters rule this part of the city, which lends an air of the city being in a period drama, what will all the older homes.
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