Night in Chinatown

When I was young, I used to participate in the Night in Chinatown with the Chinese Physical Culture Association. The night was filled with beating drums leading the Lions all over Chinatown to bless the stores for the coming New Year. Ahh the loud noise and smell of firecrackers, brings back memories.

Chinese New Year, Narcissus Festival

Welcome to the Year of the Rat. If you were born in 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, you should celebrate "your" year. The Year of the Rat begins a new 12 year cycle in the Chinese Zodiac. In case you didn't know, when Buddha was dying, he summonded the animals to come, but only 12 came. He honored each arriving animal with a "year". The rat was the first to arrive, the boar the last. The prospect for those born in the Year of the Rat are to prepare for life and career changes, as Rats are true opportunists that will grab any opportunities. Planning well will earn great success, but don't be too greedy.

Okay, enough of this here are some pictures of the Narcissus Festival and Night in Chinatown.

The Au In Kwai Family Association annual Narcissus plant sale. This beloved flower symbolizes the beginning of the New Year. Smells great too!
The ones in the front of the photo are upright grown, and the others in the far back are "carved" into the famed "Crab Claw" narcissus plants.

This a single narcissus flower up close. I love the smell, it'll fill a room in no time.

Here is a crab claw narcissus. And it's a double flowered one. Most narcissus are single flowered, the doubles are pretty rare. Unlike last year, there were very few double narcissus this year.

Brandon and his friend in front of the specially carved narcissus for the Narcissus Queen and Court.

The 2008 Narcissus Queen and Court, recieving their plants.