WHERE WE GO HARD CORE AND THERE'S GLITTER ON THE FLOOR. WHY YES, I DO RATHER LIKE KE$HA.

THIS IS A DELAYED NEW YEARS EVE STORY

Watching the fireworks in Saigon on New Years Eve was hilarious. It was just my cousin Vi and I standing amonst the hundreds of other Vietnamese by the banks of the river.



Just about every single road within a 400m radius of the prime viewing spot (by the river) was clogged up. Traffic had ground to a halt, simply because there was no space for traffic to move on account of all the parked motorbikes which people sat on to view the fireworks. I guess you can't expect anything more when a million people race for a parking space along a 200m stretch of road. Just picture a 400 square metre mosh pit with each person on a motor bike.




The block behind the river (where our hotel was) had virtually no view of the fireworks- the line of riverside hotels obscured the view- yet people still gazed up at the sky, lovers and family cradled in eachothers arms, waiting to see nothing but content with hearing the boom of the show.

Ok I may have over romanticized that a little. A LEETLE. But it's a true story man.



We were standing by the river, right in the thick of it. We had somehow maneuvered through all the parked bikes and found little pockets of space to fill. It was hella crowded and personal space was nonexistent but somehow it was very civilized; no pushing or (outwardly) drunk hooligans in sight.



Then came the fireworks.

Vietnamese are funny. The fireworks were rather sporadic and weren't timed or really coordinated in regards to colour/size so there was a lot of confusion as to when the show would actually end. It went on for around 20 minutes at least and all throughout that time, people kept saying "Oh ok, it's over, let's go home" during the varied intervals between explosions.



But then the next batch would be fired up and then they'd pause and just stare in awe before repeating the same process. When the fireworks finally did end, people didn't know whether to stay or go due to there being no "finale" so everybody just stood there for a few minutes anticipating the next explosion. You know that feeling when everybody in the crowd is thinking/feeling/seeing/hearing the exact same thing? Yeah, I like that feeling.



When it didn't come, the crowd just ended up weaving around eachother and everybody got out of the mosh pit. Everybody was so excited and in high spirits (although maybe not as overjoyed as when the national soccer team wins a match).



I think it was the first year that Saigon put on a fireworks show for NYE. They also had a giant stage sponsored by Heineken with some international DJ, some ear achingly bad Australian singer and a giant clock.

Vietnamese crowds are so awkward with English music. They generally don't know how to react.
The DJ was all "yeah! Pump it! Sing along! I love you Saigon!" but the crowd was just completely non responsive. When Vietpop/Viet ballads/Hotel California is blasted though, it's a completely different story.

Saigon seems to be constantly moving towards Western culture/standards...well at least it's trying to project itself as so.
Oh but check out this massive Communist light display.