Vietnam! We have spent the last 10 days exploring the north and central portions of Vietnam, well as much as we could do in the allotted time. As usual, I feel as though I need another two weeks to really see this country. I like to stay in each city for a couple of days to get oriented and acquainted with the culture because each one has its own unique local flair.
Hanoi, a metropolis of approximately 6.5 million people, is a mix of traditional ways and a growing, changing, urban environment. The locals gather on the sidewalks at low crowded tables to eat while the streets are packed with motor bikes carrying sometimes a whopping 5 people per bike. Several times we enlisted the help of a local woman to get us across the street-it takes skill to walk through this kind of traffic.
Women on bicycles sell everything from fruits and donuts on a stick to jewelry and purses. Tons of stores line the streets with inexpensive clothing and accessories. However, there are a few stores sprinkled amongst the chaos taking Western influences and combining it with traditional Vietnamese style. The products are more expensive comparatively but the quality and design seems superior.
Mosaique Decoration, offering interior decoration and event planning services, has beautiful decorative pillow bands in a range of stunning silks each with a unique embroidered detail. The bands can be pulled over any standard sized throw pillow changing a plain pillow into a little jewelry for your bed or sofa.
Song is another fun find. Men’s and Women’s apparel on the lower level leads to fabulous bed linens and home decor accessories on the second level. The store has a fantastic bedroom display at the moment. A mosquito net hanging above the bed gives the whole look a romantic feminine feel and is another example of using a traditional element in a modern setting. There are several other stores that I came upon, La Casa Vietnam, selling home accessories, and Bellizeno, offering embroidered bed linens.
Enjoy! In the words of Mosaique Decoration, “Vietnamese flair inspires contemporary living”. A true East meets West.
