Foreigners, whether coming to Hanoi for the first time or living here for years, are sharing in the happiness and excitement of Hanoi\'s 1,000 year anniversary celebrations.
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| Sebastien and Amelie from France |
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| Melina from Germany |
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| Andrew Smith and his girlfriend from Australia |
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| Horst Woalenweb from Germany |
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| 11 year old Patrick and his 8 year old younger sister Jasmine |
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| Daniel from America |
Sebastien and Amelie, both 25 years old from France, were walking around Hoan Kiem Lake. This is their first trip to the capital city however, the young people have been fascinated by the atmosphere filled with cultural identities.
“The streets are very busy. I am interested in watching the surface of Hoan Kiem Lake in the late afternoon and souvenir shops nearby,” Amelie said. She was also surprised to see many people, particularly youths, crossing roads effortlessly, which might be among her most memorable things about Hanoi.
Melina, a 22-year old woman from Germany heard about Hanoi numerous times through media and came here by luck during the millennium celebrations.
“Hanoi is much more beautiful than I imagined. Local people are very friendly and kind. On October 3, while I was looking for the way to Hang Gai Street to buy a long dress, a student showed me to there with enthusiasm," she told DTiNews.
Andrew Smith and his girlfriend from Australia enjoy pictures at a shop in Ngoc Son Temple. The girl had her eyes fixed on a drawing of Hanoi during autumn.
Asked about his most impressive memory of Hanoi, Andrew said, “Most people I have met in Hanoi express their deep love and pride of the city. They wear bands and hold flags printed with a line named “I love Hanoi”.
A 56-year old German traveler, Horst Woalenweb, was wearing a red T-shirt printed with the Vietnamese flag. He and his Vietnamese wife were taking photos on Luong Van Can Street and Hoan Kiem Lake to capture the exciting moments of the 1,000 year anniversary.
“Despite coming back to Vietnam for the sixth time, I am amazed at the changes. The city has become more beautiful with striking colours, covered by flags and flowers”, he said.
He likes dishes in Hanoi, especially banh cuon, nem cuon and banh bao. “I am keen on sitting on a cyclo to travel around the old quarter, but it is quite expensive to hire one these days,” Woalenweb said.
After the anniversary ends, he will continue his Vietnamese journey to Ha Long Bay and Hoi An.
11 year old Patrick and his 8 year old younger sister Jasmine have just arrived in Hanoi with their parents after leaving Ho Chi Minh City. The children are attracted by toys named To He displayed around Hoan Kiem Lake. “How nice and lovely they are,” Jasmine exclaimed.
Patrick said, “Hanoi has lots of flowers, streets and motorbikes also, very different from my hometown in Australia. My parents planned to take a taxi to go around the city, but they did not due to the crowded streets. Instead, we decided to walk along Hoan Kiem Lake first.”
A 56-year old American man, Daniel, who has lived in Hanoi for three years, was standing on pavement of Hang Be Street to watch the crowded flow of traffic participants. Daniel said, the streets that had become familiar with him, in the last few days have put on a new and exciting look. Daniel shared that he particularly loves Hanoi foods, and he himself owns a restaurant here.
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