I have to admit, among the cities in mainland Southeast Asia, Hanoi is the one that appeals to me the most (at least, the pre-skyscraper one). The French may now be tottering into decline, but they still left a nice jewel in Hanoi. The meeting of Vietnamese culture and the colonial classical French (the glory days, when French culture was still interesting) was simply enchanting. The lakes just made it more magical. Looking at the pictures leave me into disquiet. Does Hanoi have to join the battle of skyscrapers sprouting randomly across the already charming panorama? Hanoi could have copied the Manila model of circumscribed CBD's to preserve what was already a very enchanting city. Who's hicky enough to want to live in those buildings anyway- you are sorrounded by old houses on all sides?
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