The next next next day...

The next next next day, which is after the next next day, was Chinese New Year, Year of the Ox. Didn't do much during the day but that evening we went to Skycity as per advertised they were celebrating the New Year, putting on shows for us Asian community and those people who keen.




They even setup frie cracker too!! Hmm.. love this already!!


And a few small hawker stalls. Looked a bit tacky under the Sky Tower but oh well, it's Chinese New Year...


I thought the decorations this year is so much better than last year!


So many lanterns, so Asian.


This is the 'stage' where performers strutt their stuff.


Oh look! How nice~~


For some reason I don't understand why Sky City stick this word 'Lu' (prosperity) all around in the building... Not many people come out from this building prosper anyway...


Got God of Fortune as well ar!!! Ang pau take come~~~

The show started at 7pm and when the time came, fire crackers were lid and that was awesome!!!



Lion dance commenced as soon as the fire cracker finished doing its thing.



I love lion dance. I love the rythm, the different expression of lion and everything that comes with it. But when I saw this sifu came in the main entrance I started to worry...



He is one of the 'master' that teaches martial arts around town. My kung fu master friend Kelvin and myself attended one of his classes years ago. At that time I would say that he taught us Peking Opera stuff rather than martial arts. He used to be 'Monkey King' in opera shows and knows a few moves and flips but somehow I think that is quite different from martial art itself... So we only attended one class and never returned..

That was why I was a little disappointed when I saw him and his student did the lion dance this year.. As expected, the lion dance wasn't all that great, at all...



The movements of the lion didn't look realistic and acrobatic stunts weren't as impressive as the one Skycity had last year...



Moreover, the drum and gongs were played by upper middle-age auntie and uncle. I admired the effort they put into this show but there were no rythm and the beat was all over the place...



When the main cheese of Skycity gave out Ang Pau (red packet) to the lion, as we all see, a man's head emerged at the middle of the lion's body... err.. yeah like I just want to see what is happening in front... That made the lion looked like it has a cacat (disformed) spine..



Just not quite professional enough... Need I say more about the photo below?



Well, at last the dance finished and as I glanced at the crowd below, honestly, not only me but quite a few people shook their head... was a bit of a disappointment, really...



Lion dance plays a huge part in Chinese culture, especially during Chinese New Year but this was so poorly performed...

Anyway the next event was another lion dance but this time it was the Northern Lion. They were much more life-like and movements were alot more co-ordinated.



And guess what, they were performed by kids!



After the lion shows, they had an acrobatic team from Hubei, China performed for us. All performers were kids aged maybe from 10 to 15 years old. And they were pretty bloody good!


More than ten hula hoops were used for this performance


Wondering how she did these with hula hoops? Ask her, I don't know either..


Power Rangers? No they were not but they moved like one.


The strength of their body must be incredibly powerful to be able to do all these.


And good balance as well!






Now people, don't try these at home






And this too. Make sure you ask your mum first if you really want to. Any injuries will not be held responsible from this blog...


Yup, that was how high he staked the chairs!


Look at the muscle!! And tight pants.. mmm~


Clap for me anyone?


Now this is just superb. I would have shit myself now if it was me up there..


My camera ran out of battery after I took this shot... damn!!

So if you like to know what this last act was, go to Skycity foyer. The performance will be on everyday from 7pm to 8pm until 9th February 2009.

Once again Happy Year Of Moo Cow!!

At last!!

Freedom never taste so good!!



I can live my life again!!

The next next day

Sunday 25th Jan:

Felt real lazy that day so we went to the beach and relax. The beach we went to has got no name (well, not as far as we know). It is situated pretty much just right next to Ladies Bay in St. Heliers. The beach is accessible from Ladies Bay (coastal walk) or end of Waitara Road by Glover Park. It is at the bottom of a cliff and really really private.

Yes it was a nudist/naturalist/what ever you want to call it beach. It over looked Rangitoto Island and is a very quite location apart from the sound of waves, far away from the noises and complications of the big city.


Due to camera lense's restrictions, some parts of me body were too big to fit into the screen.. Due to that, I apologize.


Rangitoto Island from afar..





See what I meant by privacy? A perfect beach to strip off and cook your body.

In the future hopefully not too far away, if any one of you fella keen, we can all go and strip off together. Although I know that will only happen, not this life. Probably not the next life either!

Same as usual, I will update what I do the next day (Chinese New Year Day), the next day. Till then Jai Jian~

The next day...

Saturday 24th Jan:

I had to work at a wedding reception but this time was different. The venue was at Huntly, about an hour and a quarter drive from Auckland City, called Hillside Hotel.



The hotel is situated 233m above sea level on top of a hill over looking Waikato Ranges.

Here are a few photos of the hotel:


Can you see the hotel on the hill top? Look closer...





And check the scenery out!! Just amazingly breathtaking!!






Oh if you ever wondered whose shadow that was? It's yours faithfully thank you!



And this is the entrance to the hotel.



The first think that shocked me was the steps that needed to climb to the function room which is at the very very top of the hill... Siaw Meh!! Expect me to carry all my gears including two huge speakers about my height all the way up??!! No no no.. there's got to be another way up so I asked. I'd been told that I can actually drive to the back of the building which allowed me easier access into the function room. Cool!!



After I arrived at the back of the building, I saw this... I cried.. I was happy there were not as much steps. I was upset because it was so damn steep...



What to do? It's a part of the job... so I carried the DJ gear all the way up... ALL BY MYSELF!! I was really proud of myself after all the heavy lifting! The sense of achievement was just incredible. I must have gain some muscle after the workout!!


Photos of Function Room


My little corner where I played that night

One thing that amazed me as well was that on the way up to the hotel, it was so 'country' it wasn't funny. Moo cows were everywhere. And horses too!!


Year of Ox and had a close up with ox.. it must be a lucky year ahead!!


If you are hung like a horse you will be surrounded by bunch of cows... just like human, no wonder everyone wants to be well-hung...

I didn't finish until 1am and by the time I arrive home it was 3am the next day. It was a long long day for me as I left Auckland at 12.30pm and basically stayed there until finish. A refreshing experience and it was kinda nice to be able to get out of town even for a short period of time.

Will be updating what I was doing the next day, the next day (tomorrow). Till then ciao~