Hanoi sparkling on normal days

Slow down a bit, let the rush continue to rush forward, you have the right to slow down your arrow-like pace. You have the right because you have been rushing like that for so long. Now you have the right to slow down. It's that simple! It's not difficult to recognize the lights that have been lit up in the flower fields of Lien Mac, Tay Tuu... in Bac Tu Liem, Hanoi .

The strings of lights sagged slightly, the long strings of lights stretching far and wide. Hundreds of strings and strips of lights like that, milky white bulbs, warm yellow bulbs lit up brilliantly in the dark night.

Walking among the suburban flower fields, which have now been converted into urban areas for decades, during the day, you will see the yellow, purple, red, blue, and white colors of hundreds of flowers. But at night, you will only see lights, igniting a feeling that is both strange, a bit dreamy, luxurious, and civilized in the middle of the countryside.

Strange, slow down a bit to enjoy a vibration of life that normally when we are busy with work, we do not feel, do not see. Like driving along the Xuan Quan dike in Van Giang, Hung Yen , thinking about the land lots with dizzying price increases and decreases without realizing that there are small roads leading down to the fields, going into the green garden area.

Accordingly, going all the way to the water's edge, we "discover" a ferry terminal: Hong Van Port! Taking the ferry across the Red River to the other side of Thuong Tin, Hanoi, we can wander the roads near the river and walk in the large space on both sides, sometimes vaguely seeing vast water areas, sometimes seeing lush gardens thanks to alluvial soil. A feeling of freedom and almost cleanliness compared to when we are mixed in the dust on the stuffy national highways.

So if we return to the inner city, will we be afraid of returning to the crowded, polluted and always arousing state of busyness and pressure? If we are afraid like that, won't this place be a place for people to be cautious and vigilant? Try to pay attention, take a moment, we will see many sparkling things worth absorbing and pondering! Just after a long traffic jam in Kham Thien, we follow the small, already crowded Nguyen Thuong Hien street straight to the gate of Quan Hoa pagoda.

Why can't we just go in here for a while, let the small but sparse space suddenly rush in, and open up a small lake, the water gently swaying peacefully. The sound of cars running like a drill from all sides of the road around Thien Quang Lake echoed here as if it had passed through a layer of air filter, becoming gentle and clear.

And then, if on a weekend night on the walking street of Hoan Kiem Lake, you feel like there is no corner to hide because you see people everywhere, you should go to... the Hoan Kiem District Library Park near the end of Nha Chung Street. From the edge of the sidewalk out here, boldly step closer, closer to the ancient building from the French era with a wide path leading up along a strong, curving railing, the glass windows silently looking at you, you will think you are lost in a somewhat mystical fantasy land with a strangely winding area of ​​trees all around you.

Sitting on a wooden chair with a wrought iron frame in the pale yellow light, I thought about the city where I live, the roads, the turns, the street corners where somewhere someone has just opened a door waiting for something, a call, a wave.

There, you go ahead, but remember that in your haste, take a few minutes to find, turn around, and listen to the corners of the city echoing something sparkling, quiet, and illuminating.

A patch of trees between the Opera House and the National History Museum, the windy road at night past Ham Long Church, the Cua Bac citadel gate, Hoang Dieu street with dense and majestic trees, or simply just a patch of pavement at the foot of the stone wall overlooking Hang Cot street, Cua Dong street and the railway iron frames above in the green background of the large acacia trees... Occasionally, stop and pause for a moment, to see that the usual days are more sparkling.

NGUYEN QUANG HUNG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ha-noi-lung-linh-ngay-thuong-post760104.html