Bits of fireworks through the window
There was a big Chinese New Year celebration in central today to
celebrate the year of the pig. The pig is supposed to be a year of
fertility. Anyhow-- WAAAAAAAAAY too many people in the city today.
Never again. One of those it-takes-ten-minutes-just-to-cross-the-street
kinds of operations. Nikki, Texas Daniel and I got into central at the
end of the first fireworks show in Leicester Square, which I was only
able to see through the reflection of a shop window. We tried to go
into actual Chinatown to get food, and that was equally crazy. We did
manage to get some egg rolls from a street vendor for pretty cheap.
Some girl passed out in the street near us, probably because it was so
crazy and there was so many people. We tried to get out, but since it
was so crowded it took us forever to move.
LOTS of people in Leicester Square
I mentioned something along
the lines of "this must be what it's like in real China." Also, the
city had closed off a bunch of streets to create one-way foot traffic
to lessen the crowds, but I think that just made it worse. There were
those traditional dragon-costumed dancers, and they would go up to
restaurants in Chinatown and eat some lettuce... I didn't really get
what that was all about. There were sooo many kids throwing those
little snap pellet things on the ground, and people with little spinny
drums, and paper lions, and pig parephenalia... oy. Nikki and I tried
to find our friend in Trafalgar Square-- equally impossible. Loads of
people watching a bunch of dancing in the square. We were both getting
dizzy from too much going on, so after trying really hard to find a
Chinese restaurant that wasn't packed, we ducked into a Yo Sushi on
Poland Street and relaxed. Not Chinese food, but close? Maybe? We had
to sneak through all these side streets to avoid the crowds.... ugh. Yo
Sushi wasn't that great, but they have this really amazing chocolate
mousse cake that I highly recommend. MMMMM.
