Chinese New Year signifies a whole range of concepts and practices for the local population and centres around family celebrations, special foods and ceremonies, especially some that take place on designated days throughout a two week period. There are extensions either end, but most of the action takes place over 4 days, beginning with New Year's Eve which occurs in a couple of days. For us, the nation-wide celebrations have little effect, except that we get a week off school, there is a surge in activity on the streets and shops, then a complete shut-down for a few days as families travel and visit one another.
We're currently in the pre-phase, meaning that despite the persistent chill in the air, there is a sense of bustle and hurry around the streets. Unfortunately, Cass has been smote by a throat ache and general associated malaise and lethargy, necessitating a few trips to the doctor to arm herself with various pills and potions. These are doing a reasonable job in controlling her symptoms, but we've laid low over the weekend and today to give her every possible chance at a good recovery.
On the way to the doctor's this morning we were swaying and dipping along Chung Shan Nth. Road on the scooter, laden with blue city bags full of garbage and various, voluminous packs of recycling goods. After I dropped Cass at the doctor's, I went back for a further load, weaving my way through the taxis and buses, great plastic balloons full of tin cans and flat plastics whipping behind me as I motored my way up the local garbage depot. Once there, I deposited said goods in their appropriate hessian bags then went back across to wait for Cassy to emerge from the doctor's surgery.
During my stint waiting outside the Ear, Nose and Throat clinic (see streetscape above...), I bid greetings to all sorts of folk in the hub round the school. Kids from the high school nodded hello, fresh and sweating from basketball games, and various colleagues asked what I was doing waiting there, probably menacingly lurking in the shadows as they strolled by! Parents and kids passed by and said "hi", while lots of traffic went in and out of the clinic itself as well as to the nearby restaurants and shops. There is definitely a sense of expectation in the air as people clean up their garbage, get supplies in, and tidy up their places in anticipation of the arrival of family.
We scootered down to the big Carrefour store after this to pick up a few essential supplies and were shocked to find every single scooter park in the vicinity, both legal and illegal, filled to overflowing! People were actively seeking those last minute supplies! I boldly parked straight out front on the red line and sent Cass in to grab the supplies while I sat astride Blackie, challenging any parking cop to try and move me on. While she was in the store, it gave me further time to observe the general population in preparation for the next few big days as well as the shut-down of stores; singles, couples and families came out with boxes and bags precariously balanced in and on trolleys and cradled in arms as they made their way home walking, or to their various transport options.
Cass has made a huge batch of lemon butter as is our tradition in recent years over this holiday break. This combined with great slabs of white toast, piping hot with butter and a strong filtered coffee make a decadent and delicious start to each day. We're sleeping in and taking our time over pretty much anything we like.....reading the paper online, reading magazines and novels, watching TV series and more. We're breaking our time routines and doing what we feel like, within the constraints of Cassy's illness....it's a decadent treat for teachers who observe time protocols like Pavlov's dogs during regular weeks of timetabled school teaching.
Despite the imminent shut-down of the city, we're hopeful we'll be able to get out and about a bit more as the week unfolds. Photos: The "Moop" has been spotted in various parks locally in his preferred damp and cold conditions of late. We're doing poetry at work: it's fun as Cassy's and my preferred genre. The clinic streetscape from where I was lurking, the girls in a tiny patch of brief sunshine, and a bustling, red-lanterned festooned Carrefour.