Celebrating Chinese New Year in Tanjung Pinang

Tanjung Pinang, the place where I was born, is a town much older than Singapore. By this year, it has went past its 226th years birthday, compared to Singapore which was founded by Raffles in the year 1811, Tanjung Pinang is rightfully the elder brother in the region. Why is that so?

Tanjung Pinang is a port town situated in the island of Bintan, with about twice the size of Singapore. There are many natural ports around the entire island, allowing for trading which is a very important economic factor, in the past as well as today. Starting from the time the Portuguese navigators visited Malacca 500 years ago, Bintan was the thriving island of trade.

I have spent more than half of my life in this small port town. Born there, grew up there, educated there and made my friends there. It is still a small town, except that now it has become a popular escape gateway for many Singaporeans over the weekend and during holidays.

What are the attractions in Tanjung Pinang?
- Nice local food, away from the generic taste of food at hawker center in Singapore
- Cheaper hair treatment, salon and massage parlor
- Places of worship, big Buddhist temple
- Sex industry => I hate to say this, but this is true

Well, the food is not that cheap nowadays, especially after Singaporeans visit and claiming the food to be cheap so loudly. The food price increased over the last decades that it can match the food price in Singapore! That literally makes the life difficult for the local people who cannot afford.

Regardless, I am going to make my visit to my dear hometown today. I have never missed any chinese new year celebration at home, mingling around with siblings, squeezing ourselves in the small tiny bedroom. Visiting relatives, rejecting AngPaos that are always given no matter how old I am, because I am not married. Attending high school reunion, meeting old friends, taking pictures and post them to the net.

I am glad that I can still go home to spend some times with my parents. I am thankful that God still allow them to stay with us. I certainly hope that I soon have the courage to share the Gospel of Christ with them, especially since I am going to be a Pastor soon.

I hope that this year's celebration will be much more meaningful and not just a mere celebration of the season of time.