Tourist adventures continue.

February 04, 2019

Tourist adventures continue.

The sun shinning bright, yet we pose for the photo in front of the cathedral.

Our tourism tour continued today.

First stop the cathedral. The cathedral had a mixture of feelings around it, currently its under construction to get new roof.

When entering into the cathedral in some ways it is smaller than it seems from the outside. We took our seats to listen the the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary. After which there was mass in english. It was a peaceful atmosphere the interior of the building is run down, they need to clean, refresh it up with paint work etc.

Around the sides were little alters, of course the Sisters were attracted to the St Patricks one, while I walked around looking at them. There were a few odd ones, like St Anne, St Anthony, and a few others that I have no idea just liked like Asian figures to me.

Generally speaking the mass was great, it was nice to hear a homily in english, admittedly the priest does need to remember Pope Francis comment about keeping it in a ten minutes time frame, yet still it was rather good. He spoke on the coming festival of tet, where the city is decorated a lot of the time with fake flowers. People dressing up in colours so they can look better on the backdrop and get many photos taken. Then there was the notion of lucky money, which is a gesture of what is to come. Many people on the eve or first day of the new year go to the temple even if not buddhist just to ensure they have luck with them for the coming year.

There were many small things like this which he linked back to the days readings. Expressing how these fake gesture are not inline with our scripture which gives us much more than this one time promise of love, of mercy, forgiveness of a way that rewards beyond any amount of lucky money!

After the cathedral we walked across the road to the post office which is an iconic building in the French colonial architecture. There are many features that have been held, while the interior has been turn into a tourist market - no surprise here. Walked around a little then left.

We walked down to the book lane, where it felt more like a photo shot scene for everyone to pose. Rosie and Vy were brave enough to have photos taken by the lucky tree, while we looked at a few books and just took in the atmosphere.

After which we continue to walk a little more down, still witnessing the parade of people dressed up in traditional dress, with instructions of how to sit for photos or make themselves more presentable to record the moment. On one level it was very entertaining.

Saw this sign in the book street, very inspiring - where there is a will there is a way.
Great message yet sadly in English, not sure how much of
First News it really is ;o)

We walked down to the ‘pre’ tet flower street, which was set out with fake flowers yet lots of scenes from the traditional ways the house would be set up with bulky wooden furniture, fishing equipment. On the outskirt of this street there was some market stalls which were available to take photos. So I jumped at the chance to be a street vender. The girls laughed and said I was the best dress street vender they had ever seen. It was a great deal of fun. We went around posing for photos and just been apart of the tet celebrations really.

We adventured a little further on to find the traditional writing of Vietnamese done in little stalls that were set up for tet. There were people writing on red envelopes for lucky money, others writing wishes on scrolls - good health, love, business, house, etc.
There were a few traditional music stalls, clothing and shoes. We walked around and contempt then went on to lunch which Breda was taking us out for. While waiting for a taxi to drive pass to wave down, we spotted a real street vendor and got some light wattle like things, very sweet, hard to explain. All the girls enjoy them non the less, and we snacked on the way to the restaurant.

Flower Street 'pre' tet

Traditional fishing cages set up in a scene

Annes name in Vietnamese. - don't think they have mine ;o)

We eat at a garden coffee shop is what it is called. Yet more like restaurant with an amazing water garden at the base then built up on levels from here. We had a very enjoyable meal.
It was a great way to end our adventures before returning back for an afternoon nap.

Tomorrow is New Years eve so we go into another stage of the celebrations. The girls have been sending me photos from their home towns, I will write blog tomorrow on the overall celebrations.

For now.. enjoy the photos.

Blessings