Lantern Festival 2015

The Lantern Festival is back at the Botanical Gardens. We went with Arline on Thursday night.  It is hard to imagine that they could do a better job than the last time, but I thought it was way better.  How do they do it???!!!!

This is "Phoenix Reborn".  I took this when we got there, it's at the entrance

Not sure where this was, going to have to go back!!!!

There were a lot of cranes this year.  Celebrating the Zhalong Nature Reserve

"Birdland"

"Porcelain Stupas Pagoda" This is built with more than 300,000 plates, bowls, spoons, teacups, ladles and wine cups.  It changes colour, but I like this the best.....

"Soaring Dragon Horse" is the central lantern this year.  Video of it in action can be found here:

https://youtu.be/W2ec-nRleCs

The "Chrysanthemum Pathway" is probably my favourite this year.  Chrysanthemums symbolize people who maintain their virtue despite adversity and temptation.

No, forgot about the "Cherry Tree Arches".  THESE are my favourites!!!!

"Lantern Way" has yellow and red lanterns.  Red symbolizes good fortune and joy, yellow symbolizes freedom from worldly cares

The "Wetland Wonders" celebrates the fact that China now has 262 wetland nature reserves.  The wetlands are the most heavily degraded of all ecological systems Worldwide.

This made Ben's day!!!

Better angle to get the reflection

Porcelain elephants on the fountain at the entrance.  Fantastic!!!!