For many years we had talked about getting a hotel room on the river to get a decent view of the fireworks. I know what you're thinking - what about the atmosphere. Well, I've had Vietnam atmosphere coming out of my ears for a long time, and I like the atmosphere of a 5 star hotel room, a comfy sofa, a chilled glass of wine and crawling into a massive bed after closing the curtains when the show is over too. That's rather than taking an hour and a half to get home after battling through motorbikes and madness in a vain attempt to find a taxi, walking half way to Binh Thanh and having an argument with the other half and returning home exhausted and miserable - the last time we 'savored the special atmosphere' of the fireworks in District 1. So we were booked into the Renaissance Riverside on Ton Duc Thang for the night, and had a riverview room on the 15th floor. Stunning view of the river winding it's way between Districts 2 and 4 and out to District 7 and under the Phu My Bridge.
Thu Thiem
When I look at Thu Thiem, and knowing the plans underway for it, I can't helping thinking of this comparison between Shanghai today and 20 years ago. I don't expect Thu Thiem to look anything like that, but sure the transformation will be dramatic.
Looking out now at the Saigon Pearl, the Thu Thiem bridge in the foreground.
Looking at the toll gates reading and waiting on the yet to be opened Thu Thiem/East-West highway, a cruise ship loiters out of town in the distance.
We exhibited our usual behaviour in a posh hotel - pretending like we usually frequent such places in the lobby whilst checking in, then as soon as the lift doors closed acting like teenagers slapping each other and encouraging our 2 year old, then get in the room, jump up and down on the bed, get excited about the free tea and coffee and soap, rearrange the furniture so the chairs are facing the window, then calm down and get ready to go out. The Riverside is an odd building I feel - packaged in on a small island of land, with no parking available whatsoever and a swimming pool up on the roof with a few sunbeds crammed around it, I find the interior design an incredible waste of space. I have yet to ascertain how you can be a 5 star hotel without any parking.
Of course from the hotel flower street 'Nguyen Hue' is a two minute walk and was a throng of people, as expected. To be honest I wasn't as impressed as previous years with the display.
Dong Khoi, buzzing with the festive atmosphere.
So, after eating dinner we wasted some time sat on the steps of the opera house. Suddenly a parade came marching down Dong Khoi and stopped directly outside to give us a show. Typically Vietnam - no warning, nobody to redirect traffic - if you were on Dong Khoi behind this then tough, you wait till they finish. Consisting of a dragon dancing group and two brass bands, the three musical ensembles stood with 50 meters separating them and playing as loud as they possibly could, at the same time. Nobody seemed to mind.
11.45pm, Ton Duc Thang
A great view of the fireworks, the cheers and applause audible from the street below. Following morning we skipped the generous offer a $19 per person breakfast from the hotel and headed to a Pho restaurant very much open and doing a roaring trade on Vo Van Tan, D3. Then, a short drive to Tao Dan park. Tao Dan was abuzz with activity as people enjoyed New Years Day. Live music, stunning floral displays and various stalls and other things on offer.
Year of the Cat
Hung King temple in Tao Dan park
A big, long flowery dragon.
The dragon stops its perilous dance atop the stilts to gobble up lucky money from children, awed by the great beast.
Colleagues look on as the dragon traverses the stilts, the drummer pounds away in the background.
And that's all, just one more thing left to say.
Thu Thiem
When I look at Thu Thiem, and knowing the plans underway for it, I can't helping thinking of this comparison between Shanghai today and 20 years ago. I don't expect Thu Thiem to look anything like that, but sure the transformation will be dramatic.
Looking out now at the Saigon Pearl, the Thu Thiem bridge in the foreground.
Looking at the toll gates reading and waiting on the yet to be opened Thu Thiem/East-West highway, a cruise ship loiters out of town in the distance.
We exhibited our usual behaviour in a posh hotel - pretending like we usually frequent such places in the lobby whilst checking in, then as soon as the lift doors closed acting like teenagers slapping each other and encouraging our 2 year old, then get in the room, jump up and down on the bed, get excited about the free tea and coffee and soap, rearrange the furniture so the chairs are facing the window, then calm down and get ready to go out. The Riverside is an odd building I feel - packaged in on a small island of land, with no parking available whatsoever and a swimming pool up on the roof with a few sunbeds crammed around it, I find the interior design an incredible waste of space. I have yet to ascertain how you can be a 5 star hotel without any parking.
Of course from the hotel flower street 'Nguyen Hue' is a two minute walk and was a throng of people, as expected. To be honest I wasn't as impressed as previous years with the display.
Dong Khoi, buzzing with the festive atmosphere.
So, after eating dinner we wasted some time sat on the steps of the opera house. Suddenly a parade came marching down Dong Khoi and stopped directly outside to give us a show. Typically Vietnam - no warning, nobody to redirect traffic - if you were on Dong Khoi behind this then tough, you wait till they finish. Consisting of a dragon dancing group and two brass bands, the three musical ensembles stood with 50 meters separating them and playing as loud as they possibly could, at the same time. Nobody seemed to mind.
11.45pm, Ton Duc Thang
A great view of the fireworks, the cheers and applause audible from the street below. Following morning we skipped the generous offer a $19 per person breakfast from the hotel and headed to a Pho restaurant very much open and doing a roaring trade on Vo Van Tan, D3. Then, a short drive to Tao Dan park. Tao Dan was abuzz with activity as people enjoyed New Years Day. Live music, stunning floral displays and various stalls and other things on offer.
Year of the Cat
Hung King temple in Tao Dan park
A big, long flowery dragon.
The dragon stops its perilous dance atop the stilts to gobble up lucky money from children, awed by the great beast.
Colleagues look on as the dragon traverses the stilts, the drummer pounds away in the background.
And that's all, just one more thing left to say.
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