A New Year - Vietnamese style

The evening gets off to a slow start - the special Tet party we've been invited to turns out to be some complimentary plates of unappealing nibbles in the bar, drinks are charged as normal. Huy's plan of being able to eat enough at the 'party' to last the evening goes out the window. Instead after a quick round of Jenga, we're off to the Octopussy bar for drinks and dinner. On the way there we pass the offerings to the spirits set out outside each house, even the cyclo gets its own special display. Little bonfires outside houses burn money and clothes and other things to honour ancestors and bring good fortune in the year ahead.
The drinks at the Octopussy were okay but the food was probably the worst we've had in Vietnam so far. It's Sarah's birthday today and Huy has arranged a surprise cake for her at our next stop - Brown Eyes 'Open from 5 until the last one passes out'. It's crowded. The pair of us going in added 2 to the numbers but probably doubled the combined age. We are all given free shots as we arrive to get us in the party mood. The music is good too, most of it older than the kids who are dancing to it. The cake arrives accompanied by sparklers and a complicated tower of glasses which is set ablaze. The cake is eaten (and it's nice, too) and the party begins.
When midnight approaches we go out in the street and watch the top half of the firework display downtown, which is all we can see over the rooftops, then it's bedtime for geriatrics and we're back to the hotel. Tomorrow it's motorbike time.
Chuc Mung Nam Moi!