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October 8, 2013

0830 VIETNAM (Red River Delta) - Khám Thiên Street in Hanoi during rush hours


In 2010, when officially marked 1000 years since the establishment, Hanoi ("Between Rivers" or "River Interior") exceeded six and a half million of inhabitants, being the second largest city in Vietnam, after Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Besides, from 1010 until 1802 it was the most important political centre of the country, from 1802 until 1945 imperial capital, from 1954 until 1976 the capital of North Vietnam, and since 1976 is the capital of a reunified Vietnam.

Khám Thiên Street stretches over 1170m and is considered a crowded one because of its dense resident population and 26 tooth harrow shaped lanes on both roadsides. Some lanes still keep their ancient names like: Trung Ta, Trung Thuan, Lenh Cu, Tho Quan. The street was named Khám Thiên because there used to be Kham Thien Giam tower, where officials in charge of monitoring weather, astronomy and calendar worked from Ly to Le dynasty. Before August revolution (1945), it was famous as an entertainment center.

At the house number 312, Ngo Gia Tu and 20 other people discussed on June 17 1929 to found Indochina Communist Party - one of Vietnam Communist Party’s precursors. The street is remembered most by the horrifying B52 bombing on December 26 1972. There were so many people who died and destroyed houses that the street became the main context for the famous movie Hanoi child.

About the stamps
About the first stamp, depicting Ernest Hemingway, I wrote here. The second stamp is one of a series of two depicting Plumeria flowers (2,500 VND - it's on this postcard, and 8,500 VND).

References
Hanoi - Wikipedia
About Kham Thien Street - Vietnam Online

sender: Cătălin Frolov
sent from Hanoi (Red River Delta / Vietnam), on 20.06.2013
photo: Doan Duc Minh

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