Thursday, July 19, 2007

Chinese Lantern Festival in Toronto

Toronto's waterfront at Ontario Place is once again the site of the Chinese Lantern Festival (July 19- October 7), and I, for one, plan to take it in this year. For sure. Really. If I can find someone to go with me. (Lanterns, by definition, are best viewed at night, and I don't relish the idea of wandering about the waterfront on my own after dark. Not that it's particularly dangerous -- just not a good position to put oneself in.

There are 40 giant lanterns , some of which I have seen through the GO train windows, and those glimpses of fabulous colors and shapes make me want to see more. After all, bigger is better, right? And these ones dwarf most Chinese lanterns, like the ones in the photo below.



I took this photo in Hong Kong, at the Star Ferry terminal promenade area, on a dark and rainy evening. They were easily the loveliest objects on the waterfront, and, given Hong Kong's fabulous skyline, that's saying a lot! Check the festival web site for details.