Thanh Sen in me

Street vendors with their cries weave through every street corner, handicraft shops associated with the "eternal old" people... Thanh Sen (Ha Tinh) has become a vibrant young city, but somewhere in the heart of the city there are still stories that evoke in me so many loving feelings.

Street vendors go through the years

At the intersection of Phan Dinh Phung Street (Ha Tinh City) and Xuan Dieu Street, the stalls of tapioca pudding of Hue women quietly nestle among the crowded houses and bustling traffic. It has been nearly 30 years since Aunt Huong (born in 1966) and Aunt Ty (born in 1976) started their street stalls from Hue to Ha Tinh to sell wholesale.

The sweet soup stalls of Hue aunts and sisters have been with many generations of Thanh Sen people for decades.

“When I first came here, I just thought I was going to make a living, but I never expected to be attached to this place for decades. Now we know the streets and alleys of Ha Tinh city better than Hue city,” said Aunt Huong.

I believe that Aunt Huong is right because after all that time wandering around with her sweet soup stall on all the big and small streets, and many years attached to the corner of Xuan Dieu - Phan Dinh Phung intersection, the aunts are almost like true Thanh Sen people.

A sweet soup stall with simple ingredients that remains in the memories of many people.

Although not a delicacy, a cup of sweet soup with tapioca flour, black beans, green beans, and coconut milk has become a familiar dish for many generations of Thanh Sen people. From motorbike taxi drivers, bricklayers, scrap dealers to office workers and especially students, everyone loves this sweet soup.

Under the shade of old trees, the ladies quickly make sweet soup and package the goods for customers. Every now and then, the “brick” phone rings. It’s a call from regular customers who pre-ordered so they can just stop by and pick up the goods without having to wait. The ladies quickly “close the deal”, as proficient and professional as today’s online sellers.

The aunts also became "professional" online sellers.

Aunt Ty said that over the years, the streets and life here have changed a lot, but the tapioca pudding stall remains the same. Still the same ingredients, the same flavor, and the strangely familiar faces of the customers.

“Who wants fried cakes, packaged cakes…”, the afternoon selling voice of vendors wafts through every street in Thanh Sen. Although I was born and raised in this small city for nearly 40 years, I don’t know exactly when this call started. I only know that, throughout my childhood, I was familiar with the cake stall and the clear voice of Aunt Binh.

Aunt Binh has been a street vendor for almost her entire life.

At 4 p.m., in a small house in an alley in residential group 2 - Bac Ha ward, Aunt Binh is busy preparing her carrying pole for the "afternoon market". Hot rice cakes and sticky rice cakes are wrapped in banana leaves; fried cakes with shrimp and bean filling are golden and fragrant.

But what has kept my aunt's regular customers coming back for decades is probably the dipping sauce. The homemade fish sauce has a rich traditional flavor, and is spicy enough to burn the tongue... The chewy, chewy rice cake dipped in that "divine" sauce is incomparably delicious.

Aunt Binh's cake stall is so familiar to Thanh Sen residents that if they don't see it, they will feel like they haven't returned to their beloved city.

My aunt's usual route is usually Ly Tu Trong, Nguyen Cong Tru, Phan Dinh Phung, Xuan Dieu, Nguyen Huy Tu... But there are also many days when she doesn't see any customers, so she turns to Hao Thanh, Trung Tiet, Ho Dau, then goes around Cau Vong, Dang Dung to go back to the provincial market (Ha Tinh City Market)...

My aunt's feet have walked through most of the big streets and small alleys of Thanh Sen.

Auntie's feet have walked through the big streets and small alleys of Thanh Sen for many years. Along with banh beo gai (rice cake), yogurt bags, Hue tapioca pudding, auntie Binh's rice cakes... have become a part of our childhood, carrying our memories.

And for generations of Thanh Sen residents, those street vendors are so familiar that when returning from a long trip, if they don't see them, they will feel like they haven't returned to their beloved city...

The "time fixer"

Many people still call watch repairmen by a very nostalgic name - “time repairers”. And for Ha Tinh people, Nguyen Cong Tru street in front of the provincial market gate is “watch repair street” even though there is no official planning.

The "shops" bear the marks of time on the "watch repair street".

Having been involved in this profession since the late 80s of the last century, Mr. Truong Huu Ha (born in 1945) is one of the oldest craftsmen still working and maintaining the profession.

Mr. Ha learned this profession during his years in the army. When he returned to his hometown after being discharged, he officially followed the profession, became a part of this street and has been doing it ever since - when he is almost 80 years old.

Mr. Ha - the "time repairman".

Mr. Ha said: “Back then, watches were very valuable! From the middle class to the common people, many people considered them an indispensable item. Every family hung one to tell the time and as a decoration. The profession of repairing watches became popular. Children also learned from this toolbox.”

This profession requires workers to be meticulous, diligent and have the ability to observe closely to “diagnose”. Their tools are quite special, full of screwdrivers, pliers, brushes, tweezers, hammers... but all are as small as children's toys!

Having lived on this street corner for decades, Mr. Ha has witnessed many changes in the neighborhood.

After decades of experience, Mr. Ha has never been “confused” by any “case”. Some watches take a whole day, even several days to repair, testing his patience and skills, and when the customer holds the watch in their hand, the minute and hour hands are both accurate.

Over time, modern life with electronic devices and technological gadgets appeared more and more. People gradually changed the habit of watching time on watches by watching on mobile phones, customers repairing watches are almost only old acquaintances.

“Many people bring in very old, badly damaged watches for repair. Just by looking at them, I know it’s a “difficult case,” but I understand that to the owner, it must be a precious keepsake, so I accept it. Customers are happy to receive their repaired watches, and I share their joy,” Mr. Ha shared.

The joy of an elderly customer when receiving back his repaired watch.

Over 40 years of “fixing time” is also the same amount of years that Mr. Ha has witnessed many changes in this land. From the days when Thanh Sen was still a town with small, quiet streets until it became a dynamic young city. “The urban lifestyle gradually took shape, people changed from clothing to vehicles; many people from other places came to settle, the streets became much more bustling, only we were still sitting here” - Mr. Ha pondered.

Nowadays, the "watch repair street" is no longer as bustling as before, but in the memories of many people, Mr. Ha, Mr. Quynh, Mr. Xuan... are still talented and dedicated "time repair" workers.

Memories of a flower profession

Every time I pass the corner of Nguyen Cong Tru - Ly Tu Trong intersection, looking at the old bougainvillea stalls nestled next to the shops sparkling with LED lights, I am reminded of the school opening seasons.

In the 90s of the last century, this street corner was always bright and bustling because although it was just a short stretch of road, almost every house made paper flowers, wrote parallel sentences, and hung banners.

The craft of making paper flowers is only a memory for many people in Thanh Sen.

During the first school season of those years, each of us had a pair of cellophane flowers in various colors, green, red, purple, and yellow, attached to our hands. Our small hands were even more beautiful when the flowers bloomed in the early morning sunlight of the first day of school. Wearing white shirts, blue pants, red scarves, and paper flowers in our hands, we were absorbed in the singing and dancing performances to celebrate the school festival. Beautiful, exciting, and joyful.

During the Phu Dong Sports Festival, students from schools in the city will participate in a mass performance at the stadium. Those are the days when this “flower street” is truly bustling and bustling.

Life has changed, not many people still remember the flower profession like Mrs. Hanh.

As a daughter from Quang Binh who married into Thanh Sen, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh (born in 1962) learned the craft of making paper flowers from her parents-in-law. Like other families in the city, Ms. Hanh’s family has been making paper flowers for many generations. Ms. Hanh said: “Making paper flowers is not difficult, but it takes many steps and time.

Flowers are mainly made from colorful cellophane, stacked in many layers and fixed with a small steel wire, then trimmed and bent to make the petals look beautiful.

Thanh Sen has become a bustling young city, but the "old" people and sidewalks are still imprinted in the memories of many generations. Photo: Dinh Nhat .

However, when plastic flowers, fabric flowers, and fresh flowers became popular; children's performances also had specialized props to replace them; paper flowers were no longer chosen as much as before. Many families in the city gave up their profession, leaving only Mrs. Hanh and a few other families still in this profession. Mrs. Hanh said: "Nowadays, we rarely make paper flowers because we import flowers from other provinces and cities, which are both fast and cheap. Sometimes I do it because I miss the profession."

In the hustle and bustle of today's young city, there are still street corners, "thousand-year-old" people, sidewalks imprinted with the memories of many generations... All of these make up my beloved Thanh Sen.

Kieu Minh

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/nui-hong-song-la/thanh-sen-trong-toi/254901.htm