A man from southern Vietnam has dedicated over 15 years to making models out of bamboo toothpicks, mostly replicas of Ho Chi Minh City’s iconic structures.

Ho Ngoc Quoc Si, an artisan in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province, often spends six to eight hours a day using bamboo toothpicks to craft such models of structures, while running a restaurant simultaneously.

Among the southern metropolis' landmarks are the century-old Ho Chi Minh City edifice, Reunification Palace, and Nha Rong (Dragon) Wharf.

His family had previously lived and worked in Ho Chi Minh City, Si explained.

Before making a miniaturized landmark, the craftsman always learns about its history and structural features to determine its scale ratio accurately.

Initially, he made some models of bamboo toothpicks for fun, but then he expanded his passion to crafting replicas of Ho Chi Minh City’s landmarks such as the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee headquarters, Reunification Palace, Nha Rong Wharf, and Ben Thanh Market.

Among his artworks of bamboo toothpicks are the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One-Pillar Pagoda, Tam Quan (Three-Entrance) Gate -- a historical structure in Dong Thap -- and even the iconic Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

“My replica of the Ho Chi Minh City edifice with a 1:30 scale ratio was crafted from more than one million bamboo toothpicks, and was finished after over 13 months,” Si recounted.

Meanwhile, each of the other models took him from six to nine months for completion.

Toothpick selection and attachment processes cost him over 50 percent of the whole crafting time.

“I am in the process of making a replica of the Statue of Liberty,” he revealed.

His 12 replicas made of bamboo toothpicks are on display at Mo Hinh (Model) Coffee Shop in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province, about 150 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City.

Tran Van Dien, who resides in Cao Lanh, said that he often visits the coffee shop to enjoy a cup of coffee and admire the unique miniatures of famous landmarks.

Dien appreciated Si’s creativeness and dedication to the art of using bamboo toothpicks to make various impressive miniaturized structures.

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