The shadows of ancient trees

Waking up in Nha Trang early in the morning, you'll hear a flurry of birdsong. In this peaceful land, flocks of sparrows, nestled in the trees overnight, have just woken up, chirping and calling to each other, creating a sense of tranquility. For city birds, it is the tall trees that call them back home.

Nha Trang is developing its urban green space system with tens of thousands of trees on sidewalks, parks, and new urban areas, concentrated mainly along Tran Phu and Pham Van Dong streets. But what is most touching is that the ancient trees still stand as witnesses to time, despite the streets changing day by day.

Photo: GC

On Sunday mornings, after breakfast and coffee, my wife and I usually visit Xóm Mới market. While waiting for my wife to finish shopping, I stand and admire the old mahogany tree that remains in front of the market gate. The tree leans towards the road, its gnarled roots exposed, and its trunk has newly sprouted shoots. Over a hundred years old, the tree still stands there, preserving a rare moment of peace for the market area.

Perhaps the most beautiful are the ancient trees on Than Nhan Trung Street. More than a dozen trees in the middle of the road have been preserved, making the street shaded as if time has stood still here. On Tran Phu Street, next to the Navy Guest House, an old mahogany tree stands alone as a witness to countless changes.

In the old days, the rows of trees on Ly Tu Trong Street were once the footprints of countless generations of students. The ancient trees in front of Thanh Tam School – now Loc Tho 2 Kindergarten – were where boys waited for girls to finish school. Those trees are gone now. But in front of Thai Nguyen Secondary School, the old tree still stands. Many students have walked past, becoming grandparents, but the tree remains. Or the old banyan trees listening to the waves on Tran Phu Street. Each season, the banyan tree in front of the Yasaka-Saigon-Nhatrang Hotel changes its leaves to a deep red, giving the seaside town a unique season...

Now, newly planted rows of black star trees are growing rapidly along many streets, adding another shade of green to the city. One day, they too will become ancient trees. These ancient trees not only provide shade; they also preserve memories for those who have walked through these streets.

KHUE VIET TRUONG

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/202605/nhung-bong-cay-co-thu-0937224/