Truth.

  Lets get one thing straight. Everything doesn't close during
      Tet. Even on the first day of the new year closures are not
      universal.
   
      People who tell you otherwise are truly ignorant. 
   
      Many shops and businesses are closed, but numerous ones
      remain open. You will not starve to death. Vietnam does not
      instantly become a ghost town. 
   
      Plenty of restaurants are open. The staff still have to work.
      The chefs aren't off. Security guards still sit around and
      stare into the oblivion. Any taxi driver would be foolish to
      take time off during moments of high demands such as the days
      of Tet. Xe om drivers still sit on their bikes without any
      shame on street corners. Tet might last a few hours for the
      common laborers, or Tet doesn't happen at all. Vendors
      aimlessly pray that their marigolds, bonsai trees, peach
      blossoms, kumquats, or any other assorted plant transplanted
      into tiny containers get sold before they have to be trashed.
      Giant melon vendors share similar antics, however, less of
      them this year will mean that they will face less competition
       as opposed to their flora and fauna friends. Lottery
      ticket sellers still scour the streets hoping their Tet
      morning will be a lucky one. My heart breaks as I mirror
      their situation with how someone in America has to work on
      Christmas morning. Then again, how can we compare apples and
      oranges.
   
      Tet is just like any other slow day for some. The toll booth
      fee collector in his or her metal box still operates with
      burnt out hesitation. The road, sun, and dust wears their
      souls down. Factory workers, office workers, teachers,
      students, and the top two percent get time off. Lion dancers
      and similar acrobatic acts troops finally make some money
      thanks to everyones superstition. More on the roaming
      carnival lifestyle of a lion dancer later. The street food
      vendors still set up their bun stalls. The drinks stool shop
      still caters to travelers and the coffee shops still are
      packed with men on the morning of tet. The toys stalls are
      still happily open because children need to spend their ly xy
      money somewhere. The indivuals selling those giant red
      balloons tug at my heart. Some hold a big stick with balloons
      attatched as they stare down to the ground. Are their time
      and energy worth making a few dollsrs at best. The answer is
      clear to me, but some vendors here still need anything they
      can gey to scrape by.
   
Tet isn't univeral nor is it the best time in Vietnam. 

Posts will be rather sporadic for the next few days. I'm typing this from my phone from Yangon right now. Hollaaa