Cloud shaped like Vietnam appears in Hanoi


Hanoi’s weather isn’t what we’d typically describe as friendly. After all, the burning heatwaves or the heavy downpours during rush hours are something every one of us could do without.

But once in a while, Hanoians do get treated to delightful natural creations, such as this cloud shaped like Vietnam that was spotted over the city’s skies.


Vietnam-shaped cloud over Uncle Ho’s Mausoleum


Yesterday evening, a netizen who goes by the name Nguyen H Anh took to the popular Facebook forum Beatvn to share this stunning shot of Hanoi at twilight. In it, a cloud bearing a striking resemblance to the shape of Vietnam on the world map appears right over the mausoleum of President Hồ Chí Minh at Ba Dinh Square. What’s more, the photo’s angle makes it look as if the rays of sunlight were actually emitting from the mausoleum itself.


Image credit: Nguyen H Anh

The photo quickly attracted tons of love from Vietnamese netizens, bringing in a whopping 72,000 likes and over a thousand shares at the time of writing. Another coincidence that adds to the story is that the event happened just a day before 5th June, which marks the day President Hồ Chí Minh started his journey to France when he was 21 years old to seek a way to liberate Vietnam.

Still, some people in the comments section appeared skeptical about the authenticity of the picture. Can’t say that we blame them – it did seem a little too good to be true.


Image credit: BEAT HÀ NỘI

But such doubts were quickly dispelled as Nguyen H Anh wasn’t the only one who spotted the interestingly shaped cloud. Many others also shared their own shots of the event.

For instance, Facebook user Phạm Thế Anh shared this picture on another forum, claiming that he took it on his way home from work. Here, the cloud looks much bigger, occupying the center part of the photo.


Image credit: Phạm Thế Anh

Netizen Ha Vu, meanwhile, snapped this shot from the Red River, showing the cloud hanging just above the historical Long Biên Bridge, a major landmark of Hanoi.


Image credit: Ha Vu


People claim the cloud is a good omen


Many people also think the cloud looks like a dragon with its claw reaching out, and jokingly say that it heralds the rise of Vietnam in the global scene.


Image credit: Rin Bigby

Indeed, the Southeast Asian country has been earning plenty of global recognition and praise for its outstanding performance in combating the COVID-19 outbreak.


A welcomed break from the busy life


With the COVID-19 pandemic kept in check in Vietnam, Hanoi has now returned to being the buzzing city it has always been.

The fascinating cloud yesterday certainly made our struggle against the heavy traffic to get home after a long day at work a little more pleasant. It’s incidents like these that remind us to take a break from our busy lives and appreciate the little things.

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Cover image adapted from: Nguyen H Anh and Ha Vu

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