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    Home » Uncategorized

    Lantern Festival in Daegu

    Published: Jun 18, 2018 by Tessa Nguyen, MEd, RD, LDN · Leave a Comment

    May was filled with many three and four day weekends, making it possible for more fun and the ability to travel further within South Korea. One of the (many) benefits of working as a public school teacher is getting all the national holidays off, so I try to take advantage of the breaks when possible!

    Everything's colorful in Daegu

    I traveled down to Daegu (located in the south eastern part of South Korea, but not on the coast) in mid-May with a few other English teachers. Daegu is commonly referred to by locals as "Dafrica," as it's a city known for being dry and unbearably hot. Despite the premise of this impending uncomfortable weather, I still wanted to see the Lantern Festival for Buddha's Birthday. This particular lantern festival is known throughout South Korea and many foreigners even travel from outside the country to see it.

    Lanterns at one of the temples

    Lucky for us, we found out they released extra free tickets the morning of the event so we waited in line...and waited...and got tickets into Duryu Baseball Stadium to see the festivities leading up to the lanterns being lit up close and personal.

    I've seen many photos of lantern festivals and attended some in the past, but nothing of this magnitude. I waited patiently, watching as thousands of families wrote their wishes and prayers on the lanterns before lighting them. The first few lanterns seemed to trickle into the sky, then all of a sudden it was just a barrage of colorful, lit lanterns. It was hard to not be overcome with emotion and amazement watching all the lanterns float off into the night. This was truly one of the most memorable events I've ever been to and I would encourage anyone to go and see it if their travels allow.

    Lanterns being lit and floating into the sky

    Of course, we ate many tantalizing local delicacies while in Daegu, too. You didn't think I'd forget to share the details on that, did you?! Stay tuned for my next blog post that features the Vietnamese restaurant/market we visited along with one of the largest night markets in South Korea (and perhaps the world!), Seomun Night Market in Daegu.

    Have you been to Daegu? I'd love to hear what places you visited and what food you ate while there! Leave your thoughts below in the comments and don't forget to subscribe to my blog and check in for my regular posts over on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

    « School Lunch in Korea
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    Tessa Nguyen is an internationally acclaimed chef, registered dietitian, and educator. As the founder and principal of Taste Nutrition Consulting, her talents come to life in the form of deliciously diverse recipes, cultural auditing, bespoke content development, speaking engagements, and various media work. Tessa's multiethnic heritage and lived experience across multiple countries have centered her in providing inclusive services founded in cultural humility.

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