Monday 15 September 2008

Happy Mooncake Festival

The proper name should be Mid Autumn Festival. Did a quick google search and realized only Malaysians and Singaporeans refer to it as Mooncake Festival. Normally during Mooncake Festival people play with lanterns right? Those small ones with a candle inside.

Not satisfied with those small lanterns, TKC members decided to make a Kongming Lantern. Its something like a hot air balloon. They actually did it. They made several Kongming lanterns by themselves. Damn cool. Having tested the lanern at the beach already, we knew it'd work so on the night of mooncake festival itself most of them brought their lanterns to Taman Sahabat.

The crowd.

It was packed full with people hanging lanterns on trees, walking around the lake etc. But when TKC arrived all eyes were on them. Not only were they wearing their club t-shirt, they were carrying on first glance what looked like huge plastic bags. Pretty soon a crowd had formed around us as people realized we were doing something big and different.

TKC men.

Due to too many people squeezing around, kids running around and trees in the park, the first lantern failed. We moved to a spot beside the lake and kept people out by forming a line to keep other people away to enable those guys enough room to light the fire and set their lantern to fly. They made it. People all around cheered and clapped as the Kongming lantern successfully flew in the air.


First attempt. Ah Boon with his masterpiece. 


Success.

When lit, the flame heats the air inside the balloon causing the lantern to fly into the air. It only stays airborne as long as the fire is lit. As it slowly dies out, the balloon starts to fall pretty quickly. Remember we were by the lake. When the balloon was falling, those guys were panicking. What if the balloon caught fire? What if it falls into the lake? Who is going to pick it up and clean the mess? Haha but they were good. 


Their pride and joy


TKC means tu ko club. That night a few people came up asking what is TKC the name of your club? No one gave the name away. Later in the night they changed the name to tauke club. Funny.


It was fun and TKC rocks.

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