The Chinese New Year always falls during an exceptionally scorching-hot
period in Malaysia. With the non-stop commute
between various bustling spots around the Klang and Kinta valleys to visit relatives
and friends, cranky toddlers having meltdowns while stuck in traffic, extortionate
prices charged by enterprising capitalists everywhere (last year, our local
neighbourhood aunty-hairstylist charged us RM20 to cut Ju’s fistful of hair), and
the fitful nights caused by the neighbours’ all-night parties and firecrackers,
there is really a lot going against it.
But once again, we prove ourselves to be demented people
with several loose nuts in our heads, and so we bundled up the kids and headed back home
for one action-packed week of CNY celebrations with the family. For there’s the inimitable food back home including
Nai Nai’s famous kitchen, the exchange of family gossips, the joy of
reconnecting with old friends, the lessons about the importance of family, and
the passing on of Chinese traditions.
First things first: getting reacquainted with tropical-strength humidity, tee-shirts, shorts and slippers, and grass that you can actually step on.
Next: The national sport, badminton!
Next, family members like cousins, and
heroic uncles.
Burning incense for the deities, and asking them to make him grow older and taller quickly (not sure they can do anything about the height part - have you seen how tall his parents are??)
First encounter with firecrackers. He was amused but scared all the same.
Uncle Khim can get these kids to do anything. Why??
One last family photo, and...
off we go again, back to the wintry charms of Paris.
Gong Hei Faat Choy, everyone! Wealth and good tidings to all!
