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Chinese New Year is being celebrated in truly
spectacular style at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, in Las Vegas - with
22,000 flowers, 660 trees and shrubs, and more than 200 magnificent, colorful
Koi...and a snake. A very BIG snake. A very big FAKE snake. You can thank me later for not starting off with a snake picture!
To symbolize prosperity, good
fortune and nobility, an 18-foot-tall Chinese money tree stands at the
entrance to the gardens. The centerpiece of the display, it features 384
over sized gold-leafed I-Ching coins (traditional Chinese symbol for money) on its branches, with more surrounding the base.
Feng Shui, the art of using surroundings to
bring about harmony, balance and positive life energy, guided the design of the gardens. Ancestral "ding pots" burn incense
for good luck and protect against bad fortune, at the entrance.
Each garden encompasses water to ensure a
positive flow of energy, and the three friends of winter - pine, bamboo and
plum, symbolizing perseverance, integrity and modesty.
The legend of the Year of the Snake is that
Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on the Chinese New Year, and 12 came
that make up the Asian zodiac. The sixth was the snake, and people born in this
12-month calendar are said to be refined, intuitive, introspective and
enigmatic.
The exhibit is free to the public, and open 24/7 daily until March 3. On your way out of the display, be sure to walk a few more feet into the lobby to see an extension of the colorful display, but especially to "ooh and aah" over the "Fiori di Como" chandelier by world renowned glass sculptor, Dale Chihuly. This stunning art piece is comprised of 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms. And, if you're "feeling the love" of that big ol' Snake, continue on into the casino (the backdrop for the Oceans Eleven movies) to test out your new found good fortune...
SNAKE 2013
The Snake person is almost off the charts in terms of intelligence, able to think things through in a cold and calculating manner. Attractive and charming, you are skilled at persuasion and can garner support in the attainment of your personal goals. In the next few months, the perfect opportunity will appear. After conducting a thorough cost-benefit analysis, strike quickly but pay attention to details. Big gains if you do everything right. Curb your tendency to carry and nurse a grudge and you'll leave your critics far behind.
Love Match: Ox, Rooster, Dragon
Notable Snake People: Anne Frank, Bob Dylan, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Placido Domingo, Audrey Hepburn, Darwin, Indira Gandhi
Notable Snake People: Anne Frank, Bob Dylan, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Placido Domingo, Audrey Hepburn, Darwin, Indira Gandhi
WOW- waht beautiful pictures! Thank you for taking me there :-) Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteWarmest regards- Ines / E. Blumenstengel
I'm liking this exhibit!!! The Chinese New Year is such a cool theme to do for the garden! {(When I was an art teacher we would make stuffed fish banners for the New Year...the kids loved them!) I like the idea of water to ensure "positive flow." Loving that picture by the way!!! Thank you for sharing...will have to check out the Bellagio Conservatory when I go to Las Vegas one day! How cool would it be to work in a place like this?!?
ReplyDeleteYes! I am a Snake, 1965! I liked this exhibit, it was a calm and peaceful place, just amazing what they can build in a small space, I loved the koi pond! So glad I got to go this time!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like a wonderful exhibit, glad you didn't start of with that large fake snake! May you have a prosperous year!
ReplyDeleteGreat shots!
Hi Tanya!!!!First of all thank you! for the beautiful potholders!You didn't have to!!!But it was so sweet of you!I'm sorry I didn't get yours out yet due to my work schedule..It is packaged and ready to go!
ReplyDeleteLovely post! I would have loved to have seen it! Chihuly is one of my favorite contemporary artist!!I w as lucky to see one of his sculptures in person!Thanks for sharing!!!
Awesome. I could use a money tree in my garden but could do without snakes, no matter how smart they are. Loved the looksee!
ReplyDeleteWOW, what a great exhibit. So full of color and life. We had the Chihuly exhibit here in Atlanta several years ago and it was lovely. So much talent out there. Have a marvelous day.
ReplyDeleteEach picture takes us there- thanks a lot. What a beautiful exhibition. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing these photos of the beautiful Bellagio and its amazing decorations. Happy traveling...
ReplyDeleteA lovely commentary Tanya.........I should go see it in person since I live here. Ya think?
ReplyDeletehi, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteWow, you gave such a great insight of Chinese New Year! The garden must have been really pleasant to be in, I loved those big coins all over, wish I could place such in my garden too :)
Beautiful decorations, and everything is symbolic! The snake is awesome! Not scary when you know it's fake.
Have a nice day and wishing you a prosperous New Year!
Anna
Tanya: I really enjoy your blog and I have nominated you for The Liebster Award. Participation is entirely voluntary. I don't know if you've been nominated before. If not, and you'd like to participate, please visit my blog for instructions. Thank you. -Derrith S.
ReplyDeletetiedupinribbon.blogspot.com
I loved this post Tanya! The photos are great - I appreciate you not starting off with the snake one though ;) It was really nice to learn more about the Chinese new year. I wonder where the idea with a coin with a hole in the middle comes from, they are lucky here in Spain too - I'm going to go and google it now! Happy new year! Elisabeth xx
ReplyDeleteThat looks phenomenal! I would love to see it in person. The level of detail, and the scale, is mind-boggling. Thanks for the great pictures!
ReplyDelete(Although unlike many of your readers, I was actually looking forward to a picture of a real snake at the top of the post ;)
I feel like I was on that outing right along with you! So much to see in Vegas... so little time!!! LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic garden, very magical. Thank you so much for sharing those photos. I would love to be able to work out that kind of Feng Shui gardens around my own home.
ReplyDeleteI think I would get lost for hours staring up at that stunning glass chandelier.
What a brilliant exhibition! So much to see and share...love that it keeps the celebratory feeling alive...even with that big gold snake! And thank you for the New Years wishes...here's hoping the year of the snake will bring good health and love to you!
ReplyDeleteMay x
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