That's right, by the Vietnamese (and Chinese) calendar, today is Tet, the first day the year of the Pig. Over the past week we've seen a growing frenzy of excitement in the towns and cities. The markets have been even more bustling and crowded than usual as people buy all the traditional decorations, foods and gifts that go along with Tet. If ushered in properly, Tet holds the potential for an auspicious upcoming year. People take that seriously here. Following tradition, people decorate with the proscribed flowers; clean house, shop and temple; clear outstanding debts (try that America!); buy new clothes for the children and more. This is the most important holiday of the year in Vietnam and you can feel it everywhere. Being especially nice to others (including foreigners) augurs well for relations in the upcoming year, so we've been the recipients of more smiles and hellos than ever. Very nice.
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