We live in the HEARTLANDS!

Have I mentioned that we LIVE in the Heartlands? Amidst all the festivals, all the hoo-hahs and smack bang in the middle of 'Hungry Ghost Festival' (click) For those who don't know the meaning, just click the words in blue.

We are however NOT impressed. When Saturday rolls in, any spare squarish park area will be mounted with a temporary colourful tent structure with a stage on it. This seeming harmless demountable setup is usually the works of a nearby chinese temple or chinese organisation. Their main aim is to 'auction' tables after tables of 'Offerings- Incense, burnable paper stuff, fruits, food, biscuits etc' in hundreds of $$ to families who requires such things to 'give' to their dead families.

I now know a few people who does this yearly, buying paper folded clothes, cars, watches, bed sheets, ties etc and will pay 'extra' to have logos and brands printed on them. Their belief is that these 'dead ones' need to keep up with the Jones in the heavenlies and they should have the same standards as they normally would on earth?!? Huh!!??

So, what we get is, every Saturday and if we are unlucky, the eve of a public holiday, all the dialect '$200, $250.. going once, twice sold!" to drive us nuts and near insane. Then the party starts at 9pm onwards where the 'GE TAI' (GE meaning Song, TAI meaning stage!) culture sets in to entertain apparently the 'ghosts'. The tent then fills with crowds of people, eating drinking and just out to have a good time, while the "GETAI" singers/dancers compete for more time on stage. They get paid more if the public requests for them to stay etc..

We cannot shut our windows, we cannot shut the noise. It stops around 11pm and my girls will struggle to get to sleep before 10pm. We will ALL wake up droopy eyed the next day and be wishing for storms of fire from GOD to swipe over last night.....sigh!

Here's a colourful sight and an INSIGHT (click) to the chinese superstitions and beliefs. Am gonna catch an early sleep to catch up with the less sleep I will be getting tomorrow (Sat) night!