Happy Chinese New Year 2011!

Prologue: Milestone GET! 360th post on the auspicious first day of lunar calendar! Let's pray that good thing keep on rolling then!

Time flies indeed, the year of Tiger had finally closed its curtain and another year rises! It's the very first day of the lunar calendar, ladies and gentlemen and this year is the year of Rabbit in the zodiac calendar! (Shoutout to all my rabbity pals and peers out there yo!). On this very auspicious occasion, I would like to wish everyone of you...

HAPPY, PROSPEROUS, EXCITING, PRODUCTIVE -insert more bombastic adjective!- CHINESE NEW YEAR!

May the light of prosperity and happiness shines on you like how my camera's flash glares from my angpow 红包!

This year's Chinese New Year celebration is going to be very wet (for Kuching at least. How about your place?) with torrential downpours through the day and intermittent drizzle and the very least, remember to always bring your umbrella and keep yourself warm and dry! Even if it's raining, CNY spirit lives when we're lively!

Now, anyone got visiting plan? Who wants to come to my house?

To continue with this entry, let's rewind our clock back about a day earlier to...

-Chinese New Year Eve 2 February 2011 Wednesday-

Ahh, Chinese New Year's Eve.  The time when all family members near and far came back and together under one roof, spending time together, catching up whatever latest they may have left while EAT YOUR HEART OUT ON THE SCRUMPTIOUS REUNION DINNER. I dare say, no other family did home cook reunion dinner dishes better than my family!

10 course meal from the crafty hand of my master chef dad! Because reunion dinner in my family is definitely an elaborate, memorable piece, each of it dishes deserves it's own photograph!

Sweet and sour pork rib!

Mix vegetables.

Spring onion!

Steamed fish!

Sea cucumber soup!

Braised duck!

Scallops and mushroom!

Deep fried Prawn!

五香肉!

And the ultimate highlight, Emperor's Herbal Chicken.

My parent (mostly my mom) drag me and my elder brother (the two that not around at Kuching most of the time) to the temple to pay respect to the deities before another year comes.

Main hall. Went through the usual mantra chanting and "repent song" to show my gratitude and repentance for whatever I had done or received for the previous year and pray for a better year ahead. After everything is done, we were given incense stick and goes around the altar of different deities to give them our offering (the incense stick) and praying for basically everything. Health, work, fortune, luck and such!

Revolving lantern-chandelier! So shiny!

Dragon is my year! It says that this year will be a fantastic year regardless of those working or studying! Let's hope that the prediction for the dragon zodiac year is right and my luck will keep on rolling for the rest of the year. I need everything that it takes to make me enjoy a better year!

As the clock struck 12 midnite, the roaring explosions of firework can be heard from all corners rendering the night into a colourful splendour of pyrotechnic symphony! The firework didn't last too long like usual though because not too long after that, it started raining. VERY HEAVILY. Save the fireworks for other night, peeps!

My parent bought this statue of a horse adorned with all the golds and fortune as an decoration hoping it will bring good karma to our family regardless of health, luck or fortune. Shiny isn't it!

Fast forward to morning earlier today...

Woke up by the noise of firework and lion dance troupe around my neighbourhood. Chinese New Year is indeed on! Another family tradition: Chinese Tea, sticky rice cake (年糕) and mandarin orange as an appetiser to kickstart a more prosperous year. That's not the only highlight of the day of course because the best is yet to come...

My dad's signature Chicken Curry! Ahh the thick scent of curry spices! It was cooked later after reunion dinner hence it was not featured in there. Nonetheless, this is indeed one of my dad's signature dish and this will be serve to any coming visitors too!

The curry goes so well with blanched beehoon or rice noodle! Scrumptious breakfast and food that will last for days! Oh I love Chinese New Year!

That's pretty much for now I guess. Expect more updates whenever kodak moments comes! What about your first day of Chinese New Year everyone!

Epilogue: I am done with my research proposal right before Chinese New Year came! A rushed job, but done nonetheless. Celebration with peace of mind but now I can only hope that there isn't much loophole and mistakes in there. I am still very nervous about polysystem theory and research methodology! Will have to let my supervisor to take a look soon... *fingers crossed*