Lantern Festival

For the first time this year, I went to Pingxi, a place near Taipei where the annual sky lantern festival is held. In past year's I've gone to see lantern festivals where the lanterns were in creative and sometimes quirky shapes.

These lanterns were much more traditional. The government gave out free lanterns to the first 2000 or so people who arrived, and then they released them throughout the night.

It's an amazing sight to see! Usually people write their wishes and hopes or blessings on the lantern and send it as an offering to the gods. I think it's a beautiful symbol of how our prayers rise up to God.