Saturday, January 31, 2009

Furry (This week's Photo Hunt theme)



This past Monday was the first day of the Chinese New Year of the Ox. The day before, as a friend and I were walking to a cinema to catch a Chinese New Year movie, we spotted a peculiar looking-furry creature on a busy Mongkok street.

As the crowds temporarily parted to reveal more of the centre of attention for the moment, we caught sight of its attire and got to realizing that the furry beast was meant to be an ox, albeit an anthromorphized version clad in festively approprate traditional Chinese costume! In truth, I hardly think it's the most beautiful or even realistic looking ox-thing out there but if it's good enough for all those who flocked to be photographed with it, I figure that it should be good enough to offer up for this week's Photo Hunt!

And to those of my fellow Photo Hunters who celebrate Chinese New Year: Kong Hei Fatt Choi to you! :)

47 comments:

Carver said...

That's a great choice for the furry hunt. Very festive shot. I hope you have a happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

I think it's a very festive and cool-looking furry creature. Not what I'd expect to see for Chinese New Year but my experience is very limited. :) Great post and a perfect example of why I love PhotoHunting!

Happy Year of the Ox!

ancient one said...

I think it looks like an Ox and definitely is right for this week's "furry" theme. Bet we don't see too many of these this week. Great Post!

Napaboaniya.Elaine Ling said...

Gong Hey Fatt Choy!!!
Wishing u good luck in the year of the ox :)

Anonymous said...

Very good choice for teh theme happy weekend. TC

SabineM said...

Kong Hei Fatt Choi to you!
Fabulous take on the theme!

Anonymous said...

That is a very odd looking creature! It looks like the head is supposed to be half angry bull (with a glowing red) and half docile cow.

But it does make for a good photo!

Anonymous said...

That's definitely a wierd-looking ox!!
Gong Hei Fat Choy to you too!

Anonymous said...

As long as it not a Minotaur.

Mira said...

Happy Chinese New Year! That's a lovely mascot of an Ox. Here's mine http://www.mirasblog.com/2009/01/photo-hunt-5-furry.html

♥♥ Willa ♥♥ said...

Happy ox year to you too!
thanks for visiting mine.

YTSL said...

Hi Carver --

Glad you like my choice of photo for "furry". :)

Hi Annie --

A few weeks before Chinese New Year, I started noting all these cute cows/oxen suddenly appearing in different parts of Hong Kong. At first, wondered whether it was a new cartoon character. Then it dawned on me that the new year would that of the ox.... ;b

Hi ancient one --

Have seen one more ox/cow thus far on my Photo Hunt. But get the feeling that the cats will be the most popular subjects of Photo Hunters this week... :)

Hi Napaboaniya --

Thank you, and good luck to you too this new ox year! :)

Hi gen/entry --

Thanks and happy weekend to you too. :)

Hi SabineM --

Thanks -- both for the CNY wishes and liking my choice of photo! :)

Hi Alejna --

Am not sure about angry vs docile but yeah, it's a half and half, alright! :)

Hi Blur Mommy --

Heheheh re your first comment and happy new year to you too! :)

Hi Aileni --

Bwahahaha at your comment! :D

Hi Mira --

Am not so sure it's a mascot... more a symbol of this Chinese new year. :)

Hi Fickleminded --

Thanks and you're welcome! :)

Gattina said...

I admire the "ox" lol ! and behind I see you also have the "Esprit" shop !

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!!! And thanks for the link about "man's best friend".

Happy Weekend.

Bengbeng said...

it is supposed to be an ox? hehe.

Hope you had a great CNY season ytsl. the rest of my yr has to be better..it cannot get any worse hahahahaahah

TAB said...

That's kinda fun! How cool to run into a furry post. Good thing you had your camera with you.

Patricia said...

I'm glad you explained that it was meant to be an ox! LOL! Very colorful anyway!

Happy New Year!

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

Re the Esprit shop: the company may have been founded by Americans but it actually now is headquartered in Hong Kong. ;b

Hi Pat --

Glad you checked out the "Man's Best Friend" article -- cool isn't it? :)

Hi Bengbeng --

Weirder than that -- it's a 2-in-1 ox! :D

And here's hoping that we WILL have good ox years! :)

Hi TAB --

Confession: since moving to Hong Kong, my camera's seldom far away from me... still, do miss some good opportunities -- e.g., yesterday, had wanted to take photos of what I had ordered for dinner (claypot rice with chicken and Chinese sausage) but forgot to do so once the food came along. It just smelt too good AND was very delicious as well! :D

Hi Patricia --

Yes, well... it can be hard to figure out -- especially since it's not every day that one comes across an ox dressed in Chinese traditional costume! ;)

Dragonstar said...

I love that ox! Great idea for this week's theme. Youngest son was born in the year of the Ox - doesn't that mean he should have a good year?

Anonymous said...

Happy Niu Year! Thanks for coming ;) You are so lucky to meet a furry thing and use it for this theme.

Anonymous said...

Good enough it is! Making an ox look festive isn't as difficult as I thought ;-)

Happy new year!

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, didnt thought it to be an ox.

Anonymous said...

I looks a little like an Ox. I guess we have to remember that it's the thought that counts. It is a unique take on the theme for this week.

If you have time stop by my photo hunt!
JyLnC's Furry Photohunt

YTSL said...

Hi Dragonstar --

Am hardly an expert at Chinese astrology but I don't think it goes to reason that those born in the year of the ox will have especially good ox years. OTOH, you might like to know that your son shares the same Chinese astrological sign as Barack Obama, Vincent Van Gogh, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin and Napoleon Bonaparte, among others! ;b

Hi Irene --

Yeah, was thinking I'd have to take photos of my furry Totoro this morning before realizing I already had some appropriate furry themed photos in my photo archive! :)

Hi JC --

Well, if they can make a rat (last year's animal) look festive, an ox really should be easier! :D

Hi Mirage --

Well, actually, I could figure it was an ox. It just took time, is all... ;D

Hi JyLnC --

Teehee re your thought that counts comment. And I guess it also is good to have some imagination to exercise... :)

CRIZ LAI said...

Aiks.. why is the bull sweating away? It must be a tough year this year... haha :P

http://crizcats.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I like the furry ox, odd though he may be. It must be fantastic to see these festivities and parades.

Anonymous said...

Good enough for me! Only one eye? Thanks for visiting Spatter...

jmb said...

Err it is a bit strange however as you say, all those people were very happy with it and someone took the time to make it all.

Happy weekend YTSL

Lene said...

Great furry oxe for the furry theme ;) By the way: Happy new year :)

Willow said...

That bovine-looking thing works for me. lol. Happy lunar new year!

Rebecca Mecomber said...

Hapy New Year! And nice photos! I also did Photo Hunters. I hope you get a chance to visit!
http://newyorktraveler.net/photo-hunters-furry/

Happy weekend!

Anonymous said...

That cow looks quite huggable.

Leslie said...

Hey - now that's a great choice for this week. :)

http://lesliesmyers.blogspot.com/2009/01/photohuntfurry-tigger.html

khengsiong said...

豐澤 is a camera shop, am I right?

Kong Hei Fatt Choi!

Biker Betty said...

It may not look exactly like an ox, but it sure does fit the furry theme this Saturday. A great choice and wishing you a wonderful weekend.

jams o donnell said...

Great take on this week's theme. A belated happy new year to you.

Pok Dell said...

Someone says to me, this is an Ox year..it's a year for a hardwork, can't waste too much time on blogging..lol!
Nice photo..

YTSL said...

Hi Criz --

Get the feeling that not only the ox thinks that the year ahead is going to be full of challenges... :S

Hi A. --

For all of Hong Kong's modernity, what's cool is feeling that it actually has retained quite a lot of traditional cultural ideas and practices (even if not material heritage!). :)

Hi June --

Actually, I think the ox has two eyes. It's just that it has two halves of a face so the eyes don't quite align! :D

Hi jmb --

I guess we can't fault the ox's makers for being creative, right? ;b

Hi Lene --

Am not sure about great but... an ox I'm pretty sure it is! :D

Hi Willow --

All the more power to you and that ox if you reckon it works for you! :D

Hi Mrs. Mecomber --

Thanks for the compliments and I'll say "nice photos" to you too! :)

Hi laicheukpan --

Well, personally, I'd prefer certain cute cats and Totoros... ;)

Hi Leslie --

Glad you think so! :)

Hi Kheng Siong --

You mean Fortress? It does sell cameras but it's more a general electronics shop, actually.

Hi Biker Betty --

Agree with your conclusions re that critter! :)

Hi jams o donnell --

Thanks x 2! :)

Hi Bintang --

Well, like I like to say: work hard but also play hard! :)

Anonymous said...

YTSL - Happy 'Niu' Year!!

YTSL said...

Hi Sarah Ong --

Thanks and kong hei fatt choi to you too! And if you're the Sarah Ong I think it is, here's pointing out that my e-mail address is still the same! ;b

Anonymous said...

Ha ha. That's a very cute photo! :D Great furry entry.

Jackie said...

Fantastic pick for the theme. It fits right in with the season and it's bright and happy also!

Sorry it's taken me so long to get around but my schedule has been incredible!

Happy week!:-)

YTSL said...

Hi Easy Desserts --

Glad you like the entry. BTW, are you a Photo Hunter? If you are, sorry but I couldn't find your furry entry on your blog!

Hi shinade --

Thanks, and yeah, agree re it being a festive as well as fun pick. :)

Anonymous said...

looks like a cow to me but then again I never did see an ox before so...

I'm sorry for the late comment, been so lazy, I don't know where my enthusiasm for commenting went...maybe the winter took it away?

YTSL said...

Hi Lissa --

No worries re the late comment. Are you still Photo Hunting? If memory serves me right, recalled your writing that you no longer would be doing so.

(Oh, and FWIW, the Chinese don't distinguish between cows and oxen. So... ;b)

lissa said...

ytsl, I forgot to mention I've moved my photoblog to this new address: http://intheframe.aminus3.com/

and the postcard blog I have no longer exist, just to let you know so you can delete it from your blogroll

and I might just join up photohunt again, who knows

YTSL said...

Hi again Lissa --

Wow, *another* move! Okay, have made the change to my blog roll. :)