First thing first, they put Pororo Lanterns almost at the end of the exhibition. That means: we got to walk for about 2 km before reaching the Pororo lanterns that my kids were crazy about. First, we saw lots of -- of course-- more than what we bargained for in the first place. What are those?
Instead of just wondering what they were, we were just lucky enough to enjoy the extravaganza that both the displays and the onlookers were showing..
The fact that the festival was held over the Cheonggyecheon stream was more than captivating in itself.
Who would wanna miss --well, I wouldn't--the shimmering reflection of the lanterns on the surface of the stream? Besides, if we took a time to read what the lantern was all about, we ended up learning a history or two. Or, ended up....taking more time to walk.^^
But, I guess, only 2 out of 10 people would just stop and stare and read the display's lengthy explanation. For some, the inscriptions may be important. Wished it hadn't be that cold....
The historical figures from the past dynasties were --of course--an annual guests to this Lantern Festival. That's at least what I recounted. They seemed to get stranded on the stream in the midst of the now sprawling city of night-lights-illuminated Seoul.
They may get lost in the present-day Seoul.
Let's see. If I am not mistaken, it was a dragon made out of wish-list-yellow paper glued to the strings attached to the dragon skeleton.
People did get in line to buy some notes to put on them. Well, I guess...
I did not believe it myself until I took a closer look into it.
OH my Oh My...some people did write some wishes on these notes. What a festivity it was.
I could not make out what those words were. Time was tight. Did not have time to do so. So, instead, just take a quick click and camera away....
Back to the stream. Those little colorful lanterns were the ones being tugged away or washed away. They resembled another activity believed to send messages full of wishes onto the stream. well, since they would otherwise flock and block the streams, they ended up a few meters away after being tossed off.
NOw..ThiS is what I call one of the highlights of the festival. Pineapple lantern.
A huge one. See the intricate details they poured into the pineapple?
As I took a look closer, not only pineapple, but most tropical fruits were accompanying the big pineapple in the middle.
It turned out that this tropical fruits lanterns were made by Singapore Tourism Board. What a fantastic way to advertise...it was a marvelous idea. Simply different.
Then..off we went further down the stream to find a long array of dolls lanterns symbolizing the countries around the world. They were so adorably decorated. They looked so alive. well, use a little bit wee of imaginative power in our mind...and zaaappp they came to be alive right in front of our eyes.
Otherwise, they were nothing fall short of mere doll lanterns.
Name a country and try find one.
Good luck finding one. Well, I tried to find one that representing Indonesia...
Until we ended up ....sitting down to take a rest. They were so many and people were just kept on flocking into the exhibitions. Not to mention..the precautions we must heed so as not to fall into the stream.^^
One of these? Nope.
It must be among these lanterns.....
One of these? Neither...
Oh, finally found it. Well, Indonesia has more than 300 tribes be it small or big. So, I guess it would be a challenging task to represent what could be a representative doll symbolizing Indonesia. What I found in this festival was...a lantern doll representing a Balinese man.
clad in a sarung, not in Batik as it was written on the inscription / explanation.
Well, at least..I finally found one doll from Indonesia in this 2012 Seoul Lantern Festival.
Fish..Fish..Fish....Yippey Freya..you rocked! Peace^^
So many fishes dangling over us. They were all lit up to give a festivity-touch above the air, too.
Not to mention these fishes....too.
Eyra, Freya..surely did not want to miss the chance to see those fish fly...by.
I think..the picture speaks for itself what they were.
Happy, Eyra? Sure sure sure.
Ohhh...뽀로로다!!!
well, not these ones. It was another folktale being told through lanterns.
Freya was gleaming with cheerfulness as she met her adorable characters right in front of her eyes...
Eyra, too. But, not because of those bears...
nor because of those little fishes.
But because of those Pororo and Friends characters ..
which came to life....in wonderfully colorful lanterns.
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