Gong Xi Fa Cai! - Happy Chinese New Year

So it's time for Chinese New Year! It seems to be the biggest holiday of the year for the locals; most the city shuts down and it's a time of massive celebration! 2007 is the year of the Pig. From what I gather, it's a time to start fresh. The Chinese will pay debts, buy oranges for good luck, and clean house. There is a family dinner, and the married give red envelopes of money for good luck to the unmarried. I read yesterday that the Chinese only consider you an adult if you are married (I'm sure that is an old school of thought that has carried over into this tradition); and the gift is more about the color of the envelope - since 'red' is lucky - and not the money inside.

Rob and I tried to absorb some local culture by going to Chinatown the eve of New Year. Most expats here go on vacation during this time but we dropped the ball on that one and waited too late to get a ticket to go any where. By the time we checked, most things were filled up or too expensive. Think of trying to get a plane ticket to go somewhere for Christmas when it's Dec. 22nd. We underestimated how much of a holiday this is!

Chinatown was hoppin' though - Mom J, I know now why you enjoyed it so much! It's streets and streets of vendors and the place is very 'alive'.

We learned of our "luck" in this Lunar New Year....Rob is the year of the HORSE (1978) who are supposed to experience good fortune this year. The Horse is also the year of those born in 1954, 1966 & 1990. I am the year of the SHEEP (1979) where basically nothing is supposed to work out as there are 'unlucky constellations' for the Sheep this year. Oh well...it's Chinese astrology so believe what you will.

The 2nd day of the New Year, we went to a music festival called Good Vibrations. It was mostly DJ's and people we had never heard of from Australia, US and the UK. Jurassic 5 was there as well the Beastie Boys. We only knew their really old stuff, so sadly, out of a 9-hour festival, that means one song! We are not very hip but it was a fun anyway!