Lemon Tea Street

(Baonghean) - My ability to remember street names is extremely poor, so even though I'm a "genuine" Vinh City resident, 99% of the time I get a shake of the head and a bewildered look in my eyes when someone asks me for directions. Unfortunately, I know the streets but not the names, so I'm completely lost when asked for street names!

Yet, there is one street that has broken its "curse" of forgetfulness: "Lemon Tea Street." At this point, many readers will surely wonder: Where in the city is there a street named "Lemon Tea"? This street with its strange name is probably only a mystery to middle-aged and older people, but it's quite familiar to young people. It's actually a section of sidewalk on Ho Tung Mau Street, outside the fence surrounding Ho Chi Minh Square and the Provincial Labor Culture House.

The lemon tea street on Ho Tung Mau road has become a favorite destination for young people in the evenings.

It's unclear exactly when, but this stretch of sidewalk has become a gathering place for mobile beverage stalls in the evenings. Both the owners and customers who frequent this "street" are mostly young people under 25. Starting at 6 PM, the young owners begin setting up tables, chairs, and other supplies, offering the most trendy drinks and snacks popular with young people today, such as lemon tea, peach tea, fried spring rolls, and fruit salad with chili sauce. Although not appearing on any city map, this "street" has a proper sign like other streets. "Lemon Tea Street"—perhaps a playful owner brought this sign and hung it here every evening when they open their stalls to serve customers. It's a way of affirming the existence of a unique cultural aspect, a distinct nightlife rhythm of the city's youth.

I often hang out with friends at a cafe on this particular "street." The shops here don't have specific names or addresses, so regulars find their favorite spot by remembering the sidewalk where the cafe is located and the owners. My go-to cafe is right next to the side entrance of the Provincial Labor Culture House. Why do I like this place? There are three reasons:

Firstly, right next to the entrance of the Cultural Center is a green lawn with a small rockery, so the lemon tea stall outside coincidentally "benefits" from this very natural setting, giving it a very unique and distinct look compared to other lemon tea stalls sharing that sidewalk.

Secondly, the sign for the "street" is also located at the shop's location – a great advantage if you enjoy taking photos to capture fun moments with friends and not forget to "check-in" on social media. Perhaps that was the intention of the shop owners, creating a healthy gathering and entertainment spot for young people. Just as Hanoi has its "lemon tea street" opposite the Grand Theatre, and Saigon has its "lemon tea street" near Notre Dame Cathedral, Vinh also has a "lemon tea street" on one of the city's largest main roads, located in the city center right next to Ho Chi Minh Square. Many young people who studied in Hanoi and Saigon returned home for summer vacation and were delighted to rediscover a pastime, a place that seemed unfamiliar but was actually very familiar and closely associated with student life in those big cities.

Finally, when it comes to young people, habits must be mentioned. I often hang out with friends at this cafe because I'm familiar with the owners. Among them is a guy named Tuan, born in 1995, who is still in school. I know Tuan because he's the admin of a website about Vinh City's food. Once, I arranged to meet my close friends at the cafe, but they all showed up late. I was sitting alone when the owner pulled up a chair and sat with me, chatting for a while to cheer me up. Like two close friends, we had a lively discussion about restaurants and delicious food in the city. Perhaps this passion for food is one of the reasons Tuan and his friends opened this lemon tea cafe. "But the most important thing is having a place to meet friends, chat, and relax after a day of work or study. That's healthier than playing games, drinking, or driving around on the roads, which are both crowded and dangerous..."

It's a bit strange to hear these things from a young person – a generation often associated with stereotypes about impulsiveness, a preference for noisy activities, and crowded places. But in reality, that's just a very one-sided view of today's youth. Because, clearly, with their boundless energy, their enthusiasm and interest in new and unusual things, the most "trendy" and "stylish" things, the hobbies and actions of young people are always more eye-catching and prominent than the hobbies and interests of older generations. My mother once complained when I frequently went out at night at the invitation of my friends: "These young people nowadays just drink and go to bars and clubs whenever they meet. They're all chaotic, noisy, and complicated places. What's so great or beneficial about those places that they hang out and socialize all the time? What parent wouldn't worry?"

After hearing that, I burst out laughing and persuaded my mother to come with me once to see what young people's "hangout" was like. And after that trip to the lemon tea street on Ho Tung Mau, my mother became "obsessed" with that very "calm" culture of the youth. Every few days, my parents would go for a walk around the square for exercise, and their stop was always the "Lemon Tea Street."

Thus, it's clear that generational harmony isn't an "impossible mission," even in the entertainment industry. Every age group needs moments of excitement and liveliness, but also moments of quiet, peaceful corners away from the hustle and bustle of life. And "Lemon Tea Street" is one of those small, quiet, humble, and incredibly charming corners. Sitting there, sipping a glass of lemon tea, leisurely nibbling on sunflower seeds, casually listening to a close friend chatter about life or someone, watching the busy traffic go by, you suddenly feel like a discordant note, out of sync. But it's not a feeling of being lost, but rather a pause amidst the relentless flow of modern life. Slowing down allows your soul to find peace, to listen to life more clearly, and to see life's colors more vividly.

Of course, Vietnamese street culture always comes with its share of minor drawbacks that inevitably cause a few frowns. There was a time when the press reported on street-side lemonade made with chemicals of unknown origin, or sunflower seeds treated with artificial colors and flavors… These are some of the less-than-perfect aspects of Vietnamese sidewalks in general, but perfect symmetry isn't always the preferred rule in painting, especially when depicting life. These are a few awkward touches that don't quite fit in with a modernized city, yet we still view these imperfections with tolerance and even a sense of nostalgia when we're far away. And then, upon returning to our hometown, sitting amidst the bustling streets and seeing the friendly smiles of these energetic young people, how could we possibly be angry or resentful?

Hai Trieu