As Chinese New Year comes to a close this weekend marking 15 days of celebrations, I have to remark that Sydney knows how to celebrate! I think mostly due to the fact that weather isn't as much of a factor as it is back home (Vancouver). I think back on the Vancouver Chinese New Year parade where I can estimate say it's cold and miserable 70% of the time meaning people are marching and watching in layers and layers of clothing and ponchos and the lion dancers and performers brave the cold in their costumes.
Interestingly, an art exhibit that started with the Sydney Festival and is running through Chinese New Year was really interesting. This man, Song Dong, has placed all his family's belongings from China out on display. Every piece from their old home. Two things struck me - plastic bags folded into triangles and little scrap pieces of string tied nicely together to be saved. Both are things I and I know many other of my Asian friends do. I just never really thought of it being ingrained in our culture although I certainly know that saving everything because it could be useful one day, is pervasive in the Chinese culture which leads to clutter. The story of this exhibits explains why they collected "clutter" and I can understand. I find it interesting that as we come out of hard times, we still have these habits.
Chinese New Year in Sydney started off with a festival opening and Chinese Market in Belmore Park on the weekend that consisted of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. It was just a little market with some food stalls, but nothing like what we have home where we have trinkets, As-Seen-On-TV goods, and other knick-nacks and gimmicks for sale. I did miss that, but I figure it probably existed somewhere in the more Chinese suburbs of Sydney. And I missed my one opportunity to get Dragon Beard Candy which for as long as I recall, get every year in Vancouver during Chinese New Year. Also, I was able to hunt down "leen goh" (literally translated as "year cake") and "loh bak goh" (literally translated as radish cake) in Chinatown which made me a very happy camper. However, I really missed Mom's "loh bak goh" as she always gets the taste so spot on and it's loaded with goodies like "lap cheung" (Chinese sausage), "ha mai" (Dried shrimp), and shiitake mushrooms (no translation needed) without too much MSG.
Last weekend (the 2nd weekend) I went with a friend to go see the Chinese New Year parade. The first major difference I pointed out above with the weather. The second is that this one takes place at night and this time, on a Sunday night! Vancouver would never have this! It was fun to see floats all lit up and the route lit up by lights. They also included the Korean community as it's Lunar New Year and both communities celebrate it. You may have guessed already - one of the Korean groups Gangnam Style-ed the whole parade route!
So there it is - Chinese New Year in a different city. I still have yet to spend on in an actual Chinese city or country and I vow to do it one day!
Interestingly, an art exhibit that started with the Sydney Festival and is running through Chinese New Year was really interesting. This man, Song Dong, has placed all his family's belongings from China out on display. Every piece from their old home. Two things struck me - plastic bags folded into triangles and little scrap pieces of string tied nicely together to be saved. Both are things I and I know many other of my Asian friends do. I just never really thought of it being ingrained in our culture although I certainly know that saving everything because it could be useful one day, is pervasive in the Chinese culture which leads to clutter. The story of this exhibits explains why they collected "clutter" and I can understand. I find it interesting that as we come out of hard times, we still have these habits.
Chinese New Year in Sydney started off with a festival opening and Chinese Market in Belmore Park on the weekend that consisted of New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. It was just a little market with some food stalls, but nothing like what we have home where we have trinkets, As-Seen-On-TV goods, and other knick-nacks and gimmicks for sale. I did miss that, but I figure it probably existed somewhere in the more Chinese suburbs of Sydney. And I missed my one opportunity to get Dragon Beard Candy which for as long as I recall, get every year in Vancouver during Chinese New Year. Also, I was able to hunt down "leen goh" (literally translated as "year cake") and "loh bak goh" (literally translated as radish cake) in Chinatown which made me a very happy camper. However, I really missed Mom's "loh bak goh" as she always gets the taste so spot on and it's loaded with goodies like "lap cheung" (Chinese sausage), "ha mai" (Dried shrimp), and shiitake mushrooms (no translation needed) without too much MSG.
Last weekend (the 2nd weekend) I went with a friend to go see the Chinese New Year parade. The first major difference I pointed out above with the weather. The second is that this one takes place at night and this time, on a Sunday night! Vancouver would never have this! It was fun to see floats all lit up and the route lit up by lights. They also included the Korean community as it's Lunar New Year and both communities celebrate it. You may have guessed already - one of the Korean groups Gangnam Style-ed the whole parade route! |
| Town Hall all lit up with projections for the New Year. |
So there it is - Chinese New Year in a different city. I still have yet to spend on in an actual Chinese city or country and I vow to do it one day!
