Dragons Dragons Everywhere--

 Ovidia-every other Tuesday

Happy Year of the Dragon, everyone!

Singapore welcomed the Year of the Dragon last Saturday with a mix of tradition and technology, in a 10 minute show named The Legend Of The Dragon Gate--

Featuring 1,500 synchronised drones along the Marina Bay Sands Waterfront, the show lasted ten minutes with many people staying out to watch despite the rain. 

I didn't make it there myself, but from all accounts it was pretty striking. 

The Chinese dragon is considered a celestial creature, able to control the wind and water as well as confer strength, good luck and wisdom.

However, this year is the year of the wood dragon--a creature apparently more introverted and self sufficient than his more fiery brethren.

I've started the dragon year a bit more quietly too, thanks to some dental procedures, a bad reaction to antibiotics, the death (not a surprise but still unexpected) of a much loved and respected teacher... and just to round things out, I fell while out walking (stepped on a pine cone concealed in wet leaves) and did something to my left knee.

Now I can walk fine as long as I keep the knee pretty straight. But sometimes after bending it, I can't straighten it out without pain. Walking down or up stairs has become a step-match process, and during this morning's attempt at yoga I think I spent more time trying to re-straighten my knee than actually practicing!

Luckily the teacher was understanding, saying he has two other students who get locked joints in certain positions, and it'll pass!

But not surprisingly I've not been doing much else.

I have more dragon pictures, though. Dragons are everywhere in Singapore right now. In the supermarket--

where he looks like he's warning you off the vegetable display!

If you were born after the Lunar New Year in 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976 or 1988 you might be a dragon. Considered by many to be the most auspicious zodiac sign, there's often a spike in the number of births in dragon years.

At the Art Science Museum--

 With a bit of help from technology here!

And of course in the Lunar New Year street processions--

The street processions are the closest to what I remember of the lunar new year celebrations of my youth.

And for today's children there's a surfeit of dragon dolls and dragon cakes,

Cute, though not exactly what I'd call cuddly.

Bruce Lee was born in the dragon year (1940) so though his given name was Lee Jun-fan, he was generally known as 李小龍 or 'Little Dragon Lee'.

And I'm now storing my current knitting project in this red dragon box that will last much longer than the Chinese New Year goodies it came bearing!

But best of all the Year of the Dragon is supposed to bring auspicious opportunities to all, and seen as a good time to start new projects. 

So if there's a project you've been thinking of starting on, why not grab some of the newly launched dragon energy and jump into it now?