VI
EN
THERE IS A HOUSE nestled halfway up the mountain, resplendent with the colors of spring welcoming summer.
Located right in the heart of Meo Vac town, but perched high on a hillside, the Lo Lo stilt house faces the mountains all year round without any obstruction. Sitting in the yard, basking in the sun and wind, it feels like you've breathed the entirety of Ha Giang into your lungs.
Summer arrives, lifting the gloomy veil from the sky, revealing a clear, mirror-like blue expanse. Layers of mountains appear. Corn begins to sprout, its green shoots nestled among the gray, jagged rocks. The chilly, damp air has given way to bright, crisp sunshine. Occasionally, the heavens casually draw a few clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
Perhaps because the world around them is gradually becoming more vibrant and warm, the honeysuckle begins to stir in its buds, ready to burst open, as if wanting to play with the sun, to imprint its gentle pink hue against the lush, vibrant green. Honeysuckle, a climbing rose that blooms only once a year from March to May, forms clusters that droop down, embracing the stone fence in a corner of the yard. The air is filled with fragrance, sometimes intense, sometimes subtle.
The stilt house was originally built by the local people as a cultural center for the Lo Lo ethnic group in Sang Pa A village, Meo Vac district. Since 2017, the house has been renovated and opened to visitors. It serves as a venue for community cultural activities and art performances aimed at preserving Lo Lo ethnic culture and serving tourists. Because it's a community house, guests also live and eat in a communal style: the upper floor is a communal resting area; the lower floor is a living room; and the central area features a large fireplace where lively conversations take place every night.
In the Lolo stilt house, I see the footsteps of time etched on the wooden floor, window frames, steps, in the worn brown of the house pillars, the swing, the washbasin. I love the rustic charm of the Lolo stilt house in every vase of flowers on the table, every curtain, and the soft yellow light. The flowers in the stilt house are truly "homegrown," picked right in the yard, sometimes from the hillside—chrysanthemums, primroses, and when in season, orange daisies, thorny roses... The colors and fragrances of the mountains and forests always fill the wooden house.
A day in a Lo Lo stilt house.
Each new day brings the characteristic chill of Ha Giang, the chirping of birds, the crowing of roosters, and the sounds from the village's loudspeaker, gently awakening everything without haste. The loudspeaker continuously broadcasts reminders about Covid-19. The pandemic is still here. The unpleasant things are still here. But flowers bloom in season, without waiting for any urging, despite the disruptions of life and the anxieties of people's hearts.
My days in Meo Vac were like a stroll in the sunshine. In the morning, the sun gently caressed each leaf, each cluster of vibrant roses, then softly touched the ground. In the late afternoon, long shadows stretched across the floor and the small balcony. I sat on the porch working, feeling the pure, innocent sunlight gently touching my hair and cheeks. In my ears, I heard the flowers and leaves whispering to each other, softly and affectionately. I silently gazed at the mountain range before me and felt the peace in every small movement.
During my stay at the stilt house, I kept company with the two dogs, Bop and Bach. I went from the quiet of being the only guest to days when the house was always filled with laughter and conversation. Every afternoon, we would take a walk, go to the market, and then come back to cook. The small kitchen area of the Lo Lo stilt house was where we could cook during our stay.
The Lolo House is cared for by Cúc, a young girl who has been there for four years. Cúc says, “I work at the Lolo House and I don’t want to go anywhere else, simply because I love the feeling of being in this house. During the lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there were no customers, but I still managed to stay until now. Back then, gasoline was cheap, so every afternoon I would drive up the hill, into the village, up to Khau Vai, and over to Ma Le to play…”
Sometimes, I wish I had a life like Cúc's: waking up early to watch the sunrise over the mountain pass, and in the evenings, running up the hill to watch the sunset and pick wildflowers. One person's life is sometimes another's dream. But is happiness about achieving certain standards, as many people believe, or living a life like someone else's? For me, wherever I am, happiness is about being in harmony with myself, living with the imperfections that exist.
I find novelty in repetition.
In the afternoons, I would walk around Sang Pa A village to watch the villagers making rice noodles to take to the market. Occasionally, I would take Bob for a walk. On Sunday mornings, we would visit the market again.
The other day, wanting a change of scenery, I drove up to Khau Vai. The road from Meo Vac town to Khau Vai is lined with majestic gray mountains. At that time, the kapok flowers had all fallen. If I had arrived a week earlier, I wouldn't have missed the flowering season. But I have no regrets. Because for me, no matter what flowers bloom, Ha Giang still captivates me for months every time I visit.
While I was lost in thought, suddenly, the sunset descended before me, as beautiful as a painting.
Goodbye Ha Giang. Instead of heading straight back to Hanoi as usual, I stopped in Tuyen Quang to meet Mr. Dung, the owner of a photo shop. He had lent me a camera charger after I lost mine while working. I met him to return the charger, say hello, and thank him. He asked me where I had been. I told him I had only stayed in Meo Vac for six consecutive days without going anywhere else. He told me that sometimes, when visiting a place, you just need to appreciate the majestic mountains and the simple nature of the people, without needing to visit during the most beautiful season.
I agree. Sometimes beauty is found in movement, but many times I see beauty in still places, in things that seem repetitive and boring. I used to think that you had to travel to encounter something new, but gradually I realized that novelty appears right where you are, in every step you take. Many people tell me that you have to visit a place during its most beautiful season, but for me, the most beautiful time is in those moments that truly move me.
