Hanoi must have been a much more charming place in the 13^th Century when all this began. It’s still pretty charming, but we’ve got to admit that one of the problems in visiting the old town is the traffic.

Hang Tre is one of my favourite streets because it is filled bamboo. Bamboo in Vietnam is an important daily product. It’s used in making baskets, partitions, fishing nets and those very typical shoulder held carriers used by street vendors as they balance themselves through the streets of the country.

The qualities of bamboo have made it synonymous with Southeast Asia. It is strong and pliant and, most importantly, it is the only wood which doesn’t rot. Considering the degree of humidity here, this is an important consideration. Also, the stuff grows everywhere and, unlike teak, it does not face extinction.

The colours of bamboo are warm and sensuous. In our own home we have used bamboo mats to cover the floor, Marie-Do is making lamps out of bamboo and hand-made paper, and bamboo fishing implements adorn our walls – much to the amusement of our Vietnamese visitors.


Mair and Marie Do