This was the most beautiful Lunar New Year (Tết Nguyên Đán) we’ve ever celebrated in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). I think it was the most enjoyable due to the fact that we truly embraced everything there was to experience.

From the family centred festivities at Damsen park, to the country-show feel of Tao Dan park and the photogenic flower street of Nguyen Hue, the whole city came alive with flowers and decorations.

It was extremely atmospheric walking into a sumptously decorated Tao Dan park in District 3 to a surprising array of competitive displays.  There were bonzai trees galore, the traditional yellow-flowered trees of a southern Vietnamese Tet celebration, rocks and minerals and incredibly detailed minature garden scenes.  It was great to see the traditional caligraphy created on demand for hanging at home, and there were lots of different dances and live music performances too.

I visited Dam Sen park for the first time, and what struck me the most was the wonderful feeling of space, carved out for holiday makers and family days out in the middle of a bustling city.  The traffic was almost non-existent on getting there – I really recommend travelling around Ho Chi Minh City during Tet because it is so chilled out and peaceful.

Dam Sen has a lot to offer including an Aquarium, beautiful gardens, a lake, monorail, water park and loads more! We just pottered around this time and enjoyed the scenery. I felt a wonderful sense of new beginnings and tranquility walking around the quiet gardens near the water.

Nguyen Hue always delivers an impressive stroll through living, blooming sculptures and temporary gardens around the theme of the year’s animal. This year was the rooster, whose colourful plumage lent itself well to the decorations!

Beauty was everywhere and tranquility immersive as the traffic receeded, shops shut and people spent time just stopping to look, see and simply be.

It is such a privilege to be in Vietnam during the run up to Tết Nguyên Đán (Lunar New Year).  It is our fourth year in Vietnam and we have stayed in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) every year during this celebratory time.  Many people go away from the city either to visit relatives or go on holiday abroad but we’ve always really loved being around to soak up the atmosphere!

Our first year here was the year of the horse (2014) then came the goat, then monkey and this year will be the year of the rooster.  Saigon is vibrant with hues of reds and yellows predominantly but all of the colours of the rainbow can be found at the cho hòa (flower market) where everyone enjoys getting their flowers and decorations ready for the new year.

I have visited the famous flower street of Nguyễn Huệ every Tet I’ve been here, (which is always amazing and I’ll include another post about that after Tet) but strangely I hadn’t been to the amazing flower market on 23/9 Park (Pham Ngu Lao Street near Ben Thanh Market), District 1 before.

So this morning I went along to see where the locals buy their blooms and it was a revelation! What a beautiful and atmospheric place, especially in the early morning light before the hottest part of the day takes hold.  I highly recommend pottering around this beautiful market, where you’ll find friendly sellers and sensible prices for breathtaking floral displays.

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!

As a few people have asked me to share the lyrics to ‘Song for Saigon‘  I thought it would be cool to share them with the world, so here they are.

Listen to and download ‘Song for Saigon’ on CD Baby,

Song for Saigon

Saigon growing up my window

She’s creeping right under my pillow

With warm lights and motorbikes and sleepless nights and I know,

It’s go with the flow

In this place which goes by many names,

Both different yet somehow the ‘same, same.’

There’s smiling and trying and guessing

..Means ‘no’ when you’re ‘yes-ing’…

Where the city sleeps whatever ways

A nap can be taken most times of day

A floor here, a desk, but by far the best is stretched

the length of a moped.

Stop, watch the ride

of the people who live, the people who give their

calm, moving tide

of peaceful exist; it’s hard to resist this life.

Hard to resist this life.

Language can defeat me

With much local hilarity

Em tên  là Claire

một hai ba yo!

hẹn gặp lại

Rất vui được gặp em

Drumming dreaming anti-rhythm

The unrelenting sound of construction

Blends into calls of street food stalls and busy malls

Then hush; the heat of the day

There’s a beauty in her coloured hems

Old houses standing tall and thin since then

When bicycles and cyclos ruled before

The sound of an engine…

Such a happy, truthful open place

With an honest and an easy grace

The busy waves of peoples days and humid haze

Keeps on

While I’m just observing.

Saigon lives near, chaotic yet placid here

Rising high, her focus on present times.

It’s hard to resist this life.

Claire Cameron  Copyright 2013.

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