On August 21 at noon, Nikolay, a tourist from Russia, arrived with friends at Tran Phu Street and was astonished by the massive crowds gathering around Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi.
He observed that the streets were filled with people of all ages, most wearing clothes or carrying items featuring the red flag with a yellow star.
When told the crowds were waiting for the full-dress rehearsal for the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2, he said he was moved by the strong national pride and patriotism on display.
“We heard that Russian military units will also join the parade. That makes it even more special for us. We plan to grab some food nearby and then return to watch the rehearsal,” Nikolay shared.
He has traveled across Vietnam several times in the past three years. This time, his group will spend five days in Hanoi before heading to Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), and Ninh Binh. Although he admitted that arranging transport and finding food in the city center was a bit inconvenient, the festive atmosphere made the experience worthwhile.
French couple Priscilia and Valentin, visiting from Paris, also expressed amazement at the scale of the crowds.
“In France, National Day is important too, but the atmosphere is not as lively as here. We feel so lucky to witness this special moment in Vietnam,” they said.
Similarly, Lars Varga from Germany, who had just returned from Tuyen Quang to Hanoi, was overwhelmed by the patriotism in the capital.
He noted that thousands of people had arrived early in the morning, filling every street around Ba Dinh Square, waiting for the A80 rehearsal at 8 p.m.
The German visitor said he felt joy in sharing the pride and patriotic spirit radiating from the Vietnamese people on such an important national occasion.
Linh Trang
Vietnamnet.vn
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