I watched a docmentary a little while ago where I learnt that this holiday leads year by year to the largest "pilgrimage" on earth. Most migrants are leaving the cities in order to return home to their families. Many of them who only each other see once a year.
Our ayi (cleaner) is one of them. She comes from the next province Anhui, works in Shanghai all year long and once a year for this festival she returns home to see her son who is meanwhile living with her parents. Leaving a child for a year sounds for us westerners hard to believe. But for many people here in this is normal. The parents in the country side often have to leave their children in order to earn money. They have hope that in future they can live a better life and get a good education.
So with so many people leaving Shanghai the city has taken on a almost village like atmosphere. No huge crowds walking around (at least not back here where we live), no traffic jams, no long waiting for taxis. It would almost be tranquil - it´s brilliant... if it would not be for the fireworks!
I wrote about this already a bit last year when we celebrated Chinese new year from a safe distance in the 17th floor at our friends place.
This year it was just going to be the three of us at home. Home which is located on the 2nd floor right downtown - right in the meltin pot. We were quite interessted to find out how mad it would be around us and I was a little concerned about how little Hannah would take it. We knew it was that it was going to be LOUD!..I mean not just LOUD - I mean LOUD LOUD!!!..- which according to chinese culture necessary to scare all evil spirits away.
They are actually celebrating with two nights of fireworks. The first one was the "kick off" going off last sunday. It symbolises the beginning of the Chinese New years week (Chinese Spring festival). 4 days later (last night) there is follow up fireworks to honour the god of wealth. Those bangers are usually even louder and longer... sure can´t honour god of wealth enough by blasting millions of cash into the air..
Long I had mentally prepared myself for the worst case scenario with Hannah. That she would be frightened and scared by the bangs going off around her. I thought for a second using Pauls noise cancelling head phones. But they were not an option - maybe for hiding behind.. way too large for this tiny head :-)
However it turned out that all my worries were for nothing. I had expected anything but not how the evening turned out to be. 10 minutes before midnight Hannah was laying in her cot, seeming really excited.
See for yourself what happend 10 minutes later:
Fireworks - as seen from our kitchen:
Hannah´s first Chinese New year:
Xin nian kuaile!
Happy New Year!!
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