Walk with Chan:Special Chinese new year food trip

Manila China Town is the oldest Chinatown in the world, having been officially
established in 1594 by the Spanish colonial government in the Philippines that set
off the area as a permanent ettlement for Chinese who had converted to Christianity.
For most Chinese communities in the Philippines the start of the year is celebrated for
15 days and most rituals and traditions associated with it strictly observed.

Chinese New Year is celebrated grandly in Chinatown, Manila, especially among Chinese
communities. This year Chinese New Year is on Thursday, February 19, 2015. It is the
Year of Sheep (or the Year of the Goat). Our new year marks the beginning of the spring,
the rebirth of the Earth. The Chinese words for New Year means “spring festival.” --
the holiday starts from Feb. 18 to Feb. 25, 2015. video of the celeb in caloocan

picture credits: Ralph Soriano

Lawrence Chan of Walk with Chan together with his friend Ralph Soriano of
BINONDO FIREWORKS LOVERS ASSOCIATION organized the yearly
Special Chinese New Year Tour at Chinatown. its made for the photographer-food blooger
tourist, who loves Chinese culture, Chinese foods, and walking to see old Chinese structures

hanging 12 grapes on every doorway or windows. These signify 12 months of blessings,
Pineapples should also be placed on top of tables for prosperity alongside 12 round
fruits. 13 if you want a bonus.

Glutinous rice cakes like puto and tikoy should be served with dim sum specialties
like shui mai.

During Chinese New Year it seems only right to pay homage to Chinese cuisine.

Chinese New Year marks the first day of the New Year in the Chinese calendar, which differs from the Gregorian calendar. It is also known as the Spring Festival

Welcome to the Year of the Goat! February 19th, 2015 marks the first day of Chinese
year.

In China, fireworks are thought to drive away evil. They are a huge tradition within the
Chinese New Year celebration, despite Chinese authorities hoping to curb use in recent
years due to pollution. It is also believed that the person who sets off the first firework of
the New Year will obtain good luck.

In the Philippines, particularly in Chinatown, its a different scene.

record breaking length. 150 persons.

It’s hard to imagine a Chinese New Year’s celebration without thinking of a giant dragon
weaving its way through the crowd. This tradition, called the dragon dance, is performed
by many people manipulating poles attached to a long, flexible dragon figure. As dragons
are thought to bring luck, the longer the dragon, the luckier the community. watch this video

how long? it spans half of the length of this Street.1200ft. 100 men.

because this is the longest dragon by far. at 150 people guiding the dragon from head to tail.


Preparations for the Chinese New Year in old China started well in advance of the New
Year’s Day. The 20th of the Twelfth Moon was set aside for the annual housecleaning,
or the “sweeping of the grounds“. Every corner of the house must be swept and cleaned
in preparation for the new year.

On New Year’s Day, the children were given Red  (ang pao)Envelopes , with
crisp good luck money wrapped in little red envelopes. On New Year’s day, everybody
(but me) had on new clothes, (I used up my new red clothes due to brisk walking )

 

Just this morning at 12:10am, I manage to record a beautiful 10 minutes fireworks display
the most beautiful in Caloocan, because this is the only pyroshow. click this link

Of all the traditional Chinese festivals, the Chinese new Year was perhaps the most
elaborate, colorful, and important. its red. its cheerful and its lovely.
A time for the Chinese to congratulate each other and themselves on having passed
through another year, a time to finish out the old, and to welcome in the new ---
year of the goat!

The Chinese New year is celebrated on the first day of the First Moon of the
lunar calendar. The corresponding date in the solar calendar varies from as early
as January 21st to as late as February 19th. Chinese New Year, Socially, it was a
time for family reunions, and for visiting friends and relatives.
This holiday, more than any other Chinese holiday, it stressed the importance of family
ties.

The temple was named after Venerable Seng Guan (1889-1962)

going to Chinese temples with the family is one of them, led by the Ah-mah, Ang-kong
Chinese families flock to Narra Street to visit Manila's oldest Buddhist temple...
SENGUAN SI.  the center of Manila's buddhist community, its not pretty, but its big.
I walked from where my car is parked to Narra St. for the ritual prayer and blessing.
then proceeded to lucky China town mall.

Another temple worth visiting is the artfully-decorated Santo Sing Kong Buddhist
Church on Morga St., Tondo. The temple has hundred little statues of Buddhist deities
on wooden pillars. Guests can ask questions and get a written response.

Other traditions include wearing newly-bought clothes and having a new hair style,
visiting relatives. bring gifts if you guys are a couple, like fruits, biscuits,
chocolates. Couples usually give hong pao to the younger kids, or single relatives.

 a huge repository for urns of human ashes, several meditation rooms, and various shrines.  It was breathtakingly exquisite, nonetheless.

buddhist monks in prayer

It is a major cultural center for the Chinese Filipino community

everything inside the temple was gilded in gold.

After this we all went to HOTEL RAMADA or RAMADA MANILA CENTRAL 
for our Emperor's buffet
after our lunch, we walk to San Nicholas, Jaboneros, Madrid to see the old houses
of Chinese Filipinos during the old days.
San Nicolas, in particular, is host to some of the oldest houses in Manila. This portion
of Manila was practically left untouched during the bombings for the Liberation of Manila.

ancestral house of the family of Ralph Soriano

I want to say thank  RAMADA CENTRAL MANILA  for the great accomodation
the freebies(mug, umbrella) and to our Host, Ralph and Lawrence. Ralph's auntie
for the rice cakes(tikoy). the Special Binondo Walking tour  and food trip is really a fun
way to walk, to talk, and to dine. specially for food bloggers and photographers.
it is held only during the Spring Festival so its a must try. for only a minimal fee.

this is your LOVERBOY Dennis signing out. HAPPY NEW YR!