The Bun Festival

Extremely wet yesterday afternoon to this morning; amber rainstorm. Bad for preparations for the Bun Festival, which is set to start tomorrow. Only few buns were placed on the towers yesterday - surely had been plans to put more on, but weather too atrocious. Before 8am this morning, I walked by the festival site - looked real sad. The big effigies of gods were still in the main "theatre", which offers better protection from rain than the tall shelter they will be in for most of the festival. Several of the buns had fallen, others were turning to mush in the rain, a few falling to the ground as I watched.Happily, the heavy rain eased by lunchtime, and even though there's rain forecast - indeed, looks set to be a wet week - maybe should be showery, rather than non-stop deluges. So, hopefully ok for the actual festival - indeed, cloud with occasional showers should mean that won't be baking hot as with some Bun Festivals I've known.

News today re plastic buns to be used on the big "bun tower" that's used for the climbing contest.Comes soon - a year or two - after the buns placed on towers were all put in plastic wrapping - by government decree, for health reasons (even though I've heard people [mostly] don't eat the "lucky" buns from the bun towers). News today re plastic buns to be used on the big "bun tower" that's used for the climbing contest.Comes soon - a year or two - after the buns placed on towers were all put in plastic wrapping - by government decree, for health reasons (even though I've heard people [mostly] don't eat the "lucky" buns from the bun towers). And, after government decision to continue ban on the competition to climb the bamboo towers to grab high buns (ban after one of the towers collapsed during race in 1978, injuring around 100 people) - but instead institute race up a metal tower, which to my eyes rather like a space rocket during construction. This came with HK govt/Tourism Board playing more role in organising the Bun Festival.Whatever next - Plastic children on the floats, so there isn't a chance of overheating kids?! Should we just move the whole festival over to Disney, or get Mickey and co in to run it?Or is this real progress, and the Bun Festival will remain a deep-rooted local tradition for many years to come?