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Full Moon Firework Balloon Festival at Taunggyi, Myanmar

Burmese Daze

Steve_t
2006-11-01 12:12:32

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the ground to attach to the sides. Another type had a long rectangular mesh hung with yet more candles spelling out the word "bank" or "hotel". Once it had taken off it looked like a huge, flickering set of LEDs. Then there were balloons with a framework containing dozens of candles attached to tiny parachutes. As those balloons ascended, the candles dropped off one by one, adding to the constellations in the clear night sky above us. Finally, there were the firework balloons. A wooden rectangular frame hanging from beneath the envelope contained at least six minutes worth of fireworks.

The first firework balloon was very impressive, until it began spraying rockets and starbursts towards the ground when it was less than twenty metres above us. Interestingly, the Burmese collective exclamations for appreciation of fireworks are "ooh", and "aah"!

On several different occasions, one official and four locals, all with reasonable English and a genuine concern for our safety, suggested really quite strongly that we should watch from the shelters which had been constructed especially for tourists and VIPs. Since the wind was blowing towards the stands, we didn't take their advice: once the balloons were up, we'd lose sight of them. We chose to stand upwind instead. When the second firework balloon lifted off, we discovered why our advisors had been so insistent.

It rose reluctantly at first, swaying ponderously in the gentle breeze. There was tumultuous applause from the crowd as it took off, then cheers as the flares on the ends of the poles lit up, spraying sparks everywhere. I pondered aloud whether the material had been treated with some kind of flame retardant. Moving slowly away from us, the balloon floated over the VIP stand where the material suddenly caught fire. The wooden framework plummeted, landed on the roof and began firing rockets horizontally straight at us. There were more cheers mixed with frightened screams as the crowd tried to move back. In the pandemonium Christophe turned to me and grinned. "I think that answers your question!" he said.