Lantern Festival

This Sunday I went to, what's claimed to be the money festival of all festivals, the spectacular, the historical, the glorious, the glamorous, theeeee (drum roll, please)............... Jinju Lantern Festival!!!

Lantern City!

Lanterns on the water

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And spectacular it was! Since the lanterns are all lit up, this is a night festival. I took the bus over to Jinju just as the sun was setting. As we rolled into the city, I looked through my window and saw the amazing view of a huge river filled with gigantic, colorful lit up lanterns in the shapes of cartoons, animals, trees, dragons, and athletic figures. It was breathtaking! You had to cross a floating walk bridge across the river to get to the festival activities, which was so much fun because it wobbled and shook as you walked, so it felt like a ride! I had issues taking pictures while on it though!

More lanterns

Tunnel of lanterns

Entrance to release our lanterns

Representin' the states!

Be free, little wishes!

That's right, we get to make a lantern!

Once we crossed, we walked through all the booths watched some fireworks, and admired all of the gorgeous lanterns. There were tons of people at this place, it was incredible! I got to make a wish lantern to add to the lake. You write your story on the outside and then write your wish, hope or dream on the inside. Then you put a candle inside and set it in the river to float away. Like dreams or wishes, the lantern candle floats through life with the threat of being extinguished, but at the same time without being extinguished. That was the translated idea of the symbol. We then managed to just make it to make our own decorative lantern. The booth had closed, but we just stood in front of the booth and looked so sad and pathetic that they let us make one, but just one to share. That was ok though because we just really wanted to make it!

Lantern tunnel

Just before leaving we each got a roman candle firework from some kids and shot them off into the air by the river, to say goodbye to Jinju and its lanterns. Another successful trip!