Thu Le Park and zoo provide relaxation for city dwellers

Tran Van Bang laughs with joy when a little ca ro (anabas fish) gets caught in his hook. The 57-year-old war veteran comes every weekend to Thu Le Park (along Kim Ma Street) to fish, which has been his hobby since he was a young boy.
"I don’t care how many fish I catch, the most important thing for me is the relaxation and the peace that I can find here," he says while putting bait on his hook.
His grandson sits next to him, curious and impatient to see how a fish is caught on the line.
"I love following my grandfather here. It’s much better than staying at home."
Bang is not the only "fisherman" here. He’s made quite a lot of friends since he first arrived. Since he lives close to the zoo he comes to the park several times each week, and is happy to meet his fishing buddies without having to make plans beforehand.
Thu Le Park has become an ideal destination for Ha Noi lovers not only to discover a wide number of animals but also to relax.
I found myself at Thu Le Park, 5km from the capital’s centre, on one sunny afternoon. Though it was very hot outside, the great number of trees in the park helped shade me from the burning rays. Not surprisingly, many stone benches and patches of grass under the trees were already occupied by young lovers. But the park is not only for young couples, pretty much anyone can find something to do here: gymnastics, a visit to the zoo, fishing, picnics and more await all visitors.
Two favourite things to do for Nguyen Mai Hoa’s family is visiting the zoo and having a picnic. She lives in Dong Anh District (a Ha Noi suburb), more than 10km from the zoo, and often accompanies her husband and her three-year-old daughter to the park.
"Thu Le is like a small forest. It’s so nice to be able to discover the animals and relax at the same time," she says, standing next to an ostrich cage with her daughter. The little girl’s face brightens as she was watches the strange, giant bird.
Every time her family comes to the zoo, they bring food and fruit from home or buy food from nearby restaurants. When they want to rest for a while before continuing their excursion, they sit down on the grass and enjoy a nice picnic in the shade of some of the trees.
"After a stressful day at work, we really enjoy those moments of peace," Hoa says.
Before leaving the park, they always take some photographs to keep as memories of their trip.
While small families often like to take picnics to the park, young lovers enjoy hopping on the swan boats, paddling around Thu Le Lake and getting to know each other a little better.
Gone fishing
Nguyen Quang Huy’s family likes to fish at the park. Twice a week, he and his son walk from their house to the park with two fishing rods.
"You can buy the fishing rods on Hang Giay Street or along Nguyen Thai Hoc Street. The seller can tell you what bait is best for what fish," Huy says.
"For me, I often buy thinh (grilled rice). It costs only VND20,000 per packet, and it attracts a lot of fish when sprinkled on the water."
There are numerous parks across the capital, and people can find many ideal places to relax after busy work weeks. Each park is unique in its own right.
Besides Thu Le, other popular parks include Bach Thao on Hoang Hoa Tham Road, Thong Nhat on Tran Nhan Tong Street and Tuoi Tre along Vo Thi Sau Street.
They are known as the green lungs of Ha Noi. When walking past the parks, nature lovers can wallow in the shade of the trees and the sounds of the forests, with bird’s singing, children frolicking and ancient trees swaying in the wind.
In all of the parks, one can find older people doing gymnastics, breathing in the fresh air and walking around, while couples take wedding photos and children learn how to ride bikes.
Most adults keep a souvenir of at least one time they visited one of the parks with their parents or friends.