Chinese New Year is coming--you can sense the excitement in the air. Plants and flowers have shown up everywhere--in the hallways at the university, outside our apartment doors, etc. I went with someone from work who sat down and told me all the things I need to buy and we went out and looked for them--a vase for flowers, decorations for our door, and a brown cake and white cake. The brown cake is sweet with a great deal of brown sugar. You cut thin slices and dip it in egg and fry it. The white cake is savory, made with turnip--it is called radish cake. You take this and fry thin slices as well. Then you have to have a round red box with compartments. This box has brown seeds, white seeds, chocolate, etc. I also bought a box of chocolates to take to someone's house who has invited us over for lunch during the 2 week long celebration--gold foil is best.
One of the interesting plants are miniature orange trees everywhere--they are the equivalent to our pumpkins. They are not for eating, but just for decoration.
Geraldine took me to the flower market and you could only inch your way around. The orchids were incredible--I guess they come from Thailand. I went to another market that took over a basketball court in preparation for the New Year. I bought some fresh flowers for my vase and some miscellaneous food--just to see what it was like.
We have invited all the Fulbrighters and some others we have met, to come over on Monday in the afternoon just to visit and eat some of the cake and other treats.
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