Chinese New Year, is the biggest holiday in China. Despite communism and all the years of suppressing Chinese culture, Chinese New Year is still celebrated in a big way. It's one of the few days of the year when you will actually see people in a temple in China burning incense, and giving offerings. The cities themselves empty out as everyone goes home to visit family. For at least the first two days of the NY almost everything is closed. From the big foreign chain stores, to the tiny mom and pop shops on the corner. You can almost walk down the center of the streets because there is no one out. Not only is it traditional to celebrate with family, it is also traditional to celebrate with fireworks. And while this year was subdued compared with last year, the displays were impressive. (I have video, but I can't post it here) The back yard fireworks displays (or middle of the street firework displays) could rival those of any US city's fourth of July celebrations. And that is just any one display, and there are hundreds. From about 11:30pm-1 or 2 in the morning each firework display is like the grand finale at a 4th of July display. It's a solid wall of explosion like sound. Our poor dog.
One of the other things that people do is go to a temple fair. A temple fair is, well a fair outside a temple. There are vendors selling food, drinks, clothes, trinkets... well almost everything. A picture is worth a thousand words, and while I could describe to you the chaos of a temple fair, I will let you peruse these pictures so that you can get a feel for it.
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