The new story of Gen Z with Hanoi train street cafe

Train street cafe has reopened to welcome visitors. For young people, the train street cafe has become a part of memories and also a regret. Therefore, it is not difficult to see the eager faces and smiles on everyone’s lips on the return day of this street.

Tourists and young people are eagerly waiting for the train to arrive and do not forget to follow safety rules.

As a guy with a special love for street life, Pham Manh Tuan – a young man who owns an Instagram account with more than 16,800 followers, has shown his love for Hanoi through nearly 700 photos. The film is as beautiful as poetry.

With Tuan, behind each photo are attached stories and memories during nearly 5 years of holding the camera wandering around every street and corner of Hanoi. In particular, one of Tuan’s inspirations also originated from this train street cafe.

Photography originates from the hobby of recording what Manh Tuan sees on the street, giving you interesting emotions, making you feel more in love with life.

In 2018, Manh Tuan returned from Italy after studying abroad. For Tuan, Italy is a country with many world wonders along with beautiful cultural works. The young man took a lot of photos and then realized: “Oh, I live in Hanoi, but I didn’t record such beautiful images”. Maybe, things in Hanoi are not as big and majestic as in Europe, but here they have their own beauty and interesting features.

And so when he returned, Tuan recorded the beauties of this place as a habit you did when in Italy. At first, Tuan mainly took pictures with his phone. Then you have chosen a film camera as your “companion”. The film camera also brought Tuan a lot of interesting experiences.

With Manh Tuan, the love of Hanoi grew from the days of wandering and exploring the streets of the capital.

Talking about film photos, Manh Tuan shared: “Taking film photos gives me an experience like no other. Technically, film photography is a bit more manual.

The rolls of film have a beautiful design with different characteristics. If the photo was taken with the film at that time, it was a blessing and a charm for me. And if it “failed”, then stop trying again next time. That’s what makes me like film photography.”

Film photos “as beautiful as poetry” are actively shared by Manh Tuan on social networks

When it came to the train street, Manh Tuan excitedly shared: “Regarding train photos, I have two that I really like. The first photo I took when the train passed in the evening. That moment brought me a lot of emotions. It’s a photo that I really like and also used it to print out postcards to sell. Another photo is of me standing on the train line and taking a photo of Long Bien station.

There are workers and livelihoods. Those close-up scenes attracted me. I don’t like luxurious, beautiful, flashy things, but I like rustic things like this. Those are the two pictures related to the train line that I am most interested in.”

Pictures of the idyllic life of the train street were recorded by Manh Tuan

Experiencing the news that the train street cafe street was back, Manh Tuan confided: “The time I came to the train street was when it was not famous and there were not many cafes here. At that time, this neighborhood was much more rustic.

There are no cafes in Tran Phu section, but houses on both sides of the track. Daily life goes on like that. The train is still going back and forth like that. I like the scenery, that life more.”

Dong Chi Nguyen – a young man who loves the street and likes to take pictures with digital cameras. He owns a fanpage with more than 3,000 followers. This is a place for Nguyen to share his stories with photos, videos and keep people’s street images for more than 3 years.

Nguyen often spends weekends or free time wandering around the streets with his camera, capturing many precious moments in the capital. The train line cafe area is one of the interesting destinations that this guy never misses.

The street is one of Dong Chi Nguyen’s endless sources of inspiration.

Dong Chi Nguyen’s main job is graphic design, Nguyen has been with since the end of secondary school until now. Along with that, photography is also his hobby. In 2016, when he became a student majoring in Photojournalism (Academy of Journalism and Propaganda), Nguyen took more street photos and simply took them with his phone. By 2018, Nguyen spent enough money to buy a camera, which is a new friend to stick with every step of the way.

Nguyen shared: “I like to take pictures of everything in Hanoi anytime and anywhere: take advantage of when eating a bowl of pho, rib porridge sitting on the sidewalk, sitting at a cafe overlooking the balcony or walking through unfamiliar and familiar streets. I remember the time when I was traveling with a friend and accidentally heard the siren signaling the arrival of the train, and immediately took a picture of the moment the red train passed. It is the photo that my relatives and friends remember and like the most, a memory that I will definitely never forget.”

Some outstanding street images of Dong Chi Nguyen shared on social networks.

In particular, in this return to the familiar street, Nguyen could not hide his excitement and excitement when he received 2 trains in the same weekend afternoon. He also recalled the past memories with his special friend when he first came here.

In addition to the camera, the mobile phone is also a means to help Nguyen record every moment on the street.

“Most people now take trending photos that don’t just stop at capturing beautiful scenes, color correcting photos in a certain style, but photos with meaningful messages and specific stories. A photo of a passing train reminds us of the story of two sisters, Lien and An in “Two Children” (Thach Lam), we realize how fast time goes by, nostalgia, excitement when listening to music. train sound,…

Or a photo of Phan Dinh Phung street in the morning with a lot of crowded cars, each ray of sunlight shining down on the road. Busy, bustling streets are sometimes very artistic. Young people gradually understand more about the criteria to have a good photo, the creativity of photography is enhanced, more diverse.

I like street photos that give me positive energy and inspiration and also want to bring this to everyone. A tiring working day, the pressures that everyone has, and then when looking at pictures of the street, people around us have more faith in loving life, cherishing every second, moment, lost respect, love life more”.

Along with young people, foreign tourists also choose to go to the train station cafe street to take pictures and watch the train go by

“Coming here, I have a very unique feeling compared to other places. It is another ideal place to meet up with friends. I have seen many foreign friends excitedly come here to take pictures, watch the train pass and enjoy a cup of coffee overhead. Every time I come here, I go from being excited, excited to even remembering the past memories…

It was a great street photography experience. For those of you who love photography like me, you can spend some time wandering around the streets, capturing a few moments with your camera or simply “checking in” with your phone. Don’t be afraid to invite more friends and brothers with the same passion as you. Just take a lot of pictures, maybe it will make you more inspired later! I think the street has a lot of interesting things that we should not miss. Even if you go with friends to take pictures, you should still ensure safety above all in the train space.”

Along with Dong Chi Nguyen, Thuy Linh is also a young person who loves Hanoi. However, after graduating from university, Thuy Linh moved to Ho Chi Minh City to live and work. During the last holiday, Thuy Linh had the opportunity to return to Hanoi to visit family and friends. Besides, Linh did not forget to stop by the train street to sip a few cups of coffee.

Thuy Linh excitedly shared her experience when she returned to a familiar street.

“Train cafe is like a Hanoi specialty that I always think of first when I introduce it to foreigners. However, on a cold March day 2 years ago, I heard that the railway area was closed to ensure safety, I also support the establishment of order and regulation for the railside area, but now more sad.

At that time, I suddenly remembered the pictures I took every day that I still kept hidden on google drive, took it out to look at it for a while and then regretted it: one day those colorful things will disappear, noisy tourists and special sounds. When the train is about to roll over in front of you, the thrill, excitement and joy are like children seeing a train for the first time in their life…

Thuy Linh once regretted it, thinking that she could only see the train street cafe through old photos

I used to think that the feeling of standing close to the train line, feeling my heart beating to the train whistle, waiting…will be a luxury thing and gradually become a memory in the hearts of those who have loved nothing. that time. Fortunately, now that the train cafes have reopened as before, it was something that broke my heart during the trip back to Hanoi for the holidays.

Everything is still the same as before, the corner of the restaurant that I used to sit at, the owner of the restaurant with a Hanoi accent called back “The train has arrived”. Just that moment, I realized how much I love Hanoi, love from such small things” – Thuy Linh shared.

In May, Thuy Linh had to return to Ho Chi Minh City to continue her work, returning with a dizzyingly fast spin.

“As soon as I arrived at the airport, I missed Hanoi. People still say that Hanoi is a place to remember, Hanoi is always a nostalgia for me, even though I’m in the heart of Hanoi. No. It’s just a peaceful and relaxed pace of life; the old nostalgia that seems to be thrown away but is always kept and brings a sense of respect to young generations like us.

Arriving in Hanoi, you are ready for a time travel, space where all the senses are satisfied. Sip a cup of coffee on the train, let the taste of Hanoi permeate your blood, so that no matter how far you go, you will always be proud to be a Hanoian, bringing Hanoi’s love and spirit to the world” – Thuy Linh remembrance of the capital.

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