The war veteran from Binh Minh commune, Quang Ngai province, arrived in Hanoi on the morning of 27/8 during heavy rain. He took a motorbike taxi to Hung Vuong street and was led by soldiers to a recently erected tent for shelter. That evening, he and about 5 other veterans from various regions were given priority seating in the front row for the parade rehearsal.
"I heard people saying you had to arrive early to queue, I didn't expect to be given such priority," Mr. Minh, of the Co ethnic group, said.
Explaining his decision to travel alone to Hanoi for the parade, he said he realized "at this age, it would be difficult to see the capital again," so he had to seize the opportunity. He felt more fortunate than his fallen comrades to be living in peace and wanted to experience the capital's festive atmosphere on their behalf.
Before 1975, Mr. Minh was a local guerrilla fighter. After liberation, he served in the 107th Battalion, stationed on Ly Son island, Quang Ngai. In 1980, he was injured and returned home. He and his wife have 5 children.
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Mr. Minh is taken on a tour of Hanoi by Ms. Thu Trang on the afternoon of 28/8. Photo: Pham Nga |
Mr. Minh is taken on a tour of Hanoi by Ms. Thu Trang on the afternoon of 28/8. Photo: Pham Nga
His children were worried about him traveling alone, but the veteran reassured them: "I wasn't afraid of the enemy, or bombs, why should I be afraid of going to the capital in peacetime?" He packed a little over 3 million VND, a few sets of clothes in an old backpack, and a bottle of green tea prepared by his wife, and set off for Hanoi.
After the rehearsal on the evening of 27/8, he planned to sleep in the tent on the sidewalk because he calculated his money wouldn't cover food, travel, and accommodation for 7 days in the capital. But as he was laying out his mat, a young woman approached him. Learning he was a veteran without a place to stay, she called Tran Trung Kien, 39, in Hao Nam (Dong Da), who was providing food and accommodation for veterans coming to Hanoi for the parade. Upon receiving the call, Mr. Kien rushed over to pick him up.
Mr. Minh was given a clean, fully furnished room with free meals. On the morning of 28/8, Mr. Kien took him to buy a new uniform and visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh square.
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Ms. Thu Trang arranges for a photographer to take and print souvenir photos for Mr. Minh at Hoan Kiem lake on the afternoon of 28/8. |
That afternoon, Trinh Thi Trang, 39, a social media friend of Mr. Kien, read about Mr. Minh's situation and picked him up for a sightseeing tour. He visited Hanoi Flag Tower, Hoan Kiem lake, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, and Hoa Lo prison. Ms. Trang hired a photographer to take and print some photos as souvenirs for him.
"I thought I'd only be able to walk around a few places in Hanoi since I was on foot and unfamiliar with the city. I never expected to see so many places," the veteran from Quang Ngai said.
Walking along the streets, seeing the capital adorned with flags and flowers, people of all ages excitedly taking pictures, tall buildings and bustling traffic, Mr. Minh felt a little overwhelmed. Seeing two children wearing shirts with the national flag, he stopped to talk to them, his eyes welling up: "I'm happy to see you growing up in peacetime."
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Mr. Minh plays with two children taking photos on the street in Ba Dinh, Hanoi, on the afternoon of 28/8. Photo: Pham Nga |
Mr. Minh plays with two children taking photos on the street in Ba Dinh, Hanoi, on the afternoon of 28/8. Photo: Pham Nga
Ms. Thu Trang said she was touched by Mr. Minh's determination to visit the capital for the 80th National Day and wanted to help him have a memorable experience.
Ms. Thu Trang, Mr. Kien, and their friends arranged seats for the veterans, including Mr. Minh, to comfortably watch the parade. Knowing he had never flown before, she booked him a flight back to Quang Ngai after September 2nd.
"This trip has been such a surprise. Hanoi is crowded and bustling, everyone is busy, but the people I've met have been so kind," Mr. Minh said.
Pham Nga
