The beauty of Hanoi during Winter

When the plants completely take off its beautiful crimson and gold gowns, and when Hanoi starts to put on a show of continual drizzles and dry, chilly breezes, winter also returns to the city.

Source: thethaovanhoa.vn

          Winter arrives bringing unpleasant feelings and unpleasant changes in the air, the sceneries, and the weather. Days become shorter while cold, rainy nights seem to last forever. The soothing coolness from autumn gradually vanishes, leaving room for the freezing chills to fill the air. Naked scrawny trees add a hint of solitary to the already gloomy streets under dark clouded sky.

          But, if you could spend a moment to look around a just little bit closer, you would see that Hanoi still has a lot to offer, a lot of beauty to show, even in the most ordinaries.

          During this season, Hanoi’s streets seem to be especially crowded with street vendors and peddlers selling steamed yams and sugar canes. The delicious scent and hot steam blow a faint whiff of warmth into the freezing air, into the mind and soul of Hanoians. I love this comforting heat, this sweet scent, this tasty and chewy flavor. Hiding away from winter rain under some unknown roof, with a hot, fresh cooked steamed yam in hand, suddenly all the chill and coldness seem to fade away.

Source: afamily.vn

          Winter brings Hanoi not just windy and cold rainy days, but also the beautiful scene of almond leaves in different shades of rich crimson waltzing elegantly in the air before resting peacefully on the ground. I love walking through rows of almond trees in the winter. The old trees standing tall and stern like rows of royal guards, and the path under my foot is a magical red carpet, with each step accompanied by a playful crispy sound underfoot.

Source: guiloiyeuthuong.com

          Winter comes bringing Hanoi nights of continuous rains and frosty mornings – when the streets are embraced in a thin, transparent layer of mist. Having a walk early in the morning, feeling the chills tingled in your skin and breathing in a deep inhale of fresh, clean air, and nothing could be better and more refreshing to start your busy day.

Source: zing.vn

          Who said Hanoi during winter is colorless and solitary? Hanoi in winter has its own very unique beauty. Its charms lie hidden in the loveliness of little daisies in pure white and beaming gold, and in the rare sunny days when the sky seems to be brighter and everything glows in liveliness.

              

Source: nguoiduatin.vn

The Beauty of Hanoi in Autumn

Once series of heavy rains and the burning sun are replaced by rays of pale light and a hint of coldness in the soft, gentle breeze, Hanoians know right away it was time for the arrival of autumn.

Autumn comes to Hanoi with gentle rays of sun reflected off the lakes in sparkles of light, dying everything in glittering gold.

Source: baomoi.com

Autumn sun is very gentle and soothing. Having a walk by Sword Lake one morning in the generous warmth, and suddenly all the ordinary loveliness autumn brings to Hanoi would be explored and laid out under the bright sunshine. I love how autumn's sun beautifully shines on morning dew, making them look like droplets of sparkling crystal. I love the bright light radiated through web of branches, putting on my head a crown of golden sparks. I love how autumn's sun polishes Hanoi and makes the city glow brilliantly, less fervent, yet especially peaceful and lovely.

Autumn comes to Hanoi with the sweet scent of milk flowers floating through every little street corner of the city.

Source: netdepviet.org

Milk flower has been a unique symbol of Hanoi's autumn since forever. Its sweet fragrance, its lovely and pure milky white color, the shades of its luxuriant branches, all have always been a deep longing for me whenever I miss Hanoi during this season.

Autumn comes to Hanoi with rows of deciduous trees and avenues carpeted by crispy fallen leaves in various shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Source: tapchicongso.vn

Tumbling gracefully in autumn breeze, the leaves that once clothed the trees with rich shades of green perform their beautiful aerial dance before resting peacefully on the ground. This light rain of gold and crimson brings Hanoi streets a sense of vague sadness, yet gorgeously beautiful in a very romantic way.

Autumn comes to Hanoi with a breathtaking beauty that is extremely charming, so pure and peaceful yet mysterious. Perhaps no other season could bring the capital city of Vietnam such remarkable beauty, such refined elegance in the simplest and most ordinary way. Hanoi during autumn is really beautiful – the kind of “beautiful” that could make you go all emotional without even knowing why…

Hanoi in Summer

Summer comes knocking on Hanoians’ doors when the whole city starts glowing with various radiant hues and colors. Summer in Hanoi is a colorful season, with a strange beauty that would make you feel both annoyed and captivated at the same time.

Hanoi in summer is a beautiful city – a beautiful and colorful city, jubilating in vitality and enthusiasm.

What color is Hanoi during summer?

It’s the glowing red of the sun and of flamboyant flowers like little flames flickering behind the greenness of fern-like leaves.

Source: Travelasia

It’s the sparkling yellow of beaming sunlight radiated upon Hanoi’s limpid lakes.

Source: Google

It’s the light blue of the sky after a refreshing summer rain, and the seven beautiful hues of rainbow across the sky.

Source: vnexpress

Normally summer in Hanoi starts in May when the blustering sound of cicadas starts lingering in the hot sultry air. By this time the city has fully awakened from its celebrating mood during Tet holiday in spring, and is full of fervent energy, ready for summer.

Hanoi in summer – a place full of sunlight.

The dazzlingly bright and shiny rays of sun are the first, and perhaps most remarkable impression of Hanoi’s summer. Summer’s sun has a sweet honey-liked color which generously scatters all over the city with a thin layer of gold. It is not as aggressive as the kind of sunlight burning over the desert’s sand, or as misty as the faint light during winter days. The kind of light dusted over Hanoi in summer is swelteringly hot yet bold and full of energy. Summer in Hanoi is like a spoiled little kid. Daring, straightforward, playful, and extremely energetic. Yes, it annoys you, yet you can’t help but falling for its splendid, glorious beauty.

Hanoi in summer – where sudden showers pour heavily on streets, chasing away the burning heat in the air.

Summer rain in Hanoi is nothing like the gentle drizzle in spring, or the frosty rain during winter. It’s strong, harsh, and ruthless. Perhaps only this aggressiveness could have the capability to ease the intense heat of summer in Hanoi. Summer showers often come unexpected, then go away just as agile and sudden, leaving behind a comfortable coolness, and a light trail of rainbow across the horizon. Hanoi’s sky after a summer pour is specially high and bright, with pale rays of sunlight gently radiated through white fluffy clouds. The beauty of Hanoi in summer is very much diversified. Sometimes it is as aggressive and energetic as a rebellious teenager. Some other times it is as gentle and tender as a lovely maiden.

To be honest, summer has never been my favorite season among the four beautiful seasons of the year, but summer in Hanoi has a very special and unique charm that could make me deeply captivated. 

The Enchanted Beauty of Spring in Hanoi

I remember it was an early morning of late January, I woke up to the lively chirping by my window. Yesterday night’s rain left fresh water droplets on leave-less branches. Somehow, it did not feel like any other passed winter days. Something had changed. Perhaps the warm air full of flower fragrance, perhaps the sky that was clearly brighter and higher than usual, or could it be the faint sight of newly appeared green buds that had made that day so different, so not… wintery. That moment I suddenly realized, spring was coming!

Source: talkvietnam.com

Spring, one simple word with so many beautiful meanings. Spring is the time of renewal and transformation. This is the time when Mother Earth awakens from her long sleep and explodes with new life, new vitality. Spring for humans means a new start, a fresh and new beginning for better fortune and health. Spring brings beauty and colours to life after the long cold and solitary winter. 

Spring in Hanoi means the coming of Lunar New Year, or Tet Holiday – an important cultural festival for the Hanoians in particular and the Vietnamese in general. However, for me, it has never been the joyful festival or the endless celebrations of a happy new year that make up the beauty of this city when spring comes. 

Hanoi’s beauty in spring lies in the phenomenal transition of nature and the interesting contradiction of the weather. Funny how you walk down the street and catch sight of once-wilted flowers blooming radiantly again despite the slightly chilly weather. Unlike the comfortable warmth in Ho Chi Minh, or the freezing winds flowing through Hue during this time of the year, spring brings Hanoi continuous drizzles and mist and a bearable coldness that cannot be found in any other cities in Vietnam. It is this odd combination of warmth and chill in Hanoi whenever spring comes that makes this city so unique. Hanoi during this time is beautiful and attractive in such an unusual way.

Hanoi’s beauty in spring lies in the fervent vitality that pervade even the smallest street corners of the city. Hanoi in spring is indeed a beautiful picture in various glowing hues. People dressing up in colorful clothes; blooming flowers and fresh plants embellishing the streets; Vietnamese flags fluttering from balconies; cheerful music resounded everywhere. The unseen vitality of Hanoi in spring comes from all these view-able ordinary things. It is the way people in Hanoi treasure and celebrate the season that blows liveliness to the city. It is the way Hanoians say “xin chao” to spring with happiness and devotion, with hopes and gratefulness that has made this city so beautiful and so full of lives.

Hanoi’s beauty in spring lies also in the ancient architecture and old streets under the shower of sombrous drizzles. The refreshing air, the earthy smell of grass after rain, the sound of water droplets falling to the ground, the curvy shapes of Hanoi’s ancient citadel under a thin layer of mist… all give Hanoi a dreamy yet mysterious beauty – the beauty that makes Hanoi so unearthly, as if the city has just walked out from an old folklore.

It has been years since the last time I enjoyed spring in Hanoi, but the intimate feeling and all the fascinating beauties hidden in the ordinaries of the city still linger deep in my heart. It is the beauty of the season arriving in the city, and the unique beauty of the city wallowing joyfully in the season that has made Hanoi so captivating and beautiful, especially in spring.

Source: talkvietnam.com

How Do You See Hanoi In Your Heart?

Source: Vietnam Paradise Travel

Born and raised in Hanoi, unfortunately, for the first 16 years of my life I have never spared even a moment to just have a careful look, to feel, and to really appreciate the beauty of my beloved city. Only when I have been far away from home that I realized what I have missed. Hanoi since then has become a deep longing in my heart.

Foreigners and even some Vietnamese know of Hanoi as the “Dragon Eye” of Vietnam – a capital city with rich culture and long-standing history. People admire Hanoi for its captivating natural beauty and its unique architecture which was the great combination of Southeast Asian, Chinese, and French style. Hanoi where the tranquil lifestyle of the Hanoians merges beautifully with the 21^st century’s modernity is indeed an attractive destination for tourists and travelers from all around the world.

I know none of these glories though. For me, Hanoi is fascinating in a much more ordinary yet very unique, very special way. I love Hanoi for its four beautiful seasons. Spring – Summer – Fall – Winter – each has left a deep mark in my memory with its special charms; sixteen of each has made up my lovely childhood.

Source: Nguyen Thuy Duong

I love the misty mornings in Hanoi when spring comes with sombrous drizzles. The days are surprisingly quiet and peaceful. Flowers seem to be even more radiant under the shimmering sunlight; and despite the slight hint of coldness carried by the wind, I could still feel a fervent vitality inside just at the faint sight of newly shown green buds.

Source: Dienhoa360 

I love summer in Hanoi when days are drowned by the bright sunlight and glowing flamboyant flowers shade my path. The only time of the year when the last school bell is not that much expected; and the laughter echoed in the air does not sound all that excited.

Source: Mua Thu blogspot

I love the gentle breeze floating through Hanoi signaled incoming fall. Every street corner would be embalmed with a faint whiff of blooming milk flowers. I would leisurely walk under rows of deciduous trees, feeling the vague sadness of autumn and suddenly realizing how beautiful my city has always been, gentle as water and fragile like a mist.

Source: Ha Noi Pho

I even love the gloomy Hanoi on rainy winter nights. Those dark nights when you could even feel the chill wandering in the air; and there I always was, snuggling close to my mom, feeling her warmth all over me, and no more coldness could ever bother my dreams. 

Hanoi's four seasons differ and are captivating in a very unique way, yet I have never really realized this natural beauty of the city. There is this old saying "You never appreciate something until it's gone". I guess this really does apply to me. Having studying abroad for almost 5 years now, the short trips back home during summers could not ease away my longing for Hanoi, the deep sentiment I have never thought I would develop for a place.

Every now and then I would unconsciously stare at the deep blue sky through my window, the little pond by the bus stop, the bushes, the flowers, the people..., trying to find a familiar feeling I have not felt for a very long time, a sense of home, and then realize I was already half the globe away from my beloved country, my beloved city, where my beloved family is. I miss Hanoi. I miss the sky and the land, the air and the water, the people and the streets. I miss Hanoi in broad daylight, crowded and lively. I miss Hanoi's streets at night, quiet and peaceful. I miss even the most ordinaries things of Hanoi – the jubilant chirping of spring, the burning air in summer, the gentle coldness when fall comes, the heavy rains throughout winter.

If Hanoi is a beautiful maiden, the four seasons then would be her jewels, her make-ups, adding to Hanoi the liveliness and a strong vitality, letting this humble city shine and bloom radiantly, showing off all of its hidden beauties, be it in the famous Sword Lake, or an ordinary falling leave.

This is the Hanoi I have used my heart to feel the pure beauty of it. I love such Hanoi – the Hanoi that has walked me through four lovely seasons of life; the Hanoi that has given me a chance to see, to taste, and to feel the beauty of my city lied hidden in the ordinaries. 

Now, what about you? Do you know Hanoi? Have you truly seen the beauty of Hanoi? How do you see Hanoi in your own heart?