HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

January 31 and February 1 is the Chinese New Year Eve and New Year Day for 2014.  We are now into the year of the horse.  It is a big holiday here and runs on for about a week similar to our Christmas.  Last night they had a BIG parade with the dragon and lion dancers and many performances.  You had to line up for tickets at 3 am for seats in the grand stand.  Some of our missionary couples were adventuresome and got tickets.  Tonight are the big fireworks displays.  I hope we can see them in Victoria Bay,  from Ricks office.

Decorations in the clubhouse of Bamboo Grove apartments.

These men are preparing for the Lion Dance.  They were doing
a dance for our apartment building CNY activity.

The lion head.  I took these photos from our 10th story window.

CNY tree.  The red ornaments are envelopes with money in them.
That is what they give on new years.

Mandrian orange trees or bushes are a traditional decoration.

Money on the orange tree.  The money goes to the staff and workers.

We celebrated New Years Eve with some great Chinese take out.
The smile is because he is not at work.  It is a very common
sight ... people always have take out bags with food in them around here.

Now we are talking... we have added some French bread to the Chinese food!!

The Ding Ding!  I am finally getting the hang of this
mode of transportation.  You have to watch out for
certain times of days when they are so crowded  you
can't move.

This is part of my work out everyday. I usually go
down long stairways from our house and then up
a steep hill instead of stairs, to get home.