Many of the things are elaborate to the point of being garish. Since prices are staggeringly low, buy what you can. Like folk art in other developing nations, these uniquely Northern Vietnamese handicrafts will begin to die out along with the present generation of artisans creating them. The shelves of shops in Saigon are already filled with factory made schlock. Sadly, this will happen in Hanoi soon enough.
Vietnamese silk is among the world s finest.
Abbreviated excerpt from The Men of Vietnam . All Rights Reserved.