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Welcoming the Year of the Snake
As Chinese New Year approaches, people prepare to bid farewell to the Year of the Dragon and usher in the Year of the Snake.Festive environment: Shopping malls have are festooned with Lunar New Year decorations that captivate people of all ages.
Propitious start: A large Chinese character, which means "good fortune", attracts people who want to pose for photographs.
Traditional treats: People buy snacks to for their families and friends who visit them during Chinese New Year.
Lucky baubles: Shoppers choose from myriad decorations for their homes.
Longstanding custom: Dried seafood is a welcome New Year gift.
Polishing touch: People clean up their shops and homes before Chinese New Year, hoping to sweep away bad luck from the last year.
Eyes on you: The Lunar New Year fair at Victoria Park attracts throngs of people searching for last minute gifts.
Pretty in pink: The blooming peach trees at the fair are a photographer's magnet.
Fortune aplenty: People flock to the fair seeking novel gifts.
Bargaining power: Enterprising youths make a last-ditch effort to sell their products at the fair.
Kung hei fat choy!: The news.gov.hk team wishes all our visitors good health and prosperity in the Year of the Snake.
Global gala: The 2013 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade in Tsim Sha Tsui draws crowds to welcome in the Year of the Snake.
Just for laughs: Classic comic characters join the parade.
Larger than life: Multicultural performances wow the crowds.
Reptilian revelry: A snake slithers into the spotlight.
Customary cuisine: A shop owner and his staff in Sheung Wan dine together on the second day of Lunar New Year, in accordance with tradition, to bring good fortune in the coming year.
Pyrotechnic wonder: The Lunar New Year fireworks display attracts throngs on both sides of Victoria Harbour.
Lucky toss-up: A little girl and her father visit the Wishing Tree in Lam Tsuen, Tai Po, on the third day of Chinese New Year.
Traditional nuptials: Women in Lam Chuen, Tai Po, use paddles as they walk, recalling the days when the fishermen who lived there would receive their brides on their fishing boats.
Wheels of fortune: Visitors to Che Kung Temple in Sha Tin spin lucky wheels to dispel bad luck and encourage good fortune.
Beaten back: Temple visitors also beat a drum to scare away bad luck.
Upbeat moment: A festive ambiance lingers around the city on the fourth day of Chinese New Year.
