On Sunday,
Pooteewheet, Eryn, my friend Kyle and I all wandered over to the
Como Park Japanese Lantern Festival. It's fairly easy to sum it up: drums...too far away. dancing...too far away. Japanese gardens...too many people, a long line, so too far away. Martial arts display...too close because it was boring. Kite lady...too close, though I wasn't there to hear her tirade about how all the festival goers were in the way of her demonstration. Actual Japanese lanterns...too far away. Windy. Cold. However, Eryn felt it was perfect weather for a snowcone and was ecstatic about her very first ride on a school bus - so maybe it was all a matter of perspective. I'm pretty sure it would be a great festival if the number of people at the festival actually fit comfortably within the space allowed for the festival - but then that's my experience with most festivals in Minnesota - Bockfest, The James Page Blubber Run, et al - there are so many people you a.) can't get your beer, b.) can't get your beer, c.) can't get your beer, d.) can't slosh your beer without getting it on someone and e.) can't see anything the festival is remotely about except for the beer you can't get to.
However, Kyle did have some interesting stories about the
NowThen Threshing (i.e Tractor) Show and exploding steam-driven tractors (stories told to him about exploding tractors, not the actual witnessing of exploding tractors) - and though it may sound as if I'm joking - honestly, way more interesting to me than the Japanese Lantern Festival, and based on his observations/stories, a festival that might not have annoyed me with its sheer press of humanity. So, in Kyle's honor, I have recreated his experience at the NowThen Threshing Show. See - fun!
1 comment:
You've gotten very close to the feel of the parade :) There should be more dirt and dust though, and about 300 tractors, with maybe 15-20 of those being behemoths belching steam & woodsmoke as their steel wheels chew through the parade route. Cool that you got the scale pretty close with the plastic monkey, although it wasn't quite exciting enough for me to raise my arms in exhultation. It really is an interesting event if you have any agrarian interest flowing through your veins.
Also, the tractors were about 6 feet away, and it was warm & sunny enough to get a sunburn, unlike some festivals. No pretty Japanese women though...
Oh, and they serve easily obtainable beer ;)
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