Can Tho Early Morning

As the night draws its curtains, the sun’s gleaming rays delivered the prologue to a magnificent play. Then, out of nowhere, the cast floods in, each giving their own performance, devoid of any order or premeditation. The birds chirp, the breeze blows, and the trees shake as if forgetting their lines. It’s all chaos, and it’s another day of sun for the people at Lưu Hữu Phước park in Can Tho city, all eager to join the stage.

The park was named after the musician Lưu Hữu Phước, whose pieces are well-known for their howling depiction of history. It is one of the largest parks in Cần Thơ and some would even call it ‘a gem of the city’, thus it is only fitting for the park to be situated on one the grandest routes of Ninh Kiều district – the Hòa Bình avenue. In 2014 it received a massive renovation which added several features as well as conveniences, making it the ultimate gathering spot for many residents.

The play has been going on for quite some time. The tall sky is once again blue-washed, dotted with the occasional white clouds and illuminated by strands of soft sunlight, which makes for an extravagant backdrop for the ongoing performance. Birds are still chattering, trees still dancing and breezes continue to flow between the stoned paths. In the midst of all the action, several dew drops are to be seen hanging down from leaves enjoying their final moments of glory. Flowers open up in full bloom, sporting a multitude of colors in the early haze. It is, indeed, a sight to behold, but the real stars of the show have just made their entrance.

Five thirty in the morning and Lưu Hữu Phước park is already crowded with people of all ages seeking a fresh start to their day through an array of activities. Though the most popular one has to be jogging and running, many can be seen biking around the park or enjoying a game of badminton. Rarer are the shuttlecock kickers deeply immersed in their game, and here and there you can find some street vendors selling typical items like soybean curd. All look happy and full of beans, and there is a strong sense community that flows through the scene.

From the youngest kid to oldest man and woman, or even a park janitor, everybody seems to know everybody else through the friendly conversations they make about all sorts of things, and if you show enough interest, everybody is willing to let you enter their world and keep you company for the morning. It is truly amazing that, in a world that moves so fast, if you take the time to look closely, there are still places full of affable individuals like Lưu Hữu Phước park to balance out the harshness of day-to-day life, and thus is its wondrous beauty.

By 8 a.m. the actors have already rushed behind the wings. The majority of people – the working class – have left the park for their commute, trees have settled, breezes have weakened to nothing and birds, like humans, have also started their day of work. Such is the abruptness of the ending to this little play that it almost feels sad to witness, but then it is also uplifting to know that you can come back for more. Tomorrow, I guess…

To see more photos, check the open album below or go to Flickr:
Photo Album Flickr
(Please use the left/right arrows to navigate in the files of the open album)

To see Early Morning Hanoi, click here

Words by Duy Nguyen
Photos by Nhi Nguyen (more photos in Can Tho by Nhi Nguyen here )