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 examinating out many of your stories and it’s pretty good stuff. I will surely bookmark your blog.
1Thanks for every other magnificent post. Where else may anybody get that kind of info in such an ideal approach of writing? I’ve a presentation subsequent week, and I’m on the search for such information.
2Oh my goodness! an incredible article dude. Thanks Nevertheless I am experiencing subject with ur rss . Don’t know why Unable to subscribe to it. Is there anyone getting similar rss problem? Anybody who is aware of kindly respond. Thnkx
3Thanks for another informative blog. Where else could I get that kind of information written in such a perfect way? I’ve a project that I am just now working on, and I’ve been on the look out for such information.
4Some genuinely nice stuff on this site, I like it.
5easy bridge USDC
6rhino bridge wallet works
7Hey! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really enjoy reading your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thank you so much!
8you have got an ideal blog right here! would you like to make some invite posts on my weblog?
9fantastic points altogether, you simply gained a brand new reader. What would you recommend about your post that you made a few days ago? Any positive?
10You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be actually something that I think I would never understand. It seems too complex and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
11Thank you for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more from this post. I am very glad to see such wonderful information being shared freely out there.
12I am impressed with this web site, real I am a fan.
13Hello, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can recommend? I get so much lately it’s driving me insane so any assistance is very much appreciated.
14Just want to say your article is as surprising. The clarity in your post is just excellent and i could assume you’re an expert on this subject. Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep updated with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.
15I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Keep up the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my site 🙂
16I’ll immediately grab your rss as I can not find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
17Those are yours alright! . We at least need to get these people stealing images to start blogging! They probably just did a image search and grabbed them. They look good though!
18Thanks for this post, I am a big fan of this web site would like to go along updated.
19You have noted very interesting details ! ps nice internet site.
20I just like the valuable information you supply in your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and test again right here regularly. I am rather certain I will be informed many new stuff proper here! Good luck for the following!
21In the grand scheme of things you receive a B- for effort. Where you actually lost me personally was first in the details. As it is said, details make or break the argument.. And that couldn’t be much more true at this point. Having said that, allow me reveal to you just what exactly did deliver the results. The text is certainly pretty powerful and that is most likely why I am making the effort to opine. I do not make it a regular habit of doing that. Next, although I can notice the jumps in reasoning you make, I am not necessarily sure of how you appear to connect your ideas which produce the conclusion. For now I will yield to your position however trust in the future you actually link your facts much better.
22An impressive share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing slightly analysis on this. And he in actual fact bought me breakfast as a result of I discovered it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the deal with! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to discuss this, I really feel strongly about it and love reading extra on this topic. If doable, as you turn into expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more particulars? It is extremely helpful for me. Huge thumb up for this blog post!
23Thank you a bunch for sharing this with all people you really recognise what you are speaking approximately! Bookmarked. Please also consult with my website =). We will have a link alternate contract between us!
24Wow that was unusual. I just wrote an really long comment but after I clicked submit my comment didn’t show up. Grrrr… well I’m not writing all that over again. Anyways, just wanted to say wonderful blog!
25Wonderful work! This is the type of information that should be shared around the internet. Shame on Google for not positioning this post higher! Come on over and visit my site . Thanks =)
26What i do not realize is actually how you are not really much more well-liked than you may be right now. You’re very intelligent. You realize thus significantly relating to this subject, produced me personally consider it from numerous varied angles. Its like women and men aren’t fascinated unless it’s one thing to do with Lady gaga! Your own stuffs excellent. Always maintain it up!
27I just could not depart your website before suggesting that I actually enjoyed the standard info a person provide for your visitors? Is going to be back often in order to check up on new posts
28solid anyswap crypto
29I’d constantly want to be update on new content on this internet site, saved to favorites! .
30Wonderful paintings! This is the kind of information that are meant to be shared around the internet. Shame on the search engines for now not positioning this post upper! Come on over and visit my website . Thank you =)
31Just want to say your article is as astonishing. The clearness for your submit is just cool and that i can assume you’re an expert in this subject. Well along with your permission let me to take hold of your feed to stay up to date with forthcoming post. Thank you 1,000,000 and please continue the gratifying work.
32There is noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain nice points in features also.
33Today, I went to the beach with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
34I rattling delighted to find this website on bing, just what I was searching for : D likewise bookmarked.
35I think other web site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and excellent user genial style and design, as well as the content. You’re an expert in this topic!
36Your house is valueble for me. Thanks!…
37Hi there! Someone in my Facebook group shared this site with us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely enjoying the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Superb blog and terrific style and design.
38Hey would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog soon but I’m having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something completely unique. P.S Sorry for getting off-topic but I had to ask!
39What i do not realize is in reality how you are now not actually a lot more neatly-favored than you may be now. You are so intelligent. You realize thus considerably on the subject of this matter, produced me in my opinion believe it from a lot of numerous angles. Its like women and men don’t seem to be involved except it’s one thing to do with Woman gaga! Your personal stuffs outstanding. All the time take care of it up!
40Thanks a bunch for sharing this with all of us you really realize what you are speaking approximately! Bookmarked. Kindly additionally discuss with my site =). We will have a hyperlink exchange contract among us!
41I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the excellent works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it’ll improve the value of my website :).
42An fascinating discussion is worth comment. I believe that you should write more on this subject, it might not be a taboo topic but typically people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
43I have been exploring for a little bit for any high quality articles or blog posts on this sort of area . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this website. Reading this information So i am happy to convey that I have a very good uncanny feeling I discovered exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to do not forget this website and give it a glance on a constant basis.
44Some really prize blog posts on this internet site, saved to my bookmarks.
45Aavant produces the best photography, event and theatre backdrops in the world and works for almost all the biggest players in the world. Being in backdrops industry for last two decades it is the largest player in the world, providing highest quality backdrops to every buyer from USA to Australia.
46Aavant produces the best photography, event and theatre backdrops in the world and works for almost all the biggest players in the world. Being in backdrops industry for last two decades it is the largest player in the world, providing highest quality backdrops to every buyer from USA to Australia.
47My wife and i got so thankful when Raymond could round up his survey because of the ideas he came across from your very own blog. It’s not at all simplistic to just happen to be freely giving helpful tips which other folks have been making money from. We do know we’ve got the website owner to appreciate for that. These explanations you have made, the simple web site menu, the friendships your site aid to promote – it is everything fantastic, and it’s letting our son in addition to us reason why that matter is thrilling, and that’s extraordinarily indispensable. Thank you for the whole lot!
48WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..more wait .. …
49I was suggested this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks!
50