[Video] Travel Back in Time to the Streets of 1980s Hanoi

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September 1, 2019

Old videos of Vietnam are akin to a digital museum. This clip, set against the musical backdrop of Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata,' not only brings us memories of folk games, rolling trams, and the ubiquitous nón lá, it also gives cause for reflection.

Hanoi has a long and rich history of trade, one that remains to this day with various products sold on specific streets in the Old Quarter. In this video, we see Hanoians visiting market stalls and cycling or walking across the capital — the bustle of the city as manic as ever.

Yet the early 1980s were a complicated time for Vietnam. Still reeling from the end of a war within the country — not to mention border conflicts with Cambodia and China in the later 1970s — Vietnam was just beginning to find its footing in an era of peace.

Though many Hanoians remained poor and struggled through the early 1980s, this short film shows how optimism remained through the grins of street vendors, cyclists and young kids. We also see that which is no longer to be found in the capital — a bullock cart on the move, or xe trâu bò, and xích lô being used as regular transport.

Take a look below: