The New Year 2012 will have a flowery start as local big cities are putting on floral shows and exhibitions on downtown streets as part of their celebrations.

A bed of tulip in Dalat, Photo: Tuoitre

Hanoi opened its third New Year Flower Festival yesterday, an annual activity which a senior official says reflects the sophisticated taste and appreciation for flowers by Hanoians.

Flower displays, arrangements and installations are put on show in the city center, around the symbolic Hoan Kiem Lake and Dinh Tien Hoang Street in the capital.

Although the opening was held in the evening, thousands of locals gathered around the area from early morning to take pictures, with the highlight of the exhibition being the “Song Long Chau Trong Dong” installation.

Shaped like two dragons heading toward Vietnam’s ancient symbol “Dong Drum”, the piece was made from more than 100 kg of palm fruits, and many other types of flowers.
 

This year the local government places heavy security at the festival, in an attempt to prevent jostling or picking exhibited flowers, an ugly scene observed in previous years.
The festival will run until January 2, 2012.

In Central Highland Da Lat city, its fourth Flower Festival will open Saturday evening at Lam Vien Square by the scenic Ho Xuan Huong Lake.

Various activities including flower exhibition, installation to traditional art craft displays will take place around the city.

Local government said at least 25 delegates from foreign embassies and international organizations in Vietnam will be present at the opening ceremony which is 90 minutes long and will be broadcast live on national channel VTV2.

International and domestic tourists have flocked to Da Lat for this special occasion, filling up rooms in almost all of the hotels, although there are more than 700 of them in the city.

The festival will run until January 4, 2012.

Source: Tuoitre