Spend an exotic holiday in Asia


Why You Should Travel To Hong Kong For The New Year's Parade

The New Year's parade in Hong Kong is andecked out in glittering lights for the
event not to be missed! The city is dressedholiday. Throughout the three-day
up with bright decorations and colorfulcelebration, dancers in colorful costumes
lights for its biggest celebration of theperform lion and dragon dances in the
year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong tostreets, malls and hotel lobbies.
take  part  in  the  festivities.Traditionally, people exchange small, red
envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower
Winding along Hong Kong's picturesquemarkets show up all over the city during the
waterfront, the New Year's parade is filledholiday, selling plants and flowers with
with colorful, lavishly decorated floats.special significance, and stores and
Representatives from Hong Kong and countriesrestaurants display flowers meant to bring
all over the world sing, dance and playimmortality  and  good  luck.
music. The songs of marching bands fill the
air along the parade's route as performers inThe New Year celebration usually begins
bright  costumes  prance  along  the streets.anywhere from January 21 to February 19,
depending on the year. While the holiday
The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year ofofficially lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong
the Dog. No matter which zodiac animal isit is celebrated for three days, with the New
being celebrated for the coming year, thereYear's parade taking place on the first day.
are always plenty of lions and dragons in theJanuary 29, 2006 is the first day of the
parade. Energetic dancers wearing giant lionforthcoming  new  year.
heads leap in the air as long dragons held
aloft by more than twenty people snake pastThe day after the New Year's parade a
the  enthralled  parade  watchers.brilliant display of fireworks lights up Hong
Kong's famous Victoria Harbour. The fireworks
The New Year's parade is the biggest event ofcan be viewed from the waterfront or from
Hong Kong's Lunar New Year celebration. Closeboats cruising the harbour. On the third day
to 300,000 people attend the parade andof the celebration a large horse race takes
millions more watch it on television. Inplace at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively
recent years the parade has taken place inrace is a favorite for gamblers and
the evening, featuring vivid, dazzling lighthorseracing  enthusiasts.
displays.
It's no wonder why so many travel to discover
The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong's mostall that Hong Kong has to offer, with the
important and well-loved holidays. Each yearvibrant fusion of ancient customs and modern
one of twelve different animals isday fun at one of the world's biggest Chinese
celebrated, according to the Chinese zodiac.New Year celebrations.
Many of the city's towering skyscrapers are



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