Finally arrived at the hostel, we were pretty exhausted, very hungry, and disoriented. So we dropped off our backpacks and went in search of food! Right in front of the hostel, there are various Asian restaurants and food stalls. Great! And then... we stood in front of the shops and felt completely overwhelmed. Everything looks different. The air smells different. Different culture. The streets and buildings are different. And so many food options. I have no idea what each one really is. Why can't I just be at home right now? Everything is familiar there. Here, everything is so different...
Eventually, we chose a restaurant and selected our dishes. It tastes good.
Afterwards, we went to bed and took a nap for 3 hours.
Aaaand thaaaat's it *drumroll* today, January 21st, is Chinese New Year!!! - at this point, thanks to my former colleague Tracy, who brought it to my attention!
Chinese New Year is different every year - but always at the end of January to February. The new year will be celebrated for two weeks and is traditionally a family festival. People try to take a two-week vacation if possible and go home to their families. Karli heard that as a result, big cities should noticeably be emptier.
So we took the train into the city, got our first impressions of the center. And then to the Chinatown. It's bustling today. A large decorated temple with monks inside. Many people. Beautiful illuminated figures. A grandstand with a small show (singers, masked performers, etc.). In previous years, there was a fireworks display at the bay - not this year. It's also not typical Chinese. The important thing here is that it's loud, not colorful! Accordingly, there will be a huge central fireworks display at midnight.
Happy Chinese New Year!
The year of the rabbit has begun.
📷 Photos are in this Photoalbum
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