This year we ventured down Zhong Shan Lu - something we usually try to avoid as it has plenty of domestic tourists who usually haven't seen foreign kids before and so Alex and Sebastien can get mobbed. They had tiger cutouts to have photos taken with 
as well as lots of the usual symbols - money, the year animal, lanterns and chili peppers.
This year we were invited to the Xia Da dinner (last year we heard about it, saw the Shi Tong all decorated but for some reason didn't get tickets) for those who can't make it home for the New Year festival. Alex and Sebastien were dressed appropriately - some other kids there were in tiger costumes! 
The front door was where they put the huge celebration cake - the weirdest thing is they had the President of the university speak and then dished it up - before dinner! 
We also had a small cake on our table - notice the cherry tomato as decoration? 
There were many dishes brought out, the strangest one for this meal was the whole "ancient duck" in soup. 
We had coke and "orange drink" to drink during the meal as well as beer and wine to toast with - and the hierarchy of the University and various departments did the rounds of the tables toasting the students. Here are our coke cups.
Here's the table. One of Brett's students brought along a gift for Sebastien (stuffed tiger) and Alex (Xi Yang Yang stuffed toy in a handbag) - they are much loved!
Sebastien was more interested in chasing loose balloons - because fireworks are actually banned on the island, people use bursting balloons to replace the sound and to "drive off the demons".
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