Chinese New Year, Expat style

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Chinese New Year

This is entry is going to be very simple…Chinese New Year in Northern China is about getting together with family, making dumplings (jiao zi), watching TV, and shooting off mass quantities of fireworks. I honestly thought there would be parades and celebrating in the streets.
I think there was something in Beijing, but I am not sure.

We went to a local pub that advertised free pizza. I can tell you that when it comes to fireworks, the US has amateur status. Everyone has the opportunity to buy some serious fireworks. While they are not necessarily the professional kind, they do put on quite a display. The pub where we went, must have had about US$1000 worth of fireworks.

They set them off on the sidewalk with cars parked nearby, cars driving by, people going by on foot and bike. It was not the safest environment but it was spectacular. Walking down the street, we had to be careful and watch out for fireworks to unexpectedly go off.

We had to leave the next day for Beijing, so we started for home. It was treacherous. Everywhere direction we walked, we had to dodge fireworks, including the parking lot of our apartment complex. When we woke up the next morning, it looked like a war zone. There was fireworks trash everywhere. By the noon, most of it had been cleaned up.

We went to Beijing to catch a flight to Austin. We decided to go up a day early in order to see some Chinese New Year celebrations. Would you believe we could not find anything. I saw on the internet at www.chinadaily.org, that Beijing was having celebrations all around the city. That must have been just for June 18th. From our hotel, we took the subway down to Tian’anmen Square and Forbidden City. We thought surely that would be a place to see some c lassic celebrations. We found nothing except guards around the square and some people milling about in front of the Forbidden City. There was not a soul on Tian’anmen.
I read later in a book, that during major festivals and events, Tian’anmen is normally closed to the public to discourage protests. I did not surprise me really, but I still thought it was strange. There were more police around than I remember seeing the last time I was there.

We took a few pictures and decided to go back to the hotel. We had to catch an early flight out.
This catches me up to February and into the month that we were visiting everyone.

In a couple of weeks, I’ll add our more recent trips to the Phillipines and my next adventure. You will have to wait to see what that is.

So for now, I am off to the far reaches of the earth.

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Photos

Papercuts
Papercuts are real art. Many artists cut these without a templet. Chinese hang these in windows and the Chinese character means Good Fortune is coming.

School celebration
My Chinese language class went to the TEDA International School for their New Year's celebration. Each class put on a show for the parents. It was really fun.

Decorations
Decorations are a big deal for the Chinese people. It is fun to get into it. We have a big red knot tassle and our papercut hanging on our apartment door.

My shopping buddies
June, Shanthi and Cathy are among my favorite shopping buddies.

Debbie buys a flying pig
You have heard the term "When pigs fly.." Well, we found one. It is the year of the pig you know.

Fireworks
It is obvious that fireworks would be part of a Chinese celebration. They are for sale everywhere. It makes US fireworks stands look like child's play.

Fireworks at the apartment
Proximity to buildings is not a concern for shooting fireworks. Just be careful walking down the street.

KFC
Even US companies get into the New Year spirit.

Tian'anmen Square
We thought that Beijing would have a lot of celebrations during the week. As you can see The Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square were quiet. It was beautiful to see it at night.