fridayjeff13

A number of the 36 streets that make up the Ancient Quarter still offer only a single commodity. One of the better is Hang Quat, where shops sell an incredible array of lacquered wood candle sticks, bowls, picture frames, religious shrines, and decorative pieces. Practically every item that is single painted in certain combination of red, white and gold. Many of the things are elaborate to the point of being garish. Since prices are staggeringly low, buy what you could. Like folk art in other developing nations, these uniquely Northern Vietnamese handicrafts will quickly die out combined with present generation of artisans creating them. The shelves of shops in Ho Chi Minh city already are filled up with factory made schlock. Sadly, this may happen in Hanoi in no time.

Vietnamese silk is one of the world’s finest. Hang Gai (thread street) has for centuries been home for some of Hanoi’s silk shops that are best.

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