Typical eg.of flowers sold on Hanoi streets
Flower bouquets that can be found on a typical shop all look like variations of this. The ones in classy expensive glass-paneled shops don't. (they include more foreign types, and look classier). Flowers sold by roadside vendors also don't. Rather, seasonal blossoms are offered by the bunch, with no embellishments, for the purpose of adorning home vases.
These bouquets are most commonly and widely available. They serve a single cause, to be sold primarily to one kind of customers: people who look for flowers to give. But then, the real essence of this flower-giving is somehow partially reflected in the bouquet: people give these to each other, not to enjoy the flowers, but just for customs' sake.
The flowers all face one direction: for show, for photographs. Bouquets are made so that people, in ceremonies, can stand like this and have photos:
The flowers all face one direction: for show, for photographs. Bouquets are made so that people, in ceremonies, can stand like this and have photos:
The buyer does not care what flowers he buys. He wants as cheap (or as expensive, depending on occasion) a fresh-looking bunch of them as possible. The receiver never even glances at them (rather, he looks at the camera). After that, the things are either thrown away, put into some corner to rot (pretty side facing out of course), or be reused and given to somebody else (yes this does happen).
It would be unfair to declare that all flowers-givings are so wasteful and for appearance's sake like this. But, there are a lot of such instances. I mean, after all the efforts a plant (a living being, just like you and me) put into making a perfect dazzling flower, it is such-a-shame for them to be treated like that.
Really, I personally have never relished any actual flowers given me in this way. I tend to love the giver more, if he had some nice intention.
And I simply love a flower vendor on a street. Walking by, stopping, admiring, asking about the beauties. It is part of Hanoi in me.
It would be unfair to declare that all flowers-givings are so wasteful and for appearance's sake like this. But, there are a lot of such instances. I mean, after all the efforts a plant (a living being, just like you and me) put into making a perfect dazzling flower, it is such-a-shame for them to be treated like that.
Really, I personally have never relished any actual flowers given me in this way. I tend to love the giver more, if he had some nice intention.
And I simply love a flower vendor on a street. Walking by, stopping, admiring, asking about the beauties. It is part of Hanoi in me.
I debated a bit with myself whether this first post should really be in English, as it deals with a thing purely Vietnamese, and my blogs Ramblings and Những sự hay ho are supposed to be actually different-tongued twins.
Well, as you could see, I decided to go ahead. Writing this in English feels much more objective and comfortable to me.
Well, as you could see, I decided to go ahead. Writing this in English feels much more objective and comfortable to me.