Countdown to Chinese New Year: 12 days

12 days to Chinese New Year and I have barely done anything! In the past years, by this time I would be all excited, shopping goodies for myself, shop goodies for my family, shop goodies for friends, buy decorations, attempt to make paper lanterns, plan flower arrangements, do major springcleaning including replace curtains with brand new ones, wipe every shelf in my cupboards, etc.

This year like super bochap. Not quite myself. CNY seems far away. My mind is still on how to clear the beer and alcohol from my last party, seems like I still have a lot edible stuff in the apartment lei. I remember throwing away tins of cookies and mochi which I was unable (to get my guests) to finish after last CNY. So really, why repeat the wastefulness again this year.

This CNY, instead of trying to do everything, I think I will just focus on a few things : buy only mandarin oranges, have a loi hei with friends, play mahjong, play xbox, pay mahjong again, oh - and collect ang baos, of course (..yah not shy; the older you are, the more thick skin). The rest will be bonus.

I did good to visit Chinatown. Hope these photos rub some mood onto to you..

I call this the waxed duck stall (click on photo to zoom in).

The strings of chinese sausages, Lap Cheong, are hanging on the left and right

The yellow round stuff in the middle are actually ducks cut open, flattened, waxed and preserved. I don't know waxed with what. This is popular with the Cantonese I believe but I don't remember ever tasting it. My family is not Cantonese so not in our custom to eat this and the other exotic type of preserved meat. I am only familiar with the Lap Cheong.

Here a glimpse of the crowd mingling in the streets with the most colourful shop houses in Chinatown as backdrop.



More photos later.