I Was Born In Oklahoma, In A Small, Country Town. Although My Family Moved Around A Lot As I Grew Up. Never Saw or Met Anyone From Any Asian Cultures Then. Didn't even have my First Meal at a Chinese Restaurant until I was 29 or 30. Now One of My Favourite Kinds Of Dishes to Feast Upon, Whenever I Get A "Craving".

For the Longest Time... All I Knew about Asian Cultures, Their Traditions and Holidays, Myths and Legends, Etc., was Whatever I Read in Books and Magazines, or Saw on TV or in Movies. What People I Chanced To Meet, Told Me About. But Never Learned About "First-Hand".

Since I came to Live Here In "Oz"... I Sometimes tell the "Munchkins" I was Born in the Heart Of The Twilight Zone. Given ALL of the Bizarre and Amazing "Things" I've Seen and Experienced In My Lifetime... I don't think I'm Exaggerating one bit. This Image is a Good Example of Why I Sometimes Say So.

When John and I lived in Bankstown, We Lived Close to "Little Vietnam". He and I often Walked Through There On My Way to the CBD To Go Shopping. I always Marvelled At How The Asians Living and Working There, Managed to Retain a Strong Sense of Cultural Identity, and to "Spread It Around". Watched Men Old and Young Playing Mah-Jong at the Tables and Benches In the "Public Square"... Decorated with Lovely, Hand-Made Tile Mosaics (that were later Foolishly Destroyed, When Council "Redeveloped" That Area of Town). Explored the Various Shops and Markets With Glee, Fascination, Curiosity and Anticipation. Always Enjoyable, Because I Never Knew What I Would See or Find. Something Beautiful, Strange or Clever. A "Mini-Vacation" and "Sight-Seeing Tour" for Me Every Time. Because I "Play Tourist" Wherever I Go".

Yet on This Particular Day that I was in "Little Vietnam", in the Right Place, Right Time to Get This Photo... I was Struck by the Incongruity of Seeing A "Dragon" Standing In Line, "Just Like Everyone Else". That No One was Paying Attention to the "Dragon" In Their Midst. Just Another "Ordinary Day" for Them, I Guess. But Not For Me. As I Studied the Scene Before My Eyes... Couldn't Help but Think About the Fact that I was Seeing this "Chinese Dragon", so "Exotic" to me... A Mythical Creature... Much Revered in Ancient Times as a "Bringer Of Prosperity If..." in such a Mundane, Somewhat Ugly, Commercial Setting... Also Love The Fact that When You Look Closer, You Can See "It" Wearing Sneakers on "It's" Feet and Sweatpants on "It's" Front Legs... As If "It's" Trying To "Blend In" With The Human Crowd. Just Too Ironic to Resist Photographing.

Chinese New Year in "Little Vietnam", Bankstown, NSW, AU. (Edited 14 Nov 2009)