Dalat in the distant winter

In 1996, I chose Da Lat to pursue my dream of studying. The first time I came here, the city gave me a surprising but extremely interesting feeling. Before that, I only knew Da Lat through music and books, and knew the beautiful names like “sad city”, “cold land”, “land of peach blossoms” thanks to the cassette player that my neighbor uncle often played music on. Now, seeing the scenery with my own eyes, breathing the air, witnessing the pace of life and the character of Da Lat people made me love it even more.

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I am impressed by Da Lat because it is a green and peaceful city. Nature has been so generous to this land, from majestic mountains and forests, sparkling lakes, fertile land, to a cool and temperate climate that makes the grass and trees lush all year round. Everywhere you can see rows of green pine trees rustling, flowers blooming along the road or brightly beside the fence, lush green grass on the gently sloping Cu Hill, lush green and fragrant vegetable gardens of Da Lat residents. Xuan Huong Lake is calm and clear, likened to a mirror of the city, forever gently letting the old pine roots, mimosa petals, purple phoenix branches, and graceful willow rows reflect their reflections. At that time, Da Lat city was still quite airy with many ancient villas built in the early decades of the 20th century, with bold French architecture, hidden under the shade of pine trees, mysterious in the mountain mist. The houses were of moderate height, lower than the canopy of trees, so the view was not obstructed. The beauty of Da Lat is enhanced by its peace and quiet. Back then, it seemed that the bells of Linh Son Pagoda and Con Ga Church (Chinh Cathedral) could awaken the city, and even the sound of horse hooves by the lake could stir the waters of Xuan Huong. In Da Lat, people seemed to minimize noise and arguments to listen to the whispers of nature and the sky.

Dalat in winter, not as windy and rainy as the Central region, the plateau is cold and dry with bright yellow sunshine. At first I was surprised, but after a long time I got used to the cool afternoon rains. Interestingly, the rain did not linger, but poured down and then quickly went away, returning to the city a dark purple sunset, melancholy. When the rain stopped, the roads and slopes shone with the shiny black color of asphalt or the silver gray color of paving stones, rarely flooded roads, the grass and trees were washed as if they were greener. The afternoon gradually fell, the mist began its romantic wandering. Mist floated on high hills, low valleys, mist drifted under streams and lakes, mist was dreamy in the forest valleys, mist flew over the roofs of houses and alleys, mist fell gently on people's hair and shoulders. The clouds were the same, flying, drifting over the overlapping hills and mountains, over the pine forests, the mist was magical, making people's hearts bewildered and captivated.

Dalat in winter is full of flowers, but the most abundant are wild sunflowers. Not majestic, elegant, not fragrant, wild sunflowers have a rustic beauty but are charming, full of personality like a mountain girl. Winter is also the season of pink grass lighting up the plateau. On weekends, sometimes groups of us students ride our bicycles, traveling more than 10 km to the suburbs, by Suoi Vang Lake, just to admire the pink grass for our pleasure.

Dalat is sparkling with colors every Christmas. Near Christmas, all the roads leading to Xuan Huong Lake, where the Con Ga Church is located, are even more brilliant and bustling. I am an outsider so I often wander the streets with my brother from Quang, stopping at a bar on the side of Bui Thi Xuan Street. The owner is a gentle and unhurried person from Dalat. The pleasure of Literature students, although poor and hungry, is to occasionally invite each other to drink a few glasses of wine in the middle of a cold winter night in the highlands. Drinking wine and discussing poetry and literature, sympathizing with Dang Dung who failed to achieve his great ambition, feeling sorry for Uc Trai who suffered many injustices, feeling sorry for Nguyen Du and Thuy Kieu who struggled, guessing where Han Mac Tu sat with Quach Tan to write the masterpiece "Dalat Moonlit"? At this time, the foggy street sparkles with yellow lights, couples holding hands happily. Dalat in winter is full of love for couples!

My hometown Xu Nau is in the season of northeast wind blowing, bringing drizzle and cold air. Before dawn, raindrops are falling in front of the porch, the wind blows in cold gusts, I drink tea, coffee and listen to some songs about Da Lat but my heart is still filled with nostalgia. In the endless distance, I miss Da Lat, miss the winters in the highlands and mountain towns...

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