"The Vietnamese Capital" Hanoi by Ramonq

To the victor belongs the spoils. And so Vietnam's capital has now been established in Hanoi. Having won the Vietnam civil war in 1975, the capital of the People's Republic of Vietnam was moved to North Vietnam much to the chagrin of its wealthier cousin, Saigon which was renamed Ho Chi Minh City by the powers that be. Hanoi yields the political power in the whole country and this is where the communist party apparatchiks dictate how the country is administered. In Hanoi, there appears to be more red and yellow star Vietnamese flags waving around the city and more slogans emblazoned in tarpaulin signs about the virtues of socialism. There's even a beautiful park dedicated to one of the champions of communist ideals, comrade Vladimir Lenin, whose gigantic statue dominate the park facing the old flag tower.

Yet Hanoi is quite entrepreneurial. Just about everyone is involved in buying or selling goods and services. The footpaths are occupied with the affairs of free-trade commerce, even more so in the old centre near the market. It appears that there is capitalist heart for every communist mind in Hanoi.

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

Hanoi has got some very interesting neighbourhood. Don't be afraid to explore the city centre on foot and discover the sights sounds and smells of Hanoi. You will be transported from an incredibly noisy markets to serene Parisian-like parks and from exotic ancient Chinese temples to austere socialist squares . The old city brims with so much activities that could fill an entire day for an adrenaline-rushed tourists.

• Pros:Interesting neighbourhoods
• Cons:Taxi drivers
• In a nutshell:Multi-layered City