Arlington, Texas is a big suburb - but twice a year it feels again like a small town revolving
around two parades - the BIG parade at 4th of July and the growing craze near Christmas called the Parade of Lights. It was this Parade of Lights that stuck with me and peaked my interest when I found out about the Chinese New Year's Twilight Parade.
I was excited to see the parade started with a lighted Ox - It is the Year of the Ox! I didn't know that every third float would be a lighted animal of some sort. Although I couldn't catch pics of them all...have to say my favorite was the seahorse (which sort of looked like an ant-eater at first).
The lighted floats with people on them were something of sight! Too bad they moved by too quickly for my camera to get a decent photo. I realized about half way through the parade that we were standing half a block away from the Grand Stand (where it was completely packed and unviewable). This meant that all the floats and performers 'made up time' from their performance in front of the judges by flying past the next block. I was lucky to catch the pics that I did...
The funniest float (to me) was this one with cardboard cutouts of people rather than real people...can't say that I understand what they were thinking. But the pagoda hut at the front was pretty breathtaking.
In between floats came groups of people - which did not show up in my photos except as dots where their twinkle lights were set. However, the people were totally cool. A drum group - I would say about 100 drummers! A martial arts group where each member held a big stick (don't know the proper name), whip, or nunchuck. At the call of the leader, everyone stopped and performed the same martial arts moves (with sounds) on an invisible attacker. A whole slew of beautiful women in different costumes
strolled by - the most memorable were the women in an outfit resembling a Chinese Lantern around their hips...the bottom of the lantern stopped about their knees and the rest of the costume was completely straight thus they had to shuffle down the street!
Eventually, other random things appeared including this TV Station Van decked out in neon lighting. This seems like a lot of
work for one parade - do you think they have it like that all year round?
And I couldn't post this without thanking the friends I dragged along to the somewhat lame event. Scott, Emily, and David endured an hour of the funny floats and crazy costumes. Hope they had as good a laugh as I did!
TWO friends named Claire) went to dance class in Berry growing up and I convinced Claire S. and Claire W. to bust a few moves in front of the building.
the donuts were when I dropped the bag on the ground next to the car (don't worry two donuts were saved by the 5-second - the rest were saved by the bag). After cooking, the donuts are rolled in cinnamon and sugar. Here's the only way I can describe the taste - think of the best funnel cake you've ever eaten, subtract the powdered sugar, add just a hint of cinnamon ease of eating in donut form. They were SO good.
allowed us to wake up 'early' (11 am) to meet some friends in a funky little town full of crazy shops for lunch. No, this is not my baby! It usually takes 9+ months to make one, so this one cannot be mine. But we met Emma and her mom Jesse for lunch at a cafe in Mogo. I also found a great scrapbook shop in Mogo and stocked up on the basics so I can get started on all the Sydney memories I have!
MADE me get in the COLD, COLD, COLD water. Somehow I survived for two (count them TWO) 5-minute dips! I have to say that the cool water makes sitting on the hot beach quite lovely. But this Texas girl is not used to getting in freezing cold ocean water. While at the beach, we met up with a slew of other people as well as 'running into' several (keep in mind, I was in a small town in New South Wales - everyone knows everyone or knows someone who knows everyone). I even learned about a new type of boat - the Surf Boat. The Navy (the Australian Navy that is) hosted its annual Surf Boat competition at Bourlee Beach over the weekend. Four people row, one steers, and they get the drowning person to the shore...well, back in the day when we didn't have jet skis or motorized boats. Now, they just use the Surf Boats to race around buoys. 
us up...I don't really understand how this happened or what this meant. But two places will come by in a van and bring you to their place of business. They don't have that in Sydney! Again, I was amazed that everywhere we went we ran into person after person that my friends knew, went to school with, babysat, etc. In this photo, Justin and Claire (front row); Kate, Claire, Jess (second row); Neighbor who jumped on the bus with us (back row).
to Long Beach where we chilled on the shore until Claire's dad brought the boat around. Then we attached the inflatable 'tube' (there wasn't a hole in the middle, so I wouldn't call it a tube, but that's what everyone else called it) and enjoyed a morning of fun! To me, it was the best parts of waterski-ing without all the trouble...but then I've never stood up on waterskis so I don't think I'm the best judge. After boat time, I got a chance to try out the hammock...and that's when I truly understood what makes Batemans Bay so very special. Can't wait to go back! 
around two parades - the BIG parade at 4th of July and the growing craze near Christmas called the Parade of Lights. It was this Parade of Lights that stuck with me and peaked my interest when I found out about the Chinese New Year's Twilight Parade.
strolled by - the most memorable were the women in an outfit resembling a Chinese Lantern around their hips...the bottom of the lantern stopped about their knees and the rest of the costume was completely straight thus they had to shuffle down the street!
work for one parade - do you think they have it like that all year round?
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