Lantern Festival

This is the Chinese 'Year of the Pig', so there were lots of lanterns with the pig theme ... some were cute and others were interesting and I wished I could read more Chinese so I could better understand their angle on Year of the Pig. One of the most famous pigs, 'Piglet' from Winnie the Pooh was larger than life and center stage. I, for one, have never been a fan of Piglet's.

I prefer the bouncy, trouncy Tigger instead.

There were all kinds of lanterns featuring pigs, but there were also a great many bird lanterns. I sometimes wish that I was able to read more Chinese to better understand the themes and criteria that some of the lanterns are made with. I feel that some of them are made out of recycled material. Some are made by student groups and some are indiviual submissions but these are just my guesses.

Yen Shui

I was finally, after 5 years, able to attend the famed fireworks extravaganza that the small town of Yen Shui puts on every year to celebrate Lantern Festival. I took the train down and was a little apprehensive that I might have missed it .... as there was some dispute amoung my students if it was celebrated on Saturday or Sunday. Just as I was starting to worry that I had missed it and my trip was all for naught. I caught sight of fireworks through the train window. A short cab ride later I began the walk to the center of Yen Shui. The entire time different fireworks were going off . This is no exaggeration .... the fireworks were going off continuously, albeit from different locations for the entire time I was in Yen Shui, about 5 hours. Now Yen Shui is not famed for the amount of fireworks, which I was suitable impressed with, they are famed for the way they set the fireworks off. They have huge lanterns set up in the streets, then they unwrap them to reveal the under structures which are lined up and down with fireworks.

A crowd gathers around in front of the fireworks, dressed from top to bottom in protective gear. Then they set the fireworks off into the crowd.


Everyone jumps en masse as the firecrackers explode around you.



When the fire storm is finished you walk down the street to await the next set of fireworks.

It's exhilerating, thrilling and not a little bit scary. But I do believe this is one of the only places on the globe where you can be in the midst of a firecracker storm. .... In Taiwan of all places

.... for me this goes next to the running of the bulls in Pamplona .... or Carnival in Rio ..... Lantern Festival in Yen Shui. I am sooo glad I was finally able to experience it. Words don't do it justice .... it's something you must experience to understand.

Shea

It was crazy to be called at 9 on Tuesday, February 20th with the news that Krysta was in labor and on her way to the hospital. Even though I had felt horrible all day .... I threw on some clothes and ran out the door. When I arrived Krysta, Allen, Sharon (Krysta's Mom), Steve, Julie and Karishma were already there. Krysta was fairly talkative as she was excited and apprehensive. She would take a pause in the conversation every 5 minutes or so. This went on until about 4 in the morning. When the 3 sisters decided to get a few hours sleep before the excitement began. At about 7 in the morning we got a telephone call from Allen in the delivery room saying that she was in hard labor and having the baby. Jules, Krish and I jumped up grabbed our shoes, cameras and water before we ran down the stairs to the pre/post op area where Steve was waiting. From the pre/post op area we could hear everything but not see anything ..... After and hour and a half at 8:36am on Wednewday, February 21st, 2007. Shea was born. She was born with a very quiet but much awaited cry. A few minutes later we got to see her ..... she was gorgeous, no surprise as we all knew she would be. Allen was beaming from ear to ear as he showed off his beautiful brand new daughter. And Grandma Sharon came out very happy but quite overwhelmed. Without further adieu this is Shea, an hour after her debute.

This is Shea the day after her big debute. Looking fantastic and cool in her red outfit. Say hi to all the nice people.

Here's looking at you kiddo.