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Hanoi (named 'the
City in a Bend of a River'), located on the
northern part of the Socialist Republic of
Vietnam is the vibrant capital city of Vietnam that is still on the cusp of the
transformations that are affecting other Asian
cities, the mix between traditional culture and
the new world order imported from the west and
it is located along the Red River (Song Hong)
banks. This is one of the most popular tourist
attraction in Vietnam around the Red River Delta
Region whereby the charm of the
city will leave you in awed.
A common scene here
is watching
old goateed men in
black berets and slender young women in ao dai
(Vietnamese national dress) amble past each
other on the mazelike streets where
high-rises tower over French-colonial facades
and its many famous tourist attractions.
Hanoi enchants with its lakes and parks,
red-tiled roofs and ochre walls. The blend of past
and present, foreign culture and tradition,
coexist everyday here more than anywhere else in
Vietnam and guarantee to attract tourists
interest. The charm of the locals here,
especially the beautiful Vietnamese girls will
make your a trip to Hanoi a journey to remember.
Like any other large
Asian cities, busy commercial streets are filled
with cars and bicycles and are edged by shops,
restaurants, bars and stalls but wide boulevards
lined with towering mahogany trees and winding
lanes with French, Russian and Chinese
architecture in varying states of disrepair are
also found here. The heart of the
city is the Hoan Kiem district with the crowded
older district to the north and the more
spacious, French built district to the south.
A visit to the Hoan
Kiem Lake is a must and also to the Ngoc Son
Temple, located on the northern part of the
lake, and then walk north towards
the Old Quarter in Hanoi where you can find a
fascinating blend of historic merchant houses
and streets dedicated to specific trades. Taking
a cyclo or a taxi to the northwest side of the
lake will lead you to the Ho Chi Minh's
Mausoleum Complex and further north lies West
Lake, the city's largest lake and also a famous
place of interest in Hanoi. Two pagodas worth visiting near this
area are the One Pillar Pagoda and the Dien Huu
Pagoda together with the Presidential Palace and
Ho Chi Minh's stilt house. The Temple of Literature,
which displays excellent Vietnamese
architecture, is also one of the many places of
interest in Hanoi together with the
Hanoi Citadel, now converted to a military base,
and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.
Hanoi is well known
for its spectacular museums especially the Hoa
Lo Prison Museum, which is all that remains of
the 'Hanoi Hilton' which is the place where U.S.
prisoners of war are held and the exhibits here
are focused on the Vietnamese struggle for
independence from France. Other museums found
here include the Women's Museum, the History
Museum and the popular Air Force Museum which
has several Soviet-built MiG fighters,
helicopters and anti-aircraft equipment among
its exhibits.
While in Hanoi, it
is recommended to wake up early to catch the
morning activity around the lake and grab a
baguette or a bowl of pho (noodle soup) after
learning some tai chi. Day trips can be made to
nearby craft villages where silk fabrics,
pottery, basketry, embroidery and other
handicrafts are sold which makes good souvenirs
to take home as gifts.
During the night, be
sure to watch one of the nightly performances at
the Water Puppet Theatre. You will definitely be
charmed by the antics of the sea monsters,
oarsmen, phoenixes and dancing fairies and be
amazed by the skills of the puppeteers and this
rare opportunity should not be missed.
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