Celebrating the New Year in Tianjin

The cultural streets were traditionally decorated with red lanterns, and I felt like I was in ancient China. I turned to my friend and said, "If we all changed into traditional style clothes, we'd feel like we're in ancient times." Ah, China is so cool!
Enjoy some Beijing Opera in Tianjin during the New Year festivities!
He's got rhythm! This guy is awesome!
YES! I was so excited that my friends in Tianjin treated me to some stinky tofu there! We also added some grey stinky sauce as a topper, raunchily delightful!

Historic Hysteria

Hey! That’s my job! What are you doing wearing that funny outfit anyway?
(My friends and I saw this “ancient” guard and modern officer in Tianjin and thought it was pretty ironic.)

Load ‘em up!

On Lunar New Year’s Eve, the streets are almost empty, and most buses basically seem abandoned. This is because most people are in their homes with family and friends eating, watching tv, and closing out the past year. My bus was actually pretty full for the holiday, as I saw others pass by with not even a single passenger aboard.
However, come the few days following New Year ’s Eve, and the busses are all packed again with people out and about, going to temple fairs, and enjoying the festive mood.

Marvelously Stinky Tofu

Ah, how the glorious aroma of stinky tofu rises among the crowds! Fermented to a stench, fried to perfection, loaded with hot sauce, and sold at an affordable price, this traditional snack of the Chinese is sure to either make you plug your nose in disgust or rush for the counter for a mouth watering adventure!

My first introduction to the infamous appetizer was in Taiwan in the summer of 2002, where the scent of the snack wafts through the air tempting and taunting unwary passerby. It wasn’t until my second visit to the beautiful island in 2003 that I asked a Chinese friend if he would take me to try some. Although the stench was offensively attacking my nostrils, I loaded a bite with spicy white cabbage and clamped down on my first chopsticks-full. Surprisingly, it was like love at first bite, and I’ve been craving the stuff ever since.

In 2005, I was here in Beijing for several months studying Chinese, and when some friends took me out to dinner one night, they ordered some of the odorous bean curd. It certainly wasn’t as good as the tasty entrée in Taiwan, but it was enough to hold me over for the year. While I was in Taiwan this last summer, I regret not having a chance to devour some of my favorite snack there, but I knew I would have a chance in the future.

Then yesterday, unexpectedly, while I was at a Chinese New Year celebration at one of Beijing’s many parks, my senses were overwhelmed with the discovery of stinky tofu shops around the fair. The first stand I saw selling it caught my interest, but the way they made it didn’t quite satisfy my picky tastes. They didn’t put the right spicy sauce on as a topper, and I wasn’t going to set up my taste buds for disappointment. Then, I had almost forgotten about my desired little snack when I ran upon another shop on the other side of the fair. It was like a dream come true! Stinky tofu made just the way I like it! I eagerly ordered a bowl, and quickly began to devour each and every bite! Mmmmmm! Ah, stinky tofu… What would China be without it?

Pig Party

This would be more fun if everyone wasn't staring at these silly rabbit ears! Besides, it's the year of the pig!
Where does this tunnel end? Is this gonna be psychedelic like in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?Roast lamb anyone?
Don't drop it!

Pig Processional

Gnaw on a sugar cane or drink from a coconut!
Traditional architecture and decorations made for a festive mood
Toys made from melted sugar blown into cute animal shapes are a fun way of remembering the past
Food, food, food! Chinese New Year is incomplete without a LOT of scrumptious snacks!

Porky Parade

People were crowding to get into the park for the fair

Everyone was excited to be there and put on their best clothes for the occasion!

There were lots of games to choose from in the recreation center

Anyone for a snack on a stick? Scorpion, seahorse, lizard, larva... Gentile cuisine galore!

Piggly Wiggly

The Year of the Pig is finally upon us! The Chinese family name “Zhu” is quite common, and since this name rhymes with the word for pig, many parents will plan to have their babies this year.
Yesterday, on the third day of the New Year, I went to a park here in Beijing to one of the temple fairs (the one I went to wasn’t held in a temple and it had little to nothing to do with religion, go figure). It is a time of lots of food, all kinds of shopping, and different games for all ages. It reminded me of a mix between a state fair, the fourth of July, and Christmas. It was really interesting to see all of the different traditional snacks available, and I was glad to get to taste some too.
The festive mood brought out all the wild characters this year! (Actually, this guy was one of many selling crazy hats and masks. What better way to sell them than to wear them yourself and catch the attention of your customers!)
People were relaxing and playing games like Ping Pong, Chinese Chess, and other traditional games.

Shaggy

So, I had this dilemma… If I cut my hair, I would be really cold (since it is still freezing cold winter brrrr!). But, I looked like a wilderness man. I decided to grow out my beard to see what it would look like and to keep warmer. I didn’t know if I really could grow a whole beard. Well, now I know… It was fun, maybe next winter I’ll grow it out again.
Anyway, today I went and got a hair cut (for about US$2), and I shaved off most of my beard. I feel like a new man, but now I’m cold.