Quảng Bá flower-market (in Tây Hồ district) meets year-round at 2am, it’s said to be the head-market where all species of fresh flowers are bought and sold by Hanoians. Flowers here are deemed to be most beautiful and fresh; moreover, going to the market by night is a touch of culture, an identity of Hanoians.
Closer the Tet (new-year day), the market seems busier and merrier, not
only flower-dealers buy flowers for resale, many just come to see and
enjoy Tet atmosphere. On 28th or 29th of lunar December, it’s icy cold
in the open, but the market gets crowded right from early hours (2 or
3am). Beautiful flowers of all species will make you fascinated, not
only flowers, everything related to flowers can be found here
(decorative papers, coloured strings...), from low-price to most
expensive flowers, from home-grown to imported ones. Anyway, roses are
the most.
Flowers are sold by separate species, unlike in other
markets. The whole Quảng Bá seems to be speaking in low-and-soft
voices. The sellers and buyers as well, all have an electric torch in
hand because the sun is still sleeping.
Quảng Bá market is
divided in two shifts. Shift I from 2-4am is for the flower-growers,
it’s whole sales selling for retail sales. Shift II from 4am to
daylight morning is for higher price by flower-dealers.
The day
gets lighter and faces are more clearly seen, flowers look more
colourful and are sold by retailers on all streets, lanes for Hanoi’s
new day. The market is over and everybody gets home for the following
day.
