This is a portrait of a typical look of old locals trading in Vietnam. They normally wear a straw hat that became a Vietnamese iconic headgear. Many of them are selling self -accessories like hand fans, sunglasses, purse, belt, etc. which most of imitation branded products of Gucci, Prada, LV. Some of them are selling copied books, postcards, and crafts like customized greeting cards and paper toys. That’s why maybe we hardly see beggars in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi as most locals will do anything as simple as polishing shoes to earn some petty for their daily needs. That’s one thing I respect the Vietnamese people. They work hard to earn and not simply begging.
This old lady, for example, I met her along the Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi when I traveled to Hanoi in 2018. She was selling crafted toys on the pedestrian path. She may be in her late 80’s from the wrinkles appeared of her face. She was calmed and quietly demonstrating the toys. Her eyes showed the hard life she had, yet she seems appreciating of what she was having. She did not communicate in any other foreign language except her mother tongue language, yet she was eager to communicate with me in order to sell her toys. I just admired her spirit to survive.
Hoan Kiem Lake,
The green lake that witnessed the legend
The legendary of the Restored Sword to the Golden Turtle God
The mourn of the King to the lost sword
The sword that brings glory to the Kingdom
Hoan Kiem Lake,
The center of attraction
The center that gathers all folks and families
The center of tradition and modernization
The center of the past and current
Hoan Kiem Lake,
Restored the history and legend
Rebirth the glory of the Kingdom
Revive the nation pride
Reform what had destroyed
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