As soon as I exit Noi Bai International Airport and get into the taxi, I am catapulted onto a bustling, sprawling highway that cuts through the vast rice paddies and beautiful countryside of Hanoi. Trucks and buses roar all around me, warning sporadically-placed groups of motorcycles in front of them.
A tourist leans against a wooden pillar at the Temple of Confucius, Hanoi.
The crowded city of Hanoi is swallowing up many of the green areas on the outskirts and transforming them into new industrial and housing estates. This urbanisation in the name of development looks like it has affected almost every square inch of the city's territory.
"Hanoi Metropolitan has combined two nearby provinces into its territory. Now, it is three times bigger than when it was 20 years ago, with construction everywhere," my guide Hoang Vinh explains.
"A few decades ago, after the war, people were very poor and the bicycle was the only affordable vehicle for most of them. During such times, Hanoi's roads were packed with bicycles. Today, you do not see many bicycles, but there are motorcycles everywhere."
The quiet flow of bicycles on Hanoi's tree-lined boulevards has given way to the chaotic rush of motorcycles. Standing by a busy roadside waiting to get to the other side during rush hour, I see hundreds of motorcycles pass, which looks like a flash flood that fills up the road in seconds. It seems chaotic, particularly at intersections. But Vietnam's traffic seemingly has a unique rule that all pedestrians and drivers adhere to.
"Do not run, stop, or step back. Just keep walking, the motorcycle riders will avoid you," he advises.
"You may not see many Vietnamese people flash smiles. We have gone through wars for decades and hardly ever smile. But we have seen enough death so we drive carefully to keep others safe."
Endless streams of vehicles and crowds make Hanoi seem like a city in a perpetual hurry. Despite the chaotic atmosphere, however, peaceful corners can still be found. It is at these places and in these quiet moments where you can witness Hanoi's beauty.
When most tourists think of Vietnam, they often still associate it with past wars against France and the US. Though the city was badly destroyed during those wars, much of it still remains intact and remnants of its long history, dating back over a thousand years, are interesting.
Hanoi was chosen as a political centre in 1010 when Ly Thai To, the first ruler of the Ly Dynasty (1009–1225) of Vietnam moved the capital city from Ninh Binh. It remained the capital of Vietnam until 1802 when the last Vietnamese dynasty, the Nguyen Dynasty (1802-1945) transferred the capital south to Hue. After that, Hanoi has served as the national capital until now.
A colourful poster made to commemorate the Millennial Anniversary of Hanoi.
The Museum of Vietnamese History, located in the heart of Hanoi, features many untold stories about the city and the country.
The ground floor includes funerary jars, Dong Son drums dating back to 600 BC and many examples of handmade ceramic and stucco pieces. Upstairs, the story continues with artefacts from the Ly and Tran dynasties, as well as ceramics from the Nguyen dynasty. There are also paintings and exhibits concerned with telling the tales of the wars between Vietnam and their "invaders".
The exhibits show a strong Chinese influence in Vietnam's art and traditions, so do not be surprised if you cannot easily tell the difference between sculptures, architecture and artistic styles of Vietnamese and Chinese art.
The Temple of Confucius, in particular, is a place that shows the extent of China's influence over Vietnam. It houses various pavilions, halls and statues and served as an important place where ceremonies, study sessions and royal exams were held.
In 1076, Vietnam's first university, the Imperial Academy, was established within the temple for educating Vietnam's bureaucrats, nobles and royalty. The university remained open until 1779, when the capital was relocated to Hue.
"All schools in Vietnam have lessons about Confucius. The first lesson to learn is Confucian Ethics, then knowledge," Vinh says. Amid the chaotic city, Hanoi Presidential Palace is another place you can rest for a few peaceful moments. Although the palace remains strictly off-limits to visitors, its vast garden and pond is open. From the tourist entrance, Mango Alley leads to the stilt house believed to have housed Ho Chi Minh from 1958 to his death in 1969.
Tourists are always a bit surprised to learn that Ho Chi Minh lived in this small house until he died. The design of the stilt house is based on traditional houses from the northwest of Vietnam, reminiscent of the houses where Ho took refuge from the French as a revolutionary. There are only two rooms in the stilt house. When Vietnam achieved independence in 1954, it was claimed that Ho Chi Minh refused to live in a grand structure for symbolic reasons. After roaming Hanoi for a few days, I gradually got used to the chaos and began to love its bustling roads.
Hanoi is lively, particularly downtown, where hundreds of motorcycles flow along the road and handfuls of cars run carefully among them. It may look chaotic, but at least while I was there, all vehicles managed to get through the traffic without any problem.
Under the shade of a tree, I sat in a cafe by Hoan Kiem Lake (Sword Lake) and watched the evening traffic flow and the city's citizens come out of their pocket-sized rooms for fresh air and exercise in the park. Among the extreme chaos, this was one of my peaceful moments in Hanoi.
Tourists explore Trang An’s landscape by boat. Situated on the southern shore of the Red River Delta in Ninh Binh province, two hours from Hanoi, Trang An is a landscape of limestone karst peaks surrounded by steep cliffs that house a number of tunnels and caves.
Tourists explore Trang An’s landscape by boat. Situated on the southern shore of the Red River Delta in Ninh Binh province, two hours from Hanoi, Trang An is a landscape of limestone karst peaks surrounded by steep cliffs that house a number of tunnels and caves.
Vietnamese Catholics visit the peaceful St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Hanoi. This late 19th century church has architectural similarities to the Notre Dame de Paris. It is the oldest church in Hanoi and one of the first structures built by the French colonial government in Indochina.
The Temple of Confucius preserves 82 stelaes of doctorates, containing the names of 1,307 graduates from the royal exams, held from 1442 to 1779. Works of literature engraved on each stalae in Chinese praise the merit of the king and reasons for holding the royal exams.
A guide at the Museum of Vietnamese History talks on the war between Vietnam and the Mongols. The Mongol Invasion of Vietnam took place three times during the 13th century. In the last battle, in 1287, Vietnamese troops burned the entire Mongol fleet of 400 vessels.
A man rides his motorcycle across Hanoi Ceramic Road. The mural, which runs for 6km along the dyke system of Hanoi, features Vietnamese decorative patterns from different periods, as well as modern art works.
Situated in the Museum of Vietnamese History, a Buddha statue from the 6th/7th century shows Chinese influence in Vietnam.
