Happy New Year...it's the year of the Rabbit!

Greetings all! Let me just say, after spending Chinese New Year here in Suzhou, We as a nation in the USA are WIMPY with our fireworks displays! Firecrackers and a few fireworks at night were going off all week here in celebration of the new year. After dark on the eve of the new year, it started with HUGE displays of fireworks....everywhere! I must preface this by saying you can buy professional grade fireworks here...they sell them to anyone! So, when midnight struck....OH MY GOODNESS!!! The sky lit up like I have never seen and the noise level was deafening! It was THE MOST INCREDIBLE site I have ever seen! For all you with "bucket lists", I highly recommend putting Going to China for Chinese New Year celebration on that list! You have to see it to appreciate it. These folks know how to celebrate in a BOOMING way! :)
Oh, in other big news...this biker chick ventured out into the streets of Suzhou on her Ebike! Okay, so the wonderful husband did have to prod me a little. The streets were not busy at all due to the holiday, so he encouraged me by letting this fact be known that it was a perfect time to get out on the streets and GO!! Oh, and go I did! I rode down to the Renaissance Hotel which is a bit over a mile from our apartment. I also had to cross the street and cross over a six lane, fairly busy street, and I survived to tell about it! I must say, it is a blast to be on it. The sun was shining and it was a balmy 51 degrees out..."Glorious" as my dear husband says! Then I rode to Starbucks where Mark walked over and bought me a coffee. So, I think I may just attend the next EAS coffee gathering at the Renaissance Hotel on my Ebike! The best thing was the looks and stares I got! Let's face it...I kind of stand out here, so seeing a plus size blonde woman on a shiny, nice, new Ebike riding on the streets of Suzhou is an oddity for sure...but then I've been known to be an oddity and that's okay by me!