Come to love and remember

With a 3-day, 2-night journey with family and friends in Sam Son City, I went from one surprise to another.

Ca Lap Temple in Sam Son City.

Come to love...

We come from many places in the country, but Sam Son is not unfamiliar to most members. Many people even come to Sam Son many times but still agree to come back. Perhaps, like me, they give themselves more opportunities to have new experiences and feelings, more complete, even more mature.

By chance, a few days ago, I helped you with an article about a trip to Sam Son nearly 30 years ago. That was also the first time you encountered the sea, encountered Thanh land. In the article, you wrote about Sam Son very differently, with the wild features inherent in a coastal town doing tourism. The road runs straight to the sea under rows of green trees, sparsely populated with hotels; simple with fishing trips from early morning; upside-down basket boats on the sand... Yet now, we are walking on the spacious road connecting Thanh Hoa City and National Highway 1A with Sam Son City; taking pictures at the sea square - "The new symbol of Sam Son", having fun in the water park with an investment of up to 6,000 billion VND, sleeping in an international-class resort, eating at a restaurant with full amenities...

Not to mention, Sam Son also has the most classy 18-hole links golf course in Vietnam and "countless" service businesses from the beach to the heart of the city; there are trams running across the streets; there are bustling markets where products from the sea will go to all directions...

Sam Son beach is beautiful and modern.

But there is still a Rooster and Hen island on the Truong Le mountain range; a majestic Doc Cuoc temple expressing the desire for peace, to conquer the enemy... to protect the peace of the people of Thanh land; a Fairy temple precariously perched on a cliff, charming but containing many mysteries. And there are many other historical relics associated with historical figures of different eras. These historical and cultural relics not only have unique and attractive architecture, but are also a treasure trove of thousand-year-old stories for visitors to this place.

...and remember

In the group, there was a friend named Huyen who wore thick glasses. Huyen was always curious about everything, exploring wherever she went, chatting and asking questions to everyone she met. After swimming in the sea, the group went for a walk to see the seascape. She went to Doc Cuoc temple, fascinated by the temple's texts and architecture, constantly taking notes. Not satisfied, the next day Huyen continued to invite everyone to go to Co Tien temple, De Linh temple, To Hien Thanh temple... The ancient, sacred temples overlooking the ocean always shine brightly in everyone's mind, like a lighthouse guiding boats into the sea to safely reach the shore, with their holds full of fish and shrimp. I joked: "Are you traveling or doing research that you take so many notes?" Huyen laughed and said: "Traveling is to explore and learn, then it's interesting. If you travel just to rest and relax, you'll get bored after a few days."

I paused for a moment. Most of the guests chose Sam Son for their trip because it has a beautiful beach for swimming, fresh seafood... Ask them what remains in their mind at the end of the trip? The answer is also just the sea and food. This need is satisfied in 1 or 2 days, so only the feeling of a sea culture - something that once entered the human mind will last forever, urges guests to come back and stay longer.

Walking, feeling, chatting, Huyen always has questions of why. Why is this road named Ho Xuan Huong? Why is it called Cot Do market?... Because, she believes, every road, every street has a name with legends, historical and cultural stories. We go to villages and streets to listen to people tell stories about their lives, about the fates of people who have been attached to the sea for dozens of generations; to learn about fish sauce production villages, fishing villages and artisanal fish processing villages... Here, we are instructed on how to prepare Sam Son specialties such as clam porridge, seafood spring rolls, dishes made from squid, fish...

There are still many things to learn, but it is impossible to tell them all. So, come to the beach, eat seafood and explore to receive more things from Sam Son, that is the people and culture here, when you understand, the feelings will grow and become the motivation to urge you to come back.

Henry Valentine Miller, a famous American writer, once said: "Our destination is not a land, but a new way of looking at things." Sam Son is a place that can create such a thing, always giving visitors new and unforgettable emotions and experiences. I do not hide that Sam Son once had a bad reputation. And to regain the reputation of "the most ideal resort in Indochina" as the French once commented, the government and people here have made great efforts. Besides, there is the participation of many strong businesses. Along with investing in infrastructure to change the face of the city, building a civilized urban lifestyle and building e-government are also considered important. The scene of street vendors, beggars... harassing tourists has been greatly reduced. Listed price lists and commitments to sell at the right price are posted in visible locations in the stores. Tourists have truly lived in a private space, a true resort.

We believe that Sam Son today will not disappoint you. Come to love and remember, then come back.

Article and photos: Tang Thuy

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/sam-son-den-de-yeu-va-nho-218793.htm