Day 13 - Strolled through Chinatown

Chinatown has been right in front of me all along. My usual bus route downtown rolls right through this neighborhood, and on walks home, I've skirted it many times. But never really spent a nice amount of time in it. So I wandered a bit through the streets, taking in the sights and smells. Many of the shops are clearly gearing up for the Chinese New Year, which begins on February 14 this year (the year of the tiger). This neighborhood has a huge parade to celebrate (on February 27 this year) that I've always wanted to see - this has to be the year! There was a lot of exotic food from bakeries, herb shops and fish markets. I was too intimidated to shop for food there, though I love sesame seed balls and steamed buns. That will be another day this year!

I am quite excited about the one purchase I made, something I've wanted for a very long time. A Maneki Neko = "Beckoning Cat" or better known as the good luck cat: