A pub in Hanoi in 1991. “This place has fresh pig’s blood eaten with chopped intestines, herbs and peanuts for breakfast,” said photographer Hans-Peter Grumpe. Photo: Hans-Peter Grumpe / Hpgrumpe.de. Morning noodle shop on the sidewalk of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, 1992. A crowded restaurant in Dong Xuan market area, 1992. Uncle fan skewered on the sidewalk of the old town, next to the sign “Bii Hoi 1,600 VND”. Outside a restaurant “rarely cooked beef noodle soup”, 1993. A bowl of beef noodle soup in Hanoi at this time costs about 2,000 VND. Bustling scene in an evening beer hall. A boy selling fried doughnuts on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake, 1991. This boy wearing a bread basket walks around the lake in search of diners, 1992. An ice cream shop with a styrofoam container on a bicycle, 1992. The box is covered with an Anlaco fertilizer sack. Street vendors in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, 1991. Dried ca cuong is hung in front of a shop selling ca cuong at 17 Cha Ca street. Ca cuong essence is used to make fish sauce, 1992. Cyclo carrying beef bones, materials used to cook pho, 1992. Invite readers to watch the video: Old Hanoi Girls’ School | VTV24.

The project “Urban embellishment” of the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward has been “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to contribute and jointly implement. Facing this situation, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward has planned to implement a project to improve the environment of this lakeside road (section from Ngu Xa 1 bridge to Ngu Xa 2 bridge). The project implementation route has a length of 200m, one side is Truc Bach flower garden, the other side is a row of houses of 28 households. With the motto “Building to fight”, in the spirit of “The State and the people work together”, most of the funding for the project has been “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to participate in the project. contribute and join hands to implement. Hoang Duc Long (80 years old, living in Ngu Xa Street, Truc Bach Ward) said, after 24 years living here, for the first time his family and households here feel get fresh air; No more garbage piled up, no more fish dying in the water. Mr. Long’s house and other households are put on a new “clothing”, the yard in front of the house is planted with trees and carefully installed with a fence system. 28 houses of households along Truc Bach ditch are put on “new clothes” from the project. Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Trang added that the most impressive thing is in the evening, when the sunset gradually fades, it is also when 200 lanterns light up. From the lakeside route to the flower garden campus, it becomes shimmering and fanciful by the color of lanterns. Mixed with the lantern light are frescoes reproducing the old town space, ancient beauty and culture of the old Hanoians. Nguyen Dan Huy, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Truc Bach Ward, affirmed that, in the context of the complicated development of the COVID-19 epidemic, as soon as the project was completed, many residents and tourists also came to “check-in”. but local officials have propagated and reminded people not to gather in large numbers. When the city controls the epidemic better, this place will become one of Hanoi’s tourist attractions. Although the scale of the project is still small, this is a very important premise so that many models can be replicated in the ward in the near future. Earlier on the evening of June 8, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward also held a ceremony to attach the sign “Urban embellishment work” for this project. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, the ceremony’s activities took place quickly, avoiding large gatherings, and strictly following epidemic prevention rules. Video and photo series of News reporters recording the success of the project “Urban embellishment” of Truc Bach ward, Ba Dinh district, Hanoi: 200 brilliant lanterns beside Truc Bach canal. Image of large format propaganda poster “Protecting the environment and repelling plastic waste”. The flower garden is also attached with lanterns on the trunk to create a clean and beautiful environment. Many large frescoes are decorated along the wall of the route along Truc Bach lake. Due to the COVID-19 epidemic, this area is currently limited to gathering people. In the future, this place will be a tourist attraction. Mixed with the lantern light are frescoes reproducing the old town space, ancient beauty and culture of the old Hanoians. At the end of March 2021, the project “Urban embellishment” of Truc Bach ward was implemented. This project is “socialized”, attracting a large number of people to participate in funding support and jointly implement it. Previously, this place was flooded with garbage, but now the living environment has improved. People have more entertainment spots, and the quality of life is improved. Many large-format billboards propagate people to protect the environment. On June 8, the People’s Committee of Truc Bach ward held a ceremony to sign the project “Urban embellishment”.

The facade of the house at 75 Thuoc Bac street. This narrow and deep house is located at 75 Thuoc Bac street, in the middle of Hanoi Old Quarter with 4 households living together. In addition to the facade, the place owned by Ms. Vu Thi Diem – 76 years old is leased as a metal shop. From the perspective of a visitor coming to visit, the address 75 Thuoc Bac seems to be an alley with many closed families, only using the alley as a common passageway. But when entering, quite a few people will be surprised because the living space is “not closed” in the literal sense of the households here. At first, everyone thought this was a common alley. Ms. Diem – a little-known person who has won the Kovalevskaya award with the coating of the 500kV power poles said: “This is just the way from house to house, the families in the alley are mostly elderly people, so most of the families in the alley are elderly. living together does not block the alley because the width is too narrow, only 2.1m, if the alley is divided, there is no room for the bed. She also explained, the lifestyle of households here from the past to now have been used to living together, there is nothing inconvenient as many people think. Ms. Vu Thi Diem explained her “non-closed” alley. In the past, the house was 2.95m wide according to the papers, but during the French period, the wall was quite thick, more than 35cm on each side, not including bricks, but later covered, so now the house is only 7 tiles wide, about 2.1m wide. Households living from eating, sleeping are not closed. This house in turn goes to another house, from the bed, the kitchen, … can pass when the other house is sleeping or eating. Ms. Diem said that she and other households here are used to sleeping or eating with family members passing by because they have lived here for many years. Previously, the house 75 Thuoc Bac had 9 households, but now there are only 4 households living on a single floor without a second floor. Mrs. Diem is the outermost household, so she keeps the key and is in charge of checking the door every morning and evening. House No. 75 Thuoc Bac was formerly the Cu Hien woolen weaving factory from the French period of Mrs. Vu Thi Diem’s ​​family. During the Revolutionary period, the house was chiseled to Hang Bo street and close to Hang Can street. Later, it was filled in, but the house is still 70m deep. Of all the households here, only Mrs. Diem’s ​​house has a second floor, keeping almost intact traces of an old house. Wooden stairs from the early twentieth century. The altar is still preserved intact from the altar, the door frame to the floor tiles. Wooden wall and Tho crossword from before 1945 of Mrs. Diem’s ​​house. “I keep almost everything from the time my father moved here before 1945, but now the second floor is just for storage and worship, but I still sleep and live on the first floor to take care of the house and lock the door” – Mrs. Good omen. Although every household has a key to the outside door, she still carefully checks the door until she goes to bed at night. “While sleeping, it is normal for people to pass by, the houses here are not related but live very well. Before, they used to eat together, but now it’s stopped because each person eats for an hour.” – she added happily. Where Mrs. Diem slept and read books. She also told a story that in the past, when she was doing research in chemistry, she knew many foreign experts and invited them to her house to play, they asked jokingly: Do you sleep in the alley? Why not enter the house, who sleeps in this aisle? The kitchen, toilet and laundry of Mrs. Diem’s ​​house have an open skylight. The Hanoi Old Quarter area has a fairly high population density with many households living in a narrow and non-closed space, but nonetheless for many people here, especially the elderly here since birth and Keeping the old house full of memories of a bygone era is really: “The land has turned into the soul!”. All difficulties in life seem to disappear and sometimes, according to Mrs. Diem: “I’m very happy!”.

The intersection between Ta Hien Street and Luong Ngoc Quyen Street is sparsely populated, shops and restaurants proactively suspend service under the direction of the People’s Committee of Hanoi. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) The most crowded and bustling scene in Hanoi of the “sleeping” street of Ta Hien, which used to be, is now gone. Instead, it was deserted, quiet since “closed.” (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) People accept the closure to prevent and control the COVID-19 epidemic. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Bich Hanh (owner of a beer shop on Ta Hien Street) said: “Since she was asked to suspend operations, this week she has closed the shop. Only in the morning, she comes to clean and disinfect. Now she just hopes that the epidemic will pass quickly so that the government and medical staff, border guards… will be less hard and people can live and do business with peace of mind.” (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Some famous bars and pubs on Ta Hien and Ma May streets are now closed. The scene is quiet and dreary in contrast to the usual vibrant look. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) The street is empty of tourists, the street is used as a playground. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Some other pictures of the restaurant situation on Ta Hien and Ma May streets in the afternoon of May 6. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Some other pictures of the restaurant situation on Ta Hien and Ma May streets in the afternoon of May 6. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Some other pictures of the restaurant situation on Ta Hien and Ma May streets in the afternoon of May 6. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+) Some other pictures of the restaurant situation on Ta Hien and Ma May streets in the afternoon of May 6. (Photo: The Manh/Vietnam+)

Mr. Phuc lived with his “ancient fan museum”. Up to this point, “the ancient fan king” Tran Cong Phuc has passed away for more than 4 years, but his love for these ancient fans has not been interrupted. Because his son Tran Hong Duc and student Nguyen Van Ngoc have followed in his father’s footsteps, continuing to “blow souls” to revive ancient fans. “Currently in Hanoi, there are very few antique fan repair shops, only 2-3 shops. Therefore, antique fan repairers are also very rare, me and 2 workers here were trained by my father.” Phuc’s son said. In 2012, Mr. Tran Cong Phuc set a Vietnamese record “The person with the most collection of antique fans”. “Restoring a seemingly discarded fan to bring it back to life almost original is a very interesting job. It gives me a sense of conquest and fascination. Just like you, I can sit still all day to explore and discover the most perfect restoration method.” Mr. Ngoc (a student of Mr. Phuc) shared. In Duc’s house, which is only about 20 square meters wide, there are so many fans that all ceiling fans hanging in the house have to be removed separately. The most are Marelli fans, followed by Dutch Emi fans, French Calor, Russian elephant ear fans, and Japanese 110-volt National fans imported into the South before 1975… “The first antique fan sold for the first time was also the famous Italian Marelli ceiling fan. My father brought it back to repair and his butt was hung in front of the house, not long after, a Western man came to pay 200 dollars in the morning. when the purchase price is only 70,000 VND”, Mr. Duc shared. “Few people know this fan is almost the first generation, when electricity began to appear and made a fan, this was the first line,” Mr. Ngoc excitedly shared. “And this fan dates from the years 1921-1930 and later, the fans are designed to be more compact, saving electricity and materials.” These ancient fans were formerly carried by the French to decorate offices and villas to cool down the tropical heat. Once upon a time, electric fans were only for aristocratic families. They are hung in the house not only to cool, but also as decorative objects to show wealth. This antique ceiling fan hanging in Mr. Phuc’s house is valued at more than 100 million VND. The most prominent in the antique fan collection is the Italian Marelli line, which is known as the king of fans, the details are reaching to the level of sophistication. Fans are made meticulously to each screw, gear, base … Therefore, they are capable of lasting hundreds of years. Currently, Duc’s shop has more than 10 antique Marelli fans, they are all made of pure copper. The cheapest one costs several million, the most expensive one costs hundreds of millions of dong. Not only the expensive Marelli line, but also the antique French fans that cost up to hundreds of millions of dong/piece. Every day, many guests come to the small house to buy a memento bearing the stamp of time being preserved in the heart of Hanoi. And the reason why antique fans are so attractive is not only because of their age, but because of the beauty in their design with classic curves, inside, copper plating of cages and shiny blades…

“Since we were reopened, our business has been very dire. Vietnamese customers are few, let alone foreigners, ”said Ms. An, a person who specializes in trading lanterns and bird lanterns on Hang Trong Street. To Tich Street, which is famous for unique souvenirs, no longer has a bustling scene when translating COVID -19 is still complicated. A shop owner who sells wooden products shook his head in frustration when he could only surf the internet and burn time all day. “It would be boring if I spent the whole day playing indoors. We still bring these items to sale, but the whole morning no one looks at all, ”he said. Small traders sell goods to help relieve sadness and sit on the web This man said that such items as sticky rice or wooden spoons are very popular with Korean and Japanese tourists, priced from 30,000 to 40,000 VND / item, now falling into a dire situation due to Disease.

Designer Tien Loi 30 years ago and now (last photo). Talking about the fashion style 30 years ago, Tien Loi said that at that time, he was also in love with Chan Tu Dan, so a young man like him liked to wear elastic waistband pants with a bata suit and bata shoes. This is the period when “people play” like to wear sneakers with nose licking and heels licking. These two types of shoes were considered fashionable at that time. Next to that is the habit of wearing tight bottoms. “Also because the youth at that time liked the kick to bring the opponent’s ear” – T I come to Loi. The Four Kings of the Hong Kong Entertainment Industry are idols of the 7X, 8X generation. Bui ngoi recalled the youth, Tien Loi said, at that time, the young people really liked the style of the Four Great Kings of Hong Kong with famous characters Quach Phu Thanh, Le Minh, Luu Duc Hoa, Truong Hoc Huu and wanted learn their style, want to be like one of them. Thirty years later, when entering the ripe years of human life, Tien Loi concluded that his whole life, if he imitated, someone could not be like, because no one was like me. Tien Loi also joked, fortunately after 30 years, he seems even younger when looking back at the old photos.

Old town is the first place to visit for tourists from all over the world when coming to Hanoi. They are curious about the old beauty of Hanoi, a thousand years of civilization. However, hidden behind the noisy and bustling features of the shops growing up close by, are the dark, microscopic alleys. Those are small, deep alleys, just one person. Entering each small alley is like stepping into a tunnel, groping forever without seeing the sun. Especially, in Hang Buom street, deep and narrow alleyways appear alternately. The way a large frontage house to an alley. The narrowest section width is nearly 50-60 cm. Ngo Brick Street, Hoan Kiem District – this place is known to many people for its tiny alleys when their width is less than 50 cm. Through this dark “tunnel” are the houses lurking behind. These small alleys form hundreds of hundreds of years. Hanoians are also accustomed to this cramped lifestyle. Households enjoy the same living space and collective kitchen. Every house door is close together. Few people can imagine that in that seemingly small alley, there are people who accept to live with darkness and humidity. This is house No. 34, Phat Loc alley, according to people living here, the house of Hoan Kiem factory is considered to be the oldest and the worst in Hang Buom ward. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuan lives in a 12m2 house at 32, Phat Loc (Hang Buom Ward, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi) for nearly 40 years. “I have lived here since the day I came back as a bride. This house my mother-in-law rented from the State, only 12m2, but for 4 generations … “ “Now the house has deteriorated a lot, the walls are loose, damp, when there are heavy rains, the house leaks, the windows are beaten by the wind”, Ms. Tuan said. Her husband spent more than 10 years, Mrs. Tuan alone took care of the whole family. She said: “There is no new rent, but living conditions like this are too much, I just hope to have a policy of relaxing people so that the whole family can move to a new place”. Because the house is so small, she makes use of the area next to no one to rent. In the same situation, living in house 34, Phat Loc, is still a lot of tenants. Ms. Zhao Tieu Hoa (77 years old) shared: “I have been staying in this house for 70 years. Now the children also live in this house “. Despite her old age, Ms. Hoa is daily groping for her way in the dark “cellar” going up and down to cook rice in the first floor collective kitchen. Over half of her life, with Mrs. Hoa, life is like that. “Enough, do not want to change anymore”. This is the house of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Ty (85 years old) at 96 Hang Buom. The house is only 9m2, and below is the kitchen, the toilet, above is the attic for her to sleep. “I have lived here since 1957, the day before, a family of seven lived here. Later, my children got married to live separately, I lived here alone. Sometimes my children and grandchildren would come home to visit their mother, ”said Mrs. Ty. According to observation, in these lane areas there are many degraded houses, in addition to the interlocking electrical system, the tubular house has no escape route, the fire alarm system is not equipped with potentially many fire risks. explosive. According to statistics in the Hoan Kiem district, there are more than 1,000 alleys and alleys so small that only one person can pass. There are even alleys that people passing by have to stoop, wriggle, look very miserable, but it is normal of the people of the old town. Living so cramped, dark, but many people still accept and satisfied because it seems to have become a habit, a cultural feature of Hanoi Old Quarter.

The alley is only half a meter wide, deep, smoking, people have to turn on the electricity 24/24 to see the path, the entrance can only be one by one.

Alleyways are only available in Hanoi’s Old Quarter

Along the streets such as: Hang Buom, Hang Chieu, Hang Duong, Lane Brick, Lo Su … are super-small alleyways, right behind the shops with splendid light; is known as a “specialty” of Hanoi Old Quarter.

Streets located in the old town area are called “diamond streets” of Hanoi, with a value of up to billions of VND / m2, equivalent to land prices in the most expensive cities in the world. like New York, Paris or Tokyo.

In the area of ​​Hang Ngang – Hang Dao, Dinh Tien Hoang, the price of road surface is said to be from 800 million to more than 1 billion VND / m2.

Most of the households living in these alleys are families with 3 generations, sharing a small house, only 10m2.

An alley on Hang Buom Street, deep and dark like a tunnel.

Mr. Le Cong Vinh (70 years old, Hang Buom street) said: “Although I am used to living here, sometimes I find it inconvenient. Every time you want to renovate the house, you have to pay more labor costs to carry the materials bit by bit from outside the entrance to the house ”.

According to Mr. Vinh, the biggest inconvenience here is the lack of common living space for everyone. Every time anyone’s house has a table, they have to borrow the space of the next house to have enough room for guests. When shopping for household appliances, everyone has to consider, calculate and only dare to buy items with the size that can pass through the lane.

Even during the day, even with the lights on, the alley is still dark.

Mr. Le Ngoc Anh (45 years old, Hang Buom street) expressed concern: “I only care for children who do not have a place to play and play. Every afternoon, they come home from school to see them sitting in the house watching TV or playing on the phone.

Alley space is narrow, many families with young children often have to go to the park or walk around the street to save trouble.

The lane’s meager space is used as a place for furniture, goods, and bicycles.

The electrical wiring and meters above are installed running along the small alley, potentially many risks, not ensuring electrical safety and fire prevention.

“The alley, the house is cramped, but it can’t be helped to move.”

Located deep in the alley only about 50cm wide, with dim electric lights on Hang Buom street, the house of Mr. Nguyen Thanh Long’s family has two floors, each floor is less than 10m2 but has 6 people, 3 generations. live together.

Mr. Long shared: “Although living conditions are quite tight, many households here do not want to move anywhere. Moreover, if we move, we do not know what kind of profession to make a living ”.

The small room, narrow alley, and Mr. Long’s furniture are only “moderate” in size.

An alley corner is used as a cooking place.

Many households have to share living space to save space.

The alley is very narrow, only one person can pass, so people often wait for each other to take each car out one by one …

Le Thi Gai (75 years old, Lo Su street, Hoan Kiem district) shared that her family has lived here since the 1960s, most of people here are manual labor, small businesses. in the old town. Although there are many inconveniences, the households living in these alleys are very united.

“Previously, 4 households in the alley used the same toilet, now life is better, each house built its own toilet, but we still told you to clean the way together. go, everyone’s living space ”.

A small, deep alley is nestled among flashy street shops.

Since 1998, the People’s Committee of Hanoi has started an old town migration project with the aim of reducing population density in the AQ from 823 people / ha in 2010 to 500 people / ha. Accordingly, the area of ​​Hoan Kiem old town has to move over 6,500 households, with about 27,000 people.

In the middle of 2019, the project of stretching the old town continues to restart after the years that seem to have “fallen asleep”. However, after more than 20 years of implementing this population relaxation project, the old quarters with a large population density, narrow houses crowded in deep streets continue to recur. Damage, peeling walls, steel core inside is common.

The alleys are not noisy, no hustle and bustle, still quietly nestled on the bustling streets of more than 20 years. The people living in it still keep harmony with each other, yield to the little common space, and preserve the civilized lifestyle of Ha Thanh land.