Lunar New Year 2019 (Year of the Pig)

We were supposed to go to Chinatown in Dowtown Vancouver to watch the Chinese New Year Parade last Sunday (February 10, 2019) but I changed my mind. There was a prediction of snow fall and it's been really cold the past days (-2 to -6 during daytime). Mahirap mag-stay nang matagal sa kalsada para manood, baka magkasakit lang kami.

We're not Chinese and we're not really celebrating Chinese New Year (at least in its truest sense) naman but I just wanted Nathan to see and experience different cultures. Canadian siya kaya dapat well-exposed siya sa diversity. Oh well, next year na lang when the weather is better.

Buti na lang din napadpad kami sa Tsawwassen Mills last Saturday. Meron sila doong artificial cherry blossom tree where you can hang your wish/es. At least nakapagsabit kami at naka-experience kahit papano ng festivity.

Aside from the usual prosperity wish, ang talagang dinadasal namin ngayong taon (at sa mga susunod pa) ay good health for our family and loved ones.

Ang daming gimik ng mga malls at supermarkets dito about the lunar new year. May mga dragon and lion dance syempre kaso nga hindi namin napuntahan. Ang layo na nga kasi namin. Usually sa Richmond (kung saan concentrated ang mga chekwa) at Surrey ang mga yun. The new year fell pa on a weekday kaya talagang malabo.

Thank you sa ang pao, Tsawwassen Mills. Naaliw ako.

Ooops by the way, from now on, Lunar New Year na ang itatawag ko Chinese New Year. Nito ko lang din naliwanagan na hindi lang naman mga Intsik ang nagse-celebrate ng unang araw sa lunar calendar kaya mas politically correct na tawagin nga itong Lunar New Year. Nandyan ang Vietnamese, Koreans, Cambodians, Malaysians, Singaporeans, etc.

We Filipinos are not really following the lunar calendar. Pero dahil mahilig ang Pinoy maki-holiday sa ibang lahi, nausuhan na rin sila/kami ng "Chinese New Year." In fact, declared as special non-working holiday na nga rin ang February 5, 2019 sa Pinas. Napansin ko rin na maraming mga Pilipino na rin ang bumabati/nakikipagbatian ng Gong Hei Fat Choy sa FB, nakakaloka. Sabagay, mas maraming occasions at holidays, mas masaya nga naman hehe.

Random Chika # 8

1. Kidzoona in SM Marilao. OMG! As in OMG! Magkaka-Kidzoona na pala sa SM Marilao! I only learned about it last January 28 (Chinese New Year) kasi hindi ako nagagawi sa parteng iyon ng SM. I am so happy! Imagine, hindi ko na dadalhin si Nathan sa Robinson's Malolos para maglaro.

Akala ko exclusive lang sa Robinson Malls ang Kidzoona. Ini-invade na rin pala nila ang SM.

Too bad sa March 4 pa ang opening. Kung kelan malapit na kaming umalis. Grrr.

2.  Happy Chinese New Year! I urged my mother to buy this. Mahilig siya sa mga ganyan eh.

CES -- Mamoosh, kain naman tayo sa labas to celebrate Chinese New Year.

MAMOOSH -- Bakit, Chinese ka ba?

CES -- Hindi po. Pero lagi akong napagkakamalang Intsik! (Which is true!)

We ended up eating dinner at Chowking (plus Master Siomai!).

3. Jollibee Supermeal. I am glad Jollibee came up with this. Para sa mga katulad kong matakaw haha! Php125 only!

4.  Kiddie Meal Toy Set. I've completed this set in 3 days. Pero mas natuwa pa yata ako kaysa sa anak ko haha!

There was a time in my life when I collected ALL happy and kiddie meal toys that were released in the market. Hoarder lang ang peg. But I am happier now kasi may anak na akong makikinabang haha!

5. My cousin's funeral. Another first cousin of mine died last January 25. The last time I came home, may namatay din akong pinsan (November 2015). Both were in their 50s. Hay, maikli lang yata talaga ang buhay ng mga miyembro ng pamilya namin.

We had to drive to Hagonoy for the funeral. Konti lang ang nakipaglibing because it was too far.

We were all hungry after the libing so we dropped by Pat's Palabok House in Guiguinto before going home. There were 15 of us.

We had palabok and lugaw.

6.  Miss Universe in Pinas. Sa wakas, natapos na rin last January 30 ang Miss Universe. Umay na umay na rin kasi ako talaga. Miss France won.

Naalala ko pa nung unang ginanap sa Pinas ang Miss Universe (1994). Grabe ang hype, Parang sobrang big deal talaga. Parang sa event na yun umikot ang mundo ng mga Pinoy for several weeks. Ngayon parang ordinaryong pageant lang ang dating sakin nito. Baka sa akin lang naman, kasi nga KJ ako.

7.  Balatski's visit. Balatski and her two kids came over to our house for a few hours to visit me and Nathan. They were just here in the Philippines for a week kasi may kailangan silang lakarin.

Balat is like a sister to me and I've missed her so much! The last time we saw each other was in January 2013 pa.

Too bad we weren't able to make chika talaga because of our kids! Ang gugulo nila haha! Sana makapagkwentuhan na kami nang maayos next time.

Pic courtesy of Balatski (It was so hot that day kaya hulas na hulas ako huhu!)

8. Fruit and Nut Chocolate. I am a very boring chocolate-eater. I only eat those plain ones. Yung secretary na lang namin ang nag-enjoy hehe. Balatski never fails to bring me some pasalubong whenever she comes home (they're based in UAE).

9.  Jollibee at 12:30am. I am so thankful that we have a 24-Hour Jollibee and McDonald's nearby. May nakakainan ako kapag tulog na si TanTan hehe.

Sakto one night that I was so hungry, pauwi from work ang pinsan ko. Nalibre tuloy!

Thanks, MackyMacMac!

10. Ten-Peso Ride. I was so happy when I discovered this "ride" in SM Marilao (near the foodcourt). Imagine, two 5-peso coins lang ang kelangan para umandar. At matagal siya ha, around 3 minutes yata.

My little boy was so happy the first time. Naka-two rides siya. Nung bumalik kami after a few days, di na siya ganun ka-happy. Saglit pa lang siya sa second ride niya eh umayaw na.

Nung huling punta namin, nakita nya yung rides pero dedma na. Nahilo yata siya noon kaya ganun.

Sayang. Akala ko nakatagpo na ako ng cheap entertainment for my son. Tsk.