First stop - Bugis Junction.
The Peony flower balls are beautiful, although they aren't the real peony flowers. I wish I can take one home and used it as chandelier at my house's balcony... :)
Next stop was Paragon Mall at the Orchard Road. Its theme is the "Lantern"
The arrangement of these lanterns makes people feel as if they are in ascending mode, yet suspending in ether.
Chinese New Year (CNY) is also called Spring Festival 春节 and we can not take out flowers from the CNY equation.
Beautiful, healthy blossoms.
How I wish I can bath in this sea of flowers (I don't mean literally) ;)
Trip to Singapore around CNY time is incomplete without visiting the Chinatown.
The Chinese auspicious wishing idiom (牛转乾坤) being chosen for this year is most appropriate.牛 means "cow", and has the same pronunciation as 扭. So, 牛(扭)转乾坤 means "bring about a radical change in the situation or reverse the course of events in the year of Ox". So appropriate for 2009, as this year economy is going to be shadowed with gloomy sentiment.
This is indeed a year of Ox, we see them everywhere.
I accidentally captured a happy face of a lady. She was definitely happy to have 2 bouquets of plum and peach blossoms for her home. To the Chinese, the plum and peach blossoms for CNY celebration is like Christmas tree for Christmas.
Like before, Chinatown is jam-packed with shoppers and tourists during Chinese New Year time
The icon of Chinatown - 珍珠坊 buildling
"Must have" red and gold decors for CNY celebration
Red color = 红, an auspicious lucky color that bring good luck. So, 鸿运当头, which 鸿 (means abundant, grand) has the same pronunciation as 红. In total, the phrase means "Lots of good luck, right to your doorstep"
Gold color 金 symbolises 富贵, i.e. fortune and wealth.
This is indeed a year of Ox, we see them everywhere.
I accidentally captured a happy face of a lady. She was definitely happy to have 2 bouquets of plum and peach blossoms for her home. To the Chinese, the plum and peach blossoms for CNY celebration is like Christmas tree for Christmas.
Like before, Chinatown is jam-packed with shoppers and tourists during Chinese New Year time
The icon of Chinatown - 珍珠坊 buildling
"Must have" red and gold decors for CNY celebration
Red color = 红, an auspicious lucky color that bring good luck. So, 鸿运当头, which 鸿 (means abundant, grand) has the same pronunciation as 红. In total, the phrase means "Lots of good luck, right to your doorstep"
Gold color 金 symbolises 富贵, i.e. fortune and wealth.Fish is 鱼, which has same pronunciation as 余, which means "having surpluses"
So, a "golden fish" means having surpluses of gold, i.e. having good fortune and wealth.
Chinese language is so beautiful.
Yummy CNY cookies for sale. Anyone care to get me a few boxes as gift? Ha ha!
Nuts and seeds - goes very well with beer and liquor drinking with friends and family during CNY celebration
Children's favorite - fruit and fruit flavored jelly.
Free food sampling for Taiwan's Muachi, so to convince the shoppers to buy at least 1 box home.
Other than the plum 梅花 and peach blossoms 桃花, ornamental bamboo plants (竹) are also popular during CNY celebration. The bamboo plant is symbolising 竹报平安, i.e. wellness and safety. You will also see lots of fruiting tangerine plants (桔子) on sale at many plant nurseries. 桔子 is symbolising 吉祥, i.e. auspiciousness.
Sweets and lots of sweets, symbolising 甜甜蜜蜜 (sweetness in life)
Happy Chinese New Year to all. Wishing all lots of good fortune, great luck, marvelous health and have a safe and superb career this year.
Nuts and seeds - goes very well with beer and liquor drinking with friends and family during CNY celebration
Children's favorite - fruit and fruit flavored jelly.
Free food sampling for Taiwan's Muachi, so to convince the shoppers to buy at least 1 box home.
Other than the plum 梅花 and peach blossoms 桃花, ornamental bamboo plants (竹) are also popular during CNY celebration. The bamboo plant is symbolising 竹报平安, i.e. wellness and safety. You will also see lots of fruiting tangerine plants (桔子) on sale at many plant nurseries. 桔子 is symbolising 吉祥, i.e. auspiciousness.
Sweets and lots of sweets, symbolising 甜甜蜜蜜 (sweetness in life)Happy Chinese New Year to all. Wishing all lots of good fortune, great luck, marvelous health and have a safe and superb career this year.
