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Thursday 22 January 2009
London Chinatown in January
I took the tube to Chinatown last weekend just to see if the red lanterns were up. On the advertisement posters in the tube, some companies have already begun incorporating CNY elements on the adverts, and people are already talking about when to have their festive meals to avoid the Chinatown crowds.
As you come out of Leicester Square tube station, it seems like there aren’t that many lanterns put up after all.
And then you see this as you come to the Chinatown arch. Pigeons were flying all over the place, dodging lanterns like they were on a commando course.
Tourists had cameras, clicking away.
Interestingly enough, there aren’t many festive set menus being advertised on the restaurant windows. Unlike the set Christmas and New Year’s eve menus all over the place during December, but I guess it’s because most of the Chinese people dining in these restaurants don’t like to order from set menus?
I took this picture to show that there are ‘tai pai thong’ style stalls in Chinatown. Actually, this is the only one, so it’s quite a novelty. We bought the fried gyozas (8 for £2.50) and a pork bun (not quite a char siew pau, so not as nice) and nibbled on these before dinner. Quite a nice change to have some 'Chinese street food’ instead of having crisps and chips.
Along the same part of Chinatown, there are some stalls selling little, predominantly cute items (cute being a subjective thing here).
Just in case you don’t know where those underground looking stairs lead to.
Waiting for the tube, eating Chinese nibbles.
4 comments:
Sorry about remarking, Monchichi ... but ... the lingering memory of the London tubes I had was that some stations reek of urine and sweat! I can't imagine eating anything on the Underground. Not all of the stations are like that, I know.
Hi Ben, that comment made me laugh, but only because I was wondering if Londoners are somehow more used to it, and so, don't really notice it much.
Ah, Chinese New Year... I guess I should drop by our local Chinatown this weekend! Hopefully it will be as jolly as the one there.
Good photography. You so right about the pidgeons, must me wondering why all these red lanterns obstructing their right of passage every once a year ha !! Quite sure next week the CNY atmosphere will lifen up and restaurants will have more CNY promos> But then again, noticed the atmosphere over here in my homeland also not the same as before; looks like what we will be witnesing this time round will be CNY during a Global Financial Meltdown and Recessions.
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