As I had written already, today is the last year of the lunar year and all Vietnam is getting ready for "Tet NguyenDan" (Festival of the first day), which will start the year of the rat. This is the most significant date in the Vietnamese calendar and is Christmas, New Year and birthday all in one. You can imagine the atmosphere..!! It's the time for families to reunite in the hope of good fortunefor the coming year, and the spirits of the ancestors are invited back into the family home. The rites already start 7 days before when the Tao Quan - the 3 spirits of the hearth (found in the kitchen of every house) ascend to heaven in order to report to the Jade Emperor on the past year's events. In each hous, you find altarswith plenty of offerings, assenlbed in the preparation of the god's departure in the hope of receiving a favourable report and thus ensuring good luck for the family in the coming year. People clean and renovate their houses in order to get rid of the bad spirits of the old year and have a good start ine new one. When I walked through Hoi an the last days, everybody was cleaing, painting, organising their houses. This was actually quite funny to see. I now also know why they all carry these tress (which are kumquat trees). It is the so called "cay neu", the new year's tree ahich is supposed to keep out evil spirits. A lot of other people have abricot blossom trees. Sometimes they carry two or more of them on a motorbike, in huge pots..
Tonight atmidnight there will be huge celebrations out on the streets, with fireworks. It seems to be a huge street party..On new year's eve, the Tao Quan return to earth and at the stroke of midnight all problems from the past year are left behind and chaos start: the goal seems to be to make as much noise as possible in order to chase away the bad spirits: drums, fireworks, etc.
Then, the events of the first day of the year are curcial as they are belived to affect the course of the new year: people take care not to be rude or show anger and some activities - supposd to attract bad spirits - are totally taboo, such as sweeping, swearing, breaking things...and: sewing !!!! Now I also know why all the tailor shops are closed, as sewing cloths attracts bad spirits... A propos: I got my suit yesterday. First they said that it was just perfect and they wanted me to just pay and go. I stood in front of the mrror for at least 20 minutes trying to figure out all possible little problems. They tried to deny at first and wanted to tell me that it is supposed to be like that, but I insisted. So they made some more changes and I had to go back l;ater in the evening. I think that the suit is fine now, but there are still two little detauils that I would have preferred to be changed, but it was just impossible to explain to them.
I will finally go to the beach now, even if it is still overcast and a little bit windy. But at leat once I have to go there, as it seems tobe really beautiful. But it will be for a walk rather then for a swim , I think.
chuc mung nam moi !!!! (means: happy new year !!) ;-)
Tonight atmidnight there will be huge celebrations out on the streets, with fireworks. It seems to be a huge street party..On new year's eve, the Tao Quan return to earth and at the stroke of midnight all problems from the past year are left behind and chaos start: the goal seems to be to make as much noise as possible in order to chase away the bad spirits: drums, fireworks, etc.
Then, the events of the first day of the year are curcial as they are belived to affect the course of the new year: people take care not to be rude or show anger and some activities - supposd to attract bad spirits - are totally taboo, such as sweeping, swearing, breaking things...and: sewing !!!! Now I also know why all the tailor shops are closed, as sewing cloths attracts bad spirits... A propos: I got my suit yesterday. First they said that it was just perfect and they wanted me to just pay and go. I stood in front of the mrror for at least 20 minutes trying to figure out all possible little problems. They tried to deny at first and wanted to tell me that it is supposed to be like that, but I insisted. So they made some more changes and I had to go back l;ater in the evening. I think that the suit is fine now, but there are still two little detauils that I would have preferred to be changed, but it was just impossible to explain to them.
I will finally go to the beach now, even if it is still overcast and a little bit windy. But at leat once I have to go there, as it seems tobe really beautiful. But it will be for a walk rather then for a swim , I think.
chuc mung nam moi !!!! (means: happy new year !!) ;-)
old houses in Hoi An:
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