Kaohsiung New Year

I spent all of Chinese New Year 2005 in Kaohsiung Taiwan.
I was surpised how empty the city was for a few days.
Here are some of the pictures that are note worthy.

Before New Year

The day before New Year a solitary stone lion looks over the empty grounds at Chang-Kai-Shek Cultural Centre. Drums are lined up for the big celebration. The platforms on the left are used for the Lion Dance.

Lion Dance

Two people are inside this performing lion from the New Year's celebration. They are very well synchronised and jump / dance to the music. The play they enact is both stimulating and humourous. The most amazing feats are when the lion jumps from one high platform to another. Imagine leaping blind supported only by your partner as you are 12-15 feet above the air. Scary stuff!

Before & During New Year

This photo is of the same location, just before and during New Year in Kaohsiung.

People

This old man was demonstrating a spinning top. His wife was selling gum and saw me take the picture then followed me around trying to have me buy something for taking the picture. I was a bad tourist and refused.

Father and daughter learning stilt walking.

Trash Day!

This truck is disposing of the unwanted furniture. New Year's is a popular time to do "spring cleaning" in Taiwan. It is also how a lot of foreign teachers furnish their apartments. It certainly makes shopping economical!

Just some of the items that go in the New Year's trash collection.

Firecrackers

The smoke rises upwards from firecrackers that are burned during the New Year celebrations. The noise is almost deafening and can be heard for blocks. Once the noise is over someone comes out of the shop in a hurry to clean up all the bits of red paper that have been scattered by the explosions.

Treats

This woman is candy coating cherry tomatoes at the festival. A very yummy, albeit unusual for North Amercia, market treat.

Pony Rides

What celebration is complete without pony rides?
I remember being a little girl and wanting to ride on the ponies that go in the circle. I thought there was more than 4 of them at the time. Maybe it was just that I was small and the horses were BIG.

Christmas 2009

The lights on this water tower read Happy New Year 2009! I think this is going a little overboard on trying to save money as the Chinese New Year was only 1994 this year.