Kuching City At First Day of Chinese New Year (the only day with empty street).

This is KUCHING CITY as you’ve never seen it before; a ghost town empty of people, traffic and life, with  no shops open and deathly quiet streets.It’s a reality for just one day a year, I shows  a series of photos taken on first day of Chinese New Year.I went all round the city on January 31st, taking series shots of the usually bustling city center  without  any activity.

Millions celebrate Chinese New Year, welcoming Year of the Snake.

Chinese New Year is being celebrated around the globe, as Asians focus on family and friends in celebration of spring and new beginnings.Chinese New Year has been celebrated for centuries and is immersed in myths, legends and traditions. It’s a time to honor ancestors and deities.Families gather together for traditional meals, and homes are cleaned to “sweep” away any bad fortune that might have accumulated during the year. The heart and home is made ready for incoming good fortune in the new year.Homes are decorated with all sorts of items usually in red, which is the color for good luck symbolizing good fortune, wealth, happiness and longevity. Firecrackers are lighted to scare away bad fortune, and money is given in red envelopes for good luck.

The New Year Celebrations can only begin after paying respect to the ancestors.

On New Year's Eve, people will go to the temples and pray for good fortune for the new year.

They bring offerings of food and incense to please the spirits of the deceased so that they might bring good luck.

While traditions change from country to country, many families will thoroughly clean their homes on the eve of the New Year to "sweep out" the bad luck and make room for good luck.
However, families do not clean on New Year because that sweeps away the good luck.

 However, people learned that the Nian is scared of the color red. That is why many people will wear red on Chinese New Year, hang red lanterns or scrolls from their home or even paint their window frames the fortuitious color.

 The Year of the Snake is said to bring great opportunities to embark on a new career or studies

To-Day Is Chinese New Year Eve.

Today is the last day of the year according to Chinese lunar calendar. Tomorrow, we would welcome a new year of snake! Let me wish every Chinese an early greeting of Happy Chinese New Year or commonly known as Spring Festival in China. Everyone must have their Chinese New Year mode turned on by now, since the big day of festival is tomorrow itself. It’s Saturday, and so I guess many didn’t work today. Some would have gone back to hometown for reunion with their grandparents and relatives.

Kuching City-Street Free of Vehicle On The First Day Of Chinese New Year.

Following Chinese New Year and long weekend holiday,the street in Kuching City are free of traffic on the first day during Chinese New Year Celebrations.

Picture  #1 &2  is the most important and busiest street in Kuching City can see be seen empty on the first day of the Chinese New Year.

 Most of the shop is still close...

Some of the main street showing an empty and ghostly ....

Showing an empty and ghostly Carpenter Street.

The Beginning.............

It's been a while I've not updated my blog or even go online.But it does not mean I already left photography or blogging.Only time does not permit and even worst as our Internet coverage is getting worst.Anyway, I would like to wish all my readers a very happy Chinese New Year .It's also valentine day to-day.

GONG XI FA CHAI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

This photo was taken this morning.

The shop closed,the road empty and there was no people in sight either.

My World Tuesday-The Lion Dance .

Do visit MyWorld Tuesday for posts from around the world click MYWORLD-TUESDAY

The young man enjoy beating the drum....No problem!!!!I'm sure he will be rewarded with "Ang Pau"(Red packet).

The lion wanted to drink Cola instead of eating barley.

Every time Chinese New Year Day,you will see The Lion Dance troupe perform at shopping mall,restaurant and even vegetable market.

My photos show the lion dance troupe perform at vegetable market.Maybe the lion would like to try local jungle vegetable (Midin & Paku).

MyWorld Tuesday-Chinese New Year Shopping.

You also can visit MyWorld home page to see more picture of other world by click H E R E

This is Sarawak prawn paste crackers locally know as keropok udang Sarawak.If you are in Sarawak and visit your Chinese friends on Chinese New Year.I'm sure most Chinese family will serve this to their guest.Try take this prawn crackers with Achar(piccalili) and I'm sure you enjoy it. The last photo is Achar.

The business look slow here. like I said the Big player always the winner.Just drop by at mega shopping mall or supermarket and don't be suprise if you loook at long "Q" of customers waiting for their turn to pay the bill and what suprise me is that some customers buy only a packet of instant noodle or a kilo of penut also willing to join the long queu.

The red color which mean bringing good in luck and money.

Look at uncle Choy he is smiling inviting you to buy some gift and goodies for the Chinese New Year at his shop.
The Sale is every where,most shopper prefer to go to shopping mall or supermarket for shopping as the price of goods in the big market is very reasonable now a days.

We all know that all mega shopping mall will be the centre of attraction and the favorite shopping places for all ,especially during festival and Sale,sale,sale is every where..shop till you drop.
What about the shop houses at down town area will it be as busy as the shopping mall.

Achar is pickle of chopped vegetable and hot spices.Nice if take with prawn crackers.

RATatouille@Rat year open house.

Happy Rat Year.
Wishing you all a healthy,preperous and happy new year ahead.May this year bring you luck,wealth and happiness.Anyway,yesterday visiting was great but it's not so great when I say senior citizen on the deit.How can anyone resists all the cheese cake,kek lapis,keropok,cookies,satay,BBQ chicken parts etc etc...and etc.All the guest are enjoying free meal and I'm not entitle for red packet(angpow) so go ahead with the free meal.
Guest are bla..bla..bla..talking to each other about this and that and not surprising me I always overheard the word "LAH"among the guest.
"YOU KNOW -LAH" (source from going places)
It's incredible how a tiny one syllable,three-letter word has come to define the language of an entire country,but in the word "lah",Malaysian have just that.By itself,the word doesn't mean anything and it is invariably used only as a suffix,never a prefix.For example,"Don't be like that-lah",or"No need-lah"or"Die-lah,like this".It's a linguistic affectation we all fell a strong affection for.In fact ,so prevalent and Malaysian it is that foreigners have come,heard and failed to conquer he innate subtlety of the usage of the word.But by all mean,go ahead and have a go at using it.
No need to be SHY-LAH.
Happy Holiday.Enjoy-lah......

GoNg Xi Fa CaI.

LET'S CELEBRATE TOGETHER AS MALAYSIANS.

GONG XI FA CAI !!!!! .

Chinese New Year @ Kuching

Auspicious oranges symbolize the sun.
Fruits of Longevity:The citrus fruits is a must in every Chinese household in ushering in the CNY.
Symbolic live plants and flowers represent new growth.

Shoppers looking for CNY goodies @ Padungan Bazaar.
The Shoppers are entertain by the beautiful Sarawak maiden.

Chinese New Year Bazaar @ Padugan the most popular spot for CNY festival .
Padungan Street @ Kuching.

Gearing up for the Chinese New Year.Those celebrating Chinese New Year are rushing about doing their shopping.Kuching is no different from other divisions,as shopping complexes get patronised by customer pushing their trolleys through supermarket alleys.Non celebrant also take advantage of the attractive discount and promotion offered by shops and hypermarket in the city.The CNY buying spree has finally began after a rather sluggish start to the usual shopping frenzy in the lead-up to the celeration.While retailers were looking for the bright starts to the lunar New Year,business picked up later than expected,with smaler crowds at shopping centres than previous years.

Dearer goods are a major damper in fact,commondity prics have started spiralling since early last year due to constant hikes in crude oil prices.Consumers are feeling the pinch and soaring food prices and stagnant wages are not helping things.

My Chinese friends tell me that CNY for them is an annual chore tha is both exhausting and stressful and something that they can gladly do without.

GONG XI FA CAI.