Sadec is famous throughout Vietnam for its flowers, and its nurseries attract shoppers from around the country, especially during the weeks leading up to Tet. We spent a few hours among the colors and fragrances of the town's "Flower Village".
For about a week, hundreds of boats from the Mekong Delta line up along the Ben Binh Wharf to sell the flowers and small fruit trees with which Vietnamese families decorate their homes during the holiday of Tet. Visiting this floating flower market was among the first things we did in Saigon, and the scene made a huge impression on us.
For better or worse, Jürgen and I arrived in Saigon just as the country was preparing for Tet - the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. This is by far the most important holiday on the Vietnamese calendar; regular life grinds to a halt, while families gather from near and far for a week of flowers, feasts and celebrations.
