A photo of the couple standing on the balcony of a French-style building has captured attention on some online communities dedicated to nostalgia for old Hanoi.
She is in a traditional "ao dai" paired with a thin coat and hair fixed in a popular style of that era. She exudes grace and nobility. Her husband, dapper in a suit, stands beside her. Both gaze directly into the camera lens, striking a natural pose.
Vu Nguyen, who shared the photo, said it was of his parents Nguyen Danh (born 1928) and Vu Thi Bich Thai (1930).
The picture was taken in 1958 when Thai was pregnant with their first child, Vu himself.
Speaking to Ngoi Sao, Vu said his father had been a soldier who moved in North Vietnam in 1954, and his mother was originally from the northern province of Nam Dinh and moved to Hanoi with her family in the early 1950s. The couple's relationship was facilitated through mutual acquaintances.
A wedding photo of Thai and Danh has been colorized. After their wedding, the film roll containing photos was stolen, leaving the couple with only a few images from that memorable day.
The couple stroll through the octagon houses at the Buoi School (now Chu Van An High School) campus. Vu said his father worked as a cameraman, a member of one of the film crews heading to Saigon in late April 1975 to capture footage of the nation’s historic reunification. His mother too worked in the same field.
Vu has been sharing photos and stories about his parents and family on his personal Facebook page and various Hanoi-related groups to the delight of netizens.
In her youth, Thai had a kind face, doe-eyed beauty and a high nose bridge. Even in her nineties, her photos exude timeless beauty, maintaining the grace she had in her twenties. In the past hers was a family of educators, with Thai being the sole exception, working in the film industry.
Thai with her first son in their home in Ho Khau, a hamlet in Dong Xa village, Yen Thai Ward, near Buoi Market in Hanoi.
The couple and their two sons in front of the apartments built by Vietnam Electricity Corporation for its employees during Tet (Lunar New Year) in 1963.
Most of the family photos were taken by Danh. The couple took photographs to preserve memories of festive occasions like Tet or when going out with their children. They sometimes took pictures to send to relatives living far away.
Vu and his younger brother in matching outfits and boots during a trip to Thong Nhat Park (Hanoi) in the early 1970s.
This was also the first time Vu learned photography from his father. His early photos captured memories of his parents, many of which are blurry.
Thai and her two sons in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square circa 1971. Vu said this was the last time they were all pictured together, as they grew older and felt awkward posing for photos with their parents.
