The Chinese Year of the Pig

There is no missing the Chinese New Year 2019 celebrations here in this part of Edinburgh, which I liken to China Town because of the high proportion of Chinese students living here.
I hadn’t appreciated that the huge noisy fireworks set off at Midnight on Monday and which went on for about half an hour keeping me from sleeping, was anything more than pranksters having fun at the expensive of us residents in Quartermile, until I realised the next day that it was my Chinese neighbours celebrating their new Year at an unsocial hour.

Today as I was coming home from meeting daughter #1, I heard a loud commotion of drums and gongs coming from the steps of the Scottish Museum and saw the ritual dragon dancing taking place before a a delegation of Chinese and a crowd of onlookers. Hence my blip. It is, for those who don’t know, the Chinese Year of the pig!

Later I had to escape for a walk to avoid seeing Scotland being beaten by Ireland in their rugby match. It was as usual disappointing but I’m happy that Kath Gordon will be happy- it’s not lost what a friend gets!