It's been ages since I've blogged. It's the second year I'm spending Chinese New Year away from home, but this year has been one of the best experiences of my life, with fireworks and firecrackers blowing up outside right outside my window. Coming from a country where fireworks is banned and only allowed on the National Day Parade, the first day of lunar new year was a real treat for me. I was asking the vendors how much of fireworks is sold a year, but they are unable to reveal figures. It's an estimated trillion RMB spent each year on fireworks alone. Every wealthy family buys at least 1000€ worth of fireworks to set them off over the 15 day period to chase away the bad spirits and ring in the new year.

This year, the year of the ox promises new things. Monday, the first day of the lunar new year also coincided with the birthday of 汨罗佛，the laughing buddha. That represents an auspicious start to the new year, although it remains to be seen with the trying times and unpredictable economy.

This year, my Chinese friends invited me to their place to make dumplings. Afterwhich we sat down to 4 hours of the mandatory New Year's eve variety show before watching the sky light up in possibly the world's largest and most uncoordinated fireworks display, right outside our window.









Chinese New Year in Beijing from Juliana Loh on Vimeo.

I'm making an effort to update more regularly on my life in Beijing, if you'd like, check my other blog.