Lite Brite City

This weekend was the lantern festival, and it was beautiful. To kick things off, my friends and I ate dinner together at a Shabu Shabu restaurant (the big soup pot) and stuffed our faces full of meat and vegetables. We made our way down to the water around 7:00. For a trip that normally takes 5-10 minutes by bus, it took 45..... and there were 80% more people on the bus. It was crazy! We finally arrived and while we were getting drinks, the fireworks began. The four of us from the states sang the national anthem, I began a "USA! USA!" chant, Koreans were confused, I liked it though.


Then we walked around the festival. It was cart after cart of hot delicious street food, drinks, and crafts for sale, which was awesome. My friend Sarah and I went to go to the bathroom, and while we were waiting we got our Chi realigned by some volunteer monks who were healing people. It was kind of weird and cool, they just moved their hands around our heads and backs and made a weird whooshing sound the whole time. I liked it.

The same dragons? Yes

You may be asking yourself: is Santa really holding a cross? Yes, yes he is.

Anyway, the lanterns! There was a floating bridge that you could walk across the river on, that's how people were able to take good pictures of the lanterns. It's going on until next Saturday, so I'll definitely be going back. Here's some more pics:

The best ones were definitely the interactive lanterns- with moving parts, etc. I loved this one!!! 

A view from one bridge

Interactive mixing bunnies? Ok!

Handmade prayer lanterns underneath the walkway

Leaping winged tiger!

Anyway, you kinda get the idea. It was great! It was kind of cold so we left around 1.
Yesterday CR hosted a dinner & movie party for us- he made jambalaya, I made cornbread, Gareth & Aine made delicious nachos, and Sarah and Jess brought ice cream cake!!! We drank wine and watched A Streetcar Named Desire (the movie version this time) and all in all had a wonderful time together.
Yay for a great weekend!!!