I was in Chinatown in London today, as were hundreds of others. The lunar new year took place on Friday, but the events in London to celebrate the Chinese New Year are taking place today and tomorrow. Chinatown was busy, and the Chinese restaurants were also proving to be popular as tourists and visitors were lining up outside the restaurants and witnessing the celebrations. New red lanterns hung everywhere; London's Chinatown always has red lanterns, but there were even more today.
Chinese lanterns on Wardour Street
Close-up of Chinese lanterns
A large group of lanterns hanging on Newport and Lisle Street
Crowds had gathered in Chinatown, and many had their cameras and mobile phones ready to snap photographs.
London's Chinatown
Chinese lanterns
While walking through the middle of Chinatown (Gerrard Street), I heard a drumming and saw large and colourful creatures heading my way. I heard the same noise toward Charing Cross Road, but I was too far away and the crowd was too dense to check it out.
I had to do a little bit of research, but the colourful creatures are lions. (I originally thought that they were dragons.) The colourful lions were dancing in the street and taking lettuce leaves that had been hung up in the doorways of the restaurants. Taking the lettuce leaves is meant to bring good fortune on the families who leave it out. Spreading the lettuce leaves around means that good luck shall come to everyone in the vicinity. My photographs below show the colourful lions moving to the lettuce hanging in the restaurant doorway and taking it.
Lion dance
The lions continued to dance down the street, stopping at all of the buildings. As they danced their way down, a group of people banged on drums and tambourines to encourage the dance.
New year lion dance
The lion has a mirror on its nose so that evil spirits see their reflection and run away. The lion dance was attracting a large crowd.
Lion dance for the new year and good fortune
Each lion is made up of two people - one for each pair of legs.
Lions
On the way back to the station, I passed through Chinatown again and got some photographs of the lanterns lit up.
Lanterns
Happy new year to you, and good luck.
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