The bridge evokes fond memories.

Sometimes I wonder why certain events or images from so long ago remain etched in my memory, never to be forgotten. I remember them as if I encountered them somewhere just yesterday. Sometimes I think about the roads I've traveled, like National Highway 1 from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang. Remembering that road naturally brings to mind the Du Long Bridge, primarily because of its charming name and all the memories that linger in my heart from the past whenever I pass by it.

The Du Long Bridge is located on National Highway 1, in Loi Hai commune, Thuan Bac district, formerly Ninh Thuan province, now Cong Hai commune. It's just a small bridge, only long enough for a bend in the road. I often crossed it on buses from Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang when I was a student. Along that more than 400km journey, passing through many provinces and cities with numerous bridges, the Du Long Bridge remained in my memory, as naturally as memorized lessons from childhood; whenever it was mentioned, I recalled it without questioning why. Looking back, I understand that nothing is accidental; there must be some impression or meaning behind a name or image that hasn't faded with time.

The bend near Du Long Bridge evokes so many memories. Photo: HONG NGUYET

When we were young and far from home for school, perhaps everyone experienced sleepless nights filled with homesickness. Homesickness includes remembering the roads we used to take to school, the street corners we walked with friends, and sometimes even the tree where we had our first date with a boyfriend. Sometimes, this longing makes us anxiously count every kilometer marker we've passed, or even remember the details of the milestones at intersections as we get closer to our hometown. I remember the Du Long Bridge like that. When my eyes fell on the sign with the words "Du Long Bridge" at the beginning of the bridge, when I saw the bend in the road on the other side, my heart was suddenly filled with emotion. At that moment, I felt like I had arrived at the entrance to my house, a feeling of anticipation, thinking that after this I would be in Nha Trang, and a little further and the bus would stop so I could get off and go home.

The Du Long Bridge has become a landmark for calculating travel time to Nha Trang. Therefore, for me, the Du Long Bridge is the gateway that brings Phan Rang and Nha Trang closer together. The connecting road isn't long, just a bend with small houses with pink tiled roofs and simple signs. There's a tailor shop with just a sewing machine and a few new shirts hanging on a string, a general store with monotonous goods, and a few empty, dreary beverage shops. But every time the car starts to enter the road with the Du Long Bridge, I wish it would slow down a bit so I could clearly see the images that have remained seemingly unchanged for so many years. The road isn't long enough, so the car speeds past, but occasionally I turn around to catch a glimpse of the sign that says "Du Long Bridge" at the bridge's end.

Now, Ninh Thuan and Khanh Hoa have merged. Geographically, the Du Long bridge is no longer the gateway to a province, but whenever I pass by it, my heart still yearns for old memories. Time seems to have stopped on the bridge, which still looks new, probably due to frequent maintenance, and the road is still sparsely traveled. The pink-painted wooden windows on the houses with yellow and blue walls always look new, as if I had just passed by yesterday. The gently curving road at the end of the bridge is still lined with grocery stores, tailor shops, and beverage stalls, just as it was in the old days, unchanged.

Now that the highway passes through the provinces, the journey from Nha Trang to Phan Rang no longer requires crossing the Du Long bridge. Traveling on the highway significantly shortens travel time, which is very convenient, but I still prefer traveling on National Highway 1. The old route passes over bridges, along winding roads lined with houses and gardens. It enriches the soul, evokes more emotions, and brings back memories, making one love their homeland even more. Next time, if I have the chance, I will return to Phan Rang via that route to cross the nostalgic Du Long bridge.

LUU CAM VAN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/sang-tac/202601/cay-cau-gay-thuong-nho-bfe45d3/