Halong Bay at dusk

Ronnie's Last Stand

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October 15th 2006
Hanoi, while distinctively Asian, has just enough French arrogance to to give it a confident edge without being stuffy. The architecture mirrors that attitude. Colorfully balconied French colonial style buildings, three to four stories tall are squeezed into narrow city blocks as if they were in a vice grip. The people are friendly and even those who are peddling are likely to engage you in conver ... read more

Asia » Vietnam » Red River Delta » Hanoi

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The conquest of Vietnam by France began in 1858 and was completed by 1884. It became part of French Indochina in 1887. Independence was declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until 1954 when they were defeated by Communist forc... ... read more