My Chinese New Year in Guilin

My CNY celebration was exciting! Initially, my plan was to escape CNY from China and spent it in Vietnam, but due to certain unforeseen circumstances, I was back in China -Guilin on the eve.

The atmosphere was so different back at home. Everyone was busy preparing for the coming New Year. Families went out for reunion dinner; markets were filled with housewives, buying chickens and pigs to be slaughtered for the occasion. Kids and adults alike went setting off fire-crackers on the streets.I went to join the crowd and set off fireworks too. That night, it was drizzling, and I was quite wet. However, the rain did not dampen my mood. Just like a kid, I was so excited, ready to blow off the place with my 24-shots fireworks. I was at the 'Jia Tian Xia' square, together with many people, in the rain. This is one of the official places where one can set off fire-crackers/fire works.

I heard from some locals, that the police usually will close an eye if it comes to festive season. In urban areas, one can only set off fireworks if there is a big festival. However, in rural areas, you can set off as many fireworks as you want. Interestingly, here comes the paradox again, that rich urban people have money to buy the fireworks, yet are all banned from them; whereas for the poor villagers, they would rather use the money to feed mouths than to spend on fireworks.

It is so spectacular to see so many people gathering together to set off many different kinds of fireworks. I was so elated and it was very heart-warming to see families gathering together and releasing fireworks of different patterns in different forms. And as each fireworks exploded in the dark sky, I can see that they were telling the happy story of each family here.

I video-ed the entire firework display, and I can hear myself letting go all the "whaaas" and "whoahhs" throughout the entire firework exhibitions. It reminds me of our national day firework displays. The difference is that this time, I get to set off my personal fireworks instead.

Well, although China is THE PLACE to spend your Chinese new year, (just like I had spent my Deepavali in India 7 years ago). I also realised that it is the person who you spent your Chinese new year with that makes a difference. It doesn't matter where you spent, it is who you spent with that counts. I still hope that in future years to come, I can spend my Chinese New Year with my family, with my parents. While watching the skies lighted up with many different colours and patterns of the fireworks, I miss my family and wish they are here with me to enjoy this picture.

This is the time I really miss home.