Pleiku, a land of memories...

Over those 100 years, generations of people in Pleiku have been connected to, studied with, and grown up here. And naturally, each person harbors deep affection for this small, peaceful, and warm land.

In many stories, like pieces of time pieced together into a consistent thread about Pleiku, this land has left a deep emotional mark on many people from afar. Some return to Pleiku many times, as a way to relive their youth, those arduous, fierce, yet memorable and worthwhile days.

I witnessed friends sitting for hours just to recount those days. During the most intense phase of the national resistance against the Americans, in Pleiku, the military airfield, outposts, and barracks resounded with the pounding of marching boots. But intertwined with that were red dust, green pines, and gentle slopes like scarves shrouded in mist. It's no wonder that the poet Vu Huu Dinh, after visiting his girlfriend in 1970, wrote "There's Still Something to Remember" about Pleiku at that time.

Hoang Hoa Tham Street (Pleiku City). **Photo: Nguyen Vo**

Some people return to Pleiku to broaden their horizons and rediscover the past. They borrow motorbikes and head down to the villages, searching for the pristine and tranquil Central Highlands that once captivated them. Pleiku has mountains and hills, rice paddies, towns and villages of the Jrai people.

In an effort to preserve the traditional cultural values of the people of Pleiku, it is not difficult to find spaces imbued with the distinctive and enchanting cultural characteristics of the local inhabitants. On a Pleiku morning, sitting leisurely with a cup of coffee under the rustling pine trees right in the heart of the city, in the cool air, is an unparalleled joy.

For those born, raised, and deeply connected to Pleiku, it's difficult to fully express the love they have for this highland region. I have older friends, members of the first generation of intellectuals in Pleiku, who dedicated countless years of their youth and intellect to this place. They know every street corner, every alley, every shop… They remember every event that has ever taken place.

Occasionally, when I have the time, I really enjoy sitting and listening to them recount old stories amidst the tranquil landscape of Pleiku, perpetually shrouded in mist and clouds. I was deeply moved when a friend messaged me asking for some photos I'd taken of Pleiku enveloped in fog, to illustrate a social media post. Because I understand that only someone with such profound love could write such heartfelt words and remember every moment of Pleiku in such detail.

And even I. I've had opportunities to choose to live somewhere else, but Pleiku has always been a top choice. In fact, I've always thought that I was born to be connected to this land, not anywhere else.

I am like a bridge between Pleiku of the old days and the modern Pleiku. I travel back and forth between the past and present through the stories of my friends. Those who come from far away, those who live in the heart of Pleiku, meet at a common point: a deep and heartfelt affection for the small city of Pleiku.

And a hundred years from now, perhaps people will only be able to imagine what Pleiku was like in the past through images and books. But I believe that this land will forever bring people a sense of tranquility and peace.

Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/pleiku-mien-nho-post330328.html