Happy Year of the Cow

Happy end of the New Year everyone! May the blessed earth cow rain (milk?) plenty upon you!

Today is the official end of the 15-day Chinese New Year's celebrations. The Lotus Festival is in progress, but I am sticking to this computer like glue - it having taken me 3 days to find an internet cafe and being unsure when or how I will ever find the next one. In the background fireworks (officially banned in Shanghai) are going off and - supposedly - people are wandering around carrying red lanterns.

But then, I've already seen red lanterns and cows galore! The city is full of them. I'm sure Shanghai is not drab at the worst of times, but I've seen her/it/him at her/its/his most colourful. The hub of New Year's activities is the Yuyuan gardens, where I went yesterday to get a sneak preview. It was so full yesterday, that I think I can do without it today! There is a pool framed by temple-like buildings at the centre of the complex. Crossing it is the Nine Turning Bridge, which it was a full body massage experience to cross. Floating in the ponds were various lighted floats with New Year related images - such as cows and other fortuitous symbols. Everywhere there were lots of little devils - or could it be the glowing horns on all the kiddies were related to the year of the cow...?

Well that's it for today kids. I'm here, the party's out there, better get to it!