Saturday, February 24, 2007

# Piggy Year!

It's piggy year! It's my year! I have survived through the second cycle of Chinese almanac! Yay!

There is a lot of confusion and debate on whether 2007 is a "Fire Pig" year or a "Golden Pig" year. Many confused "Red Pig" with "Golden Pig" as well. Checking with I-Ching shows this year is indeed a "Fire Pig" year, yet many mainstream media keep promoting the "Golden Pig", and even major banks went all out with their golden-pig-savings-account, blah blah... After all, "Golden" pig sure sounds better than some "fire" piggy. Now let's see what these people say when the real "Golden" pig comes...

Even before CNY arrives, sweet Sharon made us some wonderful cookies, like Almond Rosettes, Almond Melting Moments, CNY Peanut Cookies, and White Choclate Chip Cookies... She is so good in baking, her peanut cookies are one of the best I have had! I can't help remembering another time when she made us extra-chocolatey brownies which made me go crazy for days!

As CNY was creeping near, everyone was busy doing food shopping, card shopping, gift shopping, etc etc. I felt the pain when buying the expensive chinese new year card in Chinatown, oh how I miss the beautiful yet cheap cards in Malaysia!

The various shops in Chinatown really went all out to get business during Chinese New Year. As usual, the "Prosperous" symbolical items are up for grabs. Besides the normal crystal trees, "Fuk Lok Shao", miniature Shaolin monks etc, there was also a lot of "GOLDEN" pigs in ALL shops. Suddenly piggy banks are collectible items...

Some street hawkers set up their stalls along the streets too, posing competition to the shop sellers. There was a myriad of CNY decoration items, and the "Redness" all around could really blind people sometimes.

More redness overload...

The dragon decided to join the celebration too...

For me, it is always nice to have a walk in Chinatown London during the festive season. You get to see the lantern display, the bustling of crowd, some friendly westerners wishing us Happy New Year... I particularly like to have a stroll during the night, where all the lights displays were switched on.

And there are these same old three huge tanglungs which are always hung on the three gates at the three entrances to the main street of Chinatown.

I stopped to give a pat to the stone lions guarding the street too, it's new year after all.

There are also some other things which were must-do's during CNY.
Like buying egg tarts from Kowloon...

And having a good meal of Dim Sum with a bunch of good friends!

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!
HAPPY PIG YEAR TO ME!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

YD:

嘿, 虽然今天已是人日. 俗语有说, 有心不怕迟, 十月也是拜念时.
再此, 祝您金猪快乐! 恭喜发财, 学业进步及人日生日快乐.

There are these same old three huge tanglungs which are always hung on the three gates at the three entrances to the main street of Chinatown.
哈哈哈…我看你的新年Bolg Post, 的确每年也是同样的红灯笼高挂在门楼上.

其实红色喻意吉祥, 又怎会overload? 最低限度给予海外的华人有一种过节日的气氛,而你也会每年到那儿感受一下啦.!!

你有没有去那儿的唐人街之庙宇祈福的呢?? (Ha…ha..ha…)

Jih Ying 致颖 said...

You love dim sum in Jade Garden?

Used to be our favourite during undergrad times.

But my last visit few months ago was disappointing...

HappySurfer said...

These are nice pictures, YD. Very festive. Thanks for sharing. Chinatown here is packed during the CNY but is a good visit just to soak in the CNY spirit.

Best wishes for a wonderful year of the Pig.