Chinese New Year pt 1

The journey back to hometown was smooth, I was a little bit adventurous that day and took the later exit from the highway thinking the additional ride on highway would make up to the additional distance took but I was wrong. Still I was the first who arrive my hometown.

The New Year eve started off with family photo sessions before the traditional reunion dinner. This year we went back to the old fashion reunion dinner, steam boat or hot pot. The Chinese steam boat consist of a simmering pot of stock at the center of the dining table while an array of raw and marinated ingredients is dump into it before consuming. This year's steam boat are mainly seafood and we all having it until 10.30pm

Steam Boat

This year's new year eve was not as explosive as last year. There were only sporadic burst here and there, not very exciting for photo shooting but we all sleep better without the noises. Nothing new on the New Year�s morning, we visit our grandma after breakfast and I can�t remember when we did not do this in the morning of Chinese New Year day.

Chinese New Year fireworks

The next day is actually my father's birthday according to the lunar calendar. We had made plan to have lunch in Segamat, 30 minutes away from my hometown. We had another tradisional meal called "Yu Shang" before leaving for Segamat. Yu Shang is usually having it during reunion dinner but the incredients for the steam boat the new year eve was too much for us to have Yu Shang. Yu Shang consist of variety (usually 8 as the number symbolises wealth) of marinated/processed fruits and vegetables all in a small pieces, and in most cases raw fish is added in. Then using the chopstick, all the members mix and toss the mixture as high as possible. The higher the toss the more wealth you will receive in the year ahead.

Yu Shang

Tossing of Yu Shang

We all bit farewell after the lunch in Segamat. This is probably the shortest Chinese New Year celebration in my family history. Usually we would stay at my hometown until the 3rd or 4th day of New Year. I bet it was a very lonely journey back to hometown after lunch for my parent and my sister who live with them. The journey back to KL was smooth with minor jam near Seremban. It was unusual to see the traffic was much worse on the opposite lane as normally people will go back to the city instead of comming out after the Chinese New Year

Traffic on the other side

Later I will be on another journey to the north visiting my wife's parent. I will be staying in Taiping for 4 days. I hope the trip in Taiping will be a more relax one which I assume it will be as we had passed the hussle and bussle of Chinese New Year day.

Last modified: 2008-09-07 02:21:29
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