Dragon Boat Festival

Today is the Dragon Boat celebration. We finally went and watched what goes on for the dragon boat races.  Last year we didn't go, I think because John had just gotten back from American and just wasn't up for the crowds and chaos. 

 The boys enjoy running on the "waves" and watching the kites in the air. 

 The Dragon boat Festival is a holiday.  It's a very festive time where people get together and eat Zongzi (rice dumpling - can either be savory or sweet, wrapped in bamboo leaves) and also race dragon boats.  What people told me last year was that in China there was a poet who was said to have committed some sort of treason and so went to a river and drowned himself.  The people of the village respect this man so they threw the Zongzi in the water so the fish would eat that instead of the poet.  Then the people of the village raced to get to the man which is how the dragon boat races came about.  This is just what I was told and I just listen to what people tell me.  If I have it wrong someone please tell me and I'll correct it!

 In this race two boats would race one another -- going only one way and then getting a rice back via a motorboat dragging them back. 

 I was snapping pictures and these two guys saw me and decided to pose for me!  I loved it and thought it was so neat that they would just pose for me. 

 There was a guy leaning on the dragon's head, someone playing the drums and then many people who paddled and one who steered.  It was very interesting to watch.