L’approche du Tet*
There are several things to do during Tet in Saigon. It’s not a one-day holiday, it’s a season, similar to Christmas in form and Thanksgiving in spirit. The holiday is lunar-calendar based. It starts on the 23rd of the 12th month, the day to “cung dua ong Tao“, a ceremonious dinner to see off the Household God as he takes his annual trip to heaven. It ends on the 7th day of the 1st month of the new lunar year. In the first week, there are spring flower markets on Nguyen Hue Street and water melon markets in Dakao. Water melon used to be available during Tet only, and there used to be only one kind – the green outside, red inside kind. Now there are yellow, striped, even cubic watermelon! There’s the sound of the gongs and the drums of mua lan (lion dance) in the neighborhood. There are thousands of crimson red Chinese sausages packaged, displayed not so far from deep green banh chung and banh tet. Hmm… it just crossed my mind that the main colors of Tet are also red and green, like Christmas… There is orange from the kumquats, shiny gold from the newly polished copper censers, and yellow from the flowers. Chrysanthemums for small vases on the altars and mai for display in the living room or the garden. My mom used to say, when she took off the leaves of the mai tree (to make room for its new leaves and blossoms), she could feel Tet is coming in the air. For big families with the tradition of making their own banh chung banh tet, Tet comes when they sit around the huge pot of cooking banh, warmed by the fire, chatting the hours away. After giao thua (Tet’s eve), the second week of the holiday starts. It’s the first week of the new spring and the new lunar year. It’s time to go to the pagodas, to be nice with others, to relax and enjoy oneself. That’s why “thang gieng la thang an choi” (the 1st month is the month of fun).
Do I have a month of fun to celebrate Tet now? Hehe, certainly not. I did have over a month of fun and total laziness for Christmas break, however, thanks to Texas A&M’s generosity. But school started last Tuesday; and this Monday, in all splendor of the first day of the new lunar year, the most important day of Tet, I will haul my backpack on the shoulder and go to class from 10 till 5:30. Good start. I will be hardworking and learn a lot the whole year. The Vietnamese living overseas have at most a Tet party on the weekend or the night before. A Vietnamese physics hermit spends giao thua alone with research and movies. But above all reasons Tet is the time to be with family. My family is here, so my Tet is here. 🙂
*The blog title is inspired by Lê Phố’s painting under the same name.
**The painting is Fleurs by Lê Phố, 1960, oil on canvas. Since I couldn’t find a free image of L’approche du Tet online, I thought Fleurs would be an appropriate substitution.
I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thanks, I’ll try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your web site?
1I see something really special in this site.
2You should take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will recommend this site!
3I like what you guys are up also. Such clever work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I’ve incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my website 🙂
4Great, I should definitely pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all tabs as well as related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it in the least. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, website theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Nice task.
5I gotta favorite this internet site it seems invaluable extremely helpful
6Hi there! This post couldn’t be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my old room mate! He always kept chatting about this. I will forward this article to him. Pretty sure he will have a good read. Many thanks for sharing!
7Hi there! I just wish to give a huge thumbs up for the nice information you’ve gotten right here on this post. I will probably be coming back to your weblog for more soon.
8I like this weblog very much so much superb information.
9As a Newbie, I am continuously exploring online for articles that can benefit me. Thank you
10Normally I do not learn article on blogs, however I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to check out and do so! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thanks, very nice article.
11But wanna tell that this is invaluable, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
12Fantastic goods from you, man. I’ve keep in mind your stuff prior to and you’re just extremely fantastic. I really like what you have received right here, certainly like what you are saying and the best way wherein you assert it. You’re making it enjoyable and you continue to take care of to stay it wise. I cant wait to read much more from you. This is really a wonderful website.
13I’ve recently started a website, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thank you for all of your time & work. “The only winner in the War of 1812 was Tchaikovsky” by Solomon Short.
14Wow! This could be one particular of the most useful blogs We’ve ever arrive across on this subject. Basically Wonderful. I’m also an expert in this topic so I can understand your hard work.
15you have got a terrific weblog here! would you prefer to make some invite posts on my weblog?
16I got what you intend, thankyou for putting up.Woh I am happy to find this website through google.
17Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
18I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last several posts are good quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
19Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
20I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for posting.
21I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself? Plz reply back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to know wheere u got this from. thanks
22Thank you for sharing excellent informations. Your site is very cool. I’m impressed by the details that you have on this blog. It reveals how nicely you understand this subject. Bookmarked this website page, will come back for more articles. You, my friend, ROCK! I found simply the information I already searched all over the place and just could not come across. What a great web-site.
23I was studying some of your blog posts on this internet site and I conceive this site is rattling instructive! Keep putting up.
24horse force gelatina
25I will right away take hold of your rss as I can’t to find your e-mail subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Please allow me recognise in order that I may subscribe. Thanks.
26My husband and i ended up being quite happy that Edward managed to do his survey with the ideas he acquired when using the web site. It is now and again perplexing just to be giving out tricks which many others have been making money from. And we also fully understand we’ve got the writer to appreciate for this. The specific illustrations you made, the simple web site menu, the friendships you will make it easier to promote – it’s all remarkable, and it’s making our son and us understand the article is excellent, and that is especially mandatory. Thank you for the whole thing!
27I appreciate, cause I found just what I was looking for. You have ended my 4 day long hunt! God Bless you man. Have a great day. Bye
28It’s actually a great and helpful piece of info. I’m glad that you shared this useful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thanks for sharing.
29the practical answer to how anyswap works is one signed transaction at a better rate
30for token swaps i route through arbswap because it consistently finds a better price than one pool
31What i don’t realize is in reality how you are no longer really much more neatly-preferred than you might be right now. You’re so intelligent. You realize therefore significantly when it comes to this topic, made me personally consider it from so many varied angles. Its like women and men are not fascinated until it’s one thing to do with Woman gaga! Your individual stuffs excellent. At all times care for it up!
32When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
33Some really good blog posts on this website , regards for contribution.
34I have recently started a blog, the info you provide on this website has helped me tremendously. Thanks for all of your time & work.
35Very interesting details you have noted, thankyou for posting. “Death is Nature’s expert advice to get plenty of Life.” by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
36I used to be very happy to search out this internet-site.I wished to thanks to your time for this glorious learn!! I definitely enjoying each little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
37Thank you for all of your hard work on this blog. My daughter really likes managing investigation and it’s simple to grasp why. All of us notice all of the lively medium you provide simple things by means of your web blog and in addition foster response from people on the content plus our own child is truly becoming educated a whole lot. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year. Your doing a stunning job.
38Hey, you used to write magnificent, but the last few posts have been kinda boringK I miss your super writings. Past several posts are just a little bit out of track! come on!
39Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wished to say that I have truly enjoyed surfing around your blog posts. After all I’ll be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!
40It’s in reality a great and helpful piece of info. I am satisfied that you just shared this useful info with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
41for anyone tired of comparing bridges by hand bridge tokens aggregates them in one place
42horse gelatin recipe
43Hi my family member! I want to say that this post is amazing, nice written and come with almost all important infos. I’d like to look extra posts like this .
44whoah this weblog is excellent i really like reading your posts. Stay up the good work! You understand, a lot of persons are hunting round for this information, you could aid them greatly.
45Merely wanna tell that this is extremely helpful, Thanks for taking your time to write this.
46Very interesting subject, regards for posting.
47Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
48Wonderful blog you have here but I was curious about if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics discussed in this article? I’d really like to be a part of community where I can get advice from other knowledgeable people that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Many thanks!
49Excellent blog here! Also your site loads up very fast! What host are you using? Can I get your affiliate link to your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
50