FESTIVAL

sun day
last day of the holidays
boo hoo hoo
a week-long festival opens in seoul
we get going late
hannah gets her hair done
an oh-so-cute bob
when i see her little round face
framed by this fringe of neatly trimmed hair
i can't stop laughing for nearly five minutes
none of us can stop laughing!
we get into town to check out what's going on
a rock group is playing at the entrance to cheongyechon
'noisy!' say hannah and mrs f
so we move on down to city hall plaza
to take a look at the world friendship fair
but everyone is packing up
the face painting is finished
the percussion instruments are being packed away
one last go on the congas and the xylophone!
the 'free hugs' are no longer being dispensed
but hannah doesn't care
a clever balloon man magics her a wonderful flower
for free
his last one of the day
as the dancers and singers from all over the world
take the giant stage for the last time
hannah cavorts on the grass with her balloon flower
like only a nearly four-year-old can
i'm watching her and wishing she would never grow up
we check out the world food court
most of the countries have packed up and gone
except for the south asians
and the south americans of course!
we grab some delicious veggie kebabs and samosas
some roti bread
some ceylon tea
then as darkness descends
and the curtain comes down on the fair
we join the ecuadoreans and brazilians
for one last twilit dance
to the lilting rhythm
of the irrepressible south american band