The Flower Market at CNY

The day before Chinese New Year's eve I got to visit one of the local flower markets.  A group of eight of us met for lunch at a Mexican restaurant in the Sea World entertainment zone and then five of us went on to the market.

My friend Joyce, who is Hong Kong Chinese, said that it is traditional to have and give flowers at the new year.  The most traditional plant you see around at the new year is an orange tree.  The oranges are small and abundant.  They represent good luck.

It was abundantly clear when we neared the market in Joyce's car - there were cars everywhere!  We ended up parking on the off ramp of the freeway that was connecting to another freeway.  This is China so you do what you have to do.  We then proceeded to walk the wrong way on the freeway to get back to the flower market - no one was hurt or killed thank goodness.

The market was called Dutch Flower Town and set up to look like you were in the Netherlands...

My friend Jane

Jane and Victoria

Sugar cane juice

 

 

The spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese people's ethos – making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able. Ancient people liked to designate an able person as 'Qianli Ma', a horse that covers a thousand li a day (one li equals 500 meters).
- See more at: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/horse.htm#sthash.8uYZ7Ul1.dpuf

The spirit of the horse is recognized to be the Chinese people's ethos – making unremitting efforts to improve themselves. It is energetic, bright, warm-hearted, intelligent and able. Ancient people liked to designate an able person as 'Qianli Ma', a horse that covers a thousand li a day (one li equals 500 meters).
- See more at: http://www.travelchinaguide.com/intro/social_customs/zodiac/horse.htm#sthash.8uYZ7Ul1.dpuf