I wonder if I’m going to start every entry about a street with the words, ‘This is my favourite street…’? If truth be told, they are all my favourite and the longer I stay here the more I find myself falling in love with Hanoi.

The Street of Medicinal Plants is a case in point. There is, of course, the merchandise, which is totally mysterious and exotic and full of promise. There is also the hustle and bustle of this street, of carrier ladies  hauling dried mushrooms and sea-ponies here and there. Buried beneath the activity of this street is a whole world we can only dream about.

For example, where do all those cobras come from? Who catches them and how do they get them in the bottle? We bought a bottle of cobra wine to put on our shelves for decoration. Inside is a large-necked cobra holding what looks like a garden snake in its mouth. These two creatures share the tiny space with ginseng roots and curry peppers. The neck of the bottle is very thin and the whole thing reminds me of some Dutchman spending years with long thin sticks putting a boat together in a bottle!

On the back of the bottle is a label upon which is written: Real Speciality of Vietnam,

Snake Wine (one unit). Usage: Rheumatism, Lumbago, Sweat of Limbs. Dosage: Twice a Day Each a Small Cup Before Meal.

If any of you out there suffer from Sweat of Limbs, drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do for you.

Of course, Pho Lan Ong is much more than snake wine, even if that is what catches the eye. Apothecaries are filled with Oriental remedies in cherry-wood filing cabinets, shops are brimming with plants and herbs and dried animals. And as always the streets are filled with the daily beauty of what makes Hanoi such a great city to live in: the feather duster seller, the vegetable lady, the careening motorbikes…


Mair and Marie Do