Newcastle's Chinatown

The area Around and including Stowell Street is commonly and affectionately known as the Geordie Chinatown. This is a mecca for chinese supermarkets and restaurants and is a safe and beneficial part of the city to explore. The chinese community is very friendly and closely knit. Their exuberance for fun and excitement after work may be seen in the high class and very popular casinos nearby.

Chines food is a favourite of the whole Geordie nation and this makes the area popular with locals and visitors alike, although to the tourist the possibility of dialogue with a Geordie chinese may seem daunting, it will however be most entertaining!

Chinese New Year
• DO thoroughly clean the home before New Year's Day to as to get rid of the bad luck and make room for the incoming good luck.
• DON'T do housework on New Year's Day. Sweeping dirt out through the front door was akin to sweeping away the family fortune.
• DON'T lend money and repay all debts lest you be stuck with lending money for the rest of the year.
• DON'T use offensive language and unlucky words, such as the word "four", which sounds like the word for death.
• DON'T talk or reminisce about the past year as it's best to look forward.
• DO have a baby. It's the most propitious year. Watch out for the baby boom.
• DO spend money on presents, decorations, food and new clothing.
• DO decorate your doors and windows with paper-cuts and posters bearing the character for for "happiness", "wealth" and "logevity".
• DO paint your doors and window sills red.
• DO eat jiaozi, boiled dumplings. "Jiaozi" in Chinese has an alternative meaning: "sleep together and have sons". Sorry girls.
• DO turn on every light in the house on New Year's Eve night.