今天重要環節就是接新娘和晚上的飲宴，稍為整理好儀容便出發，我叔叔沒有邀請朋友來做兄弟團，但不用怕，因為家族陣容龐大，單靠我其他叔叔們，我哥和一班堂弟妹已經夠睇頭，這便是名副其實的｢兄！弟！團｣！
Wedding Day!! We picked up the bride in the morning and had the banquet at night. Woke up early and dressed up ourselves. My uncle, the groom, did not invite his friends to come nor having the groomsmen. That would not be an issue when his whole family were present to support him. I have a lots of uncles, together with my brother and all my cousins, he has the warmest “Groomsmen & Groomswomen” ever.
Chinese Sharing: In marriage, the bride and the groom will find their best/ good friends to be the bridesmaids/ groomsmen. In Chinese, we literally called the bridesmaids/ groomsmen as Group of Sisters/ Brothers even we are not biological related. In my uncle case, he did has his best groomsmen which formed by a group of his biological brothers.
正式出發前有一個拜禮儀式，求一切順利！車頭不單放著毛公仔，還有一盞阿拉丁神燈，不是我叔叔要求，相信是車主個人喜好，用來閒時聊女生吧。
Before we headed to the bride’s home, we had to complete a worship ceremony wishing everything going well. The wedding car has a pair of plush toy on the front, also we found a shiny Aladdin’s Lamp as well. That was not the request by my uncle. I believe it was the car owner preference and he used that to hook up girls.
選擇坐開篷車接新娘，感覺很有型！更有型的是我叔叔居然被要求全程坐在特設的高位後坐，在街上成為焦點，十分尷尬。幸好他沒有揮手，不然跟皇室出巡差不多，再去盡點可以加設揚聲器，唱出情歌或發表愛的宣言。
It was so cool to have a convertible for marriage. The coolest thing was my uncle needed to sit on the specially added upper back seat for the entire ride. He successfully drew the attention from people on the street. It was indeed very embarrassing. If he waved to people, it would be like the palace parade. If there were a mic and speaker, I believed he will be asked to sing a love song or declare his love to his wife.
越南接新娘和香港的都一樣，先和姐妹們議開門利是金額，如果談判拉倒便唯有硬闖，最後姐妹們真的不滿足拒絕開門，所以我的哥哥和叔叔們便出力推門，對家姐妹弱不禁風，怎有可能與我哥的大Pat Pat鬥。
The way in both Hong Kong and Vietnam to pick up the bride are similar. It started with bargaining with the bridesmaid at the door for the amount of “Door Opened Laisi” [to pay the bridesmaid a sum of pocket money, so that they opened the door for you to pick up the bride]. For the men’s side, if the negotiation failed, they will use force to open the door. It was surprised that the bridesmaid were not satisfied with the amount and refused to open the door. My uncles and my brother had to use the man-power to end this game. It was a mission impossible for the bridesmaids battled with all the men, especially with my brother’s fat ass. His ass swung, the door opened.
屋內已擺好陣先拜神，然後我們一班｢二打六」被請到另一間屋坐著等，只有新郎留下來，接下來發生甚麼事我不知道，直至新娘落樓，我們才回去看看，又是繼續拜神，然後敬茶給女家長輩，最後便是大合照。
We saw the setup of another worship ceremony on the table. At this point, we, my uncles, my brother, my cousins and I, were asked to stay at the annexe to wait while leaving the groom in the main building. I do not know what was happening afterwards until the bride appeared. We went back to the main building and the worship was still going on. Then, it was the newly wed gave the senior a cup of tea as a thanks. Last but not least was the group photo.
成功接新娘後便回酒店敬茶給男家長輩，一切順利。對於並非鑽石的王老五叔叔，大家一直都很憂心他未能找到合眼緣的另一半，所以大家知道他終於結婚都感到十分高興，等了這一杯茶已經很久，現在可以放下心頭大石。
Finally we picked up the bride and headed back to the hotel to serve the thank-you tea to the groom’s family. My uncle was not a rich and handsome bachelor (in Chinese: Diamond Bachelor). My family worried about him not getting a wife while he was getting older. Now, they are relieved and happy to have a new family member.
儀式做好，大家休息一會，換上便裝便一起到餐廳吃午餐。餐廳佈置新派，但也保留著越南分格，桌子椅子都是木製，每張枱都撘上稻草天花，感覺很亞熱帶風情。餐廳兩旁有不同越式食物，粉麵撈檬、春卷燒烤、海鮮甜品、椰青珍多冰，數得出，未見過的都有，在這裡來回走著，就如逛台灣夜市，不同的是這裡直接跟店員下單，語言不通，手指一指，他們隨後送到你桌上，而我仍然繼續四圍「指」，感覺當然很爽!!!
After all the ceremony, it was time to take a rest and relax. We all went to a modern Vietnamese restaurant for lunch. It has modern design and embedded with Vietnamese style which the table and chairs are made by wood. The ceiling is covered with straw, giving a tropical environment. The two sides of the restaurants are full of booths with various delicious authentic food, such as the soup noodle, cold vermicelli mix, spring rolls, barbecue food, seafood, dessert, coconut drink… Stuff that I know and I never seen are found. Walking along different booths to order is like walking the night market in Taiwan, but I do not have to carry the food around because the staff will bring the food to your table. I can’t speak Vietnamese, but my finger helps to do the job. I just pointed at the food I want and they will be on my table later. It was so much fun to point around.
一大班人就是可以試很多不同的食物，不用擔心會吃剩，因為總有人會清碟。加上有一大班叔叔墊底，我食得很高興！
The good thing to have a group of people gives you a chance to try variety of food and forget about food leftover because there is always someone to clean up all the remains. If I am with my uncles, I would be care free and have a very good appetite.
飯後兵分兩路，回酒店或市內觀光，我當然是後者啦！我們先到胡志明市地標中央郵局參觀。下午天氣太熱，郵局都擠滿乘涼的遊客，雖然沒有冷氣，但留在室內總比露天暴晒舒服。
A couple of free hours after meal which we could either go back to the hotel or go sightseeing. I decided to go sightseeing. ( of cos, what a question! ) Our first stop was the Saigon Central Post Office which is a well-known trademark in the town. Since it was in the afternoon, the hottest among the day, the tourists all went into the post office for some shelter. There are no A/C but still better than staying outdoor to expose under the sun.
郵局除了一般郵政服務，是電信總局，還有撥打長途電話服務，一個一個獨立房間，很有電影2046的感覺。
The post office provides not only the general postage service, but also acted as the telecommunication office. We can have the long distance call in a separated cubic. It feels like time has flown back to the 60’s and giving a best scene for the Canton movie “2046”.
郵局旁邊就是教堂，本身對教堂沒有太大興趣，所以繞了一圈便走了。反倒在教堂外比較有趣，因為以教堂作背景拍照，加上太陽光影照，不用再Photoshop或加後期特效，相片已經令我滿意。
Next to the post office is a church, Saigon Notre-Dame Basilica. I am not a religious nor fetish about church, so I just spent less than ten minutes to feel the peace inside before I walked away. It was much interesting to take some pictures from outside with the bright sunshine. It gave the best to have a nice shot without Photoshop or any additional effect.
慢慢散步回酒店，裝身準備到婚宴會場。晚宴在另一間酒店舉行，場內擺滿假樹，加上藍色燈光效果，顯得十分浪漫。正式開席前，大家都到樹下拍照，難得有靚樣，當然要拍張靚相留念。
We strolled back to the hotel and got dress again for the banquet at night. It was held in another hotel designed with lots of white plastic trees along the hallway and entrance. Together with the blue spotlight, it gave a romance. Before the banquet officially started, it was the place with most of the guests. I understand!! Because it is rare to dress up with make up on and having a nice background for nice pictures.
越南的婚宴和香港的大大不同，大家都會請司儀，但這位司儀同時擔任歌手，由開席到散席都在大展歌喉，一首祝賀的歌接著一首，十分專業，歌聲響遍會場，只選節奏感強烈的七﹑八十年代的歌曲，加上他雄厚的聲線，每一個字都深深打入耳蝸，差點連桌上的炸子雞都聞歌起舞。
The wedding banquet of Vietnam and Hong Kong is totally different!!! Although it is common to hire an emcee/ host, the one in Vietnam acts as the singer/ performer as well. They started singing when the newly wed go back to their seats and start the meal until the end of the banquet even while the guests are leaving the venue. I would say the one at the banquet is very professional. His strong, loud and deep voice is all around the venue. The songs he chose are all belongs to the 70’s & 80’s. Every single words in the lyrics were into my ear. ( because we sit next to the speaker). It was so loud that the deep-fried chicken on the table was about to be awaken and dance.
終於他唱足了三小時，我便被迫聽了三小時絕版金曲演唱會，當他終於收咪時，我十分激動，終於可以給耳朵休息。可能你會想為什麼我不離開？因為這個不是路人甲乙丙的婚禮，是叔叔人生大事，作為主家，怎能隨便離開令人覺得沒禮貌呢！
3 Hours Later! Its 3 hours later for him to stop. I was force to listen to him singing the old songs for THREE HOURS. When he stopped, I was so happy to let my ear taking a rest. It is not somebody’s wedding, but my uncle. It is very rude to just run away. So I chose to support till the end.
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