Gung Hay Fat Choy, Chinese New Year in Austin
we usually go to chinatown shopping center up north for chinese new years. it gets bigger every year. we had to park quite a distance and then fight the crowds. the firecrackers were LOUD. we ate some noodles while lions danced all over the center and the air became thick from firecracker smoke.
I think this lion is trying to intimidate me...
slightly less intimidating now...
TC noodle co. staff fed the lions lettuce and oranges, #1 son fed them dollars.
BEHIND THE SCENES:
each dance crew has a support person that follows with a shopping cart filled with bottled water and bananas. this guy ran over like it was an emergency. he SLAMMED TWO bottles of water in seconds, squishing the bottles to get the water out faster. then he ran back in for more lion actions.
then a big truck pulled in with the next group of lions, dragons and drums. this young man was very enthusiastic about his dragon waving. they brought a lot of energy with them.
this young man was so happy to get some time on the drums, they made him stop so they could unload. he looked like he could keep drumming all day.
lions all organized and lined up, lots of stretching to be done.
stretch.... and....
I think this young man above is the lion tamer or Buddha
and IT'S ON!! that lion tamer guy was going wild with that fan!
they made their way to the front of the MT market.
we got our own lion!
