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18 January 2012

Exploring Groningen: China Light Festival at Hortus Haren

The entrance to the China Light Festival at Hortus Haren
I've been taking advantage of my abundance of free time lately to explore new things in and around Groningen, from chamber music performances to urban gardens.  Last week, my explorations took me to the Hortus Haren Botanical Garden in Haren, which is a village just south of Groningen.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year (the 23rd of January), the Hortus Haren is currently decorated with fantastic light displays presented by the Groningen Confucius Institute. These displays can be viewed in the evenings through the 29th of January.

My husband and I visited Hortus Haren on a particularly cold evening, with temperatures hovering just above freezing. We were concerned that the cold weather would interfere with our ability to enjoy the outdoor light displays. However, after downing a couple of glasses of glühwein from a stand that was conveniently located within the botanical garden, we forgot about the cold and charged on through the wintery weather.  The result: an absolutely dazzling experience and a deeper appreciation for the detailed craftsmanship involved in the creation of light displays.

Here are my photographs of my favorite displays:


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7 comments:

  1. Eve20 January, 2012 17:12

    Wonderful photos----and may you soon acclimate to the freezing weather! (Of course, with global warming, Groningen will someday have shirt-sleeve weather in January)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Lauren21 January, 2012 10:04

    Thank you, Eve! I am glad that you enjoyed the photos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Alexis24 January, 2012 08:08

    That is much prettier than the clouds of firecraker smoke in Oakland!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous22 February, 2012 21:40

    Those are awesome pictures! I like the ones of Paris too.

    Sue-Ann

    ReplyDelete
  5. Jennifer Allison23 January, 2014 12:12

    thanks for the tip, I live in Haren and didn't know it was on, will go there friday
    do you know what time they turn the light displays off?
    Jennifer

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lauren23 January, 2014 13:40

      Hi Jennifer,
      Unfortunately, I think the light festival is not on this year. It's my understanding that the Hortus Botanicus is currently closed for renovations until March.
      - Lauren

      Delete

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