The 22nd is Chinese New Year’s Eve this year. Because Chinese New Year is governed by the lunar calendar, the date can be different every year for those of us who use the solar calendar – which is everyone. Even in China the solar calendar is used for school and business, but some of my in-laws only keep track of thier own birthdays via the lunar calendar.
This year is the year of the dragon. 12 years ago on the last year of the dragon – about this time I had just finished backpacking through southern China, and had washed up on the shore of Hong Kong. I’d actually ran out of money slightly before running out of vacation time (It was a 6 week trip) and went to a bank to get a cash advance on my credit card. My AT&T universal card wouldn’t let me do that – because … well credit cards are meant to be used in western countries (at least at the time). 
The sweet, but savvy and not to be messed with, Amah running the least expensive room in Chung King Mansions* suggested I buy 50 US$ worth of groceries with the credit card and sell the items on the street as a hawker. Much of it was beer – which I sold at a loss, for one reason or another. I then gave half the cash to her for the room. She didn’t take Credit cards either. Took a long time, but it was worth it for the story, which I oddly haven’t had an opportunity to tell anyone for 12 years.
The top and bottom pictures are from Dali, in Yun Nan, which I’ve blogged about before. A wild and raucous place – which could only happen due to the ethic tribes, the long history, the protection of the mountains, and the immense distance from the capital. The middle 2 pictures are from Hong Kong proper.
There is another story from this trip – in Dali (mountain town in YuNan) involving PROC military, a stick of dynamite, and 3-4 young toughs up to no good that I inadvertently contributed to – and to which I have previously alluded – but that deserves it’s own story.
The KC Chinese American Association will be putting on a show of some sort here at JCCC. See details here. It cost 10 $ or so and looks like you have to sit in a theater seat for a long time. I have a small child – and don’t think it would be fun for him, but it might be fun for college students.
*(the rabbit warren of cheap flop houses on the Golden Mile (AKA Nathan road) -about 25 USD – Holiday Inn down the street ran nearly 300 USD / night)
