Dear brothers and sisters,

At the corner of the Romantic Road and a small road, there were two red cotton trees (Bombax ceiba – cây hoa gạo).

The first time I saw the trees, it was winter, the sky was gloomy and going to rain and I just got to the end of the Romantic Road which at that time was the trash road. I saw the trees because their red flowers stood out in the whole space. They both welcomed me to my new home in Saigon and gave me a feeling of closeness as if I were in Thai Binh, my hometown. They made me emotional.

From my grandfather’s house in Thai Binh to a rice field is about a few steps. The field is large. In the middle of the field, there is a red cotton tree. Almost everywhere in the countryside in North VN there are red cotton trees. The flower is considered a typical beauty of Vietnamese villages. So, two red cotton trees at the Saigon corner give me a feeling of closeness.

Now the two trees have gone to heaven. Half a year ago, someone cut them down. However, I still want them to know that I miss them. Thank you for living a blossoming life.

Share with you.

Have a nice day.

Phạm Thu Hương