Another year has gone by.... and another Chinese New Year spent in Shanghai. This year is the Year of the Dragon - Hope you all have health, wealth, and happiness in the Dragon Year!
Dragon is the luckiest of the 12 animal years in Chinese horoscope...expecting lots of babies in China this year...
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In preparation for what is usually 3 weeks of fireworks from all around us in every home all over the city 24 hours per day, every day, all day and night... Dana asked me to pick up something to help her. So I bought some "Mutt-Muffs", which are guaranteed to fit snugly on a dog's head, adjustable size and they muffle the sound of thunder and fireworks...
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So, they did go on Dana... but she wasn't happy with them. Nevertheless, it was a good preparatory tactic to deal with the expected fireworks... except that they didn't stay on at all. They lasted about 30 seconds and they would come right off as soon as she moved...
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So the whole point of Chinese New Year in China has nothing to do with what Westerners think about Chinese culture. There are no dragon or lion dances, no kung fu demonstrations, etc... nothing like you see in Chinatowns around the world. It's more like Christmas in that you basically need to go have dinner with family and friends... and a bit like the 4th of July on crack since the whole city is like a Vietnam war zone with commercial display-grade fireworks being launched from every house 24 hours a day for 2 weeks. So, in keeping with China traditions - we went out to dinner with friends visiting from Japan... at a Japanese okonomiyaki restaurant.
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And then headed to Big Bamboo Sports Pub for more drinks...
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Man I hate Jaegermeister... Why do Germans always want to drink that licorice-flavored cough syrup?
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But I would say it is just as bad as this drink I was dared to try... a shot mix called a "Concrete Mixer." Translation.... bad idea.
You take a shot of Bailey's into your mouth and hold it there....
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And then you take a shot of Lemon Juice and you put that into your mouth and swish it around with the Baileys Irish Cream already in there... instant curdling... do that for a full minute and enjoy the chunks that start to form in your mouth.
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Step 3 is what makes it obvious that this drink was created by women who want to take revenge on men for asking them to do it... you have to...
SWALLOW
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nasty...
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Following the tradition further, we ended up back at my house and I made a big New Year feast of american snack foods... buffalo wings, pizza, burritos, chips & salsa, and cupcakes... accompanies by Banana Coladas, beer, and Japanese rice wine.
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An amateur pool & darts tournament... I was pretty drunk by then but I am sure I beat everyone...at least that is how I choose to remember it.
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And then just outside my apartment, and within my own compound to watch the insane fireworks... although it was much quieter this year than normal... most of the non-Shanghainese left the city as this year was special, and a LOT of Shanghainese traveled this year for some reason... so it was more quiet than the last 10 years according to everyone in Shanghai. Dana was still freaked out, but it was actually possible to sleep this year, where the last 2 years I was here that was not even conceivable.
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Not sure if this will work or not, but I will try to upload a short 26 second video of the fireworks... check it out on YouTube:
Or direct URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGi-E2RSunE
OK... Happy Year of the Dragon to everyone!!!
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