Spring has arrived to Rizhao Botanical Garden!

 

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!!!

  

My first proper snow in China :)

A miracle happened yesterday - it was snowing in Rizhao!!!

My first proper snow in China in 3,5 years!!! 

Grabbed camera and went to enjoy the white powder falling from the polluted Chinese sky :)

Observations:

Traffic was chaotic...but then it always is ;)

Snowmen were appearing like mushrooms after the rain :)

Taxi driver helped herself to 30% "tip" due to "extreme weather conditions" :)))

Stroll around the market

Almost a winter fairytale ;)

English corner

Funny lollipop faces after "hard work" during English corner!

Learning a Birdie dance

What is your name? How old are you? etc ;)

My Uni has opened a new English training centre, so English corner is a way to attract new students from the neighbourhood. We attracted all-right!

I am sailing...I am sailing....NOT!

On Sunday the lucky few had rented a nice sailing boat "ISKRA" and spent many many hours sailing, swimming, sunbathing, waving to Chinese tourists & BBQing!

 

These photos were taken by me....which means I was not one of those lucky few this time (gotta love weekend job..) 

But after work I made it to the beach & mall just in time for the photo welcome ;)

And then I was "TOP GEAR challenged: who is faster - sailing boat or me?

Crazy race run, a quick & wild motorboat taxi ride later... 

...here I was waiting for the sailing boat to dock ;)

Great fun :)

Rizhao butterflies :)

    Butterfly masks made by our artist Jenny :)

Rizhao pearls just wanna have fun (& feel like butterflies ;)

TV SHOW

On Saturday I participated in Shandong TV game-show recording in Rizhao Bamboo park.

I had agreed to come & kick some balls ;) 

(had no idea about details...as usual :)

Turned out it`s quite a popular local TV show where people come & kick football trying to knock the numbers down. If they do - prize!!! ;) And of course they also show off their talents & the host tries to make everyone laugh! 

And as it happens to be European Football Championship time ...why not to invite a European (?!)...even if this European hasn`t watched a single game this year & can`t even kick properly ;))

We had agreed with the host that initially I`d be speaking Latvian & pretending I can`t speak Chinese...while he`ll assure everyone he speaks fluent Latvian & "translate" whatever I say.

(So while I was counting from 1 to 15 in Latvian....he was basically telling everyone how I`m crazy about this show & can`t live a day without it...etc..). Ha ha ha :) 

Then we "discovered" I can speak Chinese & after a couple more questions it was time TO KICK ;)

After a couple of missed kicks the host volunteered to teach me how to kick & invented some "Chinese Football tradition" - if the host scores.. I have to hug the host...:)  

Respecting "Chinese Football tradition" :)))

After that I missed a couple more times & he scored again :))

And then I got a mobile phone..`cause the number the host had scored was lucky for getting it!

Let me just add that the previous contestant had ACTUALLY SCORED himself & his prize was 5 (or 10) kg of WASHING POWDER :))))

Damn...it`s not bad to be a foreigner in China :)))