Word in the house was that lai see packages were being prepared. These are auspicious red packets containing money that are given to kids, colleagues and baby bears like me.
Naturally I came out to supervise.
Nicholas received a bunch from various cousins, aunts, uncles and family members.
I made sure to take them all for myself.
I had a good haul. This is a good start to Chinese New Year.
Today we made jiaozi, or dumplings. I don’t care much for them, but they are a New Year tradition so I thought I’d do my part by watching the work get done.
Chinese New Year is the biggest Chinese holiday of the year. Most offices are closed for at least a week, many for a full two weeks. So before the shutdown, I thought it to be a fine idea to visit Pokin’s dad’s office. First of all I heard it was a food business. Second I liked the notion of a boss-to-bear-boss chat.
But a quick look around proved that there was little in the way of chocolate or hot cocoa. On that point alone, I have decided I like my office better.
Plus I can play games in my office.
Well at least I can entertain myself watching Eric make crepes for the employees.
So I went to China.
So far it’s not too bad as festivities go.
For Halloween this year, Nicholas decided he’d be a little more like me.
He wore a tunic.
As for me, I already had a great outfit so I just went as Sumi Bearditore. I mean like duh, with such a great outfit, what else would I go as?
Collectively, we went to the Medieval Times in Kissimmee.
That made a lot of sense because it wasn’t actually Halloween yet and we decided that was as a good a place as any to get all dressed up in costume because all the poor staff had no choice but to also parade around in costume too.
Drew got us front row seats.
So we got to cheer loudly for our knight, Yellow Knight. In the Yellow Knight’s face. GO YELLOW!!
I liked that.
I liked it enough for some one on one photo action after the show.
Good bye, Hawaii, it’s time for Florida.
This time, I had my own seat on the plane.
Then while waiting at the Salt Lake City airport I was offered my own mini salted caramel drink from Starbucks.
Life is good as a travelling bear. I even got zone 1 seating. Next time, priority please.
Meet Monkey. He’s kind of like a mascot. And he travels around and poses for photos.
We decided to be buds. Naturally.
Earlier today I went to a lu’au at the Mauna Kea beach resort. It was kind of like a quadruple date. At first I was just going to hang out on the lanai and watch turtles. But since Wes AND Pokin were coming I went along and we made it like a field trip.
First I watched some emu ceremony. It really just looked like two people putting in way too much effort to heave dirt and unearth swine. One of them was even kind enough to flash me their butt.
After the emu ceremony I loitered around the hotel grounds waiting for the sun to set.
Then I observed some dancers doing the hula. While wearing coconuts. You know, like do all the kinds of things tourists expect to see from a lu’au.
After the show, we had the opportunity to pose for pictures with the dancers. Why not? I thought, and went up for a photo. “Aww cute,” she said when it was my turn and I sat on her palm.
Not cute lady. You mean awesome. Like super spirit bear went to a lu’au awesome.
We had to do it.
At first I thought we really didn’t have to. What I really wanted to do was spend the day playing games on the lanai. Instead we spent the day driving around the island. The drive only reinforced my feelings about rather wishing that I was sitting on the lanai playing games instead of driving around the island.
I’ve already seen Iguazu Falls. Few waterfalls left in the world are going to impress this bear.
Well at least now I can say we did it. Now back to the lanai.
Tonight, I learned that manta rays are freaking huge. Like the size of boats.
This I determined by comparing the size of mantas to the kayak boats that were busy shining big lights at the big mantas.
Which only makes me want to surf them all the more. I mean, they fly through the water like I fly through the air. It’s like a match made in heaven. Or Hawaii.
