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How long did you stay in Vietnam
in total?
I lived in Hanoi continuously for
about eight years, from 2002 to 2010.
But I started working in Vietnam in
1998, coming on a regular basis, about
three times a year. This is why the book
refers to an “on-and-off relationship”
with the city.
The book is written as a love dec-
laration to the city, as if Hanoi was a
woman and we had lived together for
eight years but had seen each other
(even dated) for many years before and
after that cohabitation.
This interpretation accounts for
one of the liberties I take with gram-
mar in the English version of the book,
namely referring to Hanoi as “her” or
“she” rather than “it”.
What are your feelings on Hanoi?
Hanoi is a wonderful city. Of
course, she is messy, noisy, and untidy
to the point of being tiring at times. If
the weather can serve as an analogy for
her character, she definitely has a lousy
temper. But she has a unique person-
ality, and is way more attractive than
many other East Asian cities.
There is certainly chaos in her, but
there is also a mix of great architec-
ture from multiple traditions: pagodas
and temples, French public buildings
and villas, and Soviet-style monu-
ments. And as Hanoians know well,
the city is charming: intimate lakes,
tree-lined streets, and lively squares.
Even the weather can be wonderful,
as on the days with golden light in
the autumn.
I guess what I like the most about
her is that there is so much life in the
streets. Mothers feed their children,
street vendors sell their stuff, friends
have a beer together, couples date me-
andering slowly on their motorbikes,
the elderly play badminton or prac-
tice ballroom dancing. In many other
cities, streets are just thoroughfares.
And this is certainly true in Hanoi’s
rapidly sprawling areas, outside the
historic core of the city. But from the
Old Quarter to the French quarter, and
from the narrow lanes to the public
parks, Hanoians live a lot outside their
homes. As a result, walking around is
never boring.
When did you start thinking about
PROFILE
THE ESSENCE
of Hanoi
An economic expert working with the World Bank,
Martin Rama, is the author of Hanoi Promenade, a
book that captures the diversity and charm of Ha-
noi. Interview by
Bich Ngoc