We've spent a couple of days wandering the streets, trying to get to know Macau and where we are in it.  We have made a couple of contacts that we will follow up with - that's the GOOD news!

The actual date for the Mid-Autumn Festival is tomorrow, Oct. 3, but the festivities have been going on for a few days.  The Mid-Autumn festival is sort of like Thanksgiving in the United States.  Families get together to visit and eat a lot!  It is to celebrate the harvest and the full moon.  We've attached a couple of pictures showing the huge pink rabbit in the square close to our home, and some pictures of the dragon dance we watched today near the Ruins of St. Paul.  The party goes on!  We can hear the drums and music very clearly from Tap Seac (the square near our apartment); it will go on until late tonight, and then start again tomorrow evening.

Yesterday was National Day, a celebration of the day 60 years ago when the Chinese people, under the leadership of  the Communist Party of China, declared victory in the War of Liberation against the Nationalist forces of Chiang Kai Shek. The grand ceremony for the founding of People's Republic of China was held in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Mao Zedong, Chairman of the Central People's Government, solemnly declared the founding of P.R.C.  Yesterday the telecasts all day in most of China were showing the huge parade held in Beijing to celebrate the anniversary.

We walked down to the harbor with the rest of the missionaries in our zone for P-Day last night; we all had dinner together and watched the fireworks over the water (and the thousands of people).

The BIG pink rabbit at Tap Seac

We don't know who this is - but he's SCARY

The Fire Dragon Dances near the Ruins of St. Paul.

Dragon Dances and Lion Dances are held during celebrations of many kinds--most notably Chinese New Year, the Lantern Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival.