Lemon Tea Church - A Transient Hanoi Vietnam

The faint smell cup of jasmine tea fragrance, dotted one to two slices of fresh lemon, sweet, sour, acrid chan became the familiar beverage of the people of Hanoi Vietnam.

The drink is popular only with the material life, but it was so appealing to so strange. If anyone has been to Hanoi and the opportunity to enjoy tea in lemon Cathedral on Nha Chung Street, is sure to be unforgettable.

Also with this drink, but if you enjoy in a different location, then make sure you will not have that special feeling where. Sitting sipping lemon tea with melon seeds bite chatter nhach disk, or lost packets on the corner candy town, observe the beautiful scenery around the ancient Cathedral, watching the flow of people and vehicles crossing the road, results are an interesting experience for you.

Each season is different, lemon tea Church to bring you new things, not only its taste but also to other emotions had become strangers. Some people say lemon tea is just right for hot sultry weather, the days like a glass of lemon tea and seats on the Cathedral itself, the heat disappears. And the hot sultry summer's day will slip under the refreshing sip of tea story chatting with his friends. What about winter? The day may wind pigs, each gust of wind rushed on to make us shudder. Sitting inhaling the hot lemon tea cup, nestled in a small angle, drooping leak stories fun with his partner is not so exciting? The cold seems to make people closer together, love each other.

If Saigon Vietnam is famous for coffee South Sailing pans, Hanoi is also known as lemon tea Church with the most consistent being sold on the sidewalk, or the tea she sold on the street working. With the advantage of selling on the wide sidewalks, places that have become suitable for large gatherings and stories spun the straw cups lemon.

Whenever evening falls, the area around the Cathedral has become busy, busy people to drink tea. Despite sits nestled between small cramped seats is also nobody, complaints or irritable. Both the bustling streets by happy laughter, conversation, the voice of another mind Oh ... A little like Hanoi show up in your eyes ...

Simple with street food in Hanoi Vietnam

Come to a meeting in Hanoi late afternoon, Mark was lucky to find yourself a very deep around Hanoi Vietnam City: "The first day will slightly bitter winter here as made me more impressed with the image of women the oil pan is hot, but I see everyday on the way to his leisurely walk. She seemed so familiar with foreign big man always my favorite cake that I always "enjoy" a nod or smile fondly when she approached the place. "When it comes to Vietnam Nam them yourself, one of the things that many people become interested in foreign and patriotism is S-shaped by the friendliness of the simple human labor.

"Because of her smile that sale, I prefer the more love than the browning bread appeared around her nursery, which is the tortilla, potato cake, banana cake ... all behaved in the oil pan . Before that, she was willing to sell cut pieces of potato chips, small cups corn and banana slices are then immersed in a viscous liquid mixture is called a dough consistency. The banana cake looks like a piece of fried fish and potato cakes as the mesh is made from fried potatoes are out of order on a set price level for oil pan drain and wait for the attention of passing customers. Of course, among those who are fascinated by the lovely nursery yellow cake myself - who quickly helped her friendly sales torn pieces of newspaper and more willing to increase the body weight less fertile his bread by other aromatic tingle. "

If you are a lover of Hanoi, make sure you can not help but love a Hanoi with the announcement of her cold cylinder, the burden you with the goods on hand, all across the globe described streets, alleys these days cold winter winds. You will certainly be remembered and loved by Hanoi so immediately a man from lands as far away as Mark also "brimming" to remember "in the space of a winter se se, I still see them - people work hard every description filled with heavy baskets of bread on top, or the corn in hot sticky aluminum tank filled with little on his shoulders. "But not only remember the winter of Hanoi, remember that Mark was "attracted to the scent of the exotic cassava ivory filled out in a huge pot. Drop between the breath of smoke, you smoke as sympathetic fibers radiating from both rooms untouched pot. The cassava is boiling, sprinkle coconut fiber and eating behavior, you have to enjoy it with a little sesame salt. It is said that cassava is poisonous foods and not healthy, it is the theory of the West. But in Vietnam, you must know to cassava, not only because you will always see the carts with fragrant smoke of cassava, but also by food that is fed the revolutionaries in the both French and American wars, or my fellow Vietnamese people, he called cassava as food-eat-your-poison-up. "

Unlike radiate warmth of cassava or banana yellow cake nursery attractive, donuts - that food is considered the most popular in Ha Thanh - Mark to attract the costs caused by "shock" of it " Only 1.000vnd, only 1,000 for a ball made from aromatic and crispy flour (rice flour Rather than have a baby? He does not know it ...). A donut with outer brown dotted unique attractions of sesame seeds which I think people use it to sign two different kinds of donuts here. Fresh donuts, there's sweet (of course one thing) with a mixture of mashed chick peas shelled and chopped coconut. But there salt cake classes mysterious inside, I could only find some ingredients like ground pork and black mushrooms, of course, you will not see the sesame seeds on the crust of salt cake ".
 
In addition, Mark also enjoy many other dishes from the popular restaurant where the sidewalk of Ha Thanh, which is "the book cake made from rice flour-coated thin band of smooth white spotting little minced with minced black mushrooms that you can only see it when there's a good collaboration of the usefulness of mint leaves, shallot (oai. .. Why are shallots?) and a bowl of sauce with ball for it ", that is" second stick with the glitz of the form, like a brown building in the glassy, ​​slightly blackish water is made from sugar melting wave akin to the lake "Then there are many, many other simple dishes were Mark explore and experience.

In this peaceful land, distant friend of his had found the moment very content to go with what seemed like the time we have forgotten its existence. Incidentally, Mark has helped us to be spending a few moments to return to Hanoi peaceful and full of beloved dishes for everyone's childhood.

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If no street vendors in Hanoi Vietnam ...

Noodle ladder popular in Hanoi Vietnam

The well-known Hanoi that the fussy, meticulous, careful not only words eat, say, in the behavioral and lifestyle that is also reflected even in the food culture. Today, the bustling life makes the kitchen the family no longer much room for meal sifted, carefully, periods characterized as Bun Thang more elegant. Sometimes people remember the old flavor, they are only running the street outside the restaurant to enjoy the convenience only.

But you know why named: Bun Thang is not? There are several "streams" different information slowing down. Some people say the reason they called Bun Thang because in this material are great-chiu, to prepare for hours with all the nutrients should "Thang" means "Thang tonic." But there are people who explained that "Call the Thang by Bun bun is made like a drug loading, each second a little, a little bit and then combined into a very particular taste, sweet and deep nourishment." Wow, hear also make sense right? Engineering, which some researchers cuisine, Bun Thang is the very simple means. According to the Chinese, the "scale" means soup, Bun Thang is essentially a "noodle soup is chan because" that's all!

But even that does bring us nor denying yourself a delicious and sophisticated level of this baby food? If the other dishes we can pick out a few types of materials are considered "essential" then at least Bun Thang, all spices, raw materials have contributed to the "quality" of its own, though lack of a second bun alone is also considered bad risks. It is estimated to have up to 20 types of materials to make this dish of which ...

Vermicelli noodles are the kind of trouble choosing white, microfiber also subtle aroma of banana leaves wrapped outside. Chicken is not chicken, meat is tender and just steps sliced ​​chicken BOY nor simple. Because the chicken to be very small tear, enough was enough meat, gold, ivory tusks cents a blur. Then silk rolls must be chosen carefully, rolls to pink, smooth surface, and bring the state just like the toothpick toothpick Volume I are pretty small. More fussy then coated with egg stage, eggs must be coated so that the paper-thin tang without risk tearing it also offers small states to look like the king of red silk bun, this is considered as the standard. And yet mild, above noodle bowl has dried radish and sweet and sour dish beams "procession of shrimp" is crushed from peeled shrimp or prawn anymore. All will be the grandmother, the mother arranged an orderly manner with the colors alternating with each other is fantastic. Besides the bright yellow of the eggs of fish small shrimps are pink pink shrimp. Besides the white rose of green silk rolls is the aggregate of the interwoven strands of ivory tusks chicken. In the best there is, in the back feel excellent, tasty bowl of Bun Thang arouse the sense of smell and sight of the viewer. Not only delicious but also has mouth eyes!

But first important to make "soul" of the main bowl of Bun Thang bouillon in the pot. Some people jokingly called it an "art" of there! Nor wrong with that. Initially the chicken bones and pork bones and security must be true for all the fresh water that is the bone of flesh sweet and not so sweet "sham" of seasoning. As soon as water begins to boil, we have picked out the pot of water bubbles to clear and then add prawns and when the ink dried on to security. In the end, then drop again to add mushrooms to pan up smelling fragrance. A pot of water use "standard" must have clarity, sweetness and flavor do you say all that a hearts.

It would be flawed if not to mention the accompanying condiment dish. Condiment is "quiet charm" of bun thang, that's the shrimp sauce. As someone jokingly called "Bun Thang is not like eating noodles shrimp sauce that did not have water," so there! And of course, referring to Bun Thang is impossible not to remember belostomatid oil is considered the soul of the dish by a very special position of its aroma. Just one or two drops into the bowl of noodles belostomatid only enjoy the ecstasy had been lured to pieces eventually. But unfortunately, today, with the gradual extinction of the fish stem a special taste that has gradually become absent in the bowl of Bun Thang Ha into stupor as many people have regrets.

Hanoi Vietnam people turned away from every roof fans remember the taste of the bun thang. Remember that the deep concentration and sweetness characteristic of water. Remember that the eye looks full blend flavor and taste. And how many will still remember those cold winter days fresh bun sitting untouched attractive rooms smoke eaters ...

If no street vendors in Hanoi Vietnam ...

Style street light and convenient transportation is no longer possible when street vendors but also means that Hanoi Vietnam will lose something which belonged to it.

A fun buying and selling stolen

If you say something to stick with all the people of the capital Hanoi as an inseparable part is that the street vendors. Street vendors under the basket the team was present dry bright "hot-noodle," "Xoi peanuts, coconut sticky rice, bread songs here," "Who's that hot bread rolls" ....; A light water dish: Burma, wheat, noodles, porridge .... warm the oil in a first kitchen burden rays; a main meal with a half-meter of the season, with constant water wave tank tofu ...; is little snacks warm bowl hungry between cheese-making day in the late summer cold, with cereal grains every collection of non green, with grapefruit peach, banana egg hoes, red berry pink ...; are the essential items like clothing, shoes, hats, scarves ... but also the food for filled with the spirit of useful reports, with tape, disk or bright flowers ...

We can say with all the needs of the guests lack of time in the context of such excess that the street vendors are widely considered to meet quite effective, and so from morning to night, from day to month, from year to year, street vendors deeply rooted in daily life habits of the people of this place.

Street vendors could warm her belly with a bowl of porridge labor vendors at the end of the night shift; to please her silk sold on Hang Gai in the early morning when the car flower shop just preparing to welcome guests; bring a smile Tell your prints so busy stirring reception should forget about trimming the nails yourself; for some of us Ha to the public his collar, tie, greeted each morning the first chip cups of green tea or a few days she skirts the office and still can not forget the dot end of the bowl of spicy sour sauce corner building sidewalks. Whether they are street vendors who all play a significant place in their daily lives.

They swooped on street vendors sometimes because of what they need done as well as just to have instilled in their moments of peace, of chaos, of recollection, of peace. So no wonder many buyers as sellers busy talk but forget to select goods, bargain all words and no extra money back because "I look too". Where to buy but not because that just invites forever, but not eat up put down. Image buyers surrounded burden straw vendors talk, laugh us Ha things that nothing related to that looks like this is not just a sale.

Sometimes things that are full of street vendors in the shop, but people still like the pear is the sidewalks. So a new conversation "was waiting for her to come over to peddle it back and ask," "the fat for you peddle it" ... Sometimes they pass between the relationship is simply the buying and traitor. If no street vendors did not make people think about at night craving grilled corn, old box nor mai make me remember the burning sensation beams, mango mix, not find warm atmosphere while surrounded by seaweed noodles burden in restaurants, the restaurants or the market place crowded, noisy. Street vendors sometimes gives people a feeling not easily seen.

Popular demand is removed

Written off street vendors means that tens of thousands of household businesses and millions of sidewalk vendors are unemployed. These are people that only with a basket, a pair of optical burdens, or to more than a coffee bike museum, leaving behind a house with their children cry eo dull the door to the city to find the next living.

With dirt-income foam, about one thousand to two dozen traveling all day do not know how many miles city, but the poor still determined to cling to this profession because of the essential needs of the family as a child, tuition, medical, or dream you change your life for college at the door .... They stick to their jobs because that is their only livelihood.

And as a corollary when the breadwinner who cut off this part are of course subject to their main customers, the common people, also carrier. Ask a medical leave to sell vegetables than ten thousand stars dare to eat a bowl of noodles in a row, she paid a few employees of the cool glass of water in drinks?

For those who retired as grandparents Dragon (Hong Ha Street, Hoan Kiem), the street vendors are best for them: "Just as we had VND5000 soup bowl just belly, do have any shops selling soup which entered the back side just to pay the price "chips coin three trenches" so. "

As for the workers as she Hau (Vinh Tuy, Hoang Mai) is working though the only song with a monthly salary based on the ke million, so this is understandable: "The minimum price for each flowers in the "shop" would be from 1,000 to 15,000 while the dollar amount of algae that if it is possible to buy enough flowers for the altar three plugs for my house on a full moon and then th.

"It is also not to mention hundreds of thousands of reasons to refuse the poor," says Ms. Yue, selling clothes in Hang Dao Street coal. "We're in the store all day I have no time to market or to the main shopping should be waiting on the street vendors over this burden. No street vendors, the different markets .... Puzzling. "

But Ms. Lan at Hang Da is assigned hearing "I do not need to buy expensive items should be on the best street vendors. Choose from comfortable to wear all this easily without fear of being chickened chickened that. "When to rent a shop or restaurant to open land, where this price must be higher than the peddlers is understandable, but with the income low, this is not easy.

And the nostalgia stopped subside

At the date of publication of the draft to remove street vendors, on the blogs of expatriates can be seen filled with nostalgia peddlers. Someone has to pay back suddenly recalled his feelings when you stand on foreign land: Looking at the four-wheel passenger vehicle hotdog bread or fruit in Washington, the pedicab carts selling boiled corn in Islamabad or the tray egg timber sold in the street walking to Melbourne gnawing memory of those who peddle in Hanoi with a flexible pole and poetic.

There are nights in the guest country suddenly remembered tears when the announcement the night in Hanoi. Some people find little joy among the old streets of Hanoi modern: "There are moments ... Hanoi is still very bright with a gift of green tea a sip of Your servants ... the kind of" public servants Ha Home "was also strange ... still tie, shirt still serious ... but it soars down the country to sell enough of that junk ... a wooden table ... a few wobbly stool ... but it looks unkempt so close ... bear some street vendors selling guava ... ... and a few weight after two meetings that result ... still exists ... because pieces rice ball out clothing ... because the job had become a habit ... or those who turned her burden basket team just want to preserve what nature brings "Hanoi" ... "

Burden of bureaucracy rong side of the roof tile color intensive drool over time is the image of Hanoi in poetry, in painting and now it still retains the beauty of simplicity that it's romantic. East of warm optical double burden was on the track fragrant fresh bread, cassava tubers are slightly hot. To spring training with the petals, rose, lily dew on wet nights. Thu through the calm quiet of the doa yellow daisies, floral scent of thousands of nuggets round, red berries, bananas, eggs hoe. House to equal burden "crap town" cool, sweet lotus scent blocking every street corner ... that exist in Hanoi for a long time and so royal traveler Hanoi problem with bit of countryside in the heart of the city.

By some simple but sometimes love just smile sometimes dim white hat of a lady peddlers, so weary smile that spread the feeling of relaxing. Yet it's no wonder what took the whole group of foreign tourists enjoy surround a burden on the teacher code of Silver City, pay 4, 5 dollars just to take a picture of the burden of some banana or pineapple girl serving customers on the west side the lake, turn before turning later to shoot scenes for the flower girl bear thick ice between a road vehicle, and three drunken masturbation miscellaneous food on pavements. Foreign tourists to Hanoi to always find some old street love beauty and idyllic, rural place of capital into this but with the modern streets of Hanoi gradually, if not also the burden Hanoi street vendors will make people remember by what?

Old Quarter, Hanoi Vietnam

Hanoi's Old Quarter, or 36 Pho Phuong (36 Streets), with over a thousand years of history, remains one of Vietnam's most lively and unusual places, where you can buy anything from a gravestone to silk pyjamas.

Hanoi Vietnam xưa

Hanoi's commercial quarter evolved alongside the Red River and the smaller To Lich River, which once flowed through the city centre to create an intricate network of canals and waterways teeming with boats. As the waters could rise as high as 8m during the monsoon, dikes, which can still be seen today along Tran Quang Khai, were constructed to protect the city.

>> Learn more about Saigon Vietnam

Exploring the maze of back streets is fascinating; some streets open up while others narrow down into a warren of smaller alleys. The area is known for its tunnel, or tube, houses - so called because their small frontages hide very long rooms. These tunnel houses were developed to avoid taxes based on the width of their frontage onto the street. By feudal law, houses were also limited to two storeys and, out of respect for the king, could not be taller than the Royal Palace. These days there are taller buildings (six to eight storeys high) but there are no real high rise buildings.

In the 13th century, Hanoi's 36 guilds established themselves here with each taking a different street (hence the name 36 Streets). Hang in Vietnamese means 'merchandise' and is usually followed by the name of the product that was traditionally sold in that street. Thus, Pho Hang Gai translates as 'Silk Street' (see the boxed text 'Meaning of the 36 Streets' for others, however these days the street name may not necessarily correspond to what Is sold there.

Opportunities to lighten your load of dong are almost endless and as you wander around you'll find wool clothes, cosmetics, fake Ray Ban sunglasses, luxury foods, printed T-shirts, musical instruments, plumbing supplies, herbal medicines, gold and silver jewellery, religious, offerings, spices, woven mats and much, much more (see also the Shopping section in this chapter).

Some of the more specialized streets include Pho Hang Quat which has red candlesticks, funeral boxes, flags and other temple items; and Pho Hang Gai which is somewhat more glamorous with silk, embroidery, lacquer ware, paintings and water puppets - the silk sleeping bag liners and elegant Vietnamese ao dai are very popular with travellers. Finally, no trip to the Quarter would be complete without a trip to Dong Xuan market, on Pho Hong Khoi and Pho Dong Xuan, which was rebuilt after a 1994 fire.

A stroll through the historic Old Quarter can last anywhere from a few minutes to the better part of a day, depending on your pace and how well you navigate the increasing motor traffic plaguing the streets. However long, or whatever detours you might take, the following course will provide you with a good dose of Vietnamese culture, and some insight into the country's long history.

A logical starting point is the Ngoc Son Temple in the northern end of Hoan Kiem Lake. After crossing back over the bright red Huc Bridge, stop for a quick look at the Martyrs' Monument, erected to those who died in fighting for Vietnam's independence. Head north on Pho Hang Dau past the Water Puppet Theatre (see the 'Punch & Judy in a Pool' boxed text in this chapter) and you'll soon be surrounded by shoe shops selling every shape, size and style, demonstrating how serious Hanoians are about their footwear. Crossing over Pho Cau Go, pop into the colourful flower market which occupies the narrow eastern terminus of Pho Gia Nhu. Back on Pho Hang Be; continue north to the 'T' intersection with Pho Hang Bac. Near here are several shops that carve intricate gravestones (most bearing an image of the deceased) by hand. A short detour north on Pho Ma May will lead you to the Memorial House at number 87 (see the main text entry earlier in this chapter), an exquisite Chinese merchant's home that was recently restored and opened as a museum.

Return to Pho Hang Bac and head west past a strip of snazzy jewellery shops, then right onto Pho Hang Ngang past a row of clothing shops, and right again onto Pho Hang Buom; this will take you past the small Bach Ma Temple (White Horse Temple). As you pass the pagoda, with its red funeral palanquin, look for its white-bearded temple guards, who spend their days sipping tea. Legend has it that Ly King used the pagoda to pray for assistance in building the city walls because they persistently collapsed, no matter how many times he rebuilt them. His prayers were finally answered when a white horse appeared out of the temple and guided him to the site where he could safely build his walls. Evidence of his success is still visible at Cua O Quan Chuong, the quarter's well-preserved Old East Gate at the eastern end of Pho Hang Chieu, near the intersection with Pho Tran Nhat Duat.

Head west, back along Pho Hang Chieu past a handful of shops selling straw mats and rope to reach one of the most interesting streets, Pho Hang Ma (literally 'counterfeit street'), where imitation 'ghost money' is sold for burning in Buddhist ceremonies - it even has US$5000 bills! Loop around and follow your ears to the sounds of skilful blacksmiths pounding away on metal on the corner of Pho Lo Ren and Pho Thuoc Bac. Moving south on Pho Hang Duong, head right past the towel shops onto Pho Lan Ong, a fantastic row of herb sellers filling the street with succulent aromas.

Finally, head south past the tin box makers (opposite the mirror shops) on Pho Hang Thiec, then left toward the interesting shops selling Buddhist altars and statues along Pho Hang Quai. Time permitting, loop around and zigzag west over to check out the leather shops along Pho Ha Trung, working east again to end the tour at the superb, neo-Gothic St Joseph Cathedral (see the main text entry earlier in this chapter). If you're feeling a bit knackered from the walk, a few steps from the church along Pho Nha Tho there is an alluring cluster of stylish restaurants and cafes.