A
walk in the park in Hanoi is not always a simple pleasure
one would expect. Peace and quiet, a breath of fresh air, a dog chasing a
tennis ball – all normal activities I ‘ve witnessed. Not so in Hanoi. In fact,
the atmosphere and character of parks in the capital changes throughout the
day. There seems to be a kind of a cycle of activity.
The early
morning dark gives way to park attendants sweeping up any litter, perhaps moving
on a few street people who spent the night under the stars. As dawn approaches,
elderly people who cant sleep start ther early morning wander and the pace
starts to heat up. Before long, sports equipment is in evidence, badminton nets
are being erected and the players begin limbering up. The sun rises and its
rays paint the trees green and the
shuttlecock is suddenly much easier to see. Young teenage boys kick football,
too. But the most frenetic action come from the women in the park. Dozens,
sometimes more than a hundred aerobic enthusiasts kick and wave to non-stop
Asian dance music. In another quarter of the park, older women participate in a
low impact version. waving hand fans to tai chi moves. The morning in Hanoi ‘s
parks amount to one big sports club.
elder people walk around the park
women do aerobic
As the traffic
starts to jam on the adjacent streets, a more sedate atmosphere takes over the
park. The fitness fanatics take off for a bowl of noodle soup before the work
day begins. Tea and fruit vendors set up their simple plastic stools as the
heat begins to become a factor in the day. Hand fans starts to wave again and
the shade of the trees is the only place to be. Less strenuous pastimes like
chess, cards, reading the newspaper and discussing the lottery results take
over in the lead up to lunch time. The quietest part of the park day occurs
after lunch when everyone present has heavy eyelids. A few travelling vendors
will attempt to get some shut-eyes before setting off on their afternoon route.
The park warden may not notice because he is sleepy, too.
In
the late afternoon, the sports nuts start to take over again. The park ‘s
evening rush hour lasts longer as the sport is following by the invasion of the
evening walkers who lap the park until their dinner is settled. Then the lovers
take over, wedged on park benches or parked motorbikes whispering and kissing
until the girl ‘s curfew brings it to a premature end.
The
park goes dark and dormant, ready for the cycle to begin again tomorrow.
