Last night, I hoisted my "ample behind" out of my safe little spot on the sofa, and went out to see the world.  I am so lucky to live in this marvelously diverse place, and it is about time I started taking advantage of it.  So, I drove over to Golden West College, and I joined the "Moon Festival" that was hosted by the members of the Vietnamese Student Association. 

 I was enchanted as I walked past a beautiful willow tree that seemed to set the mood, and then through the doorway that was festooned with lanterns.  Two young men, An Phan and Kevin Nguyen were practicing their stick dance, the Mua Sap.  Oh, to be so young and nimble again, I did want to join in, but fear of making a fool of myself held me back, maybe next year.

The Moon Festival is focused on children so there were games to play, a bean bag toss, and another game played with giant cloth dice.  The students told me that the "Moon Festival" typically has carnivals and games.  Traditionally, it is a time to celebrate your family and spend time with your children after the harvest.

The Festival takes place on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month which fell on September 19th this year.  "This is when the moon is its brightest and most beautiful, elegant and a trusted friend" said one of the young hosts at the event.  The stories of the festival were told to us by the students, first in Vietnamese and then translated into English. 

They told the story of a man who had a beautiful magic tree, and that this tree could heal the sick.  He loved it and it made him very famous, but his wife became jealous of it.  When the man was not looking she poured some dirty water on the tree hoping to kill it, but the tree began to rise up into the sky.  The man, not wanting to lose the tree grabbed hold of its roots, as it continued to rise. It carried the man up into the sky and he landed on the moon.  This is why during the "Moon Festival" children parade though the streets carrying lanterns, hoping to guide the man home.

The evening ended with a raffle and samples of Moon Cake, the traditional food served during the festival.  The cakes come in all kinds of different flavors, made with eggs, sweet beans, and lotus paste.  The young man in front of me won one of the cakes and when I asked if I could see it, he gave it to me. Yeah!

When the festival was over the students carried their lanterns out of the door,and the light and laughter followed as they made their way into the night.  I could have stayed home watching some mindless show filled with obnoxious commercials, but instead I drove four miles, spent one dollar and saw a little bit of the world. 

There is a wonderful world out there, right before my eyes.  I have been too busy and too lost in my own life to see it.  I am going to get out and look around and see what wonders there are right in my own back yard.

Who needs to travel the world when this incredible place is in your own backyard.  Recently, I met some friends for lunch at a restaurant in Riverside California, and we decided to walk over to the Mission Inn and look around.  I was instantly transformed into some kind of crazy tourist pointing my camera here and there, trying to capture the beauty of this place.

The moment I laid eyes on this staircase I was in love!  When my friend pushed the elevator button so we could return to the main floor I yelled "STOP!"  How could you even consider the elevator when you could descend this remarkable stairway!  We descended four stories to the fountain below, and I felt like a queen!

 What's with these guys, kind of creepy but cool.

 

 

 I saved the best for last, this old spiral staircase that winds all the way up to the roof. Yes, I climbed it all the way to the top!