On Thursday we went to Dong Yue Temple Fair. As part of the New Year Celebration people go to the Temples. While there they can buy incense to light as an offering while they pray. Many vendors come and sell their wares. We bought a large Whirly-ma-jig (our name for it). It has many pinwheels that spin around with the wind. Each pinwheels has a little drum attached with 2 drum sticks for each drum. When the pinwheel spins the drum sticks beat the drum. It's a pinwheel and a noise maker. How fun is that?
For an 'old-time' experience you could grind some grain.
There were dancers, acrobatics, and jugglers performing for the crowds
One night we went to the Sanlitun Village for dinner.
Festive lights are everywhere.
On the Eve before New Years Day Fireworks were the thing to do. Beginning at 7:00 pm and lasting till after midnight fireworks were lunched from almost every corner. Completely amazing. We began by watching the fireworks on the street outside of our apartment. After awhile we moved indoors. The booms, bangs, pops, sizzles and flashes of light made sleep impossible, fortunately we had a great view from our window and enjoyed the evening immensely.
