The article opened with Hanoi ’s history 1,000 years ago when King Ly Thai To moved the capital from the mountainous Ninh Binh area to the Red River Delta and decided to renamed it Thang Long (Ascending Dragon).

Vietnam has selected October 10, the day when Hanoi was liberated from French colonialists’ rule in 1954, for its grand millennium celebration, the article wrote.

In these autumn days, Hanoi ’s streets become brilliant and splendid with multi-coloured lights, especially when night falls.

The author, who recently visited Vietnam , wrote that Hanoi no longer has dug-outs on the sidewalks which sheltered people from US bomb attacks but they are now replaced by new bridges and spacious urban areas.

Dozens of important socio-economic works have been commissioned to celebrate the 1,000 th birthday of the capital city, she noted.

Visitors to modern Hanoi will be pleasantly surprised to see a colourful, 6-km long ceramic mosaic mural along the Red River which has been created by Vietnamese and foreign artists during recent years.

Marta Roja, a close friend of the Vietnamese people, affirmed that Hanoi , with its legend of Sword Lake and resilient struggles against foreign invaders, will be remembered forever.