Guess what? I'm hearing loud noises outside now... the night sky is lit with firecrackers! Not those simple types that go up and 'pop', but rather a miniature type of those you see in big events like National Day celebrations or international sport events. Seems like Malaysians are getting better off... I never got to see these 2 years ago before I left for Singapore, and now it's like everywhere! And I get to see it for free! Haha... anyway, the newspapers have been writing about it these few days (it's a double offence you know... prohibited by law, but who cares? What's Chinese New Year without firecrackers?).

Much more firecrackers are being lit today because of the Hokkiens, who are a majority here. Apart from usual Chinese New Year celebrations they also celebrate a festival on 初九 (ninth day of CNY). From what my dad told me when I was small, on this day centuries ago, the Hokkiens successfully evaded their enemies when they hid in the sugarcane forest or something, so that's why they'll put out 2 stalks of sugarcane outside their houses on this day... Hope I got this right...

On 初七 I went out with my family to 捞鱼生 with a friend's family. We're quite close as my dad knows his dad, my mom knows his mom and my sis knows his sis and I know him. It is not the real 鱼生 as we went to a vegetarian restaurant...Haha... it was all my idea actually. I 'encouraged' my family to take up such a tradition when I was in primary school and I learnt about 人日(Human Day) from 星星报 (an educational magazine). This day is to celebrate humans basically... so everyone comes together to 'lau sang' and wish for prosperity, wealth, health etc. Kinda nice, huh?