It's Tết! Chúc Mừng Năm Mới!

Happy new year! Today marks the lunar new year, celebrated in China and in Vietnam (possibly other places as well...).  While China ushers in the Year of the Rabbit, Vietnam is ringing in the Year of the Cat.  This is the only sign in their zodiac that differs. According to a very informative article I read in Vietnam's English-language newspaper, Good Morning Vietnam, the reason for the difference is either because the Vietnamese thought the Rabbit too close to the Rat (both rodents) so substituted in the Cat, which also has the effect of balancing out the Dog; either that OR there was a translation error.  They're not sure.

Anyway, we listened to the fireworks from our hotel last night (we're generally pretty lame about New Year's Eve so why should this be different?).  But we have enjoyed watching the preparations the days leading up.  In Hong Kong the flower market was overflowing with ladies buying orange trees, pussy willow branches, and other floral delights. But what we got the biggest kick out of was, of course, the scooters in Hanoi - rushing around town with mandarin orange trees attached to the back.  I can only think of our perennial family event of strapping a Christmas tree on the roof of the car, and put a challenge to my dad to try this method next year!

Also notice the small child in the front right of the frame.

Another side effect of the new year is that the streets got eerily quiet... not silent by any means, but we had an easy ride to the airport (we're in Hue now) and have not needed to practice death-defying street crossing techniques in the past day or two... too bad - we were getting pretty good at that!