Another five days to the Lunar New Year! Households are busy Spring Cleaning and baking cookies. Chinatown in Singapore, like Chinatown all over the world, at this time of the year is busiest. Shops sell Chinese New Year decorative items, cookies, dry goods and all things people need for the Chinese New Year. Most people would ‘pay a visit to Chinatown and see what’s there’, and to soak up the festive atmosphere. The streets would be jammed pack with people. The nearer the date, the busier the place gets.

Unfortunately, with the pandemic still upon us, things are a bit different. The scene was a lot quieter. Still, it is an improvement over last year when the pandemic was at its peak.

I was there a couple of days ago, and here are some pictures I took.

This was the scene as I came out of the underground station.

Red is an auspicious colour in Chinese culture. It represents happiness, prosperity, good luck, good health… good everything. So, red is what you see everywhere during this festive period.

There is also life at this restaurant at the popular corner of Chinatown. Business was still a pale shadow compared to the pre-covid days. But at least it is an improvement over, say a few months ago.

This ‘Sweet Tea Cafe’ – I thought it had closed down. I guess I was mistaken.

Stacks of cookies.

A street stall selling pomelos. Pomelos are bigger versions of grape fruit, but sweeter. To the Chinese, they represent reunion. So, it is one of the fruits that you will see in a Chinese household during this time of the year.