Celebrating the Lunar New Year (Year of the Dragon)

In 2011 I lobbied to move to Malaysia in time for CNY (Chinese New Year); I lost and we moved 2 months later. So I was disappointed when Malaysian friends told me that KL would be dead during the holiday. (The first days are celebrated similar to US Thanksgiving - dinners with as much family as one can gather.) We followed up on the advice to travel and booked tickets to Indonesia. Given the crowds in Yogyakarta we weren't the only ones on the road. Fortunately for us  CNY is part public and part private and we experienced both.

Dragon at a KL Mall (KLCC)

As soon as Christmas ends the malls were decorated for the lunar new year - dragons and red everywhere. Lion dances never fail to add extra pleasure to the holiday.

Dragon at entrance of a KL Mall (Sungai Wang Plaza)

Dragon in a KL Mall (Pavilion)

Acrobatic Lion Dance at Pavilion Mall (KL) - Lion climbed down and spit Mandarin
oranges from his mouth into the hands of children

Lions at rest - American Club, Jakarta, Indonesia

We were honored to be invited to a friend's house for a lunar new year's dinner. It was similar to our Thanksgiving dinners - a large, diverse group treated to spread of foods and CNY's treats, knots of people conversing, and energetic card games. Several of us were recent retirees and shared how we were filling our days. The people with dogs had the most structure as the dogs insisted on their daily walk. Travel was a favorite activity (in Malaysia much travel is international travel). We have had similar conversations in Indiana and Indonesia - retirement is a great opportunity, but figuring it out takes time and thought.

Our evening started with an annoying local touch. The taxi drivers at the LRT station (Kelana Jaya) are known not to use their meters. Fortunately, Bernie (our hostess) told us that the fare should be 5 ringgit. We were stunned when a driver asked for 60 ringgit (USD 20). Our immediate response was "No, 5 ringgit." His reply, "Ok." Translation - I'll take you for 5 ringgit.

When we reached Bernie's house we were introduced to treats only found at CNY. I am afraid it will take several new year's before I remember them all and the accompanying legends. I missed snapping the love letters. These cookies are formed into a hollow tube so that love letters could be concealed from prying eyes. Several women recalled baking love letters at home - an all day project which included cooking them over charcoal. Commonly the cookies were distributed and only one canister remained for the family.

The pineapple tarts, another New Year's treat, are pictured
in the top canister

The dinner included meats, fish, noodles, and vegetables. Despite my good intentions I forgot to photograph the spread. I can vouch that it was all tasty and produced few left overs. 

The left overs; Mandarin oranges (at the right are found everywhere -
including Indonesia)

Included among the desserts was sticky cake. According to one legend the cake is fed to the Kitchen God so that his mouth is so full (stuck shut) that he cannot report on the family's bad behavior.

Sticky cake - sticky and yummy

After the table was cleared the cards came out and the table was filled with enthusiastic players. The game was in-between. Two cards were dealt to each player who then "bet" whether the third card would fall in-between.

Bernie (our hostess and fabulous cook) on the phone

Four of the at least 15 card players

Monday, 6 February, was the last day of Chinese New Year. Management arranged for a lion dance troupe to appear. (Our unit is down the hall from the swimming pool.) The dancers entered at the car park, took an elevator up, visited the office (to bring management good fortunate, and made a circle of the pool "spitting" out oranges in the hands of the spectators. A lion dance involves drummers and managers (who direct the lions through their routine)

After visiting the office the lions left a lucky number. So if you play it and win something remember where the number came from.

Another Malaysian holiday, a reminder that retiring to Malaysia was a good decision, and an opportunity to marvel at how fortunate we have been to have friends that continue to enrich our lives.