Flower festival at Tao Dan park during Tết

When our Lunar New Year approaching, livimg in Saigon, I probably have few things to enjoy: firstly the unusual quiet atmosphere in the city, especially in the morning - a beautiful quietness, secondly - the floral festival at Tao Đan park as I'm quite interested in few things displayed here. Lastly, it could be my great ability to spend money for something that I never pay attention to in my everyday life.

Two days ago I just ordered online from Hanoi a dish called "Stewed fish from village Vũ Đại", 40 USD per clay pot of 2kg. It's expensive! I always love stewed fish but the most important here is my curiosity, my childhood memory for the character that I used to know in my school time. I still order  online another speciality named "Five colours ham", I will have another review in my blog about this unique ham later. It's quite unique recipe and delicious dish, esp. for special occasions.

Talking about the floral, botanical festival in the park, last year I was surprised by the number of the trees, the flowers and especially the bonsai, the miniature landscape …it was amazing. This year  I was a bit upset - due to the cold weather, I guess, the flowers were not in the best bloom, but at least I finally found the aquarium section that I missed last year. So let's me start with the aquarium first.

                 These red lionhead fish come from a fish hobbyist, no commercial...  

             They are very big, their belly could be as big as my fist, I really love them. 

Discus are considered as the King of the Aquarium Fishes, their dramatic colour, their refined shape and especially their graceful manner. These quiet, peaceful and elegant creatures inspires appreciation and dedication like no other fish. There was time I used to have them in my aquarium, but it was very hard for me to look after them.

               I used to have discus at home, but it's quite difficult to keep them...

            Not an expert in discus, so I have no idea why this fish got the gold prize at the exhibition. 

               Discus are considered as the King of Aquarium Fishes thanks to their dramatic colour...

              their pattern, their refined shape and especially their graceful manner.

              I feel sorry for this flower horn fish with a huge "balloon"on their head, I was told that ...

             either they have been fed with special food or injected something to create this huge headwear. 

                 Koi - a fish of luck, some of them are very big, up to 20 kg 

Since I was a little kid, I already love bonsai, I don't know why, either because of the small size, the unique shape of the tree or the indescribable feelings to the miniature nature… It reminds me of the bonsai I saw in Japan - the image of a miniature maple tree in a perfect shape with a lot of red autumn leaves. I was simply shocked…I regret that all photos I took were lost.

             The bonsai of milky fruit tree…

                I quite like the shape of this bonsai, how it looks from one side...

                .…and another side. Wish to have one at home in my garden! 

               This bonsai is very small compared to the others in the exhibition, less than 50 cm in height...

                 but this one - a giant bonsai in a cascade style.   

                 The other bonsai with the miniature landscape… 

                  The close up shoot 

                   and  another bonsai with quite interesting shape...

If last year I was impressed with a lot of beautiful frangipani, this year not only the quantity is smaller, but the quality is also not good as before. So I have only few shots of this fascinating flowers.

             Living in the city, it seems difficult to keep this plant in bloom...

             Oh dear this kind of flower and the one in below - the beauty!  

There are some other items like wooden root or colourful stones but I'm not really into it so I would like to end the post about the Tao Dan park with this colourful fruit display, as tradition we have a plate of 5 different fruits for Têt celebration to express our wish, you will find the photo of my 5 fruits dis play below.

              The symbolic art fruit display at the Tao Đan park…

            or this extreme skilful fruit carving - the Four Holy Beasts: Turtle, Phoenix, Dragon & Qilin

              close up shot of this fruit carving…amazing! 

          and my 5 fruits display at home, name of these fruits means "pray to have enough prosperity"! 

And it's also my wish to all of you who follow my blog over the past two years! Thank you very much!