Weifang

This past Saturday we spent the day in Weifang, China where the International Kite Festival is held each year. One of the places we visited was a "kite factory". I believe it was actually a little demonstration room set up for the tourist industry but it was fun to watch the process. I'm sorry that I failed to take a picture of the hundreds of kites that have been hand made and just alike of this butterfly pattern.

We decided to go the week before the festival because it is supposedly so very crowded and it is hard to find hotel rooms. These are photos of huge pictures celebrating the festival.

Who could ask for anything more. Shiny, padded, possibly a sun or rain shade and life would be luxury.

Our daily dose!

We walked into a room at the kite museum and there were very colorful shadow puppets in the display case. There were some benches in the room and a lady there asked if we would like to see a puppet show (in Chinese, of course, but we had a student with us) and we told her that
we would. These pictures are from the play. I don't know what fabrics they used so that the color of the puppets could be seen. It was fun to watch. Only three sticks on each puppet-- one on each arm and one on the head.

We took the bullet train to Weifang. Allen, a QU student who comes over to learn English is from Weifang and took us there and was our tour guide.

This little cutie was running around taking pictures in the train station so I pulled out my camera and took this one of her.

Weifang is inland from us and warmer so their blossoms are popping out. It was a beautiful sight.

We visited the home where the ruling family of the area had lived. This pond and area were in the center of the complex.

We visited a kite museum and saw some amazing kites. Some that make noises, some made with feathers and many 3-D. I have many more wonderful pictures from there.

Another of the rooms at the kite making museum had wood cutters and printing.

Notice the dragon kites. That is what is coming home.