Vietnam welcomed the lunar New Year (Tet) holiday in a jubilant atmosphere. A considerable number of Tet activities were organised in the two largest cities, Hanoi and HCM City.

Hanoi’s Street Flower Festival 2008.

Hanoi had Flower Street, the Thang Long Ancient Citadel festival, and Spring festival around Hoan Kiem Lake. HCM City held the Spring Flower festival, set up Nguyen Hue city Flower Street, and Streets of Light on Le Loi and Dong Khoi roads. These programmes drew dozens of thousands of visitors.

The great celebrations of the 1,000^th anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi capital are approaching quickly, but, it was clearly revealed during Tet, Hanoi still hasn’t made any breakthroughs in the organisation of events.

While HCM City’s centre shone with colourful lights on all streets, the area around Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi’s hub, was the same as in previous years, namely wanting lights and decorations. On trees around the lake, were the same bulbs that have been there for decades. Only Hang Khay street and the Ly Thai To flower garden had new lights.

It is necessary to create a festival atmosphere in the capital city to celebrate the 1,000^th anniversary in 2010. It seems that Hanoi is trying to keep its preparations for the grand ceremony secret.

Meanwhile, the Spring Flower festival has been organised for 29 years in HCM City. Nguyen Hue Flower Street has existed for seven years. These events are improved yearly to be major Tet activities in the city. The 30^th Spring Flower festival will not come for another year, but the city has already launched a contest to collect ideas for the event.

Hanoi, the country’s cultural centre, has nothing new each Tet. Year after year, Hanoians enjoy their Tet and holidays at Hoan Kiem Lake and watch free music shows at outdoor stages placed at the Ba Kieu Temple, Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc squares, and some crossroads in districts.

The organisers of Ong Do Street (street for old time teachers, who offer calligraphic works) on Van Mieu street were criticised for not listening to calligraphers’ opinions in organising this event. Previously, Flower Street was destroyed by culturally-unaware visitors.

In HCM City, Nguyen Hue Flower Street was several times bigger than Flower Street in Hanoi and attracted millions of visitors, but not one flower was picked within a week. It is interesting that the local administration didn’t have to pay one dong for that event. It is different in Hanoi, where cultural events are funded by the state budget.

VietNamNet/TT&VH