If other provinces and cities are always crowded and bustling during Tet, Tet in Ho Chi Minh City is peaceful but still has a joyful atmosphere. Ho Chi Minh City has more than 10 million people, many of whom are people from provinces and cities across Vietnam who come to work, study and live, so during Tet they return to their hometowns, the city is also quieter. Besides, many people in Ho Chi Minh City have the habit of traveling during Tet to have fun after a long year of hard work, but that does not mean that Tet becomes bland or forgotten.
In the last days of the year, the whole city is filled with the atmosphere of Tet. In front of Ben Thanh market, Independence Palace, calligraphy street... girls and boys dress up in long dresses, flowing clothes and pose in front of the camera to capture beautiful moments to welcome the new year.
The Tet atmosphere begins to rise from the beginning of the cold, families are excited to go shopping for Tet, prepare dishes to worship their ancestors. The streets in the center such as Nguyen Hue, Le Loi (District 1) or Cho Lon (District 5) are splendidly decorated with red lanterns, creating a vivid picture, full of spring colors. To buy regional specialties as gifts or for family use during Tet, many people go to markets with strong regional characteristics such as Ba Hoa market (Tan Binh district) to buy specialties from the Central region, shops located along Chu Manh Trinh street (District 1) with dishes from the North.
Tet flowers in Ho Chi Minh City are not only symbols of spring but also carry the cultural beauty, tradition and prosperity of the city. Flower markets have become familiar destinations for people since the beginning of December.
In particular, riverside routes such as Tran Xuan Soan, Pham The Hien, Ben Binh Dong, etc. are always bustling with boats carrying Tet flowers and local specialties from the Western provinces, connecting the community and imbued with the old Tet spirit.
Pots of yellow apricot blossoms and brilliant chrysanthemums, symbols of the South, always capture the hearts of people when shopping with the wish for a year of wealth and prosperity. Pots of orchids, peach blossoms and unique ornamental plants also create a beautiful spring picture.
Tet is also a time to enjoy traditional dishes rich in cultural identity. Ho Chi Minh City has a cultural exchange of many regions, so Tet cuisine is also more diverse and rich.
Most Tet dishes in Ho Chi Minh City are a combination of many traditional specialties and specialties of the South. Among them, Banh Tet is an indispensable dish during Tet for Southern people. The cake is made from sticky rice, green bean paste, fatty meat, wrapped in banana leaves and boiled for many hours, symbolizing reunion and fullness.
An indispensable dish on the Tet holiday tray is braised pork with duck eggs and coconut water, which is a symbol of the richness and fullness of Tet. Pork belly is braised with duck eggs, the broth has a shimmering cockroach color, symbolizing connection and reunion. Bitter melon soup stuffed with meat symbolizes the wish to overcome all difficulties in the new year. Chinese sausage, pickled vegetables and pickled onions, spring rolls, Tet jam... are also dishes that contribute to creating a cozy atmosphere and joy during Tet holiday of people in Ho Chi Minh City.
On the evening of the 30th of Tet, the atmosphere became even more bustling with the laughter of families gathering for a reunion dinner. Bui Vien Western Street, the night market food court, and street stalls were also more crowded. After the meal, many people started moving to the city center such as Nguyen Hue walking street, Thu Thiem tunnel, Bach Dang wharf park... to find a good location to immerse themselves in the art performance program, the New Year's countdown festival, and watch fireworks.
A unique cultural project during Tet holiday of Ho Chi Minh City people is Nguyen Hue flower street - a symbol of innovation, creativity and community connection of Ho Chi Minh City over the years. This is a place for people and international tourists to enjoy the Tet atmosphere in modern Ho Chi Minh City but still retain traditional features. All of these have created a unique, rich and cozy Tet in Ho Chi Minh City.
(Posted on the special edition of Lao Dong Xuan At Ty)
