Small corners of Saigon

Yet when the seatbelt light was turned on and the flight attendant announced that the plane was about to land at Tan Son Nhat, my heart was pounding, and my heart was filled with boundless joy. I leaned out the window. In just a moment, I would set foot on my homeland, letting the air of the land and sky blend into every tiny cell, following the hot blood flowing throughout my body.

Unlike Ninh Hoa, where I was born and raised, Ho Chi Minh City is not my hometown, nor is it the place where I spent my youth. I also did not have the opportunity to study and take exams there because I left Vietnam at the age of 18. But Ho Chi Minh City is an unforgettable memory during my time abroad. It was the first place that eagerly welcomed me back, the last place that reluctantly saw me off; where my friends are busy with their lives, studying. And on the streets across the city, everywhere is imprinted with the images of my very old, cross-ocean love affairs.

When I was young, I went to many coffee shops in Tan Binh, Phu Nhuan, Binh Thanh or districts 5, 6, 10, 11. From the Tuan Ngoc chain, to Tuong Niem, which is crowded in the old cemetery, drinking and shaking. Or Yesterday, which plays foreign music, then Window, Soi Da, Them Xua, Huyen Thoai, Napoly and especially the poetic Khuc Ban Chieu. Then snails on the Nhieu Loc canal embankment, snails in District 4, Vo Van Tan snacks, Bun Ta, broken rice in Western street... Almost all of these shops have closed, remaining only in the memories of youth.

I'm old now, and I'm afraid of change. When I go to cafes or eat out, I only hang around District 1 and District 3, near the hotel for convenience.

The coffee shops opposite Notre Dame Cathedral are where I sit most often. From Highlands on the side of the Metropolitan building nearly 20 years ago, to Coffee Bean, NYDC, PhinDeli, Saigon La Poste and most recently Mellower. It is the most beautiful and typical street corner in Saigon. No matter what time of day, vehicles, people, and tourists are always crowded. Sometimes while sitting, I suddenly see an acquaintance I haven't seen for more than ten years. So I call them over to chat. Sadly, the coffee shops are all closed now and the street vendors have all moved away. Since a big bank opened, I rarely pass by.

The corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Thanh Ton has been with me for decades. Almost every time I come back, I stay at the hotel next door. Every morning when I wake up, I leisurely walk, the girl selling "ear swallow cakes" in front of the door asks with a toothless face: "Just came back? When will you leave again?". Across the street, there is a huge 10,000 VND sugarcane juice. Turn right, and you will see a famous snack alley. I love beef noodles here so much. 35,000 VND for a bowl full of meat and vegetables. Walk a bit and you will meet the familiar barber and ear cleaner. Plus a basket of pre-cut fruits for 20,000 VND/box with a garlic salt packet that is nowhere to be found. At night, if you want to drink, you can sit in front of my hotel, or go to the shop next door that is open until dawn with a very reformed name: "Foggy Slope".

Sometimes when I pass by the park in front of the Independence Palace, so many memories come flooding back. When I was in my twenties, almost every Sunday morning we would meet here, sit on the sidewalk, drink coffee, bread, sing and have fun. Youth passes so quickly.

Occasionally, I often walk along Phung Khac Khoan Street, lined with quiet tamarind trees. Thirty years ago, when I stayed at an acquaintance's house to do paperwork, I said it was the most beautiful street in Saigon. Now I still maintain my opinion. Starbucks Dong Du (now closed) was also a popular place for dates. I sat there hundreds of times and wrote short stories while looking out at the street. Walking along small streets, across Dong Khoi, or sitting and drinking sidewalk coffee at Mac Thi Buoi, Ho Huan Nghiep, Ngo Duc Ke... is extremely enjoyable. The cool breeze from the riverbank cools down the stuffiness of the streets on a hot summer day.

My hurried return trips did not leave me with enough time to explore as many places as before. So I just kept my old habits, going to places where I felt most comfortable and peaceful. Then when I returned to a foreign country, every night before going to bed, I secretly wished that the next morning I would wake up and open my eyes to see Saigon.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nhan-dam-nhung-goc-nho-sai-gon-185240622192039141.htm