Bustling flower market ahead of Lunar New Year holiday
(VOVWORLD) - Quang Ba flower market in Hanoi, the largest in northern Vietnam, is busy these days as locals shop for the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday.
 Quang Ba flower market, 5 km from the city centre, is a popular place to purchase flowers for Tet, which is less than 2 weeks away. |
 Peach flowers are indispensable during the Tet holiday, at least for Vietnamese people in the northern region. |
 A big peach branch is a popular purchase, and not too expensive. |
 With forest peache trees protected by a government ban, the flower market is busier than ever. |
 “Forest peache branches must meet traceability regulations. Customers ask for them, but none have arrived here,” says Tuan, a seller at the market. |
 Tuan says that since the ban on forest peach branches, the price of peach branches has increased by 20-30% this year. A small branch (like the one in the photo) costs around 80,000 VND (3.5 USD). |
 Hung, a local resident, says he doesn’t mind the price, because a blossoming peach branch brings good luck for the new year. |
 Hanoians prefer to buy a branch at the beginning of the peach flower season, and then buy to a tree during the Tet holiday. |
 Everyone wants a branch these days, no matter what size. |
 The blossoming of peach flowers means spring is coming. |