Back home in Canada we have annual Dragon Boat races as a charity opportunity. I've never actually been in a boat, but it looks like fun!
The story goes that a local poet and cadet minister of the Chu Royal House Qu Yan was banished for treason. In despair over having his home captured by rebel forces, he tried to commit suicide by throwing himself into a river. The village people who admired him raced onto the river to try to save him or at least his body. They also threw sticky rice dumplings or zongzi into the river to distract the fish from eating his body (ew). And that's how tradition says the Dragon Boat Festival or Duanwu Festival began!
The Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated at the beginning of June- this year is was on the second.
Chilling (it was sooo hot) in the shade waiting for the preliminaries to start!
We watched the preliminaries on one side of the river, then switched to the less-crowded side (without all the food and attractions) for the actual races in the evening.
I guess that's one way to keep cool!
Tiny toesies!!
The flags reminded me a little of a dragon. They say 'Tainan City International Dragon Boat Festival.'
Dave's a great shadow-maker, but you can see the sweat on my hair. Sooo hot!
And then it was evening. Still sticky, but starting to cool down.
Overlooking the river.
Warm-ups.
Speedy speedy!
The greatest part was how the dragon's heads were lit up. Just gorgeous!
There's a very good reason that drum is covered in plastic!
The other end of the river. Our city is lovely!!
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