The Botanical Garden of Hanoi was created in 1890 by French landscape architects. At that time it stretched over an area of 33 hectares. Although today it has shrunk to about two thirds of the original size, it is among the most important green lungs of the Vietnamese capital. The park is not only a haven of tranquillity for nature lovers in the noisy and hectic city, but serves the inhabitants especially in the morning and evening hours as a place for sportive activities. But even during the day, there is infinitely much to watch: School children who have their gym class in the park, newly-weds who have their wedding photos taken, older women who practice Tai Chi, and more. Old men gather to play cards or just to have a little chat. In the twilight, there are a lot of couples. The botanical garden is located in Ba Dinh district just behind the presidential palace. To visit the botanical garden you have to pay 2,000 VND at the entrance; there are two of them: in the Hoang Hoa Tham Street and in the Ngọc Hà Street. With its shady trees, it suits a relaxing walk especially in the hot season. Many roads snake under the trees along the miniature landscape of forests, mountains and lakes. About two-thirds of the tree population accounts for native species, including some rare species from the humid tropical forests of the south. The remaining one third are plants from North and South America, Africa and Oceania. In addition to many bird species, there live squirrels and macaques in the botanical garden. Best regards Cathrin Cathrin’s Blog: Zwischen Traditionen und Moderne