Vietnamese, Philippine first ladies tour Hanoi Old Quarter’s traditional flower market

President Vo Van Thuong’s spouse Phan Thi Thanh Tam guided Mme. Louise Araneta Marcos, the spouse of visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr, in a tour around the Hanoi Old Quarter and Hang Luoc street, the venue of one of the oldest and typical flower market in the capital city during the lunar New Year (Tet) Festival.

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The two took a walk through streets and explored the Old Quarter and popular flowers during Tet. The host briefed the guest on cherry blossoms, a traditional kind of flower that is present in the houses of Vietnamese people in the north during Tet.

President Vo Van Thuong’s spouse Phan Thi Thanh Tam (in pink) and Mme. Louise Araneta Marcos (in red), the spouse of visiting Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr tour Hang Ma street (Photo: tuoitre.vn)

Hang Luoc flower market has formed part of the unique culture of residents in the Hanoi Old Quarter as well as the capital city. The market convenes only once in a year, spanning from the 15th day to the last day of the last lunar month.

The two ladies then visited stalls selling Tet products where they were introduced to the traditional craft of making incense, as well as the types of the product used in each traditional Vietnamese holiday and Tet. After enjoying their tea, they got pieces of calligraphy featuring Vietnamese words of "Phuc An" and "Hoa An,” which mean “Luck and Peace” and “Harmony and Peace,” respectively.