Hanoi - flower - markets by night

Quảng Bá flower-market (in Tây Hồ district) meets year-round at 2am, it’s said to be the head-market where all species of fresh flowers are bought and sold by Hanoians. Flowers here are deemed to be most beautiful and fresh; moreover, going to the market by night is a touch of culture, an identity of Hanoians.

Closer the Tết (new-year day), the market seems busier and merrier, not only flower-dealers buy flowers for resale, many just come to see and enjoy Tết atmosphere. On 28th or 29th of lunar December, it’s icy cold in the open, but the market gets crowded right from early hours (2 or 3am). Beautiful flowers of all species will make you fascinated, not only flowers, everything related to flowers can be found here (decorative papers, coloured strings...), from low-price to most expensive flowers, from home-grown to imported ones. Anyway, roses are the most.

Flowers are sold by separate species, unlike in other markets. The whole Quảng Bá seems to be speaking in low-and-soft voices. The sellers and buyers as well, all have an electric torch in hand because the sun is still sleeping.

Quảng Bá market is divided in two shifts. Shift I from 2-4am is for the flower-growers, it’s whole sales selling for retail sales. Shift II from 4am to daylight morning is for higher price by flower-dealers.

The day gets lighter and faces are more clearly seen, flowers look more colourful and are sold by retailers on all streets, lanes for Hanoi’s new day. The market is over and everybody gets home for the following day.

Mr. Daisuke Motoyuky, a worker from Honda Company, with a bunch of flowers in hand, said “I’m waiting for my Japanese friends, I’ll surely take them here to enjoy a special atmosphere of Hà Nội flower-market by night. I, the writer of this story, asked a flower-girl “you stay sleepless all night to sell flowers, it’s a hard job, but why you look so fresh?” She turns red and shy, but she looks more graceful and charming, hiding her face in her friend’s back. It’s Việt Nam smile.

                                                                           KIM LIÊN
source : http://www.vtr.org.vn/vtr.php?ml=923&pid=607