In April, after arranging his work, freelance photographer Nguyen Trung Anh (27 years old, Hanoi) took a trip across Vietnam to the South.
Fortunately, the time he moved to Ho Chi Minh City coincided with the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification (April 30, 1975 - April 30, 2025).
Unable to miss this special occasion, Mr. Trung Anh and his friends also set off with great excitement looking forward to the big holiday. However, for the male tourist, this event was not originally part of the trip's goal.
Having lived and worked in Ho Chi Minh City for a short time, Trung Anh also did not have a specific plan for when he would return to the North. He himself initially planned to watch the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on September 2 from afar on screen.
I do not plan to return to Hanoi at this time because I know that the number of tourists coming to the capital will be very large. However, he kept wondering: 'If I don't go this time, will I still be able to attend in 40 years?'. So I decided to return from Phu Quy Island on August 26, which is just 8 days away from the main holiday, to be able to participate in the rehearsal and the main festival in time, he shared.
The driving distance from Phu Quy Island to Hanoi is 1,500 km, expected to be divided into about 5 days and 300 km per day. On the first day, when he arrived in Nha Trang, he booked a ticket to watch the movie "Red Rain". On the fourth day, when he arrived in Quang Tri, he bought 6 bunches of incense to burn incense for the martyrs at Nghia Trang Liet Si, Quang Tri town.
However, due to some incidents, the trip was not as scheduled, so the male tourist thought that he would find it difficult to attend the parade to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2.
He said: At 1:30 a.m. on August 30, I arrived in Hanoi. After bathing, I plan to go to a friend's house in Kim Ma to wait for the parade groups to pass. However, the route was soon banned to serve the Rehearsal ceremony. I had to ask another friend in the Nguyen Dinh Thi street area to see the plane. As a result, I took photos of the 'for life' parade helicopters.
On September 1, Trung Anh wrote his wish on social media: "I wish I had been called by the press to take photos of the main ceremony". He himself knows this will be very unlikely because I am just a photographer who often takes stately photos and my appearance is not suitable to participate in such a big holiday.
"Thus, that wish came true, I took on the task of taking photos right in the campus near Uncle Ho's Mausoleum. To participate in serving a National Day is something I am very proud of, he said.
Having the opportunity to work in the prohibited area, when passing through areas with priority for veterans, Mr. Trung Anh saw extremely valuable images. Veterans, despite their old age and the war-affected war invalids from all over the country, still stay up all night to sing the familiar revolutionary songs of soldiers' lives.
It must be said that this is an extremely joyful and rare atmosphere in peacetime, he expressed.
There was a moment that impressed me the most, the two veterans standing outside the fence. They performed the revolutionary song and everyone inside cheered enthusiastically, waving the flag and shouting loudly "It's too much for the Fatherland". This moment made me so happy that my skin was covered with goosebumps, the guy recalled.
From accidental to fate, Mr. Trung Anh was present at 2 major events this year of the nation. He has no regrets about his two trips to the A50 and A80. In both roles: the people and the person on duty for the two major parties, Mr. Trung Anh has engraved in his heart many beautiful memories.
