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Hanoi - The Moving Markets

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The walking street trading concept is as old as Hanoi, which was founded in 1010. The city grew up around a citadel surrounded by outlying villages, each of which specialized, and still specializes, in a particular craft. Gradually, residential and trading quarters with their own specialty (ceramics, bamboo furniture, clothing, herbal medicine etc. were established around the fortification.

These quarters still exist in Pho Phuong, or Hanoi's Old Quarter, where almost each trade has its own street. If you know Vietnamese, it's not difficult to find what you're looking for, since the street names indicate exactly what is produced and sold. For example: Chan Cam = string instruments, Hang Bac = silver, hang Chieu = grass mats. But if you want to buy coal and visits Coal Street, Hang than; you'll be disappointed - the trade has changed to wedding cakes.

The walking street traders came about because people had to look after their shops and workrooms, and didn't have time to go shopping. The fact that street trading still exists is due to Vietnam's traditional building mode and lifestyle. Very few houses are over three storeys. They are often very slim and deep. With the living room and the kitchen on the ground floor, open to the street in the daytime. Because of the warm climate, and lack of space, life is lived on the sidewalk or on street level, and that's why it is easy for street traders to contact their customers. Unfortunately, but most likely, the street trader's days are numbered. As a result of an enormous surge in the city's population, new multi-storey houses are gaining ground.

But for the time being, and hopefully another few years, we can still sit and enjoy life, while we wait for the street traders.

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