On the Lunar New Year's Eve, we watched fireworks from our apartment window. Macau was really putting on a show down by the Macau Tower. We looked out the windows on the other side of the living room, and the show from Zhuhai City (Mainland China) was even bigger! We just walked from one side to the other, oohing and aahing at the wonderful views. One of the best things we did was to go down a couple of days later to an area by a reservoir where there are fireworks stands - a couple of blocks worth - selling every kind of rocket, firecracker, fountain, spinner, cherry bomb, sparkler, etc. etc. imaginable. A little way further is an area to set them off - fireworks launchers mounted to the fences and towers for the rounds of firecrackers and all! We watched as tiny kids and old people alike set off fireworks to their hearts' content. Everyone was smiling and having a great time, in spite of imminent danger--some of the kids got so excited that they pointed their Roman candles in every direction, including directly at anyone nearby. Roland got excited about the huge rolls of firecrackers that were draped around a fence about a block long, then ended in a tripod tower. It was one of the loudest things we've ever heard, and the explosion at the top of the tower at the end was HUGE! Smoke a red paper flew everywhere!
On another note, we didn't give laih sih (red envelopes), but we did get one! So, here goes the Year of the Tiger - San Lihn Faai Lohk - Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy New Year! Happiness, Good Fortune!
March 1I didn't get this finished in February...We found out that the end of the New Year celebrations was yesterday - the Lantern Festival, which is held 15 days after the Lunar New Year. Lanterns are put up in all the public places and businesses to "break darkness, illuminate the land, and bring brightness and hope to people." We are all for that.
Everything in Macau is damp, musty, and foggy. Will we ever see the sun again?
We had a Mission outing to "Big Buddha" in Hong Kong on Feb. 18. It was a freezing cold day, but we enjoyed the experience - even the vegetarian lunch at the Po Lin Monastery in the village at the base of the Buddha.
We're going on six months - and still loving it!
Pictures, L to R and Top to Bottom:
The lobby of our apartment building - decorated for the New Year.
Band performance at Senado Square.
New Year's decorations at Senado Square.
Fireworks booths at Nam Van.
Big Buddha - Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Macau at night from the bridge to Taipa
The lobby of our apartment building - decorated for the New Year.
Band performance at Senado Square.
New Year's decorations at Senado Square.
Fireworks booths at Nam Van.
Big Buddha - Ngong Ping, Hong Kong
Macau at night from the bridge to Taipa
