PingXi Lantern Festival 2012

2 years ago we went to PingXi for the Lantern Festival and had an amazing time and made some great memories. We did not have the same experience this year.

We went with 3 other couples, one of which brought their 2 boys and we also had Ms. Scarlett with us. We left home around 4pm. 

We got to the zoo to jump on one of the buses shuttling people up to the Festival and the line of people waiting was further than we could see. We waited an hour to get on the shuttle. Then we rode 45min on the narrow, windy road to PingXi. 

We all unloaded off of the bus, it was dark out now, and we headed with hundreds of other people up towards the lantern lift offs. 

 Next thing you know as we were walking with crushes of people, the crowd just slowly grinds to a halt.

Now, before I go on let's take a sec and discuss the fact that Chinese people have a very distinct difference in what is considered personal space. Um yeah... no, they don't know what that is.
Picture yourself in the U.S. getting on an average sized elevator. Picture the 4 other people who could comfortably fit with you on the elevator. Now picture the same scenario with Asians. After you and 4 others get on, 6 more will squeeze on in until you're spooning a stranger and resisting the urge to cry "UNCLE!".
K, now back to the crowd that suddenly stopped. Lot's of people were holding their lanterns up over their heads because we were crushed so close together that there was only room above. We were all so close together, wow, I'm not claustrophobic but boy I considered converting. The frustrating part was not knowing why we weren't moving. And there was no where to go. We were stuck. For an hour. A very long hour... with a now fussy baby.

 We made the best of it though. We tried to enjoy our company... even though we didn't know 99% of them.

 And every 20 minutes or so we would see a big group lantern lift off (the red squiggles above) which was beautiful to watch. Eventually the crowd opened up inexplicably and we headed to the area where they do the group lift offs. It was different though this time and we weren't allowed to let ours off there. So we just watched others and then went and found a spot to send off our own wishes for the year.

Those few minutes were wonderful.
I should leave it at that but I'm sorry, I just can't.

So after our lift offs we hurried back down the hill and quickly by passed the crazy long line for a seat on a shuttle home and joined the line to stand on the way home. We waited in line for another hour, now with hungry tummy's, fussy and exhausted baby, tired backs and feet... we finally got on a bus and Scarlett was hungry and I'm thinking, I guess I'm going to have to feed her standing up (again) this time on a moving bus. Thankfully- seriously, thanked him specifically in my prayers that late night- some young guy who had stood in the line for a seat, insisted that I have his seat. I was SO grateful. I was able to feed Scarlett and not get as motion sick as another in our party did.
We got home at ONE am. That my friends, is a lot of hassle to let off a lantern!!!! Good thing we were with good friends. (all 10,000 of em!)

To see one of the beautiful group lift offs I taped, click the video below.