PARTY IN CHINATOWN!

Today, the LyJordans schlepped down to Chinatown (errr, China Street, errrr, China Block) in D.C. for the Lunar New Year Parade.

The Entrance to "China Block" was pretty impressive, but that was about it. There were only a handful of stores and restaurants there.

Luckily, we had a great tour guide to the area - one of Mom's buddies from law school - Cau Duc. (F.Y.I. - "Cau" means "Uncle" in Vietnamese)

I immediately took a shine to him. Yeah, I decided to be really into Cau Duc - a newlywed who just turned 29 and who is running away from the thoughts of fatherhood. I glommed onto him like a sponge to water.

Luckily, he was a good sport. He held my hand when I'd wander up to him. He carried me so that I could see the parade.

And he kept a handle of me by holding onto my jacket hood. Good strategy. Despite not being quite ready for fatherhood yet, he was obviously a pro at tracking down kids.

Mom's favorite thing that Cau Duc did was take a family picture of us. Thanks! We definitely don't have enough pictures of all three of us together.

Uncle Phil was pretty jealous. Afterall, I have met him a bunch of times (most recently for Corbin's birthday at our apartment), but I barely even gave him a high five. I only had eyes for Cau Duc.

I only had eyes for him, that is until the fireworks came along. Dad spen $1 on a box of snap pops for us. They were pretty much duds. I wasn't very scared at all. Not like last year's fireworks at the Tet celebration in San Jose.

Did I mention that I got a hold of a couple of Taiwanese flags? I had to concentrate on waving them without whacking people - hence the Tongue of Concentration.

I saw a bunch of dragons dance at this parade. They are supposed to bring good luck. I guess I'll be triple-y lucky this year! HOORAH to the Year of the Rat!

Ummm, Mom? I need you to pick me up so that I can see over the crowd. I am barely three feet tall afterall.

Ahhh, a perch on Dad's shoulders. Much better.

Wow. Dragon #2.

and Dragon #3! WOW!

Dad, Uncle Phil & Cau Duc chatting it up while I watch the parade. Doesn't Uncle Phil kind of look like Ba Co Ngoai when she first came over from Vietnam in 1980?

That joke was for you Uncle Phil. :-)

Hooray! I loved waving my two Taiwanese flags at the Lunar New Year Parade! HOORAY! No "One China" for me!

All that flag waving tuckered me out. My little fingers needed a break from all of that heavy lifting. (Afterall, the One China policy is pretty controversial.)

Windy day. Cold fingers. Can't feel hand any more. Time to go home.

But first, special visitors to the parade. Cool.

Back in Rosslyn.

What a fun day!

Thanks for hanging with us Cau Duc and Uncle Phil.

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!!