VietNamNet Bridge - Before December 22, eight streets in the center and the gateways to Saigon will be filled with light to welcome the festive season with meaningful themes.

According to the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which is assigned to decorate the streets, this year the design of street light is assumed by four companies. Each road will be designed with a different theme and a different color. For instance, Dong Khoi Street will be decorated with yellow light, the color of apricot flowers, under the topic “The Southern Land.”

Le Loi Street will be decorated under the theme "Industrialization - Modernization of the Country" with the pink color. At the request of the HCM City People's Committee, light decoration on these roads will be maintained from December 22, 2013 through January 5, 2014.

The Truong Son - Nguyen Van Troi - Nam Ky Khoi Nghia roads will be the road of diplomacy and integration so they will be decorated with Saint Giong riding a horse, with a bamboo on his hands, presenting the tradition of fighting invaders for the country’s independence.

Pham Ngoc Thach road and the Turtle Lake will be decorated with the theme "Youth and Ambition."

Ton Duc Thang Street will be lightened up with the theme "Vietnam’s Sea and Islands." Nguyen Hue and Le Duan roads will be decorated with the topics "Thousands of Flowers Offered to Uncle Ho" and "Peace - Independence – Unity."

According to Tri Viet, one of the four street light designers, only modern LED lamps will be used for the safety. "Saigon street lights this year will be entirely comparable to Singapore," a Tri Viet’s representative said.

Galloping horses come to Nguyen Hue Boulevard for Tet

The image of galloping horses will be transformed into a flower decoration on Nguyen Hue Boulevard from January 28 to February 3 (or from the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month to the fourth day of the first lunar month).

According to the organizer, Saigontourist, this year’s event will have the theme “HCMC-My love” with three areas.

The first is Dong thoi gian (flow of time) where there are galloping horses carrying a flower carriage shaped like a clock. It represents the New Year and a spirit of moving forward. Along the entrance there will be giant apricot flowers to welcome visitors. There will be other decorations such as numerous flower baskets hanging on a line of coconut trees.

The second section, at the intersection of Nguyen Hue Boulevard and Nguyen Thiep and Mac Thi Buoi streets, is a display of various kinds of flowers from Dalat.

The third area at the corner of Nguyen Hue and Ton That Thiep is a globe surrounded by a carpet of colorful flowers, stylized clocks and people’s hands.

A new feature of Nguyen Hue Boulevard Floral Exhibition in 2014 is an exhibition of vegetables and fruits meticulously carved by hotels and restaurant artisans under management of Saigontourist.

Additionally, Nguyen Hue will be turned into a boulevard of lights from December 15 to February 6.

The floral exhibition and lighting decoration is organized by HCMC People’s Committee and Saigontourist with sponsorship from Suntory PepsiCo Vietnam, Van Thinh Phat Group Holdings, and Time Square Vietnam, among others.

VNN/SGT