Deepavali ~ The Gardens Mall

Deepavali 2023 @ The Gardens Mall

This year, their kolam decoration features the Indian Sari or Saree, the symbol of Indian femininity.

The history of the Indian Sari is fascinating. It started back in the days of the Indus Valley Civilization, around 2800 - 1800 BC.

The Sari started with cotton; first cultivated in India around the 5th millenium BC (5000 to 4001 BC). Then the weaving of cotton grew with more and more colors.

Traditionally, the saree was a single piece, 9 yards in length, of unstitched cotton fabric; worn as a functional garment on a daily basis. Then it slowly evolved into a fashionable garment when the rich Indians started using gem stones and gold threads to make their silk saris. Today, a Sari is a global fashion statement, although still traditional. It represents grace, elegance and a rich heritage.

 

Ah Ter Restaurant | 阿豬家乡小食档

Ah Ter Restaurant | 阿豬家乡小食档

( Ah Zhu’s hometown snack stall )

No snacks at all here but very good homecooked meals. As you can see, this restaurant is just a humble wooden shack by the waters. A very pleasant old lady took our order and she was kind enough to suggest what were their specialties. We enjoyed their cooking very much. Dishes were although simple looking but oh so flavorful.

Shark meat porridge

Crispy Fried fish

Fried meehoon

Fried shrimps with “choi poh” (salted radish or daikon)

Sheraton Saigon

 

Lunch at Sheraton

After our Hop On Hop Off, we decided to treat ourselves to a nice simple lunch at The Sheraton. Nice ambience. 

Mango & Avocado

Chicken rice

Club sandwich

People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City Hall, 1902 - 1908

Also known as Ho Chi Minh Square

This building was originally known as Hotel de Ville during the French Colonial Period, then converted into a city hall. 

The French nicknamed Saigon as the Pearl of the far East. Chinese migrants called it Cho Lon @ Big Market. The Communist government eventually renamed Saigon as Ho Chi Minh.

Ho Chi Minh

Original names:  Nguyen Sinh Cung, Nguyen Tat Thanh or Nguyen Ai Quoc

Leader of the Vietnamese nationalist movement for almost 3 decades

President of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam)

Declared independence from the French rule

(Ho Chi Minh died of a heart attack in 1969)

Led Vietnam to its unification in 1976

 ~ The day after the battle ended, on 1 May, veteran Australian journalist Denis Warner reported that "When the North Vietnamese marched into Saigon yesterday, they were led by a man who wasn't there"   

(The Sun News-Pictorial 1975)