Something for everyone - EUROFILE By CHOI TUCK WO

Credits to the The Star Online!

The Year of the Tiger has started and joining in the festivities to usher it in were prancing lion dance troupes as well as a touring dinosaur exhibition right in London’s bustling Oxford Street.

IT may well be the Year of the Metal Tiger but lions were on the prowl and dinosaurs went unleashed in London.

Easy, Tiger! There’s nothing to worry about. It’s just that colourful lion dances and animatronic dinosaurs dwarfing double-decker buses have invaded the city centre.

Yes, it’s the Chinese New Year 2010 celebrations. And joining in the festivities were prancing lion dance troupes as well as a touring dinosaur exhibition right in bustling Oxford Street.

Despite the fearsome feline’s notoriety, this year may not see Tiger Woods dominating saucy headlines as has happened the past few months.

But then again, the Tiger Year could see a nail-biting roller-coaster ride for Gordon Brown as he braces for the toughest elections of his lifetime.

Whether it could signal the dawning of a new era remains to be seen. The British premier is not about to hand over the keys to Number 10 without a fight.

In fact, the Labour party appears to be closing in on the Conserva­tives in the latest polls, as the widely-expected May elections draw nearer.

Whatever the outcome, Tiger years often herald unpredictable and chaotic times, with the big bold cat bringing its own sense of uproar.

As one fengshui master predicted, this is a year to move ahead with caution. Like the tiger, approach your goal steadily before pouncing on it to avoid falling into a trap.

By the same token, do not be devoured by the ferocious beast. The clash between the metal and wood energies could, however, be cushioned by abundance of water.

Well, some may dismiss such talk as fortune cookie stuff. Ride the volatile tiger if you dare.

Spectacular fireworks

For the Malaysian Chinese community in Britain, many took the opportunity to lo hei (tossing the yee sang) at home or eat out at restaurants, especially those offering prosperity dishes.

There were also those who visited their relatives and friends or offered prayers at temples to usher in the lunar Year of the Tiger.

At the London Fo Guang Temple, the Malaysian abbess, Venerable Chueh Ru Shih, led mass prayers to bid farewell to the past year and welcome the new one.

There was also a New Year’s eve food fair offering a variety of delightful vegetarian dishes including Malaysian “rendang”, “satay” and “chicken rice.”

Located near London’s Chinatown, the temple is popular not just with Malaysian devotees but also those from Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Vietnam.

And the Chinese New Year celebrations continue today with a parade showcasing an array of colourful dragon and lion dances, acrobatics and entertainers starting from The Strand at 11am.

Despite the freezing weather, thousands of people are expected to watch the procession which will end at about noon at Trafalgar Square where a symbolic opening ceremony will be held.

This will be followed by performances from various groups including those from Shanghai, the Qinghai and Kunming provinces, Sichuan Art Troupe and Central Ethnic Song and Dance Ensemble.

There will also be dragon and lion dance displays as well as stunning acrobatic performances.

London’s Chinatown will be bustling with festive decorations, stalls and fabulous food while Shaftes­bury Avenue becomes a mini Hong Kong with stage performances by local artistes.

A spectacular fireworks display in Leicester Square will round off the celebrations this evening.

With more than 300,000 people turning up for last year’s celebrations, there’s no doubt it is one of the biggest and most colourful festivities outside China.

Open house

As part of the nationwide celebration, the China in London festival will appeal to art lovers, with art, culture, music, cuisine and literature from China brought right to the British capital.

With a wealth of exciting events and ways to get involved, there is something for everyone to learn and enjoy about Chinese culture.

The activities range from martial arts demonstrations, acrobatics and food to Chinese cinema, Chinese art and dances across London.

For Chap Goh Meh next Sunday, the Malaysian Students Department is inviting all Malaysian students in Britain to a Chinese New Year Open House at Malaysia Hall.

The event, including a lion dance performance and tossing of the yee sang, will be held between 1pm and 5pm at the premises in London’s Bayswater.

The Tiger Year will also be roaring with activities as far as the United Kingdom and Eire Council for Malaysian Students (www.ukeconline.com) is concerned.

Next month will see Britain’s biggest Malaysian job fair, the UKEC-Graduan Career Fair, to be held at University College London from March 28 to 30.

It’s the place to tap the best brains for the job market for the annual event receives over 1,000 CVs from students studying in top universities across the country.

Other upcoming activities include the thought-provoking Projek Amanat Negara conference, UKECatalyst Speakers Series, Amazing Race: London Edition and a Medical Forum called The Path Ahead.