Lookatvietnam – As the Lunar New Year draws near all the corners of the city seem to be lit up with colorful decorations. Saigontourist Holding Company has been entrusted to host activities and events to serve locals and foreigners during the Tet holidays.

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A foreign family visit Nguyen Hue Flower Street.

Moreover, at the Bach Dang Wharf end of the street there will be five large watermelons, one weighing one ton with an image of Mai An Tiem, the first person to grow the fruit, symbolizing the victory of determination.

Shimmering Town

The shimmering town features light decorations on Nguyen Hue and Le Loi boulevards and Dong Khoi Street during the New Year (December 18, 2008 to January 4,2009) and the Lunar New Year (January 18 to February 14, 2009). Colorful mini clusters of sparkling LED lights designed in variety of themes make the city more fanciful.

At the intersection between Nguyen Hue and Le Loi Boulevards is a lotus tower, which is 8 meters high and made from silk. Along Le Loi Boulevard, above the baskets of flowers below is a colorful profusion of apricots, daisies and orchids, and 660 yellow apricot petals.

Door and window shows

As part of Nguyen Hue Flower Street Festival and the Tet 2009 celebrations in downtown HCMC, some Saigontourist Holding Company hotels will arrange door and window shows featuring traditional Vietnamese artistic performances.

Guests can enjoy a t’rung (a musical instrument similar to the xylophone) performance at the Continental Hotel January 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., or a Ring of Fire dance at the Grand Hotel at the same time. A dan tranh (16-chord zither) performance will take place at the Continental Hotel on January 25, and a circus show at the Grand Hotel will delight guests on the same day.

Other performances taking place on the Lunar New Year’s Eve (January 25) include a second t’rung show at the Continental Hotel, a drum show at the Caravelle Hotel, dragon and lion dance performances at the Continental and Grand hotels and an artistic performance at Kim Do Hotel.

On the first day of the Lunar New Year (January 26), a dragon and lion dance performance will tour the New World, Bong Sen, Palace and Majestic hotels at noon and again at night time; the Continental will feature a dan tranh performance; the Oscar Hotel will present a water puppet show; and a circus show will take palace at the Grand Hotel.

On January 27 and 28, the hotels will continue to offer guests unforgettable and merry holidays with ethnic artistic shows and lion and dragon performances.

Besides culinary and entertainment programs, visitors can enjoy the Lunar New Year’s Eve firework display, scheduled for midnight on January 25 and January 26, as a way of saying good bye to the past and welcoming the future.

(Source: SGT)