Last month was the biggest holiday in China, Spring Festival. I made several trips downtown during the holiday just to look around and see what was going on. Some of the things I saw are usual to see, while others were not. So let me walk you through a trip downtown. The first step is to get on the Number 1 bus. Most of them look like this:
I generally get off at "Two-head Park" as the foreigners call it. Its usually filled with people, but this time of year it had more than normal I think. It may be hard to see in the far away shot, but in the close up shot, you can see why we call it two-head park.
There were many things to do in the park. They had similar games as in America as you can see:
There was also many types of food to be eaten, such as some eggs on a stick...
Or maybe you would prefer the Tang hu lu...I don't know what it is in English exactly. But it's really good! The eggs I haven't tried before, and don't plan on doing so! There were also many other types of foods out.
What else might you see in Xinzheng? This scene is fairly typical. I think that its Chinese Chess they are playing here. I also see groups of men or women playing other Chinese games or cards outside, very often. 
Or you may also see people playing a game of pool on the sidewalk.
This was a first for me, I had never seen anything like this before. I guess this is how the mother and her daughter make a living. The girl is so young, but she did very well.
Other sights you may see during Spring Festival especially (but also during other parts of the year) are houses and stores decorated like so:
Apparently they do it for good luck. I am very curious where the tradition originated though, because you can't help but think of the Passover, when you see the red around the sides of the doors. Of course that wasn't for good luck, but rather for safety from the wrath of G! And where would you buy such decorations?
Why at the red decoration store of course! There are many such stores, most of which are grouped together in a certain section of town. Well I hope you enjoyed your quick tour of scenes from around Xinzheng!
I generally get off at "Two-head Park" as the foreigners call it. Its usually filled with people, but this time of year it had more than normal I think. It may be hard to see in the far away shot, but in the close up shot, you can see why we call it two-head park.
There were many things to do in the park. They had similar games as in America as you can see:
There was also many types of food to be eaten, such as some eggs on a stick...
Or maybe you would prefer the Tang hu lu...I don't know what it is in English exactly. But it's really good! The eggs I haven't tried before, and don't plan on doing so! There were also many other types of foods out.
What else might you see in Xinzheng? This scene is fairly typical. I think that its Chinese Chess they are playing here. I also see groups of men or women playing other Chinese games or cards outside, very often. 
Or you may also see people playing a game of pool on the sidewalk.
This was a first for me, I had never seen anything like this before. I guess this is how the mother and her daughter make a living. The girl is so young, but she did very well.
Other sights you may see during Spring Festival especially (but also during other parts of the year) are houses and stores decorated like so:
Apparently they do it for good luck. I am very curious where the tradition originated though, because you can't help but think of the Passover, when you see the red around the sides of the doors. Of course that wasn't for good luck, but rather for safety from the wrath of G! And where would you buy such decorations?
Why at the red decoration store of course! There are many such stores, most of which are grouped together in a certain section of town. Well I hope you enjoyed your quick tour of scenes from around Xinzheng!
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