Rain, tea and Hue station

A pouring rain day in Hue brings cold air to every corner, but only people's hearts are not cold! A friend told us about a small corner right across from Hue train station - where some tea vendors have been present for decades, so we braved the rain to get there.

Looking at the shabby drink stall with a few wet tables and chairs hidden in a dark corner, I felt sorry for it. The drink vendor called herself “aunt” in the familiar way of addressing people from Hue.

She said that her mother has been selling water here to passengers waiting for the train since 1976. It was even more touching when she put on the table a teapot, a plate of pumpkin seeds, a plate of melon seeds, a plate of peanut candy, a pack of tobacco, placed next to the table a water pipe and a thermos - items that couldn't be more Vietnamese!

Suddenly sitting down, I felt extremely in love with the ordinary things that I had become familiar with and in my heart arose pride for being Vietnamese.

Every time I meet foreign friends, I proudly introduce myself: “I am Vietnamese”. During a conversation with director and writer Xuan Phuong at Hue University, I remember her saying that before the age of 10, she did not care that she was Vietnamese, until one time she saw a classmate stepping on the shadow of the national flag, her heart was filled with a strange feeling of discomfort, and later she chose the path of devoting herself to the country.

The moment of realizing “I am Vietnamese” is truly precious! I have been reminded of that precious thing many times in my life. Tonight, once again, at Hue station, under the rain, with tea and the flickering oil lamp.

The oil lamp was weak today under the bright electric light, but that did not make it lose its value. The tea lady recalled that in the past, Hue train station was not lit like it is now.

Opposite the station was a long streak of light forming small dots from the oil lamps of the adjacent tea shops. The light from the oil lamps was very magical, although the purpose was not only to light but also to let customers light their tobacco.

Gradually, the number of drink stalls has decreased, replaced by a variety of restaurants, coffee shops, pubs, etc. There are only about three drink stalls that still maintain the simple style of the past, but it depends on the weather.

Some days there is only one row like today. Passengers arriving at the station may encounter old things by chance. We consider ourselves lucky guests to fully enjoy the scenery of ancient Vietnam.

I'm not sure if the tea vendor loves the cultural beauty of the past or if it's to make a living that she still keeps the same display as before.

But one thing is for sure, thanks to the few remaining people like her doing this job at the train station, young people like us can live in a pleasant atmosphere, embraced by familiar things not only for ourselves but also for many generations.

I am Vietnamese, and I am proud of it!

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/mua-tra-man-va-ga-hue-3142664.html