03 January 2011

Lighting up our night

If you try hard enough, you can always find us here at New Years. Or there and thereabouts. We will be here.


I've been coming to the Festival of Lights nearly every year since I was knee high to a grasshopper. It's somewhat of a tradition. Back then it was a real treat to be able to stay up late enough to make the pilgrimage.

These days there is nightly entertainment. Rock, jazz, folk, pop. Whatever rocks your boat. You can take your pick. It's certainly changed a bit in the past 20 or so years that I've been going. More commercial, maybe. More popular, definitely. But the thing I love the most is that its a tradition from my childhood that I can pass onto my own children. So many of the wonderful memories we have from our childhood just don't survive into adulthood. What one generation loves, can often seem dated and passe when it comes to the next. So when we find a tradition that stands the test of time, it makes it all the more a tradition to cherish and hold onto. To grasp with both hands and to make the most of this special night once a year.

Although this year, we left Mylo tucked up, snoring safely at home with GeeGee. He's still a bit little for these late night adventures. Especially when he didn't sleep at all on the journey from Hamilton to the Naki - the stamina that boy has is nothing short of impressive. But it did leave him somewhat crochety and in need of his pit!

One of the things I love most about the light festival is that each year the route is different, and there is always something new to behold and ooh and aah over. This year I was rather taken by the hovering dragonflies on the Poets Bridge. Made partly from old plastic water bottles and straws, they were rather ingenious, and were a beautiful effect hovering over the water.



This year our adventure around the park took us on a hunt for pirate treasure. We found their abandoned den, and their sunken ship, surrounded by sharks, no less. But alas, the treasure was tucked up safely on an island surrounded by squawking toucans, so we went home empty handed. Well not entirely, if you count the glow sticks we brought along to crack open once it got dark.


Which also doubled nicely as light sabers on the way back to the car :-)

*Contented sigh appears here*

5 comments :

PaisleyJade said...

Looks like such an amazing place! Love the dragonfly - would so love to visit!

Kathleen said...

Whoa, it's probably been 12 years since I went to the festival of lights (My grandparents lived in Stratford so spent a lot of time there are a nipper)...must make sure we get there again sometime, looks just beautiful!

Catching the Magic said...

Wow! LOVE your new header! GORGEOUS! And the lights look AMAZING. It was 10 years ago or so.. when I went there.

Looks like a fabulous evening and your reference to light sabers reminds me - I have some Star Wars books that Noah would LOVE!

Gail said...

We were there last year - it is rather spectacular. The Naki is a neck of the woods we are new to, and are seeing a lot of beauty in!
P.S. Your header looks fab!

Jaz from Treacy Family said...

Wow!!!! I haven't been to that part of the North Island for sooo many years. What a brilliant excuse next year.

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