Buzz
The midstream of the Red River is where lives converge, where individuals rediscover themselves amidst life's chaos.
Discover Hanoi: Serenity Amidst the Red River's Midstream
The Red River (Hanoi) hosts numerous midstream areas, yet this familiar name often refers to the sandbank beneath Long Bien Bridge, just a few hundred meters from central Hanoi. Here, the Red River divides, creating a vast sandy alluvial bank.
Those who grew up in Hanoi decades ago, now in their 50s, 60s, or older, almost everyone knows about a midstream in the Red River, where empty land is cultivated and livestock raised by riverside dwellers. Later generations in Hanoi are aware of the midstream due to unique nude bathing activities that often occur every morning and evening. However, many, despite knowing about it, have never visited.
The midstream is home to riverside fishing communities and many impoverished households. Houses here are makeshift, mainly on boats as they reside outside the embankment, prone to flooding during the rainy season. Locals utilize the midstream for growing colorful flowers. Just walking on Long Bien Bridge, you can see endless cornfields, lush vegetable gardens, closely packed banana bushes... and the winding white sandbank by the river. The midstream offers a truly different corner of Hanoi.
Nowadays, according to locals, the midstream rarely floods during the rainy season, so activities here are stable, frequent, and more crowded. You can visit the midstream at any time of the year. From the middle of Long Bien Bridge, there is a small staircase leading down to the midstream. The stairs are mainly for pedestrians, but some people still manage to bring bicycles and motorbikes here. Explore Hanoi, come here to find a bit of tranquility, to experience a peaceful life after the hustle and bustle of the nearby urban area. Walk or bike through the sandbanks, lush fields, admire the winding river beside the reeds, the small boats bobbing... or simply sit there, meditate, relax when you're looking for a quiet moment for yourself.
Sunsets at the midstream are beautiful, giving you a completely different feeling than watching a sunset at a beach somewhere. There's no vastness, infinity here, just a limitless space, enough to make you feel a bit dreamy then quickly return to reality. The fading afternoon sunlight rolling in the smoke of burning straw or cooking fires will give you an intimacy and warmth that cannot be described in words.
In the evening, stop your vehicle on Long Bien Bridge, at some grilled corn stall, enjoy corn with the stories of the stall owner, you will naturally find life much more meaningful. When traveling to Hanoi, if you're someone who enjoys photography, come here to take those 'once-in-a-lifetime' photos with many unique angles, very Hanoi.
Try living a truly different life one afternoon or one early morning right in the heart of Hanoi, you'll surely have no regrets.
According to Ngôi Sao
***
Reference: Travel Guide from Mytour
MytourApril 5th, 2017
