Summer “Knocks” on Hanoi's Door With Downpours

>> Hanoi's April in the pristine white hue of the Easter lily

>> April – Hanoi's seasonal transition

I have never liked summer. I am afraid of the glaring, scorching sun. I am afraid of the feeling of walking on the streets of Hanoi at noon, like a piece of squid dried in the sun, feeling as if I am walking inside a giant bread oven that some baker suddenly decided to turn up to an abnormally high temperature. Sweltering heat. Horrible heat. The sun burns the skin and sears the flesh. Even wearing two layers of thick sun-protective jackets, it still burns, still stings as if someone is throwing fire onto my skin and flesh.

In summer, Hanoi's weather is sultry with blazing sunshine

Fire pours down from the sky, while the asphalt road reflects the heat upwards. The asphalt feels like it is melting, and riding over it, you can even feel the asphalt sticking to the tires. Looking into the distance, the road surface appears to be evaporating. Women, whether older ladies or young girls, have all covered themselves up completely, resembling women from some distant Islamic land. As for the men, their faces are flushed red, and they are drenched in sweat. Any exposed skin is turning dark and tanned.

Hanoi in May and June days are the hottest days of the year. Students are sweaty and sluggish, finishing the last sessions to prepare for summer break, except for those preparing to jump over the dragon gate, for carp to turn into dragons, taking graduation exams for various levels and advancing to higher grades. On the tree-lined streets of Hanoi, standing out vividly against the intense green foliage are the brilliant, deep, painfully red clusters of phoenix flowers, like the gaze of a student looking as if he wants to ignite a beloved white ao dai figure...

Fortunately, “crepe myrtle flowers along with phoenix flowers, without an appointment, bloom every summer”, as if men and women were born for each other, yin and yang in harmony, hot and cold complementing each other, the crepe myrtle ladies quietly turn a gentle purple, dreamy beside the strong, passionate phoenix flower gentlemen in the glaring summer sun, walking side by side together in the love song of the summer choir, played shrilly, melodiously, rising and falling by the cicada musicians...

Hanoi enters summer. Having passed through the stepping stone of April, it is not too much of a heat shock. The sun comes slowly. The temperature rises gradually. Fans are turned on, and eventually, the air conditioner must be turned on too. Opening my eyes in the morning, I see a glowing pink dawn. The air is bone-dry. The sky becomes more scorching as noon approaches. On peak hot days, if you take a thermometer out to the street to measure, you can see the mercury column jump straight up over 40 degrees. The sky remains intensely clear blue. Thin white clouds look like a veil of mist. Sitting inside the house is also stiflingly hot, at 35 – 37 degrees. The fan keeps whirring but does not feel cool. The more it blows, the more it pushes hot air onto you, which is very uncomfortable. Hiding in a room with the air conditioner on is somewhat okay. But when you have to step outside, it is truly like being in the Arctic and having to jump into the Sahara desert. It makes one sick...

A cool downpour drove away the terrible heat of the capital city

Hanoi in May. Lotus flowers have begun to leave the ponds for the city. Pink lotuses, white lotuses, West Lake lotuses, and water lilies from suburban ponds and neighboring provinces are blooming one after another, spreading their fragrant scent. Women are once again excitedly preparing their traditional breast cloths and ao dai for dates with the lotus, gathering together to show off their beauty at the lotus ponds, bustling and vibrant…

It was just sunny like that, hot like that, the sky clear and blue like that, clouds white like that, but all of a sudden, dark clouds from somewhere came rolling in, lightning flashed, thunder crashed, making children startle and cry out. And the wind brought a coolness as if blowing in from a faraway ocean, blowing away the sweltering, dry, hot mass of air. Suddenly, feeling light, much more comfortable.

Pitter-patter. Pitter-patter. Each raindrop, as big as a coin, fell onto the road, making the road surface steam once again. The smell of fresh rainwater, containing various acids and impurities, hits the scorching road surface, creating a pungent, unpleasant scent. Then, just like that, heavy rain poured down in waves, driven by the wind, lashing repeatedly. Trees swayed wildly, and passersby were sometimes caught off guard, hastily pulling over to tree trunks or roadside awnings to take shelter from the rain...

Adults fear getting wet in the rain, and elderly people fear that getting caught in the rain will cause a cold. Only children love to bathe in the rain. They innocently walk in the summer downpours, to cool down, to feel every drop of rain gradually seeping through their skin. Cool. Rainwater floods into their eyes. Stinging. Burning. Opening their mouths to let the rainwater fall in, soaking through their tongues, it tastes strangely sweet...

Friends on the way home from school, caught in the rain. Mom advised to bring a raincoat to prepare for sudden downpours, but the boy, careless and scatterbrained, still forgot. Or sometimes, even if he had it, he wouldn't bother wearing it. Youth is innocent and a bit wild, rebellious, and reckless. Not afraid of the wind, not afraid of the rain, not afraid of getting sick. Finding it fun and exciting to bathe in the rain together. Feeling a bit shy, confused, and blushing when catching a glimpse of the feminine curves of a close friend whom he usually calls 'you' and 'I' every day. And then there are those long, lingering days of pensive wandering...

In summer, always carry a raincoat when traveling to prepare for sudden downpours

After the rain, the air is much cooler. Everything feels cleansed, fresh, and fragrant. The earth and sky soften, and the human heart softens.
Night. No more sweltering heat thanks to a summer downpour. Students go to sleep after late-night lessons. The cool air from the street blows into the house, lulling us into sleep. There is a bit of flickering, dreaming. It seems there is the shadow of an ao dai
white clothes glimmering in the rain...

In life, there are periods of excitement, intensity, burning with passion like the scorching summer, like youth living eagerly, loving eagerly, sometimes regardless of all difficulties, barriers....

And YOUTH – like summer rain showers…

Source: Compiled