HAPPY SNAKE YEAR!!!

First let me wish you a happy SNAKE YEAR :)

This was my first Chinese New Year in China (in 3,5 years!)

Other years during this crazy "firecracker war time" we were having exotic tropical escapes to Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. This year we opted to stay in the "war zone" ;)

Chinese NEW YEAR essentials:

1) red posters with good luck characters 

2) "war arsenal" = all kinds of explosives ...anything from annoying noise makers to somewhat reasonable fireworks 

3) New Year dinner 

(followed by watching 8PM National New Year show with the family members)

So this was a cosy company dinner for those who stayed in Rizhao. 

Shortly before 8PM all the Chinese left to make it home for the TV show :) (even though there was a TV placed specifically for the show viewing purpose)

Our little foreign community stayed a while longer checking out the prosperity of the TV show ;) and then continued to our own party!

And this was how we left the table when we had finished our meal! 

(Many more dishes had already been taken away..)

4) Blowing up your arsenal :)

The morning after 

But even after the New Year is celebrated "the war" goes on ...starting around 6:30 every morning for the duration of the whole Spring festival (Chinese New Year holiday) for about 2 weeks...so forget about sleeping in ;)

It all luckily ends with Lantern festival that we just celebrated this past Sunday!

Lantern festival in Rizhao is quite a feast and this year the main celebration was held in Sun Park!

Some days before the Lantern festival

All kinds of colourful floats are being put together for this major festivity!

Inspired by Avatar?;) 

And wondering off the main tracks we bumped into float workshop! 

LANTERN FESTIVAL

1 hour long fireworks!!!

Masses of people!!!

Countless floats!!!