On the night of August 29 and early morning of August 30, people and tourists flocked to the central streets to wait for the state-level rehearsal for the parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of National Day (A80), the international tourists present here had unforgettable experiences.
The atmosphere on central streets such as Dien Bien Phu, Nguyen Thai Hoc, Trang Thi, Hang Khay... was filled with anticipation. As the night of August 29 came, more and more people flocked to the sidewalks and squares along the parade route.
Laura and Teo, a couple from Spain, walked around Hoan Kiem Lake with their eyes unable to hide their surprise.
"We know that Vietnam is preparing for a big anniversary through decorative signs across the streets," Laura said.
"People were very happy, they wore shirts with red flags with yellow stars, and hats with stars. Everyone looked proud," Teo said.
The couple said they had heard about a special parade but did not fully understand the scale.
"It's a pity that we won't be here on September 2. We will still be in Hanoi tomorrow morning, so we will definitely find a location to watch the rehearsal," the male Spanish tourist shared more.
Meanwhile, Jorina and Bella, two German girls, used the word "shock" to express their feelings.
"We just arrived in Hanoi and were really overwhelmed. The atmosphere was so bustling, far from what we imagined," Jorina said.
Bella continued: "There are too many people coming here. The crowd was so large that I was overwhelmed."
For many foreign tourists, coming to Hanoi at this historic time is a lucky coincidence, bringing a completely different perspective on the capital of Vietnam.
The sharing of Adi and Yuval from Israel is the clearest proof of the uniqueness of Hanoi's atmosphere these days. "When I walked around the street, I was surprised to see so many people spreading carpets, even thin cardboard covers to sit on and lie on the sidewalk," Adi said.
"They sit close together, looking quite cozy and united. I have never seen this scene anywhere in the world," Yuval described.
Curiosity prompted both of them to search on Google: "Why are Vietnamese people doing this?". Thanks to that, new tourists know that Vietnam is celebrating the 80th anniversary of September 2, so there are many major activities and events. And people gathered to wait for a grand parade.
"I was shocked to know that people would stay up all night right on the street, to get the most beautiful location to watch the parade in the early morning," the male tourist from Isreal exclaimed.
The State-level rehearsal took place at 6:30 a.m. on August 30 as a program of similar scale and content to the official parade and parade that will take place on the morning of September 2. This is the occasion to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, an important political event of the country.
The A80 grand ceremony could become a channel to promote the image of a vibrant country to international visitors. The image of tens of thousands of people sitting orderly all night on the sidewalk is not only a unique sight, but also a testament to the fact that Vietnam is a safe country to explore, with many interesting things to experience.
