Kung Hei Fat Choi!

Or Happy New Year of the Auspicious Golden Pig! (that is not a direct translation...) Sorry for the lack of posting (again) but now we're back at school I *magically* can find time to write something (pictures will follow shortly as I can't upload them at school....ahem). Anyway, here are some of my favourite Chinese New Year facts:

1. People are encouraged to eat lots of sweets and chocolate over the holiday to bring a 'sweet' year (if only we could think of such an excuse for stuffing ourselves at Christmas...)

2. Red is lucky in a forms (red symbolises fire, which drives away bad luck) but if you're gambling it is especially lucky to wear red knickers, thus Wan Chai market is full of tasty little numbers in red...

3. The year of the golden pig if lucky for having babies but not for marriage so just before CNY there was a big increases in marriages so couples can have their babies this year (the year of the golden pig is different from the year of the pig and only happens once every 60 years).

If you feel the need to learn more about Chinese New Year...well, google it or something.

Anyway, the holiday itself is pretty quiet and a lot of places shut for at least three days as people spend the holiday with family (Needless to say, New Year's Eve is not celebrated like it is at home!) Also, lots of locals travel to the mainland to see family, and many (rich) gweilos go on holiday so it is generally quiet. In all honesty, the weather was rubbish and we spent most of the holiday sleeping, eating, drinking, and generally hanging out - I kind of feel that I should feel bad about this but it was so good that I don't! We did see the New Year fireworks display and the very cool but crowded New Year parade (photos will follow). We also took a day trip to see some pink dolphins, here is a picture stolen from a website (I didn't take any because the blighters move rather quickly, funnily enough)

So, now its back to school and back to rehearsing 'Romeo and Juliet' for another performance at the end of March (with a different cast.) Adam gets here tomorrow for 10 days, then my Mum and Pete get here the day after he leaves. I guess Ben will be putting in an appearance at some point too...

R x