The Land of Dinosaurs and Lanterns.

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Hi All,
I really love this festival. Second time I've been able to see some of the most beautiful lights I have ever seen.
We stayed in the RongGuang Business Hotel. A big double ensuite room. Clean and warm and with our room at the back peaceful.
A couple of nights is plenty of time here. We had visited the fascinating salt well before but we did visit to buy some traditionally mined salt.
We had planned to visit the old town but the weather was chilly and miserable so we didn't bother.
Food is a little difficult as many of the street stalls are not clean, watching the woman blow her nose on her fingers and then wiping them on her apron then serving some noodles! My stomach must be made of strong stuff!!
On our last night we found a little family run place, good food at a good price. 3 dishes and rice 26 RMB. Go up the hill, on the right hand side of the road, after 5-10 minutes look for it just off the street. Only Chinese menu, but very helpful. It's been there for 20 years so the young guys told us.
If you walk to the Salt Museum from RongGuang Hotel keep going and there is a bomb shelter with some lovely old posters inside. At the Salt Museum end they were serving food at the entrance which appeared to be popular with the locals.
So, we got to the lanterns at 6ish before dark and was there when they switched on. The large crowd literally gasped.
We stopped to watch some of the show too. It was a lovely evening.
It feels like Spring Festival is coming.

Enjoy the Photos

JAH BLESS

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Photos

The Lantern Roars
ZiGong is also famous for dinosaurs. There is even a dinosaur called a Zigongasaurus.

Tibetan dancing
Enjoyed the stage show with dancing and singing.

Stage show
ZiGong was bombed by the Japanese, the song was about ZiGongs people's courage and struggle.

Smoke Breathing Dragon
The dragon's head was moving backwards and forwards and smoke was coming out of its nose

Comments

[Dancing Dave]

Zigong at night
Amazing photos David...exquisite palette of colours and lights. I've posted some of your pics in our 'Streetscapes' thread in the Photography Forum. Check 'em out.

[Dancing Dave]

Zigong
I saw the name Zigong and had to open this blog. We visited some years ago for the dinosaurs. Discovered prisoners breaking rocks to make road gravel, the world's craziest taxi driver, the bizarrest bank visit, the quietest New Years Eve, the most elaborate rooftops, the American chiropractor who rushed up to us as the first Westerners he had seen in months and one of the premier dinosaur fossil sites on the planet. Ah Zigong. And from your pics Chinese New Year for the Year of the Pig will be a cracker.