I have been looking forward to the launch of the Vietnam Festival with much anticipation so you can imagine my excitement during the launch of this festival at Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) yesterday evening. It was also a fresh experience for me to meet up close with the Guest of Honours- Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem and our very own Foreign Minister George Yeo. You can call me “sua gu” (mountain tortoise) if you want but how often do we really get to see them in person?
There were many people who attended the launch yesterday and it was so difficult to squeeze through to take a picture of DPM Khiem so, sorry guys, what I have here is just his back view. (DPM Khiem is in white shirt in the following third photo). It is a pity that I didn’t manage to take Minister George Yeo’s picture as well. Proves that I am not cut out to be a paparazzi.
There are quite a good number of Vietnamese guests who turned up during yesterday evening’s launch. Most of the Vietnamese ladies were also donning the elegant Aoi Dai, the traditional dress for women. I simply find them graceful and pretty in those costumes. Make me feel like getting one as well in future. Here is one photo of a cute Vietnamese girl with her mother, dressed in traditional Aoi Dai. She also happened to be the little protagonist who represents Vietnam during the opening ceremony.
Apart from the opening ceremony and the short tour around ACM, the programme also includes the unveiling of a new marker at the ACM Green, which is just in front of the ACM, telling the life of the late Vietnamese statesman Ho Chi Minh. He was named to be one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century and the former capital of South Vietnam- Siagon was actually renamed Ho Chi Minh in his honour. I can clearly see the Vietnamese’s respect and honour for him as they get hold of the opportunity to take photos with the new marker after the official unveiling by Vietnam’s DPM and Foreign Minister George Yeo.
After much walking and photo-taking, what’s can’t be missed will definitely be the “makan” (food) session since food is an important element of art, culture and history right? There were Vietnamese rice noodles, Chả Giò (deep fried Vietnamese Spring Rolls), Gỏi Cuốn (Summer Roll), all of which are so yummy. Not only that, there was also performance by Singaporean and Vietnamese graduates from Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music of NUS as we enjoyed the dinner.
At the end of the evening, I felt so satisfied after those “feeding” of Vietnamese food (sorry, was really hungry after those walking, so I had more than one servings) and of course I get to know more about Vietnamese Culture as well. Plus I ought to say that the Vietnamese people are so friendly and nice-and special thanks to those who are willing to pose for me while I took their photos!
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