Xin Nian Kuai Le: It's the Year of the Snake

Lunar New Year is a busy time for us, particularly since it falls so close--and sometimes on--Mei-Li's birthday. This year, since the girls had a performance in the afternoon, we played tourist in Victoria with the Eskelsons, and stayed overnight in a hotel downtown before getting up the next morning for Dim Sum and the Lion Dances in Chinatown. Bonus: there was a pool in the hotel!

Hanging out before the performance

The audience at the seniors' residence is the best.

Mei-Li made some friends outside the hotel.

We played The Game of Life in the Eskelsons' suite.

Some of the guys joined ML for the adventure.

ML and her wooden snake are ready for the festivities.

The lions attack the lettuce!

This lion almost gave Mei-Li and Lili a kiss!

The dragon dancers are ready for their turn.

Dragons in action!

A troupe of dancers

So hungry for Dim Sum

After the excitement in Victoria, we headed back to Cobble Hill for dinner out with the gang and then joined everyone back at the Nelsons' house.

A special custard dessert

Our gang of girls

The girls are hungry again!

 The following weekend, the level 4 girls performed in Victoria at Bay Centre. Before the performance, a young woman stopped Mei-Li and I as we wandered around the mall, telling us that she was from the Uyghur minority group region. She said she was deeply moved to see her people's traditional costume in downtown Victoria. She was excited to see the performance.

Down in front, Ocean!