The Pham family (Linh, father Vinh, mother Thuy & brother Long) have really "adopted" me as a family member. Understanding this, my daughter (Kimberley) suggested that I refer to them as the "Phamily" - which I thought was a great idea & they even chuckled when I explained this to them.
The Phamily invited me to spend the entire day of Tet Eve with them. The day began at 10AM when Vinh picked me up at my hotel. We drove many kilometers shopping for flowers/plants for their house <-- an absolute cultural necessity in Vietnam during Tet.
Above pic is me with the Phamily eating Tet eve feast which includes many traditional, culturally significant foods. Vinh took this pic - hence his absence.
We then spent the rest of the day honoring their ancestors with food/incense offerings at the family alter, playing Phom (a traditional Vietnamese card game often played during Tet), debating politics, and general socializing with extended family members & friends. The long day concluded with a trip to the Saigon River front to watch the fireworks ("flowers in the night sky") & back to my hotel for a much needed rest.
Btw - 2012 is the year of the Black Water Dragon which occurs only once every 50 years or so..
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