Retired man lives his pink dream in Ho Chi Minh City
Sunday, March 24, 2024, 14:31 GMT+7
A Ho Chi Minh City resident in his late 60s has been given a rosy spotlight after painting his entire house pink and decorating his yard with beautiful pink flower pots made out of plastic bottles.
The man, Phan Van Chanh, 69, lives in Phu Nhuan District.
His reason for painting his house pink is simple: it makes him happy.
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| Phan Van Chanh stands at his pink house in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
The front of his house, nestled next to a railway, is instantly recognizable thanks to the lines of pink flower pots Chanh has made from discarded plastic bottles.
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| Phan Van Chanh takes care of flower pots hung on the rail protection fence in front of his house in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
Inside the house, nearly everything is pink, including tables, chairs, kitchen tools, and lamps.
In fact, Chanh’s love of pink is so well known that he has been nicknamed 'pink man.'
Before retiring, Chanh worked as a clerical assistant in a governmental office.
He now lives mainly on his pension and spends his free time making flower pots or playing sports.
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| Phan Van Chanh works on a discarded plastic bottle in his house, which is home to many pink items. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
After his mother and son passed away years ago, Chanh lived with his granddaughter until she got married.
Now he lives on his own.
“Some say [what I'm doing] doesn't make any sense. Others like it and tell me to make more recycled pots and grow flowers so that they can join in to take care of them with me,” Chanh said.
“I just ignore the criticism and use the praise as my motivation.”
Every morning at 7:30, Chanh sits down and enthusiastically paints plastic bottles until he feels it is time for a rest.
“There are some days I work until night,” he said. “It's so fun!”
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| Phan Van Chanh works on a discarded plastic bottle. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
“I asked for or bought most of the plastic bottles from the scrap dealers. Friends also bring them to me.
“When I get the bottles, I soak them in water to loosen the label, then cut and paint them.”
Chanh revealed that he is working to make a collection of 12 zodiac animals out of plastic bottles.
He hopes to collect more in order to decorate the railway safety fence in front of his house.
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| Phan Van Chanh waters flower pots in front of his pink house in Phu Nhuan District, Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
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| Flower pots made out of discarded plastic bottles by Phan Van Chanh. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News |
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