Sureal China town experience... Happy New Year

It might be me and I've completely not noticed that it is Chinese new year or something ? I'm sure we've had that and we're actually in my year of the dog... so there.

I was kicking about San Francisco and decided to take in China town which has the largest official China town in the World outside China. I enter through some traditional gates, of which I know I've seen bigger. I'm ambling along and I hear a snatch of a tune wafting through the air. It takes a few bars but then I realize it is Auld Lang Syne. No it can't be I think... it is. It is most definitely Auld Lang Syne.

I listen some more and look towards the sounds, I spy this Chinese gentleman quite elderly sat down playing what I assume is a traditional Chinese instrument - I could look it up and name it... alright it was a erhu - didn't take long... (googled for chinese string instruments, third link (about.com) and then googled for each one in turn on the image search)

Seriously this elderly dude was banging out Auld Lang Syne on his Erhu... check it. So I asked him if I could take a picture... he nodded so I did and gave him a buck for his playing. Couldn't get the damn tune out of my head for the evening though so I've a good mind to ask for a refund.



Original video here because it's pretty bad copy and YouTube could kill it and make it really bad...

I went for dinner in China town, a lovely couple from Virginia recommended the Four Seasons on Grant Ave. It was nice, (but it came very quickly and whilst hot when it arrived it didn't hold it's heat, suggesting it was a pre cooked and reheated dish) reasonable price - and I got a fortune cookie...(Which are not Chinese at all but actually invented right here in San Francisco, must be true because my guide book says so.)

The fortune inside is below:


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