As I am an ordinary spectator of the biggest annual event for the Chinese community here in Malaysia, my eyes continue to feast on the colors and festive moods extremely associated with the Spring Festival, the Lunar Year or simply, the Chinese New Year. It’s such a delight to learn that at the end of every grandiose day of celebration, a family reunion dinner and gatherings with friends remain to be the occasion’s most inspiring spirit!
Apparently, 2012 is the year of the DRAGON.
“In Sung Dynasty (a Chinese imperial dynasty lasting from AD 960 – 1279) texts, the dragon is described as having the head of an ox, muzzle of a donkey, eyes of a shrimp, horns of a deer, body of a serpent covered with fish scales, and feet of a phoenix. The dragon usually clutches a pearl symbolic of its super-natural powers. Invariably accompanied by thunder and rain, dragons move like lightning and whirlwinds – - all powerful yet totally unpredictable” (-sourced here).
And because Tina and I, together with my mom who’s with us currently here in Penang, are all under the DRAGON sign, behold my blog’s tribute to the ultimate auspicious symbol representing success and happiness…
In KUALA LUMPUR, dragons come in varied elegance…
At Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex at the foot of the Petronas Twin Towers, Kuala Lumpur, My
Detail shot of one of the dragons in Pavilion Mall…
Pavilion Mall, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur
And its entirety…
Pavilion Mall outdid Suria-KLCC Shopping Complex in terms of volume and size of their dragon displays. This is how Pavilion Mall’s 600-foot-dragon looks like…
And what’s a Chinese New Year celebration without dragon dances?
Embroidered dragon in a man’s court suit on display at Pavilion Mall…
In PENANG, the Chinese community also shows solidarity and unity in welcoming the New Lunar Year…
Drum rolls and beats make the atmosphere so stellar!
Armenian and Kapitan Keling Streets welcome everyone with this dragon-designed arch.
Dragons in Pulau Pinang are everywhere! From stage…
to novelty stores selling stuffed dragons…
and street kiosks with paper ones…
fifteen ringgit is two hundred ten pesos. mahal!
The streets of George Town, particularly the laterals of Lebuh Chulia display a lot more dragons…
Do you like your dragon on textile?
which are obviously hand-painted…
Or would you care your dragon be inked on you?
To environmentalists and those who care for Mother Earth, a dragon made of recycled bottles surely looks awesome!
but to foodies like my family and me, these last two photos certainly seems enticing!
Gong Xi Fa Cai, everyone! 
*CNY in Malaysia this year starts 23rd January 2012 until 15 days after.
OPINION COUNTS…