Thursday, February 07, 2008

CELEBRATING THE YEAR OF THE RAT



















*

posted by Señor Enrique at 8:37 PM


22 Comments:

Blogger Panaderos said...

I miss the sights and sounds of the Chinese New Year celebrations in our country. Your pics do bring back a lot of memories. (Ehem.. my Chinese girlfriends. Hahaha) Thanks for sharing them. :)

Btw, I'll get you the information on Panciteria San Jacinto from my father. The street name escapes me at the moment.

February 08, 2008 12:04 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Let me tell you, Panaderos, I love our local Chinatown New Year celebration than in New York's.

Naku, I'm sure your Chinese girlfriends have loads of tikoy waiting for your homecoming visit ... hehehe.

Yes, please ... I'd appreciate knowing the exact location of Panciteria San Jacinto :)

Many thanks, Panaderos!

February 08, 2008 6:55 AM  

Blogger Unknown said...

Very colorful photos, Eric! The Tsinoys really know how to celebrate the new year with a bang. I love the 3rd photo---these 2 kids look so adorable!

February 08, 2008 2:13 PM  

Blogger Sidney said...

Let me comment on the last two pictures....

The last girl stops, pose and smile for you! I think she likes you Eric!

The second girl looks annoyed. Looking at the sky. She thinks, another annoying photographer and the first one didn't even noticed you.

Not a bad score. One out of three. Anyway you can't have them all at the same time, don't you ? ;-)

This is good Feng Shui! I think this is the start of a romantic year for you!

Last picture: I don't know how those guys manage to dance in such a terrible noise for the whole day.

February 08, 2008 5:09 PM  

Blogger jon go said...

hi eric! a very happy chinese new year to you!!! sorry for my long absence.. i do post some whatnots on my blog but i really haven't been myself lately.. or maybe i have been... anyway, just found out that i have clinical depression... probably the reason why i've been following britney spears like a hound dog.. sigh..

February 08, 2008 6:59 PM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

They are indeed so cute, Luna, and they know how to work the camera. Check out how they were looking right into it. I think thay both had pro training :)

Saw on CNN the celebration in New York's Chinatown. Strange to see all the revelers in heavy coats and woolen caps, meanwhile I was drench in sweat yesterday during the entire coverage ... hehehe.

February 08, 2008 7:57 PM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

It was kinda hysterical, Sidney. She was still about a hundred meters away when I noticed she was already staring at my camera and nursing that pose ... hehehe. She was amazing, though -- another pro model in the making.

Romantic 2008 for me? I'll take her :)

The other two were probably tired from all that walking and the heat of the afternoon sun.

I was wishing that I had taken along some ear protection, Sidney. The noise of those firecrackers were really deafening :(

February 08, 2008 8:01 PM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

So sorry to hear that, Jon :( Hope it doesn't ever become delibitating.

But darn, you still have your sense of humor in you, thou ... hehehe.

So what's the cure for such affliction? Perhaps, surround yourself with very good friends. I'll pray for your speedy recovery.

Happy Chinese New Year, Jon, and please do take care of yourself, ok?

February 08, 2008 8:04 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

very colorful pics :) We have a huge Chinese community here in Toronto - in fact the largest indoor mall in North America is here - the Pacific Mall.

I always register for our division's Chinese New year dim sum lunch today which had been a ritual for 10 years now started by our Chinese colleagues.THere's quite a few of them in my division :) We all walk to one of the best Chinese restaurant here in downtown to celebrate.

February 08, 2008 9:16 PM  

Blogger reyd said...

The celebration in Manila is really very different than here in the US.
Nice photos, Eric... hehehe. kuhang kuha ang mga expressions nila, pati yung pulis na naka motorcycle, tinangay na yung isang Chinita.
Notice: few more years and all Filipino-Chinese would look like typical Pinoys.
(But what is a typical Pinoy?) -- yung mukhang halo-halo -- :D
Kasi 20~30- years ago, maglakad ka sa Ongpin, puro ang puputla ng mga Fil-Chi. :D
Cute pa din ang mga Chinitas...siempre, pati rin kaming mga Chinitos!
( I can't believe na meron ng mga alembong na Chinitas... hahaha, wala pa niyan during my days... lucky you!!! (she noticed that you are a handsome and rich RAT)

February 08, 2008 11:49 PM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Eric,

8 is the lucky number this year so I have eight adjectives to sum up this year's Binondo Chinese New Year: fun, colorful, amazing, full of culture, enormous, unique, celebratory and outstanding.

May the rest of the year be fun, colorful, amazing, full of culture, enormous, unique, celebratory and outstanding for all of us. Happy Chinese New Year.

February 08, 2008 11:58 PM  

Blogger Photowalker said...

Feb. 7, 2008 was one hell of a day for me in Binondo. Aside from my usual work load. I had to go out and shoot the sights and the parade of the ABS-CBN stars (Piolo Pascual in particular by popular demand).

The celebration this year was not as festive as last year.

Last year, at least I knew what, when and where programs would take place. This year, I find out last minute. Not even the net could give me any information on what was going to happen.

Now, I'm sorting the pictures for posting in my blog.

Happy Year of the Rat!!!

February 09, 2008 12:32 AM  

Anonymous Anonymous said...

nice photo!

February 09, 2008 4:46 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

I think that's a wonderful tradition you have with colleagues, BW. That would be a great opportunity to try out some fine Chinese dishes, too.

At one of the companies I once worked for in NYC, one of our directors was Chinese-American who'd take us for dinner in Chinatown and introduce us to some dishes not too well known to non-Chinese patrons (no exotic food, though).

February 09, 2008 6:51 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Hand some rich RAT, Reyd? I wish ... hehehe.

You're right, when I was a kid, almost all of my Chinoy schoolmates looked very Chinese; nowadays, some are looking more Pinoy with darker skin tone. I've also met some folks whom I assumed were of Chinese heritage but only to be told otherwise. Nakakalito na ... hehehe.

What I noticed more these days, Reyd, is that women from traditional Chinese families are now able to marry Pinoy men. As kid, that was a rare event.

By the way, many Chinays are quite tall nowadays, too -- looking like models in stature :)

February 09, 2008 6:59 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Many many thanks, Traveler!

Wishing you and your family the same :)

February 09, 2008 7:02 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

I actually had to ask a police official with a radio on the street if he knew of any planned activities that day, Photowalk, since I missed the morning parade of the stars. Thank God he told me to run over Plaza Moraga where this particular parade was about to take place.

I have to fine out if there's any public affairs info center that serves Chinatown. This way, we'd know of planned activities in the future.

I just checked out your site. Yes, I passed by that Binondo Suites during the daytime and missed their evening festivities. Great features you have!

February 09, 2008 7:10 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Thanks, Ton! Had a wonderful time taking these pics :)

February 09, 2008 7:11 AM  

Blogger mitch said...

Hi,
I haven't been here a while. with these pictures i wished i have been there. you should try a restaurant in gandara street in ongpin before or after ang tunay beef house they served a special king of siopao it's called siao lun pao if i am not mistaken. it's really worth a try

February 10, 2008 2:03 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Hi Mitch,

Just looked at my map of Manila. Gandara Street has been changed to Padilla -- right on the corner at Ongpin is where the huge Binondo Suite building is. I know where it is so, I just now have to look Ang Tunay Beef House."

Thanks for the tip! Will let you know once I find it :)

February 10, 2008 7:05 AM  

Blogger mitch said...

hi again i just remembered the name it's suzhou dumpling try their noodles too.

February 11, 2008 1:11 AM  

Blogger Señor Enrique said...

Ah, so it's Sozhou Dumpling, Mitch? Ok, will look for it the next time I head on over to Chinatown. Many thanks!

February 11, 2008 4:51 AM  

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