Communist Propaganda Art

In Hanoi, giant communist propanda posters can be seen on nearly every corner.  I took the time to photograph many of the posters around Hoan Kiem.  After I thought I had them all digitally collected, they rotated them all for new posters!  Here's the pics from the first crop.  There are all in Vietnamese, but the artwork gives the general idea behind the posters.   

Poster stand north of the Hoan Kiem Lake 

The man in the top corner is Ho Chi Minh--a common feature to many posters.

The hammer and sickle are the ultimate symbols of communism.

Traditional dancing is featured at many public events.

A very Asian-style dragon

Business and industry are forefront in the Vietnamese consciousness.

Power Wheels: Tree Transport

Dolphin Safe?

Do you think this toilet paper is dolphin safe?  Made by Emo's (haha) brand TP, this dolphin print just seems so wrong.  I feel guilty! 

Equally unexplainable and hilarious, Moomarelli was seen walking around with toilet paper stuck to his ass.

ABBA Nation

I'm pretty sure that ABBA is the unofficial national band of Vietnam.  Every where I go, like magic, I hear ABBA all around.  It never fails that the grocery store, clothing store, quick stop, coffee shop, national museum...will be playing ABBA.  I hear more ABBA in Vietnam than I hear Vietnamese music.  No complains here; I love ABBA! 

Random electronics store playing ABBA videos

Money to Burn

One of the hottest Tet traditions is the burning shrines.  Each family puts together a small shrine in honor of their dead ancestors.  Each shrine is outfitted with gifts for these ancestors.  Popular gifts include money, whole cooked chickens, flowers, candy, fruit, paper warrior's armor and paper horses (to represent the real things)...basically any and everything.  The shrines are set up outside of the family home or family business (often the same place).  At midnight, little Vietnamese children scatter rice in front of their entryways.  Then, the gifts are burned.  Traveling on the smoke of the fire, the gifts reach the ancestors up in the heavens.

So Cute!

Vietnamese girls in traditional clothes in the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi.

Tet Decorations & Gifts

Here is a bounty of pictures featuring more Tet decorations and gifts.

Orchids grow bountifully and beautifully in the Vietnamese climate.  Many stands sprang up around Hanoi selling this common Tet gift.

An Orchid Lot set up especially for Tet.

An orchid arrangement with Tet decorations

Another important Tet decoration is blossoming peach and cherry branches (or sometimes whole trees).  These are also sold in lots all over the city. 

Motorbikers shopping for blossoming branchess

In fact, any blossoming or green branch seems suitable for ringing in a lucky New Year.  I saw a variety of different plant life being sold off on the streets the night of Tet's official kickoff. 

Some sort of palm branch sold by a motorbiker.

Fresh sugar canes, too.

Special gifts are given for Tet.  Many people spend a year's worth of savings on gifts for their extended families located in villages outside of the city.  Some of the common gifts, aside from plant life, include cartons of cigarettes (smoking is very popular here) and food items.  A very common and traditional food gift is dried fruit.  It is meant to bring good luck.

Stand selling dried fruit in Tet gift wrapping.

  For the kids, fancy balloons are popular and available on every corner during Tet.

Finally, I caught this cool picture of a bicyclist selling Tet tree ornaments.