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VietNamNet Bridge - Stretching from Hoan Kiem lake to the south of the city centre, Ba Trieu is one of Hanoi’s most popular and modern shopping streets.

Sitting in a small coffee shop in Ba Trieu street, I stare out the window at the high-end fashion shops and glitzy commercial centres, which seem fairly incongruous considering the street’s magnanimous and historic name.

Ba Trieu (Lady Trieu) was a much revered heroine from the 3rd century, who was also known as Trieu Thi Trinh or Au Trieu. She is described in legend as a young general who led an insurgency against occupying Chinese forces. She is often depicted fearlessly charging into battle while riding an elephant.

Thanks to her leadership, the Chinese garrisons were overwhelmed and destroyed. However, the Chinese soon returned with reinforcements. They also used money to bribe some fickle Vietnamese commanders. Ba Trieu and her loyal troops battled to the last but eventually she was outnumbered and outmanoeuvred.

She sacrificed her own life on Tung mountain in Thanh Hoa province. Her brief reign lived on in memory. Described by some as the Vietnamese Joan of Arc, Ba Trieu was symbolic of the indomitable Vietnamese spirit. Her absence from historical records has led some historians to claim she is a fictional folk-hero invented or exaggerated to bolster Viet-patriotism.

Past life

Ba Trieu street was once known as Hang Gio as this is where you could purchase ‘gio’, a kind of processed pork. In the French colonial period, the northern stretch was named Gia Long after the first Nguyen emperor (née Nguyen Anh). The southern section was named Le Loi, the first Le emperor. After the August Revolution in 1945, Gia Long became Mai Hac De street while Le Loi became Ba Trieu street. When peace was reestablished in 1954, the two sections were combined and named Ba Trieu street.

Historical corner

In 1946, the house at No.21 was a liaison office for the newly established Vietnamese government. One of its duties was to bolster relations between the Vietnamese and French armed forces in Hanoi.

On 19 December 1946, when fighting erupted between the two sides, the office was targeted by the French. All the building’s defenders inside were killed in the ensuing firefight.

Today, the address is home to the Communist Party People’s Committee of Hoan Kiem district. In revolutionary times the house at No.18 was a rendezvous for the Vietnamese communists camouflaged as a florist shop.

Vu Thach complex

Vu Thach Communal House on Ba Trieu street honours Khoa Ba Sơn, a military officer who served under the Hai Ba Trung (The Trung sisters), who famously led a rebellion against the Chinese oppressors in the first century.

Vu Thach temple worships the Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh while Vu Thach pagoda was built in the period of the Ly dynasty in honour of Buddha. Vu Thach is the only historical site that survived the French colonial administration’s re-construction of the street in late 19th century and early 20 century as part of the policy known as ‘Mission civilisatrice' (civilising mission).

Famous Food Roasted peanuts

Look out for ‘Lac rang hung liu’ (flavoured roasted peanuts) on Ba Trieu street – you can find it sold at Ba Lan (192 Ba Trieu), Ba Van (208) and Ba Noi (264). It’s an ideal snack for a cold winter’s day in Hanoi and best served with hot tea. The peanuts are flavoured with spices such as cinnamon.

Banh cuon, 101 Ba Trieu

Banh cuon is one of Hanoi’s most popular traditional dishes. The crêpe-like rolls are made from thin, wide sheets of rice flour and filled with ground pork, minced wood ear mushrooms, herbs and spices. The banh cuon is served with cha lua (a Vietnamese-style pork sausage), mixed greenery, bean sprouts and nuoc cham, the crucial dipping sauce made from fish sauce, vinegar, peppercorn and sugar with chilies added to taste.

Sometimes, a drop of ca cuong (belostomatid extract) is added for extra flavour, though be warned this ingredient is rare and so it’s quite expensive. At 101 Ba Trieu you will find hanh phi (fried shredded onion) and ruoc tom (salted shredded shrimp) added on top of the banh cuon. One serving costs VND 12,000 or VND20,000 with cha lua and ruoc tom.

Mondo Gelado, 30A Ba Trieu

An old fashioned Italian ice cream parlour with coffee, pastas, pizzas and steaks also available, open from 7am till 11pm.

Ban Mai café, 336 Ba Trieu

A straightforward and very nice little Vietnamese café, Ban Mai is an interesting place for a coffee and sandwich. The beef sandwich is now VND10,000 while the other meat sandwich sets you back VND 12,000. Ban Mai is also known around town for its rather delicious sweet rum cocktail.

Vincom City Towers, 191 Ba Trieu

Located at the south end of 191 Ba Trieu, Vincom Twins City Towers is a state of the art office, shopping and entertainment complex. The original 21-storey tower features six floors for shops and entertainment and 15 floors dedicated to offices. The building is designed according to the highest international standards and covers 75,000sqm.

The luxurious shopping centre offers high quality goods and brands – with outlets for the likes of Nike, Dior, Converse and Levis. The newly opened Vincom Galleries, adjacent to the original tower block, is home to international brands including Nara Camicie, Paris Hilton, Kelly Bui, Valentino Rudy, Mexx and Charles Jordan. You can also kick back and relax over coffee at Highlands on the ground floor or check out the latest blockbusters at Megastar Cineplex on the sixth floor – Hanoi’s only multi-screen cineplex.

Shopping

The upper end of Ba Trieu is home to a string of shops whether you’re looking for a high-end products or something more cheap and cheerful. Check out An Phuoc Pierre Cardin at 69 Ba Trieu for vests, jackets, shirts, pants, khaki pants, jeans and underwear for men and women as well as clothes for kids. Nem Nem Fashion and Ivy at 156 and 34 Ba Trieu respectively offer French and Italian style collections for ladies. 31 Boutique is a place to pick up “irregular” designs for a bargain price. For hats check out Sun Hat at 8 Ba Trieu.

Accommodation Zephyr Hotel, 4 Ba Trieu

Slap bang in the heart of the capital city, Zephyr Hotel is literally a stone’s throw from Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi’s spiritual and geographical focal point. The stylishly-appointed hotel features 43 elegant rooms, a full bar and a restaurant (open 24 hours a day). All rooms are fully equipped with IDD telephones, tea and coffee making facilities, a mini-bar and safe deposit box, cable TV and impeccable bathroom facilities.

VietNamNet/Time-out