The desire to spruce up the balcony took us in a new direction today.  We wanted some live plants to alter the forsaken, empty pots.  Could we find herbs?  Other edibles?  Occasionally, bike vendors peddle by with plants, but they’re large, ornamental houseplants.  Not what we want.  Where should we look for a nursery?  Shopping here is concentrated by product and street.  There’s guitar street, wok street, bathroom street, shoe street, muffler street, pet street…the list goes on.  These  “streets” can be anywhere from 3 blocks to 15 blocks long.  I had read about Plant Street, so we headed westward to find it.  We strolled along the boulevard on the southern side of Hanoi’s big freshwater lake, called West Lake.  The lake is over 10 miles in circumference.  It seems to be the lungs of this city.  It’s beautiful, yet scruffy.  There’s an odor that permeates the area, a mixture of earth, dead fish, runoff, garbage and fresh air.  Visually, at times it felt a little like standing on Alki beach looking towards Seattle.

Swan paddle boats.  They’re out everyday…not sure if it’s tourists or locals.  Probably both.

Many coffee shops line the street.  Like this one called Xương, which means bone (bone?) which is decorated with stacked tire tables and beer bottle lights.  The forlorn looking pooch caught our eye.

Also along the street is a famous high school, called the Chu Văn An (10-12th grades).  It is one of 3 hard-to-get-into magnet schools in Hanoi.  This (gorgeous) school library is an example of  the French influence, built in 1908.

Fishing.  Always people fishing, either on the banks, or from boats.  Netting, too.

Grin House coffee house, complete with coconuts for sale outside.

Getting closer to Plant Street.  Street vendors set up anywhere and everywhere.  This one is selling bird cages.  Chickens and roosters seem to appear out of nowhere.

We made it to Plant Street.  Over 10 blocks of greens, plants, trees, bonsai, birds, planters, tools and soil amendments.  Browsing while walking requires  a lot of concentration.  I’m certain we missed a lot.  We’ll definitely go back another day.

We found some starts for shiso, cilantro, mint, basil, chives, and thyme, along with a little shovel.   I can add them to the cuttings I’ve been surreptitiously nabbing on our walks.  Yay!