A cup of strong tea amidst the salty wind

Ly trà đặc giữa bốn bề gió muối - Ảnh 1. — The author sits drinking tea on Fairy Island

Amidst the roaring sound of the waves, the eternal blue of the ocean, beside that pot of strong red tea, I drank and silently said thanks to the officers and soldiers beside me. Those who live day and night, guarding the peace here, Tien Nu submerged island (belonging to Truong Sa archipelago, Truong Sa district, Khanh Hoa province), the most sacred and farthest eastern part of the country.

The tea was not delicious, even a bit moldy, but it didn't matter, because after many days drifting at sea, sitting on the old table and chairs, smelling the faint aroma of tea was enough to make me feel sacred, proud and familiar.

After making tea for our working group, the officers and soldiers on Tien Nu Island - a territory located nearly seven hundred kilometers from the mainland, happily said that the tea on the island was not as delicious as on the mainland. Because no matter how carefully it was stored, the tea was still soaked in the salty wind - the salty wind typical of this place. Because Tien Nu is a submerged island, every day the tide rises twice and the island is only a small dot in the middle of the ocean.

The sea breeze mixed with the waves, carrying the salty air that permeated everything. Anyone could feel that salty wind just by sitting still for a moment, breathing gently, touching their lips. However, contrary to the worries of the officers and soldiers, I felt that it was a very delicious and special cup of tea, and it can be said that it is not easy to enjoy it a second time in life.

Because being able to come here, hold that cup of strong tea, take a sip and look into the distance, where the red national flag with a yellow star flutters in the blue sea and peaceful sky, is probably the great happiness of anyone with Lac Hong blood in their veins.

(Entry to the contest "Impressions of Vietnamese coffee and tea" under the program "Honoring Vietnamese coffee and tea" for the 3rd time, 2025 organized by Nguoi Lao Dong Newspaper).