Penang Chinese New Year festivities. The year of the Dragon (January 2012)

We have had numerous festivities here in Geogetown for the Chinese New Year which started several days before the 23rd of January. Friends off SV Labarque, Elizabeth and Patrick, have been in Penang for previous New Year celebrations and wrote encouragingly of the events. We have not been disappointed and Elizabeth has been a great source of information and director of social outings.
New Years eve was in the grounds of City Hall which was beautifully lit. There were demonstrations of physical and musical talent followed by fireworks

 Chingay (pole)  juggling from head to head was pretty spectacular

and Pole Lion dancing was nail biting as the dancers nimbly leapt from different heights

There are 2 men inside each suit and the acrobatics performed were astounding

Dragon dancing

Waiting for the bus to go to the Govt chief minister open house festival with fellow cruisers Elizabeth and Patrick (SV Labarque) and Nick and Jan (MV Yawarra 11. The bus and Ferry terminal are just next to the Tanjung city marina and offers a cheap and excellent service.

The event was held at the Penang International sports arena ( Pisa) at Relau...Food was provided and it was very well organised. Our group made it in the local newspaper

Dragon salad

Chief minister Lim Guan Eng and his wife Betty Chew were present to greet and hand out 9,120 mandarins!

Queens Bay Mall shopping centre was the venue for mask changing and dragon dancing

The mask changing was spectacular. We counted 12 changes at the speed of a blink of the eye. We couldn't  see how it was done and even on slow motion on the camera it was undetectable.

The next day was the Prime minister (Najib Razak) of Malaysia's open house with festivities. Unfortunately the music was too loud so we didn't stay long. This was held at the marina complex.

We decided to leave the huge crowd and go to the peaceful setting of Fort Cornwallis
The fort was built when Capt Francis Light (East India company) first landed on Penang Island in 1786 of Nibong palm then later in brick

An hour and a half on the bus (which cost 2 MYR=65cAUD) took us to the busy market town of Ayer Itam where we watched the 200,000 lanterns and coloured lights lit at dusk at the Kek Lok Si temple.

Overlooking the town

Eric and I climbed to the top of the Pagola and had an amazing view.

 Just as the lights came on my camera battery went down. The following lit photos are from a fellow yachties camera

The bronze Goddess of mercy towered 100ft above us and the intricately carved pillars beyond to hold the roof. At the bottom of the centre of the picture you can just make out Jan and Cathy

We had the priveledge of going to an Indian dance graduation/ initiation (Selangai Poojai) where the dancers were introduced, then after bowing and thanks to parents were taken to their teacher where formal greetings were given. Their teacher placed bell anklets on them before they took their place with their colleagues.

Musicians

Chinese New Year cultural and Heritage day brought an end to the week long festivities with dancing, singing, cultural displays, stilt walking, craft and arts, comedy shows, fashion parades, story telling, acrobatics, opera and orchestra

The colours of the costumes and the choreography of the dancing was most appealing

Gamelan Drummers

We couldn't see all the events on as alot overlapped at the same time at different locations and the crowds were like being in a sardine can. The food was great with many stalls offering numerous traditional foods.

Tonight starts the "Hokkien New Year" festivities. This makes our 3rd New Year this year!!