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wanted to forget those hard days, but
others like me, like to recall them,”
says Minh.
Minh says that it took him years
to collect objects from the state-sub-
sidy period. He has steel electric fans,
government food-stamps and vouch-
ers, metal thermoses and flasks, Ho
Chi Minh sandals made from used car
tires, Russian clocks, radios, bicycles,
propaganda posters and much more.
Everything here recalls the difficult time
when the economy was under state-
subsidy. Some state-sanctioned mot-
toes of the war time are also on the
wall like “Stand in queue, don’t break
the rules!” and “Don’t tell secrets!”
Nguyen Xuan Thang, a 60 year
old man, went through the tough sub-
sidy years. “The state subsidy period
became a thing of the past, a legend
of a life of deprivation and misery, but
that was a period worth remember-
ing,” he says in a voice choked with
emotion. “At that time, I remember
everybody had to queue up from day-
break to buy food and fuel, which was
paid for with stamps distributed by
the government.”
Ngo Thuy Lien, a teacher in Hanoi,
thinks State Subsidy Restaurant No.37
provides a useful lesson for young
people who were born after the hard
time as it can help them find out about
how their parents lived. “Looking back
on the country’s past is also a way of
helping old people like us as well as
young people respect the tough subsidy
era. Then everyone had a subsistence
salary, shared the same lack of food
and poor living conditions, but held
the same optimism and patriotism to
develop the country,” she explains.
Regular customer Dinh Anh Dung,
a 21 year old student, first visited out
of curiosity, but the restaurant quickly
became a favourite among her friend-
ship group.
Luu Ha, a waitress at the restau-
rant, says that many old people come to
revive memories of the subsidy years,
while young people like to take pic-
tures. The restaurant has a diary for
people write their feelings in and it
contains much praise.
Early this year, the owner of State
Subsidy Restaurant No.37 opened a
new restaurant on An Duong. It follows
the same theme but is much larger than
his original space.
Minh says that the new restaurant
was opened due to the huge success
of State Subsidy Restaurant No.37 and
the demand of diners. “Many people
laughed at my idea and thought it was
crazy, but there were others who en-
couraged me and even gave me some
of the objects you can see in the dining
space,” he adds.
SOCIETY AT LARGE
Minh has collected a lot of old items used in the state-subsidy period