HANOI, Vietnam -- It's a nice time to be in Hanoi. The climate is warm, but not oppressively hot. For the most part the heavy rains have passed. The city still sparkles from its recent 1000th anniversary celebrations. The commemorative lights and banners still hang along main thoroughfares around the city.

Connie Schultz, Nick Ut and I are staying in the Old Quarter near Hoàn Kiếm Lake. It’s in this part of town where you find a lot of French colonial architecture blending with Asian tradition. It is entrancing to walk around the lush tree-lined streets past balconies filled with cascading plants. Surprisingly, American fast food and coffee chains have not penetrated the area. I noticed a lone KFC, but no McDonalds or Starbucks.

Hồ Hoàn Kiếm, meaning "Lake of the Returned Sword" is the spiritual heart of the city. According to legend, emperor Lê Lợi handed a magic sword called Heaven's Will which brought him victory in his revolt against the Chinese Ming Dynasty back to the Golden Turtle God in the lake and hence gave it its present name.

Before the rest of the district awakes to set up shop, Hoàn Kiếm Lake is teeming with people of all ages jogging, practicing tai chi, playing badminton, and lifting weights.

Before we start our day of reporting on our Agent Orange stories, we have been trying to walk around the lake every morning around 6 a.m., weather permitting. Photographer Nick Ut was enthralled by a group of women singing Vietnamese folk songs. Another day, he and Connie Schultz joined eight people lined up single-file giving back massages to each other. (See above video.)

In this city that is bursting at the seams with people, that is transforming itself at break-neck speed into a world-class metropolis, the lake offers those who come to it a moment of tranquility and sense of community.