Mid-Autumn Festival

 Today is China’s National Day, celebrating that day in 1949 when this land became the People’s Republic of China. There are red flags with yellow stars everywhere, almost everyone has the week off of work, train tickets to anywhere you would want to go are sold out, and there is lots of family time, eating time and park time to be had by all.

Yesterday was Mid-Autumn Festival. Interestingly, this time of year marks the beginning of autumn in my head and has ever since I was little. But, a little over a month ago, the breeze started to become cool (as opposed to the hot, barely moving breeze of the summer). That was because, I was told by a neighbor, that autumn had already come. Strange? Maybe not. Now that we just celebrated Mid-Autumn Festival the explanation that seemed odd when I was still wearing shorts in 90 degree weather, makes sense. 

 

The two most important things to do during the Mid-Autumn Festival celebration is eat mooncakes with your family and enjoy gazing at the moon. Since Chinese holidays are based on the lunar calendar, last night’s moon was full. Round full moon, round mooncakes—get it? :o) 

I have always said that I have never eaten a mooncake I liked.....until this weekend, that is. A friend served Starbucks' mooncakes at small group on Saturday night. What's not incredibly yummy about Expresso-Chocolate with a gooey raspberry center?! I bought the mooncake in the photo just for the purpose of photographing it for the blog, but I decided to be brave and taste the little piece I cut...it was YUMMY!!!  I have no idea what flavor "Keeping the Treasured Person in Good Health" is, but it has forever changed my mooncake prejudices!
 

  

I decided to spend my evening celebrating only partially in the local style. I went out after sunset by myself and took pictures of the moon. The sky was perfectly clear and I had so much fun “gazing at the moon” and the city lights through my camera lens and experimenting with various settings. I discovered that taking a photograph of the moon with a non-telephoto lens and no tripod is not that interesting (even though the moon itself was strikingly beautiful!).

 

However, when I accidentally moved my camera before the shutter closed and the moonlight streaked across the sky like a highlighter, it started to get much more interesting. I stood on a bench wiggling my camera around and giggling and squealing with delight. The older people out on their evening walk probably thought I was nuts (and maybe they’re not wrong!), but I didn’t care. Here’s what came out. Take a look and see for yourself. Would you have stood on the bench laughing with me?

 

 Don't you love the moon?

Happy Mid-Autumn and China National Day!