NATIONAL HARBOR
LANI GERING
National Harbor Celebrates The Year of the Tiger I just love the Chinese New Year “stuff ” every year. I really get excited when I go to a Chinese restaurant and they have the place mats that have all of the years and animals on them. You know, the ones that tell you who you are and aren’t compatible with, what your personality is like, etc. According to my reliable source - Chinesenewyear.net - Tigers are the third of the Chinese zodiacs. “According to legend, Tiger was confident that no one could compete with its speed and vigor for the celestial race that would decide the order of the zodiacs. However, when Tiger climbed out of the river, thinking it was first, it was informed that Rat placed first for its cunning and Ox placed second for its diligence. This left the king of the jungle having to settle for third place.” According to my source: “People born in years of the Tiger are fiercely independent and possess strong self-esteem. They like to act alone and are not very gregarious. They are most likely optimistic and enthusiastic by nature, and always seem to have endless energy, especially at work. Their energetic presence and intense eyes are the greatest charm of Tiger natives. Their vitality is apparent to anyone at a glance, and people are instinctively drawn to this larger than life quality in them. Tigers are lively and cheerful, and they love freedom and independence. They are a zodiac sign that absolutely must have their personal space. Tigers usually have a keen sense of justice. When faced with injustices, whether against themselves or others, you can be sure Tigers will not stand aside. However, Tigers may also appear unrefined or thoughtless in the way they handle things. In a less developed person, these traits can easily turn into ignorance or foolhardiness. In general, Tigers possess great tenacity. They are loyal, quick and the center of attention in everything they do. However, a king needs a domain to be truly Old Town Crier
in possession of their power. For any Tiger, male or female, their ambition will come before they allow themselves a break to enjoy other parts of life.” I’m guessing you all have figured out why I’m using this column space for this kind of important info since the accompanying images pretty much say it all. Every year the Conservatory at the MGM National Harbor features a display that coincides with Chinese New Year. Last year’s display of the Ox was amazing but they have outdone themselves with the Tiger. Like previous displays, this one has moving parts and sound effects. The Tiger’s head moves back and forth and you can hear the sound
of his roar as well as birds chirping, water falling and other sounds of nature. While the Tiger is the centerpiece with a fantastic gold and white Koi fish jumping out of a pond, there are other parts of the display that are very impressive – the Money Tree, the overhead lanterns and the Pagoda-looking structure that I’m not sure of the exact name. Keep in mind that this display is two stories in height and takes up the entire conservatory area. Photographs really don’t do it justice. You really need to see the display up close. The giant sequins NATIONAL HARBOR > PAGE 44
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