Happy Year of the Dog!

On this, the eve of the beginning of the Year of the Dog, I'd like to sum up my expectations for the coming year . . . .

Arf!  Arf arf!  Arf arf arf!  Woof!

Thank you for your attention  Now please enjoy a complimentary doggie dish of the Saoon's finest jet fuel baijiu.

The aarfing and barking at my place is at full volume already! Only 4.00pm! I live well outside the CBD. so any directives about fireworks don't apply out here int he boonies. I'm allowing Kostya and Bouncy to bark away with happy abandon, it's their year after all. 

Wishing all Saloonies a wonderful year 

Happy Year of the Dog to all. The Casino in Brisbane has been decorated with lanterns and two HUGE lanterns suspended from the roof of the main gaming floor. At least all the Chinese folk won't know that they are not back in China. Even the doors to the elevators are decorated. I believe more effort was put into Chinese New Year, than in to our own. Even the monthly magazine is all about the Lunar New Year. They have about seven days where there are Lion Dancers for about two hours per day. There are also special prize draws and Chinese inspired dining offerings. Apparently these celebrations go on until March 2nd. There are even "Wishing Trees" (lit up) and special cards on which to write a wish and attach it to a tree branch. As you can imagine, the trees are absolutely loaded with cards.

Not sure what's up here in the tropics.  Instead of sounding like continuous shooting punctuated by heavy mortar barrages, this year sounds more like competing street gangs with a few grenades thrown in to liven up the battles.  Is there a fireworks shortage?

Banned in the cities, apparently.

No bang, no buck: What China has to give up for clean air this Lunar New Year

No delight of seeing fireworks, no income for firecracker sellers ... many Chinese cities have to forego tradition to protect the environment over the festive season


There were a few purposeful explosions and colourful lights here this year. Not what I was expecting. In years past the entire skyline would be blowing up, with rockets in their thousands blossoming literally everywhere all across the city for an hour or so. and 900 AQIs of PM10 and 2.5. Didn't happen. Here and there a certain amount of very large stuff went off as midnight approached, but the whole thing was quite desultory... Much more stuff in the countryside, I'm told.