Finding myself in serene and calm mind by Hoan Kiem Lake on a chilly winter afternoon

It's been over 2 weeks since my last post. The reason is that I was actually a bit lazy to write lately. However, 2021 is coming to an end, and I wanted to share some of the experiences I had during my trip to Ha Noi this December since I want to write down exactly the emotions that stagnated in me after this amazing trip.

1. Hoan Kiem Lake

Hoan Kiem Lake, meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword", also known as Sword Lake, is a historical venue and is considered a symbol of Ha Noi - the capital of Viet Nam. Hoan Kiem Lake or Sword Lake is a natural freshwater lake is associated with the legend of King Le Thai To return the divine sword to the god turtle.
This lake is the intersection between the famous old quarters in Hanoi, which were planned by the French a long time ago. It is very convenient for tourists to walk around the lake, visit famous landmarks as well as learn about the typical culture of the surrounding old town system due to its prime location. In this post, I will focus on my feelings and emotions on a cold winter afternoon walking on the banks of the lake.

I came to Hanoi when Da Nang was in the middle of the long rainy days of late November. Having heard that Hanoi's winter is freezing, so I brought along some sweaters and a scaft besides lovely dresses to stay warm. The winter weather in Hanoi is wonderful with the sunshine bringing a rare warmth amid cold winter days. Walking around Hoan Kiem Lake in the last days of the year, watching the Turtle Tower ( Thap Rua) calmly in the sun as well as the foliage gradually turning red along the lake always gives me a feeling of lightness and tranquillity.

If you are a tree lover then I am sure you fancy going to Hoan Kiem Lake once in your life. I've seen some impressive photos of trees swooping branches down over Sword Lake, but I was overwhelmed when I was able to capture the magical beauty of the trees here with my eyes- the best camera we own in my opinion. I completely fell in love with the wonderful scenery here just by capturing all moments in my mind.

Trees' branches swooping down over the lake.

Wind-blown ripples on the lake's surface.

2. ...

I really don't know whether to call this a temple or a gate. But its impressive architecture highlights the ancient features of Hoan Kiem Lake as well as Ha Noi Capital. During my trip to Ha Noi in April, I remember this place was so crowded that taking a picture here was almost impossible. Fortunately, I was able to photograph it last week since the number of tourists coming to Hanoi has decreased a lot due to the complicated and prolonged pandemic.

3. Some activities

If you ask me what makes me fall in love with this place, it is probably watching the daily activities of the people of the capital by Sword Lake. Below are some photos taken by me on a sunny winter afternoon while walking with my loved one.

It seems that the people sitting on two benches over there love this view as much as I do. I don't know what they were thinking about at that time, life or the future; however, it seems that all the chaos in life seems to be pushed back to make room for moments of enjoying the peaceful landscape.

I did stop for a long time to look at this moment. With the typical old men' hat that I often see in Ha Noi, he gazed at the lake as if contemplating the past years of his life. I missed my late grandfather a lot.

Many people come here to take photos due to the wonderful scenery here. The three of them were so cute in that day's outfit and their radiating positive energy made me feel happier.

Take a bike trip around Sword Lake

Walking on the sidewalk

You can even witness a magical magic show like this while walking around Sword Lake

It was really hard to capture these photos because they were so energetic. It seems that these lovely dogs enjoy going outside to enjoy the fresh air.

4.Cyclos

Perhaps the thing that makes me regret the most is not sitting on a cyclo to enjoy the view of Sword Lake. There are many cyclos driven by middle-aged men here. Remember to choose a cyclo and enjoy it because I believe this experience will be great.

5. World Press Photo Exhibition 2021

The outdoor exhibition currently showcases the stories that matter with photography from the 64th annual World Press Photo Contest on the pavement on Le Thai To street side of Hoan Kiem Lake from 17th to 26th December. I couldn't spend more time looking at these works since I was absorbed in watching the trees sway in the wind.

6. Ice-cream stores

It would be remiss not to eat ice cream when coming to Hoan Kiem Lake. I know it's weird to eat ice cream in winter but I am crazy about it. As you know, Trang Tien ice cream has earned its popularity amongst Vietnamese but to be honest, I don't find it very tasty. The ice cream at Thuy Ta and this shop is better, so I will still choose an ice cream here if I have a chance to come back.

'I love Ha Noi' ice cream store.

The ice cream store chooses pink colour as the main tone, which is quite cute.

The cheese ice cream here is a bit sweet but chocolate ice cream is delicious.

We also ordered a cup of milk tea here.

I went to Hanoi as planned in 2021, not only once but twice. Sword Lake in April is of course also Sword Lake in December. However, the weather, scenery, flow of people and emotions of each time are completely different. I spent nearly 6 hours in total editing these photos as well as writing this post owing to the fact that I want to convey the fullest feelings of a young girl amid winter days in Ha Noi. I hope that everyone will stay healthy and don't forget to come here soon.

Thank you so much for reading my post. Stay warm in the winter.😘