The Chinese New Year in the Binondo district attracts crowds of people each year and is celebrated over explosions of vibrant colors and cultural experiences.
Happening on January 28, 2017, the once-a-year event will feature lion & dragon dances, firecracker celebrations, parades, marching bands, and surely enough, the different food and dishes that Chinese folks are known for (tikoy, pansit canton, siopao, dimsum, mami, roasted meat & seafood, etc.).
The Chinese New Year 2017 is the Year of the Red Fire Rooster. It starts from January 28th 2017 and extends up to February 15th 2018.
The Rooster is tenth in the Chinese zodiac. Each year is related to an animal sign according to a 12-year cycle. Years of the Rooster include 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, and 2029.
Chinese Horoscopes
According to most Chinese folks, this is the year when you will need to work hard and be patient in order to achieve your goals.
This Year of the Rooster is ruled by the fire element and it is a Yin year. This is the time to be spent in solitude and harmony with friends and family.
The lucky colors for this year are earth colored items like brown or yellow . Chinese horoscopes say that if you use these colors in your daily life, everything that you take interest in will turn out the way you want it to. In other words, it is like a good luck charm blessing you with abundance and prosperity.
For the love-struck millenials, this is an excellent year for singles to get married. If already married, it's a lucky year to get pregnant.
Photowalk
The Chinatown in the Binondo district is the oldest in the whole world, established in 1594, and is located in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Manila. Each section of Chinatown offers a different experience, and when the streets erupt into celebration, the results are fantastic.
The Chinese New Year celebration is a day of excitement and exploration. This is a time for street photography and action photography, with lots of opportunities to capture the spirit of this event.
Equipment? Carry light. Trust me! I've been celebrating the Chinese New Year in Manila for the past several years and this had taught me to carry fewer gear as I can.
Bring one camera and one mid-range zoom (like the 10-22mm, 16-35mm, 18-55mm or the 24-70mm) lenses. You can also bring a prime lens (35mm or 50mm) for your portrait shots. Remember to bring lens hoods (if it's a sunny day) and plastic bags just in case it rains. No tripods and no backpacks, not unless you have a personal assistant with you to carry those stuff. And please, park your car outside the Binondo area, it's impossible to drive inside Chinatown on this day.
What to wear? Comfortable, thin clothing and comfortable footwear. Expect to walk a lot (that's why it's called a photowalk, remember?) I use a pair of sandals and carry a towel to wipe those sweat away. Bring and wear whatever that works for you.
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