Hanoi has experienced a long cold spell with temperatures falling to 13 degrees Celsius. Despite the chilly weather, many local men still come to a section of the Red River near Long Bien Bridge.
Hong Thang said that he had been swimming for many years and returned to the Red River daily. "I've been swimming here around the year including winter," Thang said. "The river water is not as cold as people might think. But we need to do a warm-up before going into the water."
The middle-aged man said that this river section was usually very crowded during summer but in winter only some, mostly professional swimmers, continued. "We often go in small groups between 3 pm-4 pm every day," he said. "We would do some exercises to warm up before swimming. Some people even set up a fire to keep warm when getting out of the water."
Another man, Nguyen Van Tai, shared that swimming had helped keep him fit.
"I'm over sixty now but I practice swimming every day even when the temperatures fall below 10 degrees Celsius," Tai said. "I'm getting stronger and feeling better when challenging myself with this tough weather."
