This weekend is another Chinese national holiday - called Dragonboat Festival. Some of Kathleen's Tai Tai friends participate on a Dragonboat team that competes each June at the Mercury Marina on Taihu (Tai Lake) west of Suzhou.
Dragon boats are believed to have been around for more than 2,500 years, having originated along the Yangtze River. The celebration is an important part of ancient agricultural Chinese society, celebrating the summer harvest.
These Taihu dragon boats are propelled by seven paddlers with an 8th team member beating a drum to set the cadence. The team of expat women won the women's division finishing the 1km course in about 7.5 minutes of intense paddling.
The Mercury Marina was an interesting facility. Apparently, recreational boating in China is an unknown pastime, but Mercury and Brunswick, U.S. makers of powerboats and motors, built this marina as a sales office and showplace to demonstrate to the growing affluent people in China what a yacht club has to offer. I am not sure how successful they have been, but the festival today was certainly well attended and there seems to be some affluent folks showing up. As we arrived, a red Lamborghini and a yellow Porsche pulled into the club.
Dragon boats are believed to have been around for more than 2,500 years, having originated along the Yangtze River. The celebration is an important part of ancient agricultural Chinese society, celebrating the summer harvest.
These Taihu dragon boats are propelled by seven paddlers with an 8th team member beating a drum to set the cadence. The team of expat women won the women's division finishing the 1km course in about 7.5 minutes of intense paddling.
The Mercury Marina was an interesting facility. Apparently, recreational boating in China is an unknown pastime, but Mercury and Brunswick, U.S. makers of powerboats and motors, built this marina as a sales office and showplace to demonstrate to the growing affluent people in China what a yacht club has to offer. I am not sure how successful they have been, but the festival today was certainly well attended and there seems to be some affluent folks showing up. As we arrived, a red Lamborghini and a yellow Porsche pulled into the club.
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