Flags flying everywhere, thousands of golden stars

In the last days of August, Hanoi seems to put on a new coat. The first cool breeze of the season is gently blowing in the early morning wind, the scent of new rice follows the footsteps of street vendors wafting through every street. The old dracontomelon tree on Phan Dinh Phung Street is also starting to turn brown and yellow, signaling the season of changing its coat. The autumn weather in Hanoi is already enough to make people fall in love, now it is even more brilliant when the red flag with yellow star flutters all over the streets, blending with the excitement and eagerness of people preparing to welcome the big festival - Independence Day.

Hanoi is brilliant with flags and flowers in the days of preparation for the grand ceremony.

Hanoi these days is both solemn and strangely familiar. Along the streets, on every roof, balcony, and small alley, red flags with yellow stars fill the sky, one after another forming a vast sea of flags, lighting up a corner of the sky. Billboards, banners, and bright flowers add to the splendor and heroism. But the beauty of Hanoi is not only in those brilliant colors, but also shines in every smile exchanged on the street, in the joyful eyes of children when they see the flag flying, in the tight handshakes of soldiers and their fellow countrymen. Those small, simple things, seemingly invisible, create the love, the meaning, the lasting vitality of the thousand-year-old city.

This morning, my father woke up earlier than usual. While waiting for the kettle to boil to make a pot of early tea, he quietly picked up a broom and swept the sidewalk in front of the house. He said: "These days, there are a lot of people coming here. Our house has a big party, so it has to be neat and tidy, son." Normally, he rarely opens the door, partly because he is afraid of noise. But this whole week, every time he looks at the parade rehearsal schedule, he wakes up early, boils several buckets of weak tea to offer to passersby to drink for free.

Like my father, many families in Hao Nam, Thuy Khue... also opened their doors to welcome veterans or relatives from afar to attend the ceremony to have a place to stay. The "0 dong" lodgings, the simple but meaningful meals, like a silent but deep gratitude, warmed people's hearts.

Walking in the middle of the city, one can easily come across small but warm stories like that. People set up rows of plastic chairs, inviting people to sit and rest. People prepare teapots, bottles of cold water, cakes, even paper fans and raincoats to hand out to people from far away who come to Hanoi to watch the grand ceremony. Some families even cook noodles, open clean restrooms, and invite guests from far away to rest. These small things shine brightly among the crowd, like warm lights illuminating the great festival.

The youthfulness of Hanoi also blends into that rhythm. Young volunteers roam the streets, distributing necessities, guiding visitors, and picking up trash to keep the capital pristine. A group of young people in Thuy Khue even came up with "free" motorbike trips to transport the elderly and children to the parade practice site. In just one day, hundreds of trips extended the joy, regardless of the harsh sun or sudden showers.

Hanoi this autumn is therefore not only beautiful to the eyes, but also beautiful in human feelings. From the houses with open doors, the simple but sincere lunch boxes and bowls of noodles, the free buses to the sound of military marching in the square, all have connected into a harmony filled with pride.

MAI AN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/co-bay-noi-noi-muon-anh-sao-vang-post811046.html