Are you ready…

The schools here have closed for the Chinese New Year holidays and tomorrow, Chinese New Year’s Eve, we bid farewell to the Year of the Monkey and herald the arrival of a brand new year, the Year of the Chicken or as some would have it, the Rooster…

Word has it that this very impressive decor, one that is most fitting for the occasion, was imported all the way from China and placed strategically in front of one of the most popular supermarkets and departmental stores in town.

Not to be outdone, one of the megamalls here has this golden one standing/sitting majestically right in front of the building…

…and some claim that it is a hen, not a rooster. I’ve heard some ladies grumbling as to why it must be the rooster and not a female hen when in Chinese, it is just chicken – no discrimination either way. For one thing, it is the hen that lays the golden eggs so perhaps, it is good this way…

…actually. Hopefully, it is going to be a productive year ahead, full of golden eggs all along the way.

Poor Pikachu – the one playing the role of Santa here last month has been forced to step aside and is relocated to the back entrance…

…of this shopping mall and I spotted this inflated God of Prosperity…

…outside a newly-opened furniture shop in town so I quickly stopped by to snap a photograph of it.

I am not sure if there are other nicer Chinese New Year decorations around town or not – for one thing, as I had been a little under the weather, I had not been around much but I guess we do have lots of lanterns here, there and everywhere like at this brand new supermarket…

…in town and all around the vicinity of the Chinese temple in the town centre…

Well, ready or not, it is here…so let the festivities begin!!!