Chinese New Year in Beijing – It’s worth experiencing
I never tire of experiencing holiday fireworks. Twelve months ago today, while my month long work trip to Beijing winded down, I listened to suggestions of friends about experiencing Chinese New Year in China.
I figured that I would be able to be here again in February 2011 or maybe later to find out for myself what the talk really meant. Today, February 3, 2011 at 12:52pm in the afternoon I sit in a Starbucks and type into my notebook computer. I hear sounds of fireworks exploding outside. Fourteen hours ago with the temperature dropping below freezing, the buildup to midnight intensified. Nearly everywhere I looked I saw smoke and the bright colorful lights of fireworks. As midnight approached the intensity and the explosions increased and a continual display of brilliant colors continued at an intense pace until way after midnight.
The day for me started before noon at a Starbucks near Wangfujing. I scheduled the meeting of a new friend from Detroit who just (five days earlier) moved to Beijing for an 18 month assignment with her company. I put in some computer work before Julie arrived right after noon. We made the introductions, proceeded to a late lunch of local Chinese food, then met up with Anthony before heading out to a 7pm meet-up group of couch surfers. The meet-up at a subway station north of Houhai probably included one hundred people. We watched fireworks and visited for 20 minutes before walking 5 minutes to a local restaurant that we completely filled. With fireworks constantly exploding everywhere outside enjoyed wonderful Chinese food, beverages, and good company. After dinner the crowd proceeded to an area around a Bell tower to watch fireworks until after 11pm. Closer to midnight the group separated a bit and some of us rode buses to the Workers Stadium area to watch more fireworks. At this time (close to midnight) a person in Beijing could not look anywhere and not see fireworks. The massive display I saw was like nothing I have ever experienced in the past.
