Week Three - Cultural

This week has been one of the most unforgettable of my life! I had the opportunity to become totally immersed in the Chinese Culture as the people of Hong Kong celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year. It is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays and during the week I was able to join with a Chinese family in eating some traditional Chinese New Year cuisine, watch the New Year street parade and enjoy the memorable fireworks at Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong Island.

Mike, Kerry and my buddy Fiona!

Enjoying some traditional Chinese cuisine!

Traditional Chinese Radish cake

 My friends from university, Fiona and Wing invited me to visit Fiona's house on Wednesday where her father cooked us some traditional radish cake and Niangao, a sweet Chinese New Year cake. Fiona's house is on the 36th floor of an apartment block and is quite small. Land is Hong Kong is so expensive and so people generally live in highrise apartments to keep the cost of living down. It was great to experience a truly Chinese home during the Chinese New Year celebrations and I am really grateful to Fiona and Wing for being so friendly and helping me to settle in here in Hong Kong. Fiona and Wing then took me to the flower markets in Causeway Bay which are like a street market run during the week of the celebrations. Traditional Chinese clothing, jewellery and other accessories were being sold, but you could barely move around as there were so many people!

Niangao cake

I watched the famous street parade on Thursday evening with some friends from church, Anastasia and Jamie. They have lived here for a while now and so they were able to find a good spot in Tsim Sha Tsui to watch as the giant floats and street performers passed by. There were performers representing many different countries of the world and it was great to be part of the crowd witnessing one of the most famous street festivals in the world. Perhaps the most anticipated activity of the week was the fireworks on Friday evening which were nothing short of fascinating. Hong Kong really does know how to put on a show! I think I may send some of my pictures and videos to the Council in Portrush to see if they can produce something similar at Ramore Head this year! After waiting for over two hours in Tsim Sha Tsui, Michael, Rachel, Ines and I had a perfect view of the spectacle which lit up the sky. It was certainly worth waiting for!

Chinese performers at street parade

Fireworks with Hong Kong skyline in background

On Saturday there was a trip planned for the international students to visit Lamma Island which sits below Hong Kong Island. We took a short boat trip to the tranquil island, famous for its breathtaking views and for the largest traditional fishing farm in Hong Kong. Buildings higher than three storeys are prohibited in Lamma Island so it provides a welcome alternative to the hectic life of Hong Kong Island. There are also many small seafood restaurants and bars which offer tourists with the opportunity to try some fresh seafood from the South China sea.

My friends here in Hong Kong have really helped me feel part of the New Year celebrations. I have learnt so much over the last week about the cultural importance of this festival and what exactly it means for the people here. It is a time which allows families and friends to come together and to ready themselves for the year which lies ahead, through offering good wishes to one another.



Until next time, Kung Hei Fat Choi! (Happy New Year!)
Allen

Lamma Island