Torn between just staying home or immersing ourselves in the Tet celebration.

It’s our 3rd Tet here in Saigon and for the past couple of years, we just stayed home and watch the fireworks on TV or whatever we can see from our apartment complex.

I know it gets pretty crowded in the streets of Saigon as people gather to welcome the new year.  This year, it’ll be on Sunday, January 22 and we’re still thinking of what to do.  This is part of the Vietnamese culture and I’d really like to see first hand what goes on during the eve of TET.

With the city in TET colors, you can’t help but be excited as well!

One of the center of activities of the coming Lunar New Year will be along Nguyen Hue St. where there will be outdoor music performances in front of Sun Wah Tower plus light art performances — also in front of Fahasa and Palace Hotel.  There will be lion dance and drum performances as well.

Let’s not forget too that the whole of Nguyen Hue will be fully decorated with flowers with the theme — Vietnam, My Country.  Of course, as seen above, the Dragon will be a prominent figure in the whole design as 2012 is the water dragon year.

There will also be a fireworks display from 12 midnight to 12:15 AM nearby happening at the Thu Thiem Tunnel located at the corner of Ton Duc Thang and Ham Nghi Streets just behind the Bitexco Financial Tower.  Other fireworks display can be seen at:

• Construction Project Administration, Tan Phu Ward, District 7
• Project Go Vap Park, Go Vap District
• Nga Ba Giong Memorial Park, Hoc Mon
• Ben Duoc Memorial Park, Cu Chi
• Park of Culture and Ethnic History, District 9
• Dam Sen Park, District 11
• Hanoi:  Hoan Kiem Lake, Thong Nhat Park, Nguyen Hoang Ton Park and Van Quan Lake

So, do we join in the celebration in Nguyen Hue or not?