On the occasion that Vietnam celebrates the 1,000th anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, the weekly newspaper The new observer of France dedicated two pages to introduce the beauty of Hanoi.
Entitled "1,000 year-old Hanoi", the author of the article reported that the capital of Vietnam may be regarded as the most beautiful and seductive city among cities in Southeast Asia.
According to the author, the beauty and charm of Hanoi combines the styles of Vietnamese and French peoples. Beside the ancient quarter of Vietnamese people, since 1882, an "ideal" city had been built. That is a tree-shaded city, looming here and there with ancient temples and many beautiful villas with an architecture that people only occasionally encountered in the Côte d'Azur in France.
The author suggested that the best way to visit Hanoi is roaming along streets that is manifest with a confidential beauty, a beauty with European and Asian combination. It is both new and familiar.
Tourists can also admire Sword Lake in the heart of the city with Ngoc Son Temple connected to shore by a deep red bridge. Nearby are streets named after characteristic traditional trade villages such as Hang Chieu, Hang Duong, Hang Quat, Hang Vai...
The author also wrote that visitors should not miss the beauty of Hanoi at dawn. If you stay at the Sofitel Metropole hotel, each morning you can see the aged doing morning exercises, students going to school and people hurrying go to work. After the bustling scene at dawn, visitors can go to restaurants to enjoy Pho (noodle soup), a nutritious speciality.
The article highly appraised the cuisine of Hanoians, and wrote that in Hanoi there are many beautiful restaurants decorated with exquisite style and warm service. Among them, the author especially introduced “Quan An Ngon” in Ba Dinh district. There, visitors can enjoy specialities from three regions (North, Central and South) of Vietnam with a luxury, discreet and a fun atmosphere.