KHH for CNY 2014: Part 2

The rest of the time in Kaohsiung for the Chibese New Year Holiday was quite relaxing...  Especially with the Boys working and away in Military duties...  Still, we sure made the most of our time..... 

Mornings were spent on loooong walks with Liya and the doggies...  

Afternoons having coffee...  And evenings just relaxing...   

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Visited some FAVE haunts, Dream Mall - of course!!!

Thursday the 30th was extra fun as Both Todd and Johnny starts their CNY holidays..  So we get 2 days with them... Running around..  Helping prepare for the Chinese New Year's Eve....  Then the celebration itself...

Welcoming Johnny Wu Home with our versions of the Military Salute...  LOL!!!

Paper Offerings!

WHAT A FEAST!!!  Am still full just by looking at the photos!!!

Our last day, the 31st, was spent going to a couple of Temples...  Hanging out at the park with the whole Wu Clan...  And in the evening, going to Love River to see some Lanterns already on display...  And a boat ride around the river....

Gangs All Here!!!

 

BOAT CRUISE around Love River

KHH for CNY!!!

Been here since Saturday already for a week ling stay for Chinese New Year...  Back in Taipei on the 31st....  Though it will be in the midst of Chinese New Year, scheduling conflicts dictates we Head back to Taipei on the 31st...  So we make the most of our tine here now...

Quite different now, with Todd already working and coming home very late each day...  And Johnny is in the military now and can only spend this coming Thurs n Friday with us...  So we are basically left with Juju, who came down with us...  Grandma n Grandpa...  Plus Liya n the Doggies...  But we did get to see Todd and his GF, Wan Tung , for a couple of days as it was the weekend...

Even got to have all our hair trimmed!!!

Weather's been great - much, much better than Taipei...   So we have been doing a lot of walking here n there...  Got to even run a few laps at the school Sunday night... 

  And of course, eating... But that goes without saying...  LOL!

Friday!

The day before the night before Chinese New Year.... All of Kaohsiung is abuzz with folks buying their last minute necessities to make way for the welcoming of the Chinese New Year... Am sure it is pretty much the same the world over, anywhere there is a large Chinese Community anyway...

Still battling a cold but been able to take part on a few of these running about and even got to snap a few photos... Which made the day go by faster - especially since the boys (Todd n Johnny) are both busy at work and do not have time to hang out with us yet.

Visited a couple of markets...Picked up a few things... New Running Shoes even - best time to buy Anything as all Department Stores have Chinese New Year Sale...

Ready to RUN into the Chinese Ne Year with my Brand New Spanking Running Shoes!!!

Tomorrow, the night before Chinese New Year, the real madness begins!!!

Tang Yuan

Today marks the official end to the 15 day, Chinese New Year celebration... and as a tradition, Chinese all over the world marks the day by having a bowl, or two, of Tang Yuan. It is a bowl of sweet broth with ball dumplings made of glutinous rice flour, which can be filled with sesame, peanuts, or just plain.

Had my bowl tonite... YUMMY & FILLING!!!

CLICK HERE for an easy to follow recipe in making Tang Yuan.

Happy Chinese New Year, 2011!!!

Here's hoping the Year of the Rabbit will be a Lucky, Fun-Filled, Peaceful,

& Prosperous To One and All!!!

For Some Select Chinese NY Bunny Shots - Click Here!

"Superstar Showcase"

Last Jan 10th, had the BEST of LUCK, in being invited to see a Pre - Chinese New Year taping of a Variety /Concert Special at the Taipei Arena.... 4 hours of NON-Stop fun, Star Gazing, with so one after another POP star from Taiwan (old time faves: Will Pan, A-Lin, Elva Hsiao, Stanley, Show, etc... and new faves, Da Swei Ba, LOLLIPOP... and Taiwan's Hunkiest POP Star of the moment, Kenji Wu - who did the obligatory ripping of the top - with rain on stage during his performance - much too much, to everyone's delight...) , China (Shaolin Monks - LOVE THEM!!!), Hong Kong (long time FAVEs since way back in San Francisco - Daniel Chan & Gigi Leong) , USA (David Tao), Singapore (JJ) , Malaysia (Fish), Japan (new sensation Thelma Aoyama), & Korea (Boys Bands: CIRCUS & SHINEE, girl group: AFTERSCHOOL), England (up and coming Ballet Performer (Matthew Po)...

The show was fast paced... it did not feel like a long time at all.... the show's hosts, Harlem Yu and Swallow are such veteran variety hosts - they surely made everything fun and go by fast.... It did not matter that we were sitting quite far up.... we were still able to see well enough and enjoy all the production numbers and performances - thank God for 2 Big Screens broadcasting them on both sides of the stage..... it was just a (Hao High!)HIGH EXPERIENCE for me being there and seeing everyone perform LIVE.....

The show will be broadcast come Chinese New Year - first week of February... I cannot wait to see it again!!! Special Thanks to Peilin & Paula for a FUN NIGHT!!!

Newspaper Article Clipping of the Show!

Thanks for the Ticket, Peilin!!!

Thanks for the photos, Paula.... Nice Meeting You!!!
COMPLETE PHOTOS HERE

Last Days of Chinese NY!

Last couple of days of Chinese NY was spent just roaming around Kaohsiung.... got to visit my most fave Kaohsiung mall, DREAM MALL... watch a few festival shows... Visit Jason at his work place and got to eat their TASTY food for the 2nd time.... and had a BLAST watching Liya & Xiao Pang do the Trampoline Jump.... probably the HIGHLIGHT of the Chinese New Year for us...

It was TRULY wonderful and entertaining to see XIAO PANG, full of enthusiasm and energy - harnessed on, going up and down, and trying his BEST to do the revolutions mid air... though he was not successful, you could tell that he had a blast - and for that matter, so did we all, just from watching his childhood enthusiasm....

Complete Photos Here

always the dancing fool...

More Chinese NY Happenings:

The 2nd Day of the New Year, Xiao Pang even came to Kaohsiung with his parents for a couple of days of fun.... right away he took a liking to the dogs, Lala & Ah Bao - so it was NON STOP FUN seeing him play with them... running around after them was tiring but indeed, fun....

Later on, after lunch, we all walked over the Cultural Center - a 15 minute walk - as they always have loads of fun stuff going on for the Chinese New Year... and just in time, as Taiwan's Aboriginal Dance Troupe had an hour show happening.... dances from the different aboriginal tribes of Taiwan was represented, plus a take on NOBODY & SORRY, SORRY (Korean POP songs)... and lo and behold, they had a DANCE CONTEST part where they took people from the audience to participate... Of course, the entire Wu Clan practically pushed me up the stage - hahahahahaha - and I suddenly I found myself up there, being interviewed & following the dance steps to one of Taiwan's "Tai Ke" dances, as it was instructed right on the spot... Never too shy to dance my ass off, I just went for it and danced away.... at the end of the 5 minute (seems like forever) routine - the audiences had to VOTE who did the BEST... I was rooting for the little boy next to me - but oh well, I WAS THE ONE!!!
you can just IMAGINE how red my face was at this point... and then after a few more Q&A, I was giver my HONG BAO (red envelope) Prize... in it was a bunch of COUPONS to be used at the Fair... I almost handed it over to the boy next to me but then I remembered XIAO PANG was with us - so instead I gave it all to him, HAPPILY!!!

Later on, they troupe did another roundup of people in the audience to dance a typical aboriginal "get-together" dance... and of course, I was the FIRST RECRUIT again!!! Oh well.... this time around I made sure I was not the only victim, I dragged Jason to join in on the fun... it was a FUN TIME had by all - and now and again, I really do not mind making a fool of myself for my friends & family's entertainment...

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Chinese NY II - Temple Hopping

The first day of the New Year according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar was spent mostly visiting various temples all around Kaohsiung - Wu mama and Wu Papa's most favourite past times.. hoping and praying for Good Fortunes and Great Health...

Of Course it was not all about PRAYING, we also got to spent some time just wandering about Kaohsiung's sites... a walk by the LOVE RIVER HARBOUR is especially beautiful at nite, with all the revelers, music blasting, and so much lights adorning and lighting up the area....

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Happy Chinese New Year 2010

Just wanted to wish you all a HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR in your parts of the world... according to some friends who knows a thing or two about Chinese Horoscopes, this new year is supposed to be a better one for all - economically and all... here's hoping the Year of the Tiger will be a BLESSED one for us all... full of Love, Great Health & Good Fortune...

In Kaohsiung now, spending the New Year with The Wus - a yearly TRADITION when am in Taiwan... of course the first day is spent hanging out with the family, meeting the new doggie (AH-BAO - who is now able to walk!); playing with Lala, doing the Chinese NY ritual of offering food to the Gods, praying, and EATING, EATING, EATING!!!

After dinner, the nite was spent on Wu Papa's PRIDE & JOY - the roof top - playing Chinese Checkers, watching the variety shows, and EATING some more!!! We try to last the nite through, till at least 12AM to properly welcome the New Year according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar.
MORE PHOTOS HERE

Almost Paradise... NOT!!!

One of the outings over the Chinese Holidays was at the Bade Forest Paradise, where Todd's GF is working during the Chinese NY Holiday Break... about an hour's drive from the City of Kaohsiung... we were sooo looking forward to a day of fun filled with exciting rides and beautiful sceneries, etc....
well, it was not much of a Paradise -- it was old, a bit falling apart... the rides are truly strictly for kids -- and I mean 5 years old and below... LOLs!!!

In my opinion, it was neither a forest, nor was it a Paradise -- but the entertainment was fun and hot.. loved the family from Thailand where everyone had their own special talent.... very entertaining, especially the kids -- and really cute, too!!! there there's the dancers -- 3 men and about 5 women -- and they did about half an hour's worth of multi ethnic dances -- change costumes in between as well... they were quite a talented and entertaining bunch... To view more photos - pls Click on the Links Below.
Bade Forest Paradise
The Entertainers