Chinese Lantern Festival

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Flickr is now limiting the number of photos I can have so these will age out in a year or so.

click photo to enlarge		 Many things in southern CA can be very crowded and I was concerned this would be the same, however it was not. Yippee !!! There are many times these days where I do not take my Nikon camera but instead choose to use my iPhone and this was one of them. There were cheetahs, jumping koi fish, cranes, alligators and dinosaurs. They were really very pretty and it was easy to walk around because it was not crowded.

click photo to enlarge		 The art of Chinese lantern making began in the Han Dynasty (206 B.C. to 220 A.D.). Originally lanterns were simply for lighting. Over time, however, Chinese lanterns evolved into art forms. Today, Chinese Lanterns are a cherished part of festivals and celebrations. As Buddhism flourished in China, lanterns were lit at the Imperial Palace and temples in a show of respect for Buddha. We have been to the Imperial Palace and in the 90s were were at the largest bronze statue of Buddha on Lantau island.

click photo to enlarge