Marketing, food, food and more food!!!!!

Our class ended early today so Lingtze, Meisian, Yanhan, Bibiana, Boonchin, David, Nicholas and I went marketing in Tyoply stan market...Talking about Tyoply Stan market, I can't recall when was the last time I went there...1 year ago? 6 months ago? Shrug...really no idea.

Well, in winter when the weather is so freaky cold, we will normally buy our provisions from ASHAN, the well-known hypermarket in Russia. Okay, so back to the reason we went thru the cold today...It's because we are having a chinese new year reunion dinner tomorrow!!!!! The 10 of us!!!!! It's so sad that I can't celebrate CNY with my family this time.. =( Hmm, guess I'll have to take it as an experience celebrating it with my friends and being far far away from home on this important occasion...I guess it'll be just as fun, right?

So, given the importance of food in the Chinese culture, it is not surprising that food plays a major role in the Chinese New Year celebration...I guess that explains why whenever one chinese meets another, their greeting will be "Hey, chiak pa boay?" (taken your meal yet in hokkien)... I learnt from my "pak kua" friends the symbolic significance of certain food that we bought for CNY...
1) Chicken =>serving a whole chicken during the Chinese New Year season symbolizes family togetherness
2) Fish => nian nian you yu (wish for prosperity in the coming year, for added symbolism, it's served whole, with the head and tail attached-meaning having a good beginning and ending for the coming year)
3) Pork => chu rong lu sui
4) Noodles => symbol of longevity
5) Oranges => wealth and luck
6) Eggs => fertility
7) Tofu => happiness
8) Prawn => ha ha siu ( in cantonese)

These are the few that I know, so do add on to my list if you know any extra food with much significance!!! And for those who need more or lack any of the above mentioned "elements", "sek chou la, sek tor tit!" hahaha.. of course that is not everything that will be for our dinner...I will post more details plus photos tomorrow, I hope...All right, time to collect my laundry..Chao!