HANOI: Tourists and cafe owners along Hanoi’s “train street” spoke of their disappointment Friday as the hotspot was closed due to safety concerns, just weeks after reopening following a long Covid-19 closure.
The narrow corridor in the Vietnamese capital drew hordes of tourists before the pandemic, each eager to grab a selfie or watch a train rumble past one of the fashionable eateries set just a meter from the track.
Safety concerns prompted the street’s shutdown in 2019 but many businesses quietly opened in recent weeks, keen to cash in on the tourist revival after Vietnam reopened to visitors earlier this year.
Nguyen Thi Thu had begun to see her cafe recover.
“The tourists had come back and we were earning enough to make a living,” she said.
Built by colonial rulers, the railway once transported goods and people across French Indochina and is still in use by communist Vietnam’s state-run rail company.
The stretch of tracks on “train street,” once in an area occupied by drug users and squatters, was transformed after social media users began sharing photos and locals realized the business potential.
On Friday, the kilometer-long line was blocked off by police — though a nearby section of track remained open.
A local official told state media the businesses along the street were violating railway safety rules.
Jay Arriola, from the UK, said he was miffed that the cafes were closed after being told about the site by his girlfriend.
“It is a bit of a disappointment,” he said.
“I wanted to go to a cafe that has a top level... (to have) a perspective on the train going through that trail between the houses,” adding that “a top deck might be safer.”
Keeping customers safe had been part of cafe owner Thu’s daily routine.
“When it was time for the train to pass by, we asked all guests to move in, there was no danger at all.”
Tourists disappointed as Hanoi’s ‘train street’ closes over safety fears
https://arab.news/rumru
Tourists disappointed as Hanoi’s ‘train street’ closes over safety fears
- Narrow corridor in the Vietnamese capital drew hordes of tourists before the pandemic
- On Friday, the kilometer-long line was blocked off by police – though a nearby section of track remained open
Essex man takes on charity endurance challenge for children in Gaza
- Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual Sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 2,287 miles
LONDON: A man in England has launched a demanding charity challenge to raise funds for children affected by the war in Gaza.
Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 3,680 km running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing.
He is raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based humanitarian organization that provides healthcare to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.
“I have felt helpless day after day seeing images of countless children in Gaza with broken bodies and missing limbs and witnessing their unbearable suffering,” Watson said on his JustGiving page.
“I have been inspired by the courage of those who took part in the global sumud flotilla and all of the activists who have put their lives and freedom at risk supporting the Palestinian people and so I am raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
“My challenge is to complete a virtual sumud from Harlow, where I live, to Gaza. Running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing I will cover the 2,287 miles as quickly as I can.
“I am an unfit, overweight 63-year-old, so I’m not going to break any records, but the Arabic word Sumud means steadfastness and perseverance, and I will give it my all.
Watson added: “I hope to be joined by people I love and admire along the way, so please support my fundraiser. Every donation, however small, will help save the lives of Palestinians.”
As of Jan. 3, his fundraising effort had reached 12 per cent of its £5,000 ($6,733) target.
The war in Gaza began after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,000 Palestinians, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and a severe humanitarian crisis.
International aid agencies have repeatedly said that children are among the most affected, facing injury, displacement, malnutrition and limited access to medical care.
Watson said he was inspired by activists and humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians and hopes his challenge can make a small contribution to saving lives.
