One day, my friend called me and shared her feelings about the city we are living - Danang. She is grateful for the prosperity of Da Nang nowadays, but she is always feeling blue when reminding the past. I asked her permission to share here.
Ten years ago, the place I am currently living was just a small and quiet city. People rarely went out for hanging or swimming at the beach. The My Khe beach at that time was covered by the green pine forest. Driving along the street, I still could not see the beach clearly. My father carrying me had to drive almost half of a kilometer to look for a path leading to the beach.
The street along the beach in my memory. Source: Internet
In my memories, the stories going with this pine forest were too scary for me and my friends, we were afraid of coming near there. My parents and their fellows struggled with the burdens of money and food from time to time that make them forget about the beach. My dad only took us to the beach in the summer time. At that time, we all would walk from home, put on our sandals, and walk barefoot to the beach. I had the feeling that the whole world was wrapped in clumps of pine trees, with only golden sunshine, blue sea, and white sand. That feeling is a poetic solitude that I haven't seen so far.
After that, Da Nang became a grade 1 city, the pine forest was cut down, the coastal road gradually formed with more high-rise buildings, and the airport was upgraded. On the big holidays, Danang is very crowded as thick as ants. The stories of a worth-living city were passed on people to people by word of mouth, then people rushed to Danang to settle down. One afternoon, I sat at a sugar cane juice shop near my house and overheard the story of two beautiful sisters. She said that she liked Danang very much, the streets were clean, the air was fresh, then two sisters stood up, drank all the beverage cans, and threw them on the side of the street. I and the saleswoman sighed sadly.
Sometimes, I selfishly wish my Danang would stay as small as when the pine forest covered the beach. No need to develop tourism. We are all fine, we don't need international milk tea or KFC, just making enough money, don't need much. Now everywhere is new investment projects, expanding infrastructure, decreasing green space.
Danang beach nowadays. Source: Internet
People talk about a Danang where only remains in memory, beautiful memory in the minds of people here, a memory to lean on and keep walking. Whether what we are proud of is a flash of a newborn star or a dying star? The thing I am still holding tightly is a small city with small people, less crowded and thinking for each other... if people didn't grow up with the city, that would be great!
Danang nowadays. Source: Internet
Source: Internet
Thank you for reading!