Days without sunshine

This year the rain came late; we thought the rainy season was over, but then it suddenly started raining heavily. But then the rain stopped, the water receded, and the city was left with a dry, sunny sky. On the first day after the rain stopped, everyone was eager to go to the beach. Like in previous years, after days of heavy rain and strong winds, everything from upstream was swept into the sea by the floodwaters. Looking at the beach littered with trash, it was heartbreaking. On days when the beach was covered with debris like that, many people would gather to collect firewood, even though nowadays almost every household cooks with gas or electric stoves. It suddenly reminded me of the rudimentary stoves made of bricks in front of someone's house, lit early in the morning to boil water – probably for fun or to reminisce about a time in the past. That's probably it, not because they were trying to save money. In the days after the rain, the mornings only showed a glimmer of sunlight; the sun wasn't visible, but it was enough to feel a little warm. The clouds were still thick, but there was wind to dry the city, which had been damp for the previous few days. Every household quickly brought out their clothes and blankets to dry; although there was no sunshine, the dry air and wind helped everything dry easily.

Sea grapevines on Tran Phu Street.

It's the end of December, but there's no golden sunshine like last year. It's been so long since we've seen the sun that the sky has become gloomy and sad. Even so, walking down the street and seeing many shops strung up with lights and decorations in the two characteristic colors of Christmas – green and red – fills everyone with a little bit of excitement. Whether traveling along the coast or on the way back, you can still feel the festive atmosphere in the square as people busily prepare the stage for the year-end celebrations. I heard there will be a countdown, and cultural performances to welcome the new year; just looking at it makes you feel joyful and excited. This also means another year is about to end, meaning those fragile calendars will be replaced with new ones. Time waits for no one, so rain or shine, life goes on, and the earth continues its cycle.

After days of rain and flooding, the city will have days of brilliant sunshine; it's always been like that. The sea is gradually turning a turquoise color, like on warm sunny days, and the waves are no longer noisy and angry like during the stormy days. Nha Trang, on days without sunshine, suddenly feels cool and crisp, a gentle chill with a light morning mist that makes everyone on the street put on a slightly thicker jacket and a light scarf fluttering over their shoulders, making the city feel so much like Da Lat.

Then, suddenly, I felt affection for my city. I truly, deeply love it.

LUU CAM VAN

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/van-hoa/sang-tac/202412/nhung-ngay-khong-co-nang-d5a3238/