As well as being Valentines Day yesterday, it was Chinese New Year - so I went along with Amelia to see what was happening in China Town and to get a bit of lunch. When we got there, it didn't seem to bad on the outskirts of China Town, so we mooched in a couple of shops looking at the mixtures of tat and traditional bits and pieces.
As we walked on a bit we could hear some crashing and bashing or cymbals and some drumming, so we walked towards the noise... it was the dragon dancing shop blessing ceremony thing. I remember seeing the same thing in London one year when we went, and the dragon would go up to each shop and get a cabbage that was hanging up outside the shop. This was pretty similar, except there weren't any cabbages, and everything just sounded a lot louder (and more annoying, it seemed that the old men with the cymbals were battling to see who could be the loudest for longest - not as fun as the clapping game!).
Lots of people were firing off firecrackers and confetti cannons in the streets - the confetti looked beautiful as it floated around in the wind. Some of the cannons had small red parachutes in them with a little scroll attached, as soon as people saw these shooting out of the tubes with all the other glittery ticker tape there was a chorus of 'Ooooooh' and then a mad rush to try and catch the parachute. People had collected empty tubes and joined them together to make long parachute grabbing sticks. I tried my luck at grabbing a parachute (I had an advantage as even without a stick I was taller than everyone else), but unfortunately the wind wasn't blowing in my favour.
The ground was covered in a confetti carpet - it looked lovely but I'd hate to be part of the big clean up operation today!
Lots of children were running around with cans of silly string and throwing little firecrackers at the ground - I was keeping a close eye on my coat, it wouldn't have been a very happy new year for the child who got bright blue string on me - luckily I escaped unscathed.
As the afternoon went on the crowds grew bigger and bigger and it was pretty hard to get anywhere, so we went to go and get some lunch. We'd been told that the Golden Bridge Restaurant was supposed to be good for Dim Sum, but when we walked in the doors we realised that every Chinese family in New York must have been thinking the same thing...
This the scene that met us at the top of the stairs! It was absolute chaos! I just thought 'bugger this' and walked out again. After walking in and out of what felt like 20 restaurants, all of them rammed and with an hour long waiting list - we finally managed to get a seat somewhere (albeit at a table with another man munching away on chicken feet!).
It wasn't really the best food in the world, I didn't really enjoy it - but I also don't think it was the best restaurant to go to for fine Chinese food. It was an experience though (the best bit were the spring rolls) and it was nice and cheap ($12 each for a LOT of rice, noodles and dumplings).
Just as we were getting ready to go we heard the cymbals and drums again, banging and crashing away outside. Then, all of a sudden the restaurant had a couple of brightly coloured visitors...
In all three dragons visited the restaurant, apparently there are different companies that do the dragon dancing, all competing with each other, some are visibly better than others (bigger drums and prettier dragons), but I think the restaurants and shops give them all some money to bless their business for the following year. I think it sounds like a nice little money earner, I think I might get a tambourine and a dragon hat for next year - make some extra pocket money.
As we left the restaurant, we heard some different drumming, then we saw a little marching band coming round the corner - it was a Chinese American marching band, who preceded to play 'It's a Small Small World' on their tin whistles!
It was bizarre... but then again very fitting as the whole afternoon had seemed a little bizarre.
After it all I was in need of a pint in a quiet pub.
As we walked on a bit we could hear some crashing and bashing or cymbals and some drumming, so we walked towards the noise... it was the dragon dancing shop blessing ceremony thing. I remember seeing the same thing in London one year when we went, and the dragon would go up to each shop and get a cabbage that was hanging up outside the shop. This was pretty similar, except there weren't any cabbages, and everything just sounded a lot louder (and more annoying, it seemed that the old men with the cymbals were battling to see who could be the loudest for longest - not as fun as the clapping game!).Lots of people were firing off firecrackers and confetti cannons in the streets - the confetti looked beautiful as it floated around in the wind. Some of the cannons had small red parachutes in them with a little scroll attached, as soon as people saw these shooting out of the tubes with all the other glittery ticker tape there was a chorus of 'Ooooooh' and then a mad rush to try and catch the parachute. People had collected empty tubes and joined them together to make long parachute grabbing sticks. I tried my luck at grabbing a parachute (I had an advantage as even without a stick I was taller than everyone else), but unfortunately the wind wasn't blowing in my favour.
The ground was covered in a confetti carpet - it looked lovely but I'd hate to be part of the big clean up operation today!Lots of children were running around with cans of silly string and throwing little firecrackers at the ground - I was keeping a close eye on my coat, it wouldn't have been a very happy new year for the child who got bright blue string on me - luckily I escaped unscathed.
As the afternoon went on the crowds grew bigger and bigger and it was pretty hard to get anywhere, so we went to go and get some lunch. We'd been told that the Golden Bridge Restaurant was supposed to be good for Dim Sum, but when we walked in the doors we realised that every Chinese family in New York must have been thinking the same thing...
This the scene that met us at the top of the stairs! It was absolute chaos! I just thought 'bugger this' and walked out again. After walking in and out of what felt like 20 restaurants, all of them rammed and with an hour long waiting list - we finally managed to get a seat somewhere (albeit at a table with another man munching away on chicken feet!).It wasn't really the best food in the world, I didn't really enjoy it - but I also don't think it was the best restaurant to go to for fine Chinese food. It was an experience though (the best bit were the spring rolls) and it was nice and cheap ($12 each for a LOT of rice, noodles and dumplings).
Just as we were getting ready to go we heard the cymbals and drums again, banging and crashing away outside. Then, all of a sudden the restaurant had a couple of brightly coloured visitors...
In all three dragons visited the restaurant, apparently there are different companies that do the dragon dancing, all competing with each other, some are visibly better than others (bigger drums and prettier dragons), but I think the restaurants and shops give them all some money to bless their business for the following year. I think it sounds like a nice little money earner, I think I might get a tambourine and a dragon hat for next year - make some extra pocket money.As we left the restaurant, we heard some different drumming, then we saw a little marching band coming round the corner - it was a Chinese American marching band, who preceded to play 'It's a Small Small World' on their tin whistles!
It was bizarre... but then again very fitting as the whole afternoon had seemed a little bizarre.After it all I was in need of a pint in a quiet pub.
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