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.
