The days of June and July are the flooding season in the Southwest region, promising a bountiful harvest. Rising water brings forth a season of livelihood for those who attach their floating lives to the river region.In the midst of the vast fields of water, water lilies jostle against each other. The picture of the floating season is vivid with the touch of pure white water lily petals, while showing off a sweet and gentle purple colour.Roaming on a canoe down the vast fields or along the canals to pick water lilies has been a part of the idyllic daily life of the people for many generations.When the water rises, everywhere you go, you can hear the sound of the oars covering the water, the sound of chattering, the laughter of people as if forgetting their own hardships as they pick water lilies.Helping the mother’s work, both mother and daughter soak in the water to pick water lilies to sell and earn money to cover the family's expenses.The day of picking up lilies is filled with such laughter and enthusiasm, yet at night when the clock strikes midnight, bicycles and rickshaws continuously flock to the conical hat market in Binh Dinh to open the stalls in time. Even though it's a market, it's not too noisy, and there's no arguing. People talk just enough to hear, the light just enough to see with a cheerful smile, all night.Nguyen Thi Thanh goes straight to the market with her bunches of hats. The total of 35 conical hats are the result of more than a week of her and her children working together. Having made hats for years, she mainly sells to regular customers, and never worries about poor sales.At the age of 62, Pham Thi Canh (Cat Trinh Commune, Phu Canh District) has had 40 years of selling goods at this market. Her house is nearly ten kilometres from the market, so from late at night Mrs. Canh got up to prepare to carry the goods to the market.The market is held at night, but the special thing here is that people naturally do not use electricity, but use the light of kerosene lamps or flashlights to illuminate goods, trade and exchange.Under that soft golden light, the stacks of hats are neatly arranged along with the smiles of mothers and grandmothers. The market adds to the unique culture of the Binh Dinh people, attached to simple and laboured lives.
