Watawa life » Buddha’s birthday

Petting zoo

Robin Kelsey — Sun, 22 May 2011 20:49:44 +0000

This is down at Queen Juliana Park, which is just up Carling from Dow’s Lake. The main event there is a midway but I like the petting zoo better.

That guy was so handsome, I had to get a closeup.

Here’s a llama.

Pig. Pot-bellied.

Face painting. Not at the zoo.

Vesak

I almost forgot, it was Buddha’s birthday today too! I didn’t take a lot of pictures of the Vesak parade because I’ve seen it lots of times before, and it’s always pretty much the same. Here are just a couple of shots I liked.

Other Buddha’s Birthdays on this blog:

A year ago today:
Pic 803
Fountain

May 22, 2010

Two years ago:
Pic 463
447 Somerset West

May 22, 2009

Three years:
Pic 131
Rocks

May 22, 2008

Bye bye baby Buddha

Robin Kelsey — Sun, 30 May 2010 15:51:16 +0000

I almost missed Buddha’s birthday again, but when we heard the drums we ran out with our cameras and caught the parade coming back.

Here is the Vesak parade passing by the site of the Chinatown Arch. I’m not sure why they have a lion in the parade, except that Asian people seem to like to put lions in everything.

I’m not the slightest bit religious, but Buddhism is my favourite religion. One of the things I like best about Buddhism is how happy Buddhists are on Buddha’s birthday. Judy took this picture.

I got some more pictures of the parade last year. Here they are:
Happy Buddha’s Birthday

The first phase of the Chinatown Arch project, casting the figures, is supposed to end sometime in June. Then the painters come in and put it together. Here are some of their lions, just chillin’ under wraps and keeping cool and waiting:

Just a tease

Some of the arch pieces are pagoda-like roof sections. These men are welding up the rebar on one of those.

In case you don’t know it already, Somerset is going to be closed for all of June and July from Bronson to Cambridge to get the arch built.

There goes the parade. Bye bye little baby Buddha, see you next year!

A year ago today:
Pic 473
Peace Tower hijinx

May 30, 2009

Happy Buddha’s Birthday

Robin Kelsey — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:46:14 +0000

Actually Vesak, a Buddhist holiday which is observed on the full-moon day in May. This year Vesak falls on Mother’s Day. On Vesak, Buddhists all over the world commemorate the birth, enlightenment and passing away of Gautama Buddha.

As usual I had forgotten all about Vesak. I was just sitting down to a late breakfast when I heard music and drumming out on Somerset Street. I dropped the butter knife, grabbed a camera, and ran out to see what was up.

Here are some faces from the parade. Many of the marchers were wearing toques. Each group had its own colour of toque. (Well, it is kind of cold for a day in May.)

A fellow Nikon user. He’s embedded in the parade.

No toque.

And here’s Miss Buddha’s Birthday riding on a float with the little Bodhisattva himself.

There goes the parade. I love my neighbourhood!

Oh, Happy Mother’s Day too.