Skip to main content

The Year of the Dog

It has been fun being in Bangkok to celebrate Lunar New Year. 

We hardly had time to recover from Valentine's Day 
when there appeared to be dogs running around everywhere.
We are of course celebrating the year of the dog!
These larger than life canines are running wild under giant red flowers outside the Central Embassy shopping mall. Inside, in the largest shopping centre in Bangkok, the designers had fun. Think bold,  think colourful and joyous. 

I know I keep saying it, but I am still in wonder at the contrast to last year monotones during the official year-long mourning period for its late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. 



If this was what was going on in the central business district, we couldn't wait to see how Chinatown looked. Bangkok's has a vast and substantial Chinatown. They say outside of China, this is one of the best Chinese New Year celebrations to attend. It lived up to all our expectations, it felt very festive. 
Put your sunnies on and take a look at this! 


During the festivities, the main road through Bangkok's Chinatown (Yaowarat), was turned into a pedestrian walkway. We were dropped by the main stage where a Lion Dance was in full flow. 

You could become a Chinese Lion dancer at any age. As long as you're fit and strong to lift the heavy costume and the other performers. Just look at the young lion cub, three dancers up. The music and drumming are as loud as the colours on the Lion are bright.
As we wander through the streets amongst the street sellers selling red Chinese dresses and shirts, street food. It is rumoured that further down the street Thai royalty are paying their respects at the local temple and people are beginning to line the streets waiting for the upcoming Dragon parade. There is a lovely atmosphere.

People are happy. If you are born in the year of the dog this is your year! As we all know the dog is the symbol of loyalty and honesty, they say that people born in the year of the dog possess the best of human traits friendly, faithful, smart with a strong sense of responsibility. 

 Some of our best-known politicians are born in the year of the dog - Winston Churchill, Bill Clinton. Did you know that Donald Trump is a fire dog?! 

Bangkok expected over 300,000 visitors from China over the Chinese New Year period. This makes China the largest number of overseas visitors now - they have obviously heard that Bangkok knows how to put on a good party!

 Of course for some, the festivities were all too much, and there is nothing better than to curl up, even in your Sunday best for a little snooze!



Happy Year of the Dog if it is your year
Wishing us all good health, happiness, and prosperity!
PS If you would like to see more of Bangkok life, 
perhaps you would like to pop across to my new work in progress blog at LittleWanderingWren.com

Linking with thanks to all the hosts at Our World Tuesday
Labels:
Location: Bangkok, Thailand

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Autumn Spice and everything nice!

Hey, what ever happened to Summer? I hope yours was lovely, mine was pretty amazing! It feels like my whole year has whizzed past in a flash, how about yours?  I've had a year of saying "yes" to everything offered to me. It has been exciting to put it out to the Universe to see where I should be. We feel very fortunate to be able to do this in my husband's early years of retirement. I'm just back in Asia from the US. I never feel my year is quite right without seeing British daffodils in the Spring and a pumpkin and the leaves turning in Autumn. Yay, the world nailed it this year, thank you.  Read on to find out what happened when my ultimate yes occurred on a trip to Montana to meet Ruth, an IG friend. I know Bloggers will smile and not be at all concerned, we've been meeting up around the globe for years, haven't we...?!  But let's just say some of my family and friends were, you're doing what?! But first some Little Wren updates! France I had so...
16 comments
Read more

Taipei Adventures, naked - moi?!

I have to tell you all about my little adventure in Taipei recently, naked at the Hot Springs! I can't believe that I have never been to Taiwan, I certainly urge you all to go if you ever get the chance. For me, I loved the combination of influences of two countries I enjoy.  Street views from Downtown Taipei The Chinese left some interesting historical influences and stunning architecture, which combined with a Japanese legacy and efficiency in transportation, makes Taipei an easy place to visit, with so much to see. Nowadays, Taiwan has emerged as a thoroughly modern city, I loved my time there. It felt exotic and safe until I had to get my kit off. It was a spur of the moment decisions to join my husband on his Taiwanese business trip, prompted by the delay in the arrival of our furniture into Bangkok, and ‘no room at the inn’ where we had been staying. Given that I’m commitment and fancy-free in Thailand; there’s no job, no kids, no dog and absolutely nothing in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Little Wobbly Wren

Hello everyone and how are you doing? For those of you in the depths of winter hang on in there. I'm sure Spring is just around the corner!  I had a memorable few weeks in January. Summer in Australia is usually my favourite time of year. This year it had a few challenges! Weather: Here in Australia, a fter the   bushfires   came the much-needed rains. I have never seen the parks and gardens of Melbourne looking so lush in February. W e had everything, and the kitchen sink, thrown at us weather-wise. The year continued with cyclones, flooding and storms pounding our country. I spotted this Melbourne street art and agreed with its sentiments. Our cars were pitted from the hail damage from a tropical storm and we seem to be constantly clearing up from dust storms which have covered us in a red layer.  No-one will ever dare complain as we are lucky compared with those who lost loved ones, property and businesses and the devastation to t...
24 comments
Read more