River Hongbao 2018

Last evening, my family and I were at the River Hongbao 2018 at the Marina Bay area, Singapore. The event was billed as a "eleven-day extravaganza of lights, sights, and sounds to usher in the Year of the Dog." There were performances and fireworks, but we were mainly there for the thematic lanterns.

Though this is a Chinese festival event, we were heartened to see people of many races attending. There were Malays, Indians, Bangladeshis, Caucasians, in addition to the mainly Chinese crowd.

We took some photos of the event with our smartphones. The quality may not be there, and we have reduced the sizes for faster loading. Hope you can still enjoy it. 

A section of the crowd.

Year of the Dog!

Snake!

This is a pretty elaborate lantern, as tall as an actual shophouse.

The Wishing Fountain.  People were throwing coins trying to hit the bells attached to the fountain.


All photos by dsnake1 and YunPing





year of the dog

crowds on the Helix Bridge -

on the bay,
lantern lights
city lights.

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"you feel you are not alone.
It breathes, it moves with a pulse of our own "

-- dsnake1, The River

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© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2018

taking a break...

photo by dsnake1





Dear Readers,

I am taking a short break for the coming Lunar New Year holidays. Should be back posting in the middle of February, if I am feeling not too lazy.

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岁岁平安

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© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2016

in the year of the goat

The Lunar New Year is already four days old, and I am really enjoying myself these few days, doing all the things I liked, like goofing off, eating and drinking, and abusing the video game machine. And writing a blog post again.

Let's hope it will be a good year too. Tomorrow, it will be back to the daily grind.

photo by dsnake1



in the year of the goat


let us then
be like the lotus
blooming out of mud
resilient & hopeful
or the sparrows that play
under the shadow of the bodhisattva
knowing that they will be protected
or the first light beams of the dawn
true and sharp and fearless
let us sing tunes
even without words
let us be then
all of these.



19/02/2015
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岁岁平安

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© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2015

red

On the last day of this month is the Chinese New Year. And I have barely started preparing for it. For starters, there is the annual spring cleaning of the home. Then there will be trips to the malls and supermarkets to get new clothes, food and drinks. Knowing me, it will be all very last-minute running around again.

To the Chinese, red is an auspicious colour. In the New Year, red will be everywhere, in every household, in the clothes we wear, the food, the decorations, hongbaos, flowers, and greeting cards.

So yes, a short poem, a haiku (what's better than an eastern poetry form for the occasion?) and then it's off for the holidays!

scan of a greeting card



red




            red
the colour of your lips
         in spring





26/01/2014
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萬事如意

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© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ), 2014

Red

Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and as in usual practice, everything is left to the last minute. So expect the crazy rush to spring clean the house, pay the debts, buy new cloths, foodstuff, the little things that made up the Lunar New Year.

I wouldn't be on-line for a short while, so in the meantime, try to enjoy this repost...



image by dsnake1
from a photo of a card


Red


Red is the colour of the blood in my veins
is the colour of kinship
is the colour of life.

Red is the colour of the petals of peony
is the colour of luscious lips
is the colour of beauty

Red is the colour of the face of Guan Yu
is the colour of autumn trees
is the colour of loyalty

Red is the colour of memorial tablets on altars
is the colour of candles
is the colour of faith

and red is the colour of my beating heart
is the colour of your blush
when we first held hands
is the colour of our love.

14.02.07
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© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 )

Taking a break..

image by dsnake1
scanned from a greeting card



I am taking a break (seems i have a habit of taking breaks recently) for the Chinese New Year.

It's just around the corner, on February 7th, and I have loads of things to do. There's the little matter of cleaning the house. Throwing away some junk. There are new clothes to get ( a must!). Food. Sweets. Candies. Oranges. Oh yes, beer. Lots of trips to the malls.

Without the last minute, there won't be any work done. I thrive on that. So I will be missing for a while, but knowing the junkie in me, I will sneak onto the Net when there is an opportunity.

Gong Xi Fa Cai to all my friends and readers!

Red

The Lunar New Year is just around the corner and there's still so much spring cleaning and shopping to do.

To the Chinese, red is an auspicious colour. In the New Year, red will be everywhere around the house, in the clothes we wear, the food, the decorations, flowers, greeting cards. There will be no exception in this household.

I have been writing dark and bleak stuff lately. Let me write something nicer and happier for the new year.



image by dsnake1

Red


Red is the colour of the blood in my veins
is the colour of kinship
is the colour of life.

Red is the colour of the petals of peony
is the colour of luscious lips
is the colour of beauty

Red is the colour of the face of Guan Yu
is the colour of autumn trees
is the colour of loyalty

Red is the colour of memorial tablets on altars
is the colour of candles
is the colour of faith

and red is the colour of my beating heart
is the colour of your blush
when we first held hands
is the colour of our love.

14.02.07
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the image is a scan of a greeting card