CHÚC MỪNG NĂM MỚI!

The Lunar New Year is approaching and the city is adorned with yellow and pink flowers, red banners, red and gold signs, gold coins, and lights galore. As I rode my bike home very (late/early) in the Saturday morning I was greeted by mounds and rows of . . . none other than watermelons! Green, Green with stripes, Yellow. Huge, gigantic, watermelons. No this isn't a farm in South Carolina or a Spike Lee parody, 'tis the season of watermelons.

With 90+ degree weather 365, 24/7 it's not a surprise that there is fruit ripening and flowers blooming during a time of the year when I'm normally wrapped in thermals and fleece socks. So I'm thankful and a little perplexed, but excited to greet a spring-like season soo soon. I wish you all could see it. Downtown Ho Chi Minh is gorgeous. Lotus flowers hang from the trees, Nguyen Hue promenade is now the annual flower exhibit, store fronts and business entrances look like Disney World with all the extra ornate decor that has been added to the outside. I'm the sure Vietnamese children are eating this up. It's almost more fun than Christmas time, mainly cause it's hot. I can honestly say this is my favorite time of year to be in Saigon.