MAI Curiosity

Hanoi autumn

A look at the yellow leaves in Hanoi this morning notices me that Hanoi’s already in the middle of autumn, the best time of the year.

Autumn has many relations with me. I was born in autumn (this month). My daughter was born in autumn. I like the cool dry days of autumn when I can have my best clothes on and feel free to go out in the street.

If you want to travel to Vietnam, especially Hanoi capital, you should choose autumn. Then you will avoid the chilly winter and the burning summer. You can walk, oh no, you should drive a motorbike (I know it’s dangerous for foreigners but you will be fine) and you will enjoy feeling the autumn with the falling leaves, mild wind and fresh air. Or, you can sit in a street cafe subbing special milk coffee with ice and enjoy.

Photo by Hoang Ha

The falling leaves in autumn, you can find everywhere around the world but I still love those in Hanoi. Whenever I’m among the falling leaves, I have the very subtle feeling of sadness and missing. I miss my childhood, my birthplace, my parents. I miss the day when I had only me to care for and to worry.

I have a stupid belief that if a leave accidentally falls on me, that’s the god’s gift saying that I will be lucky that day. The belief was told by one of my friends and it has followed me since I was 19.

This autumn, I’m very far away from Hanoi. No leaves fall on me for a long time and I’m plesed with the current life. But I still love receiving the falling leaves as a good memory of my 20s.