Blossoms in Hanoi

But the Hanoian (another word for Hanoi people) have already started to look for peach blossoms - a symbol of spring arrival.

The beauty of flower villages not only attracts the old residents of Hanoi but also foreign visitors to the city. Not surprisingly, many come to Quang Ba Flower Market, located at the corner of West Lake, in the very early morning to experience the feeling of freshness and relaxing in the garden.

Many villages in the suburbs of Hanoi, such as Nhat Tan, Tu Lien, and Phu Thuong specialize in growing peach trees. As spring is coming every household in the capital city makes a point of procuring at least a small branch of peach flowers to decorate their house.

Petals are single or double according to the variety, and their colors range from a delicate pink to carmine red. Connoisseurs like double petals and tender rosy tones, but popular preference goes to more vivid tints.

Peach blossoms owe their popularity to reasons that vary according to age groups and individual taste. Most people like them because of the beauty of their slender petal, but some see a symbol of prosperity and good fortune in the vividness of their colors. The older generation believes in the power of peach blossoms to repel evil.

 “We are not hesitating to introduce the real pictures of Hanoi and the people living there to foreign travellers”. The places are definitely not somewhere full of new, shinning and modern architect but where we call “local touch”, that means traveller can have a chance to experience the local customs of this beautiful city, a travel Tour guide said. Many travellers have agreed that this is a very interesting idea. They wish to know what is going on in Hanoi and what belongs to the beauty of tradition. Here, where peach flowers represent the festival just like Christmas trees in many Western countries.

For Vietnamese people, the bright colour of peach blossoms brings a message of confidence in humanity; it brings redemption, hope and optimism in the New Year 2012.

                                                                                                                                                                  Tracyp

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