HCM City lights up to greet 2010

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee has again chosen travel company Saigontourist to organise New Year 2010 and Lunar New Year festivities in the downtown area this year.

The company has decorated Nguyen Hue, Le Loi, Dong Khoi, and Le Duan Streets with lights and flowers since December 18 under its so-called Shining Streets programme.

Nguyen Hue has thousands of blue and white stars twinkling on an archway that has been put up as well as music.

Dong Khoi Street has bunches of trang nguyen flowers and red and white LED lights.

Le Loi Street looks like the luxurious entrance to a royal palace with two pillars of yellow lights and dazzling white and yellow balls tied up on trees.

Le Duan Street is clothed in glistening orange.

Excitement downtown

Streets in the downtown area were packed last night as thousands of people flocked to ring in New Year.

There were artistic light shows at the Sunwah, Palace, Fahasa, and Duxton buildings on Nguyen Hue Boulevard.

The biggest attraction were music shows Cung The Gioi Don Chao Nam Moi (Welcome the New Year with the world) in front of the Sunwah building and Ngot ngao sac xuan (Mellifluent Spring) on Le Duan Street.

Both started at 9.30pm and lasted half an hour into the new year as people counted down and greeted each other.

The Shining Street programme will last until January 5 before returning on February 2 for the Lunar New Year.

Nguyen Hue Flower Street 2010 will be on display from February 11 to 16. Le Loi Boulevard will become a pedestrian-only street where people will enjoy traditional music and folk games.

Like last year there will be banh tet (cylindrical glutinous rice cake filled with green bean paste and pork fat) and banh tet contests after which the cakes will be ritually offered at Hung Kings Temple in District 9 besides being exhibited at the HCM Museum and Ton Duc Thang Museum.

Saigontourist will also join hands with the city’s Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs to give away 10,000 pieces of banh tet to poor children.

Fireworks will be set off at seven locations on New Year’s Eve.

The city government has been organising New Year celebrations since 2004 using public money and donations by businesses and others. — VNS