Saturday, September 14, 2013

Silly and Something Outdoors (This week's Photo Hunt themes)


As this blog's regular readers know, I love spending time in Hong Kong's great outdoors, particularly its 24 country parks.  But I also do appreciate the Big Lychee's urban parks, particularly Victoria Park -- where events of a serious as well as fun nature regularly take place.

In recent years, one of the more fun events at Victoria Park that I look forward to is the annual Hong Kong Flower Show which features some pretty impressive floral displays and elaborate creative arrangements, like these and these.  And Hong Kong being Hong Kong, you can pretty much count on some whimsical and kawaii expressions of creativity on occasions like this.

Also at events like the Hong Kong Flower Show, one will come to the realization that there are thin lines between creativity, kawaii and/or whimsy, and just silly.  And while evaluations of where the lines lie are obviously subjective, my criteria for silly at such an event is when I come across a sight that leaves me thinking "What the..?" or gets me bursting into laughter.

At this year's edition of the flower show, the top two silly sights as far as I was concerned were those whose images can be seen at the top of this entry for Sandi's and Gattina's Photo Hunts. And yes, I know that that snake-shaped floral figure was created to commemorate this year being the Year of the Snake according to the Chinese lunar calendar -- but even so, the very idea of a large-sized snake-shaped floral figure and sight of it did/does tickle my funny bone!  As for that green-skinned bathing-suited (and -capped) figure... it's definitely imaginative but, let's face it, also makes for an improbably amusing sight, right?

Or maybe it's only me who sees it that way... you tell me!  And while you're at it, do let me know too whether I'm the only person in the world who gets thinking of Yosemite Sam when they see pansies... or whether I'm being just plain silly there? ;b 

20 comments:

Goodbye HK, Hello YVR said...

Hi YTSL

Yosemite Sam in pansies?! You have an active imagination! :)

I miss the flower show every year! Must see it next time!

YTSL said...

Hi The Fragrant Harbour --

You don't see Yosemite Sam in the pansies? Awwww...

How about the fish head that Bill spotted in a photo in a previous blog entry?

http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.hk/2013/09/a-tale-of-two-northeast-new-territories.html

(Scroll down to read his comments and then see if you can see what he saw in the specified photo... ;b)

Carver said...

Those elaborate floral designs are fun. I like silly gardens. I didn't see a human snitch but that would be funny.

Trekcapri said...

Hi YTSL, I love it. :0 Silly and whimsical is always great fun. I love the floral snake. Parks are great and your Victoria Park looks and sounds very cool.

Have a great weekend.

eastcoastlife said...

The floral snake is so adorable! Wish our floral display are as kawaii as those in HK.

magiceye said...

Cool takes on the themes

RNSANE said...

Lucky for me, I flew Cathay Pacific on the first of my extended India stays. Going home after that first four month visit, I stopped over for five days in Hong Kong - my first visit in 15 years. I had a wonderful time, staying in Tsim Sha Tsui at the Ramada, very close to Victoria Harbor.

My “something outdoors post” is of three West Coast, USA, cities.

MaR said...

I love floral designs. And the sillier, the better! nothing for my garden but fun to see. Btw, I find it a waste of resources to trim that square tree ;-) Enjoy your weekend.

YTSL said...

Hi Carver --

I wonder if there'll ever be a snitch figure at the Hong Kong Flower Show. Probably not now that the Harry Potter craze has died down somewhat here... ;b

Hi Trekcapri --

Re Victoria Park: what's particularly cool to me is that it's open 24 hours -- and safe to walk around/through all of those 24 hours! :)

Hi EastCoastLife --

I've got a photo of the floral snake from another angle with its tongue more visibly sticking out that I thought was more kawaii -- but went for this one because it had the 2013 sign visible. Glad you like it in any event! :)

Hi magiceye --

Thanks!

Hi RNSANE --

I'm glad you had a good recent visit to Hong Kong. Have to say that TST's not my favorite part of the city -- but having said that, it does have some good things there too... including a little Koreatown and the HK Museum of History! :)

Hi Marcy --

There are stalls at the flower show where you can buy things if you so please... Re that square tree on your blog post: ya, I agree with you re trimming it seeming like a waste of resources!

Anonymous said...

Very silly - a great shot for this week's theme.

Have a super weekend.

Susan Demeter said...

Awww I love the snake, so much fun and very neat way to commemorate the year :)

Great pics YTSL always fun to learn new stuff on your blog.

Now I'm off for a hike!

Cheers and happy photo hunting, hiking, and weekend :)

YTSL said...

Hi JDeQ --

You just liked one shot? ;b

Hi Sue --

Thanks for looking, reading and your good wishes. Hope you have a good hike this weekend! :)

Sandi @the WhistleStop Cafe said...

That took quite a lot of time!
Happy Silly Saturday~

aspiritofsimplicity said...

It looks pretty silly to me as well.

Annie said...

It makes me laugh too - is it really a snake?!? I love your whimsical photos!

YTSL said...

Hi Sandi --

To make? Yeah, for sure -- and a lot of hands too, I can imagine! :)

Hi aspiritofsimplicity --

Silly, but in a way that makes one laugh with enjoyment, right? :)

Hi Annie --

Yes, really a snake... albeit a baby one (the head's so big) and with a smile on its face... :D

Gattina said...

Lol, a perfect combination of both themes !

YTSL said...

Hi Gattina --

I'm glad you think so and am happy I made you LOL. :)

Anonymous said...

After looking at your photo of Yosemite Sam pansies, I watched some YouTube cartoons to refresh my memory of this animated character. You're right, there is a resemblance to Yosemite Sam, and it sent me into a laughing fit.

I don't know what perceptual term would apply to explain how we see metaphoric faces in our environment, perhaps it would be 'Gestalt.' Whatever it is, it does allow some of us to see a familiar face in flowers, or a fish head on a rock face, whereas others might not see any resemblance at all.

Bill

YTSL said...

Hi Bill --

Oh yay re your seeing Yosemite Sam in those pansies too! And I'm happy that the sight and connection made you laugh! :)