Now available on Youtube for your viewing pleasure…
More details from my Chinese New Year trip to Bali to come!
All posts tagged Chinese New Year
Vietnam [Photos]
Two days ago: Thailand. Yesterday: Cambodia. Today: Vietnam.
Unfortunately, the last leg of our Southeast Asia trip got cut short because of Tet, the Vietnamese version of Chinese New Year. Essentially, everything in the country shuts down during this holiday, including most forms of transportation. Our original plan for Vietnam was to take a train from Ho Chi Minh City northwards, taking stops in Nha Trang and Hoi An until we hit Hanoi. But because of the holiday, we would have been stuck in Nha Trang for over a week. On top of that, train ticket prices for the week after Tet were astronomically high. Having to leave early was upsetting, because I desperately wanted to see Halong Bay.
Anyway, enjoy!
Thailand [Photos]
I’m really really behind on this, but my photos from my trip to Thailand earlier this year have been posted. I was in Bangkok just a month and a half before the violent protests started.
Happy Chinese New Year!
Joint Chinese New Year/Valentine's Day decorations in Hong Kong.
Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, kicked off this Sunday, February 14. Valentine’s Day has taken a backseat as “Year of the Tiger” decorations flood Asia*. Meanwhile, millions of people returned to their hometowns last week to celebrate with their families. It’s China’s biggest holiday.
Officially, the holiday lasts 15 days. But in practice, most workers return to their jobs within a week of the First Day celebrations.
Compared to most Chinese workers, I lucked out with my Spring Festival break — I stopped teaching early last month and won’t start up again until March 1. The extended holiday gave me a chance to visit more of Southeast Asia (which I intend to blog about once I organize the 950-some photos I took during my three-week trip!).
What did I do to celebrate on February 14? I went to Disneyland, of course!
*People are still aware of Valentine’s Day, and advertisers aren’t completely ignorning it. For instance, I saw a commercial in Hong Kong that talked about how this year’s holiday is special because it mixes love and fortune. The ad also mentioned that the next Chinese New Year/Valentine’s Day joint holiday will occur 38 years from now.
Thailand/Cambodia/Vietnam/Laos bound!
Starting tomorrow, I’ll be in this general area …
View Larger Map
… through the end of February for my Chinese New Year break. I won’t be bringing my laptop, but if I happen to find an Internet cafe I’ll try to post photos.
Nowism: “Your holiday break actually starts today”
To quote myself...
Oh, nowism. It’s a dirty little aspect of Chinese culture that will drive expats up the wall.
Today nowism struck again, this time to completely mess around with my Chinese New Year break plans. Continue Reading →
Do they know it’s Christmas?
I went a little crazy with the Christmas decorations in my dorm room. Note the Charlie Brown Christmas tree.
Question: Do people in China know about Christmas?
Short Answer: Yes.
Long Answer: Yes, but China has a funny way of dealing with the holiday season …
About
Bridget O'Donnell, 24, is a designer for the Shanghai Daily. She previously worked for the China Daily and graduated from the University of Michigan in 2009. More »