Hanoi: City of Clusters

Historically, Hanoi's Old Quarter streets were home to guilds that specialized in a particular product (source: Lonely Planet). The funny thing is, this pattern seems to continue today, even though the guilds are long gone, and even outside of the Old Quarter. So if you want to buy liquor, used cell phones, snack crackers, gravestones, plush toys, etc., you need only go to the street that specializes in selling these things.

This has a certain advantage in that there's a natural competition that keeps the prices down, and you can comparison shop pretty easily. On the other hand, you have to a) know where the street is that sells the product and b) get yourself there. So it's not always the most convenient. For example, when I went to find the plush toy street to take a photo for this post, I couldn't find it.

However, when I went cell phone shopping, I knew where to go (though I ended up buying a new phone elsewhere more cheaply, so I guess you also have to factor in the rates for foreigners who don't speak Vietnamese and have a hard time with the dollar to dong conversion rate).

I don't know whether there's some regulation that says if you're going to sell gravestones, you better locate yourself on this street or if you're located on this street you better sell gravestones. Or maybe if you're in the gravestone business you know where to rent a storefront. But if anyone wants a bottle of Vietnamese vodka, put in your order now, while I still remember where to find it.