Dragon Boat Festival!

June in Hong Kong makes me think of three things: Victoria Park's Tiananmen Massacre vigil, lychee season, and the Dragon Boat Festival. Some are a little happier than others, but they are all highlights of living here.

Today our focus is the Dragon Boat Festival because Katherine and I went to cheer on our residence hall in one of the festival's traditional activities: dragon boat racing! This was the first year our hall has ever fielded a team, and they were only able to practice five times before the event (practicing is quite expensive and time-consuming), but even so they did remarkably well.

The races took place on the picturesque beaches of Stanley peninsula, which were packed with participants and spectators alike...

Racers board their boats as one section of the dense crowd looks on

The appropriately-adorned head of a boat used by our team

Our team moving into position for their first race

During the race, the drummer synchronizes the rowing and sets the pace. Before the race, he chills out. (Incidentally, the drummer was using a pair of sticks I gave as a gift.)

And they're off! This, the first of their four races, ended in a second-place finish

They also took second place in their second race

Katherine, trooper that she is, did a little wading while taking pictures

A good time was had by all!

(Three different teams, including our own, posed in this shot for us)

We stayed for about three hours before heading to our next destination: a delicious dragon boat festival lunch at Katherine's parents' place...

As an aside: when my mother learned that Katherine's parents would be moving into a new home, she selected a lovely house-warming gift for us to deliver. Today Katherine and I noticed it, so we thought we should let Mom (and the rest of you) see where it now proudly resides...

(the decoration, not the orchid ;>)

When we returned home, Fui Fui was waiting patiently for us, ready to be lavished with attention...

"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr DeMille"

Next week Katherine and I will be on Hilton Head Island for the wedding of my wonderful sister, so the blog will be quiet for a spell. We hope you are all enjoying your summer!