NaomiBerry: Chinese new year 2013

Since the last post, I have moved countries three times. Life has been crazy hectic these few days! Lots of experiences were learnt. Yes, definitely. I'm currently is Seoul, Korea! With a lot of lessons already learnt! But that's for another post on another glorious day. Right now I've still got a back log of Penangian posts. And right now, I on the Chinese new year (CNY) thang. I've been so caught up with these few days that I've forgotten most things I wanted to say about CNY!

Anyhoot-toots. This was my first time in five years celebrating CNY! I specially planned my trip to malaysia during CNY period. Not because of the angpows, red packet things. I've never really cared about angpows (For non-chinese people. Red packets are money filled packets that married couples give younger children). I never lived in Malaysia, where I celebrated CNY. (I'm getting sick of typing CNY). And because I never lived in Malaysia I always had to divide my angpows by two (for Singapore dollar) and five (for Pounds). So it became nothing. NOT SAYING I DON'T APPRECIATE ANGPOWS. What I love about this time of year, is everyone coming together. The only time where family dramas don't exist, everyone's happy and looking amazing in their new clothes. There's just this certain element in the air we breath in that makes it that much more special. I love this time of year.

Because it was my first time in five years, I felt everything was just so special! I really had such a good time!!!!

Me and Amanda waiting for twelve midnight to start screaming. This was our failed countdown. My phone was fast. And the fireworks indicating CNY was late.

Before fireworks

After. Another thing I loved about CNY is the opportunity to play with our own personal fireworks and fire crackers!

Day 1

Uncle Chong probably saying something wise or funny.

Ah Cheen and Amanda. Beauts.

Chloe is ADORABLES. I cant stand it. I keep going to her grandmother's house (my aunt) during the day to 'help look after her'. Inverted commas because I'm not capable of looking after her when she cries. The shock that such a beautiful creature can cry is too immense.

Day 2

My failed photo with my Gangnam-style-obsessed-cousins.

Steamboat reunion dins! Another thing I love! Everybody coming together to get food ready! The only time male AND female are in a kitchen at the same time!

Uncle did the classic 'If you do this, you will win something!' to get my cousins to water the plants for him.

Apparently he's also spider-man-obsessed.

Day 5 (also valentine's day)

I went to my aunty's open house. And her son, my cousin is part of the lion dance squad. So he got his team together and performed!

I am still freaked by these things. Everytime I'm in front of one, I just freeze and stare. Its because when I was a tiny kid, I got onto a lift with two lions, and my mum was slow and couldn't catch the lift. So I had to ride 11 floors down with two monsters just continuously throwing peeled mandarin oranges out their mouths, staring into my soul and blinking. And I was cowered into the corner bawling my eyes out.

Cai shen dao!!!!

ARRRH. Ohmagarsh!

I'm not too scared of dragon perfomances. They just look lanky and like they don't know what to with the rest of his body.

(I seriously thought the dancers were tangled in the dragons and they all fell down.

We didn't want the night to end so quickly. So we took a trip down to Gurney drive to enjoy the lovely valentine breezes. We enjoyed it despite being loveless.

Day 7

Me and my aunt went to a Heritage culture festival thing. We ate char kuay kak(sp?), after which I swiftly kept my camera away. Cos SO many people have DSLRs. SO many. My gosh. It wasn't hippest enough to use. Ha.

I also watched my cousin, Amanda perform in a play. She was brilliant!

Day something

The 40-something (or more) tortoise that lives in my grandfathers house. Its hobbies are ankle biting, and having stickers stuck on its shell.

This is him/her using all its might to bite my toes.

Me and Iris decided to head down to straits quay! Its a REALLY white/western part of Penang. With pubs and more pubs.

Ang moh or what?

We headed for korean food!

Ha. Cute.

I jokingly requested for a picture with Baek Ji Young in the background. And she retardedly took me seriously. And I retardedly look like a excited fan.

Kimchi Jjigae

Japchae

The amount of food we ordered was a bit crazy... to say the least.

Well done us.

Makkeolli adventures with this girl!

Day something else

Woke up at 6.30 and couldn't go back to sleep. So I decided to go to the roof top of the hotel. And wow, I was so amazed by God's creature and so soaked in His love. It was refreshing, I ended up doing it for the next few days.

Sunrise.

Second-breakfast.

Last day

Bo bo char char in the making! Its traditional to have bobocharchar on the last day of CNY. And woah, it is a brilliant tradition!

Pray pray time for the relatives.

My aunt came down to my hotel to deliver bobocharchar to me. I was so touched!

Me and my cousins made our way down to Straits Quay (again). There's another not-so-brilliant tradition where on the last day, single girls will go to the sea to throw Mandarin Oranges. And whichever boy fishes it out (with his net) will become your boyfriend. SOMEthing like that. I'm not too in touch with chinese traditions.