REAL TIME: It is Chinese New Year's Day today. And New Year's Eve is something I wish every person could experience once. Our building shook most of the night from fireworks. None of these would be legal to buy anywhere in the USA. They are packed full of gunpowder and are SO loud. Not to mention that for the 'blessing' of the New Year you have to light them at midnight and it sounds like gunfire and bombs non-stop for an hour. It was actually noisy all day and picked up at night. Don't worry, we took part in the action with our own. Our kiddos love this holiday, I was ready to be done with it a week ago (as soon as kids are out of school the fireworks start slow and steady).
December 27, 2016
On Herschel's 5th day the kids went back to Chinese School and David, Gabrielle, and I took Herschel to the Minority Market.
Here is dried Ginseng:
Yes, we made a purchase. Herschel had to know what it feels like to buy the fireworks that a smalltown, USA would buy for their fourth of July fireworks display. Picture that display times every household and more, all going off at the same time. That is our Chinese New Year.
We also went to our town's big wet market which has even a greater display of craziness and delicacies...Toads, for instance.
Then we went to pick the kids up from school and off to our favorite noodle shop.
These folks are Burmese and we have been eating their noodles, and egg pancakes (with sweet condensed milk on top) for 12 years now. Herschel HAD to eat these.
Gabrielle gets savvy with her chopsticks.
We chilled in the afternoon, and watched another Star Wars.
David arranged for Herschel to participate in a truly local event (mostly male): water buffalo fighting. This is pretty hilarious actually and the gentle beasts have to be prodded a bit to engage. The first one to run away loses (obviously), they rarely ever get hurt. A lot of gambling goes on, of course.
They were cooking a whole pig nearby:
On his way to competition
Another gambling game:
a panorama:
Tuesday nights are our weekly Chinese dumplings night. This, too we felt Herschel could not miss. Delicious (and no pics) and a big part of our lives. We have been going weekly to this place since our short term team came here (before David and I were even married) in 2002. The boss treats us one meal every Christmas and always calls to tell us if he will be closed.
We decided this would be a good night for the fireworks display.
We invited the S fam to participate.
Some of the littles were a tad scared:
They even moved inside for the really loud ones: (Gabrielle is evidently un-phased and a ham)
And even later that night, J and David took Herschel out for 'shaokao' grilled meat and veg.
Here they each told their story...and bonded like men should, over a grill and God's providence.
The days have been jam-packed but fun, and Herschel's time is winding down with us, we will be sad to see him go!
