The Red river- peach silk across Hanoi

Red River is a river very own Hanoi, Vietnam’s mother land. The river was not only to build the Red River civilization – a civilization in the 36′s but also the world’s largest river system in Northern Vietnam, the No. 2 on the Indochina Peninsula (after the Mekong river – or other name Cuu Long river). With a length of 1126km, through Vietnam’s territory is 556km accounted for 49.3%, the whole basin area is 155,000 km2, accounting for 45.6% of the area. In addition, the Red River tributaries also have to take 614 from level 1 to level 6, there are major tributaries such as the Da, Lo, Chay …

 

 

Red River originates from the ovary Nhuy Son mountain (1776m high) near Dai Ly lake  belong Nhi Do District, Van Nam province, China flowing from the Northwest – Southeast typical in Vietnam at Ha Khau (Lao Cai) through 7 provinces in the sea 10 estuary, the main estuary is the Ba Lat estuary(Nam Dinh). Para Red River flows through Hanoi 91 km long, the lower part. Before the French name for the Red River, it has many names. Each locality has a name of its own rivers as Thao river, Cai river, Nhi Ha river, Nam Sang, Hoang Giang … so it is also seen as most rivers have many names.

One of the cultural ethos of Vietnam is a water theme. The ancient town of Vietnam’s history is largely associated with waterway as Co Loa, Thang Long, Pho Hien, Hoi An organizational culture … In personal life, the water aspect is also a critical factor. Vietnamese people think that we’re children of the Fairy and the Dragon from “Lac Long Quan – Au Co” story. Lac Long Quan is King of Xich Quy, was called the father but the people living in the palace of the river god, claiming to be like dragon heads underwater species. Vietnamese people have to worship water-nymph. Naiad has many names, exists in many different forms, most commonly in wetland worship Mau Thoai (read deviate from Mau Thuy to show that respect). Long time now, the festival of spring and autumn, the Red River again busy drums, gongs of the dragon boat team went out to take the river water procession Mother River (Cai River) on the church and bath statue. River travel is no longer a new form again, but the tourism resources along the river has been confirmed a long and increasingly attractive domestic and foreign tourists. Main trips of this ancient poet default client also imprinted in the legend, in poetry.

Red River also is considered a historical mark victories against aggression. The great victory of our people in history are mostly waterborne battles: Bach Dang (938), (981) was a first Tay Ket battle , the second Tay Ket, Chuong Duong, Ham Tu, Rach Gam – Soai Mut (1785) … The area of the Hang Than head slope, head of the Long Bien Bridge (formerly as Dinh Bo Dau) where the glorious battles of the military and people (01/29/1285) dislodge 30000 Mongols army retreat, ending the glorious struggle against the Mongols invaded the 2nd (1285).

“People can not bathe twice in the same river.” The philosophical significance of the movement, then it is absolute. But say, history is never repeated, “… It is still the invaders North. It still pulled in by sea. It is still being ambushed at the estuary Rut river, Chanh river  – two branches of the Bach Dang river. It still lost by a stake. It was still about a breach boat by ironwood stake…,  you go to the Bach Dang river to ponder history against invaders of the nation and remember the 2 line of verse of Truong Han Sieu in ” Bach Dang prose”:

” Red evening clouds in the bottom water

Thought that this enemy blood is still here.”

About three or four hundred years ago, the Red River in Hanoi gave the vitality of a commercial center. Goods from lowland follow the Red River back plain, down to shore of the mountainous province, mountainous forest products back plain in the Red River delta. The shore of the Red River had been comparable to the busy ports of Europe, all merchant vessels of France, Japan, Italy, Portugal … busiest in Red River dock in revolutionsagainst the United States, France.

Bat Trang market on the Red river

Thousands of years, the Red River was flowing into a very important part of Vietnamese history, which flows into a thousand-year history of Hanoi. It became part of the flesh of the land it crosses, by many generations, of every human being of flesh and blood with it. Each person has a Red river for itself. How much Hanoi people carry out a war of resistance to live with Red River and lived with Nguyen Dinh Thi poet every croon “Oh, Hong Ha, I miss the old fall, waves return as flag wave when the military come to the capital ….” Red River in” Thao river guerrillas”  are grand song in  the most beautiful sound of the war against France. And late in 1954, how many people from North Vietnam in the forests of gloomy housing recovery is also excited about Hanoi with invitation To Huu poet:

“Song Thao be an eager bustle wave.
Somebody come to Hanoi then accompany  the boat!.”


According to ancient Chinese bibliographic around before the VI century, the Chinese call this river is Diep Du. And now China calls the Red River upstream from where the play area is Nguyen Giang or Ma Long Giang. Near to the Vietnam-China border area called the Lien Hoa or Le Hoa. On Vietnamese land, each country has  Red River for yourself. From Lao Cai to the Viet Tri, river flowing like silk train between two sides of  fan-palm forests and tea hills of  Phu Tho should call it the Song Thao (mean as silk). Thao is also a semanteme in Lam Thao,  name of a suburban district of Phu Tho district where the river flows through. From Viet Tri  Hanoi on the Bach Hac (White Crane) river.

See the Red River on Long Bien Bridge

The French are very romantic and rational when looking at the alluvium water call it the Red river, the name was officially called to this day. Red river curved to hug Thang Long from Minh Mang dynasty is called Ha Noi (in the river). Love it, peach silk of Red River – lap of orient robe tie round slender legs of Hanoi girl.

Thank association of a Greek poet, but the beautiful Red River never fade in his memory:

” I will never forget the Red River

Embroidered red color in Hanoi orient robe” 

The Red river- peach silk across Hanoi

5 best places to take photos in Hanoi

Wandering around Hoan Kiem Lake on a sunny Sunday afternoon, you will catch sight of many young men with their professional cameras stick to their eyes and beautiful young girls in their fancy clothes attractively posing. As a matter of fact, photography is now becoming more and more popular in Vietnam nowadays, and here are five Hanoi’s photogenic spots with their breathtaking natural settings which serve as perfect backgrounds for photographers.

Spot #1: Hoan Kiem Lake

Apart from being a renowned attraction in Hanoi with the Turtle Tower serenely surrounded by the bluish water and deep blue sky, Hoan Kiem Lake is also a favorite spot for photographers. With 1.7 kilometers of pavements filled with freshly green trees running along its circumference, the place makes itself being a vividly colorful background to take photographs with. And when the sun goes down, sparkling lights on the trees will sparkle just for photographers to catch such precious moment on the verge of the sky turning twilight.

Spot # 2: Long Bien Bridge

Long Bien Bridge is not only famous for being a living historical relic but also for its great architecture designed by French architects from Daydé & Pillé. Therefore, photographers come here regularly to bring history in their photographs with the typically ancient brown of the past on the rust screws from the remaining spans. On the dry season, the alluvial patch below the bridge becomes an exceptionally photogenic spot with breathtaking natural scene filled with rows of green banana tress and yellow maize.

 

Spot # 3: Hanoi West Lake

The best time to visit West Lake, which is another wonderful spot for taking photographs, is during the summer when the brilliant lotuses paint a corner of the sky with bright pink and fresh green. Heading straight on West Lake’s lakeside road, you will eventually catch sights of pretty girls wearing all kinds of clothes from mini skirts to the traditional “Ao dai”, making the lotus pond being consistently lively. Specially, there is a whole service leasing equipments such as small boats, lotus bouquets and “Yem” (a unique ancient Vietnamese bodice) for photo shoots with reasonable prices.

Spot #4: Daisy Field

The vast daisy field has recently been a popular spot for amateur photographers along with teenagers since it was discovered few years ago. They come to the field being pleasantly drenched in the vibrant yellowness of thousands daisy flowers: pretty girls eagerly posing in their finest clothes while young photographers eagerly capturing the stunning moments. The only little trouble is its location being a bit far from the city center: head straight through Chuong Duong Bridge on Nguyen Van Cu Street, turn left at the gas station opposite the factory, turn left again at Y Lan Road then turn right again at the cemetery. Being here, you will have to ask the locals for the remaining road leading to the field.

Spot #5: Bach Thao Park

Hardly a beautiful day passes by at Bach Thao Park without couples coming here to take their memorial wedding photo shoots. With its extremely large and clean yard filled with hundred-year-old trees, the place attracts photographers who want to embrace the essence of cool fresh air in their pictures in which vivid colors blending together. The most popular spot in here is the beautiful white bridge on a small pond right in its heart. Bach Thao Park is another easily accessible photo spot in Hanoi center its location on the beginning of Hoang Hoa Tham Street.

 

5 best places to take photos in Hanoi