Hanoi 1000’s anniversary is, not unlike other events of such magnitude, a cash generating opportunity for many local businesses whether of a formal or informal nature.
Inflated prices and aggressive sellers
Hundreds of photographers around Hoan Kiem Lake earn a living by taking instant photos of willing tourists at a rate of roughly VND 20.000 (US$1) for shot.
On the morning of October 1 the price of a photo was up to VND50,000 - 70,000 ($2.5-$3.5). By the afternoon some photographers were aggressively pursuing costumers.
“I must have already taken some 10 photos and spent lots of money yet they still hassle me to buy more”, a visitor from Thanh Chuong District in the central province of Nghe An said.
As beverages and souvenirs vendors joined the price-hike madness, bottled water could not be found at less than VND20,000 for half-a-litter bottle.
Shuttles to the festivities: Free yet unsatisfactory
Free shuttles were scheduled to transport visitors to and from the sites of the main festivities between 6am and 8pm. However, passengers who showed up at My Dinh bus station, one of the pick-up points, complained of wait times exceeding one hour.
In addition to the long wait, passengers voiced frustration about poorly designed bus routes taking an unreasonable amount of time to get them to their destination.
“The bus route from My Dinh bus station to the festival site involved a huge detour around Thanh Xuan district amounting to a 10-kilometer stretch of road,” Vu Van Hung from the Son La northern province complained.
Nguyen Thi Vui from Co Nhue commune in Tu Liem District in Hanoi reported in distress after being yelled at by unfriendly bus attendants after asking for directions to the festival upon being dropped off at the end of the route.
Disrupted routines
On October 1 many Hanoians struggled to get to their place of employment, especially if their route passed by the downtown area around Hoan Kiem Lake due to several streets closed off for the festivities and the unusually high volume of traffic.
In the coming days, especially from October 7 to 10, many city roads will be closed off to traffic. No measures were taken to alleviate inconveniences for residents having to go to work.
