Hanoi
VietnamHanoi: A City in Constant Motion

A few minutes later, we landed at Hanoi-Noi Bai airport, for half a day in one of the biggest cities in northern Vietnam.

After a meal in town, we set off from the hotel to visit Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house, the One Pillar Pagoda and the magnificent Temple of Literature. A calm place, even though it sits right in the middle of the city, surrounded by the deafening noise of traffic.

In the evening, we take a short walk near Hoan Kiem Lake and the Temple of the Jade Mountain. The temple’s lights are reflected in the water and give it a mysterious feel, with its gates unfortunately closed to the public.

Two views contrast: a peaceful islet in the middle of the lake, and on the other side, a lively neighbourhood of shops and markets.

A few steps further on, people look at us with surprise and warmth. Seeing all my gear, some young people kindly ask me if I make vlogs, like a French-speaking YouTuber in Vietnam.

After this short hour in the city centre, it was time to head back before our next destination: Ha Long Bay.

On the road to the bay, we stopped at one of the many craft shops. Several women there embroider in silk pictures of extreme precision. What particularly impressed me were the details, the shadows and the light, so close to those of a photograph.

The smallest pictures take 2 to 3 months of work, and the largest ones 6 to 10 months. The embroiderers start from a simple photograph to create a picture as realistic as an oil painting.

Here I show you two pictures that are a little different from what they usually make: they look like drawings, and every black area is also embroidered by hand.