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Winter in Hanoi this year arrived unusually late. Even at the end of November, the sun was still blazing like summer, leading people to say, "Maybe there won't be a winter this year." Yet, just a few days later, the sudden cold arrived, surprising everyone. But everyone knows that this early winter chill is a characteristic feature of Hanoi, something that those who leave the city miss and long for.
Winter may be cold, but it's still romantic in its own way for each person.
This year, winter arrived unusually late, much to everyone's anticipation.
In Hanoi, winter is unmistakable. The early winter chill here is completely different from the cold in other places. While Saigon only has a rainy and a dry season, offering little experience of what winter is like, Hanoi's cold is a biting, bone-chilling cold.
The leaves also change color to welcome the arrival of winter.
Winter streets have a very distinctive charm that is both pleasant and makes one want to slow down a bit.
For those who have left their hometowns but have spent many years connected to Hanoi, winter often brings back many memories. While living in the capital, it seems normal, but only when they are far away do they truly feel the longing and nostalgia.
For example, when I posted a short video of Hanoi's streets during this season on social media, a few friends who used to live in Hanoi but now work far away exclaimed, "I miss Hanoi so much!" Especially the atmosphere at this time of year makes everyone feel nostalgic and eagerly anticipate something. Perhaps it's also because this is the time of year with many holidays like Christmas, New Year's Day, and Lunar New Year... so the feeling is very special.
The cold in Hanoi is sometimes so biting it feels like it's cutting through your skin.
In the early winter, amidst the biting cold, there are many things worth trying. For example, enjoying a steaming bowl of pho, sipping a cup of egg coffee, and watching the street life go by is simply wonderful. Or savoring afternoon snacks like mugwort egg rolls, fried sticky rice cakes, hot steamed rice cakes, or a bowl of glutinous rice balls in sweet soup, or a bowl of pork rib porridge sold by street vendors...
Not to mention those winter evenings when the streets are filled with vendors selling steaming hot roasted corn and sweet potatoes. Taking a stroll around Hanoi to breathe in the city air, then stopping to enjoy the rich flavor of roasted sweet potatoes and chatting about everyday life – what could be better?
The appearance of daisies on the streets signals the arrival of winter.
Enjoy a bowl of hot glutinous rice balls with the spicy kick of ginger.
However, the capital still hides a certain romance that only those who truly understand can appreciate—the beauty of Hanoi in winter.
Normally bustling, Hanoi seems to slow down and become gentler when winter arrives. Yet, amidst the hurried pace, a few humble little stalls selling hot tea, ginger candy, and peanut candy can still be seen, a unique feature of Hanoi's winter. The biting cold sometimes penetrates the skin; wearing thin clothing easily leads to shivers and trembling throughout the body as the wind whistles.
The cart, laden with all kinds of flowers, drove around the streets.
Throughout the streets, carts carrying flowers pass by. But it's the daisies that seem to awaken with the arrival of winter, a species that blooms only once a year and is found only in Hanoi. These small, white flowers symbolize purity, elegance, and gentleness, much like the people of Thang An (Hanoi).
Eastern Hanoi is draped in a melancholic yet romantic hue. For those who have lived here for many years, witnessing countless winters come and go, Hanoi presents a lyrical scene, full of emotion and nostalgia.
Winter brings with it a melancholic yet romantic atmosphere.
Hanoi in winter is beautiful and incredibly poetic. You have to experience it to truly appreciate its beauty and romance. And then, when you're far away, a lingering nostalgia for the capital city arises.
No matter where I go in the world
My heart still longs for Hanoi...
