For those who have had the opportunity to visit or are living in the capital, Hanoi’s autumn is always as gentle and full of color and fragrance as it has always been. However, in the memories of those far from home, that beauty is also imbued with a sense of nostalgia.
From Paris to Hanoi
Talking about the capital's autumn, Bich Hong - a recent graduate studying Psychology in Paris shared: "Far from Hanoi, I miss the most the feeling of sitting on the back of a motorbike and strolling around the city in the cool autumn weather. Whenever I feel bored and tired, just taking a walk around West Lake, or around Phan Dinh Phung - Hoang Dieu street, I am drawn into the peaceful, tranquil atmosphere of the capital's life, feeling so relieved...".
Autumn in Hong's memory is also the afternoons sitting with friends at the roadside lemon tea shop, ordering some fragrant green rice to sip, chat and inhale the fresh and pleasant "scent of Hanoi". The return of September is also associated with memories of the first day of school more than a decade ago, although so many years have passed, for Hong, it still evokes a feeling of excitement and haste when starting a new journey.
Autumn in Paris. Photo: Bich Hong
"Autumn in Paris has many things in common with autumn in Hanoi, except it's a little bit colder. At this time, people here enjoy the pleasant atmosphere by participating in outdoor activities such as sightseeing and traveling. However, sometimes I still miss the simple, rustic life of autumn in Hanoi - where everything just flows by, still bustling and bustling but also strangely peaceful" - Bich Hong shared.
From Trento to Hanoi
For Le Thuy - currently living in Trento city, Italy; autumn is the rustic scent of young rice, the strong scent of milk flowers spreading throughout the streets.
"Every autumn weekend morning, my boyfriend and I wake up early to go to the city, have breakfast at our favorite pho restaurant, and then walk around the old quarter together. After that, we go to Dong Xuan market to buy a fragrant sticky rice package, then go back to Mrs. Thin's sticky rice shop in Bat Dan to buy a cool cup of black bean and lotus seed soup. Finally, we bring everything to West Lake to sit and enjoy the breeze. Autumn where I live is quite cold and also very beautiful when the trees start to turn yellow. However, I still like Hanoi's autumn more because there are so many delicious dishes" - Thuy shared.
Autumn in Trento. Photo: Le Thuy
Autumn is also the season of many beautiful flowers: innocent daisies, dreamy purple aster flowers or pure lotus flowers. The image of colorful flower stalls neatly arranged along streets such as Phan Dinh Phung and Thanh Nien has long become a characteristic of Hanoi and also an unforgettable memory for Thuy whenever she thinks about her hometown.
From Melbourne to Hanoi
"The autumn in Hanoi in my memory is the afternoons walking around West Lake to take photos, or participating in the outdoor Flea Market held every weekend. I still remember the early autumn days of September with sudden showers, leaving in the air just enough chill to put on a thin coat." - Tu Anh, currently working in Melbourne, Australia shared.
Autumn in Melbourne. Photo: Tu Anh
According to Tu Anh, unlike Hanoi, the temperatures in Melbourne are relatively low, with autumn usually below 20 degrees. Therefore, people cannot enjoy the feeling of changing seasons, when everything gradually changes from the harsh summer sun to welcome the cool, gentle autumn winds.
From Montpellier to Hanoi
Hoang Yen - currently living in Montpellier, France, shares her memories of autumn in Hanoi as follows: "What I remember most is the autumn in my childhood, when my grandfather took me on his bike along the lake to play and eat Thuy Ta ice cream. After that, we would stop by Ly Thuong Kiet to buy notebooks to prepare for the opening ceremony. On the way home, I always stopped by Hang Chuoi to drink fresh milk and eat fish jelly. When I grew up, I often wandered around the shops in Hanoi to eat snacks: vermicelli with snails, fried cakes, banh duc, banh goi, chao trai,... then bought a bouquet of daisies to decorate my room, seeing how happy life is!".
For Yen, Hanoi autumn has many characteristics that make people far from home always remember it fondly. It is the pleasant weather, the cool breeze, the gentle sunlight on the streets filled with the scent of milk flowers. Autumn also has the Mid-Autumn Festival, the mooncake and mooncake stalls are crowded with buyers, everyone is eager to hold in their hands the sweet and rustic traditional flavors.
"In France, autumn passes very quickly, it seems like just a sudden transition from summer to winter, so as soon as the sun goes down, the temperature drops quite low. Even during the day, just standing in the shade feels cold. Recently, I had the opportunity to stay on La Reunion Island, the autumn here has strong winds so much that even walking is a challenge. Maybe that's why I miss the gentleness of Hanoi's autumn weather so much." - Yen shared.
Autumn in Montpellier, France. Photo: Hoang Yen
Autumn in each place is also characterized by the way people there feel it. According to Yen, in the South of France, people are not as excited when autumn comes as in Hanoi. The reason is because autumn is the sign of the end of summer, children return to school, and adults also return to work after long trips, along with that, the days become shorter and colder.
Perhaps, autumn everywhere has its own beauty. Perhaps, what makes people always remember a Hanoi autumn from lands thousands of kilometers away, are the many beautiful memories and overflowing love towards the homeland.
