Rhythm of seasonal change. Photo: Nguyen Khoa Huy
It’s the rainy season in Hue. Hue rain has a long reputation for being ceaseless, and the chill was down to spine. Perhaps the extreme of cold and rain entails a depth in Hue people’s love and affection, just like a common local saying, “Hue people find it hard to utter love words, but once so, loving is more immense, and missing is more intense.”
Perhaps chatting about Hue rain can pull us closer. The dude from BinhDinh has got unforgettable memories about the endless rain after four years of college here in Hue, nights after nights listening to the falling rain and hours of coffee chats with friends just to …watch the rain. Strangely the memories about Hue rain are the hardest to fade. He regretted not having any love story in his four-year college time, but he always fell for and miss Hue, like the compassion by a student from a different homeland for a similarly poor region.
The flight was getting a little bumpy when heading to a turbulence, but soon settled, followed by a smooth landing. I put on a coat and took a taxi. Such a comfortable feeling swept over me seeing familiar surroundings. I was home!
The streets were covered in drenching rain, but a huge influx of tourists still came in dozens of coaches in Nguyen Hoang bus station. Groups of visitors under umbrellas and raincoats were walking and chatting together. The Citadel from a tilted viewpoint reflected such a tranquil, ancient, and dreamy beauty. A tourist constantly changed poses to find special photo angles and capture the distinct splendor of the rainy city.
The delicious smell of freshly fried buns wafted across Dinh Tien Hoang and Ong Ich Khiem street and warmed up the little corner, creating such a perfect harmony with the chill in Hue. The vendor quickly fried buns, flipped them over, wrapped them, and received money from the customers. Her smile was bright, her cheeks glowing; she was surrounded by a cluster of buyers, and seemingly the chill no longer existed in that small space. Also in the same corner in summer, the cane juice vendor created a sweet, calm atmosphere under the heat of 400C in Hue. Sometimes, life and nostalgia are made up of such little moments.
It’s hard to say the city was fun during the rain, yet in the rain, life keeps flowing, and it’s another side of Hue beauty. The rain may worry many people over their livelihood, yet joyous moments can come from mutual understanding and compassion. On the roads, vehicles slowed down, street vendors finding instant rain shelters, and buyers under umbrellas came. On the roads, a young man quickly sprang to help a street cart with a loose fastener.
Visitors to Hue in its rainy season would get fed up with the rain, but those who live in Hue for a few years like the dude from BinhDinh would miss the rain with all his heart. Hue rain can last for months, so travelers could not possibly feel and love it. Yet Hue rain permeates the local’s hearts and souls. We perhaps have some rain in the flesh and blood, so perhaps that’s why talking about it was fun.
By Xuan An