by Anura Guruge
on February 19, 2024
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The 80 or so pictures I took in Boston Chinatown yesterday made into a YouTube video (with dubbed music). That is it. Nothing more, nothing less. SMILE. Enjoy. It is quite good — even IF I say so myself. SMILE.
A YouTube montage of Dragon Parade pictures from 2023.
Chinese New Year 2024
celebrations are basically DONE after the 2nd Sunday.
Happy
Year of the Dragon.
by Anura Guruge
on February 10, 2024
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A YouTube montage of Dragon Parade pictures from 2023.
Happy Chinese New Year 2024.
Year of the Dragon.
Thus, even more important that ever to go celebrate with the Dragons in Boston Chinatown.
I have been visiting Boston Chinatown for the New Year dragon parade celebrations since the late 1980s — bar COVID & two years (over that period) due to monster snowstorms.
Went last year and had a blast. See video above.
But, what people don’t realize is that the Dragon Parades are on the 2nd Sunday of the 10-14 day New Year celebrations.
2nd Sunday.
So, it will NOT be tomorrow, though they will, of course, be celebrating the New Year. Just NOT all the dragons. That will be NEXT Sunday. Got that.
The two Chinese New Year 2024 Badges I earned on Garmin the last 2 days.
by Anura Guruge
on January 29, 2023
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Click pictures to ENLARGE.
A YouTube montage of another 60+ pictures taken today.
Glad we went. Didn’t go the last 2 years, i.e., 2022 & 2021, because of COVID. But, we did go in 2020 just before COVID really kicked in. That was lucky.
Today, in Boston, was BEAUTIFUL. Warm, close to 50F & no snow. We have been there for Chinese New Year after blizzards. So, this was NICE.
But, it was the quietest Chinese New Year I have seen in Boston Chinatown in decades — & I started going, yearly, in the 1990s.
It was NOT BUSY. Other than the crowds around the parades & dragon dancers the streets were empty.
Many of the big restaurants, including our favorite ‘China Pearl‘, were closed.
We went in our favorite shop (& bought a few things). It was noticeable that their stock was LOW & that they had to spread it out — thinly — to make sure the shelves were not empty.
Since we haven’t been in 2 years I can’t comment. But, it appears that COVID hit them hard — especially the restaurants.
The bakeries, however, were doing a roaring trade — but I think they always do.
The other thing that was NOTICEABLE. A HUGE police presence. Hhmmm. It was like they were expecting trouble. None that we saw. Very peaceful & friendly.
Glad we went. No, alas, we didn’t do Dim Sum.
by Anura Guruge
on January 22, 2023
The Chinese New Year, every year, is a two-week affair always taking in 2 Sundays.
In ‘Boston Chinatown’, by custom, all the FUN, EXCITING festivities including all the dragon dancing & fire crackers are on the 2nd Sunday.
This year that will be January 29. This, of course, is the BEST day to visit Chinatown for Dim Sum & the celebrations. OK?
Just wanted to make sure you knew. Lot of people don’t get this date right, i.e., always the 2nd Sunday.
by Anura Guruge
on January 21, 2023
The Chinese New Year is one of the THREE (3) New Years I celebrate each year. The other two being the January 1 New Year &, of course, my Sinhalese New Year on April 14 (or sometimes 13).
The Chinese New Year falls on the 2nd Full Moon after the Winter Solstice. Hence, today — February 1.
It feels early, but it really isn’t. It can be even earlier.
This hopefully, but I highly doubt it, might be the FIRST ‘COVID-FREE’ (or maybe ‘nearly-free’) Chinese New Year in 3 years.
In 2020, COVID was just raising its head. We still managed to go to Boston Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year. We just talked about the possibility of going THIS YEAR. Wow.
But, Happy New Year.
You can never have enough New Years in a Year.
by Anura Guruge
on February 1, 2022
The Chinese New Year is one of the THREE (3) New Years I celebrate each year. The other two being the January 1 New Year &, of course, my Sinhalese New Year on April 14 (or sometimes 13).
The Chinese New Year falls on the 2nd Full Moon after the Winter Solstice. Hence, today — February 1.
It feels early, but it really isn’t. It can be even earlier.
What gets me is that this is the THIRD Chinese New Year where COVID has been an issue.
In 2020, COVID was just raising its head. We still managed to go to Boston Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year.
Did NOT last year. The first time in nearly 20 years.
Won’t be going this year, either. I am bummed.
But, Happy New Year.
You can never have enough New Years in a Year.