Up until now, my first dates have been during the day. So, I thought that visiting the Japanese Light Show would make a remarkable first night-time date. The Japanese Light Show is in the Botanical Gardens and it so happened that the amazing Mosaic exhibition was going on. Unless, you have a season’s pass, the price is pretty hefty to get in and I didn’t find it fair to ask a date to fork out twenty-five dollars as entrance fee. So, I went date-less. I felt a bit like a movie scout searching for good filming locations.
In order to reach the Japanese Gardens, I passed by some of the mosaics, and in particular one of my favorites, The Red-crowned Crane.
The Red-crowned crane mosaic, tells the true story of a young Chinese woman in the late 1980’s who traveled to the Yangcheng Nature Reserve to care for cranes. While trying to save an injured crane she slipped into a swamp. The crane was saved but she died. Touching the hearts of thousands of Chinese people, a song was composed to pay tribute to this girl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF3IAHGqihs
Beautiful, isn’t it?
Onward to my scouting plan. It wasn’t quite sunset when I reached the gardens so I roamed around towards the light show passing by some beautiful Japanese art.
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There were plenty of couples holding hands or arms around each which made me envious. That’s what I want. This is what all these first dates are about. Leading to a second, third and finally a relationship. Instead it was me and my camera which I had quite a bit of problems with. By now the sun had set and I had a difficult time maneuvering the buttons on it. Taking a photo was, excuse the pun, a shot in the dark and so a lot of my photos came out pretty badly.
Still, I think, I managed to capture the essence of this light show. I was lucky because there was a full harvest moon out that evening,
which reminded me of a line from Neil Young’s Harvest Moon: Let’s go out and feel the night.
Feel the night. The night that evening for me felt serene, romantic, peaceful, stunning, and hopeful. All qualities of a great first date. Or second or third date. Or any date.
I imagined myself walking there with a man whom I was, if not crazy about, at least dangerously attracted to. The garden had that kind of poetic quality to it.
Carol Balawyder 
I COULD SEE THAT THE ENTRANCE FEE IS 25$, BUT THEN, HAVE YOU GONE TO MCDONALDS OF LATE ? BE SURPRIZED WHAT PRICE A MEAL COSTS THERE, OR PRETTY WELL ANYWERE FOR THAT MATTER, NO ? I DONT SEE IT AS A GOOD REASON TO GO IT ALONE, UNLESS YOU INTEND TO POSSIBLY MEET SOMEONE UNEXPECTEDLY .AS FOR THE POETIC GARDEN, POETIC IS IN THE HEART…BISOU
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Tanks for the comment…And believe me going to the botanical gardens is a lot more nourishing than a Big Mac!
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Yes, the night is magic and is it any less so if we are alone? You took yourself on a date this time and, surrounded by art and beauty, acknowledged your longings for love. What could be more poignant?
When we are unattached, we are on a journey of self-discovery and the world around us becomes our companion.
I love the crane mosaic and its sad story (I like birds). How wonderful that we have access to these exhibits and so many cultural events where we live. When we appreciate the artwork of others, like reading another’s writing, we share at a deep level of our being what is most precious to us. We are no longer isolated when we make these connections.
Having a date – or not – is almost superfluous.
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Thanks, Thelma…You always have such beautiful and meaningful things to say. I love your writing.
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Hi Carol,
I do find you as a versatile writer, with a passion for life. I found your scouting plan in this post intriguing. What motivated you in this manner?
Shakti
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Hi Shakti-
Thank you for reading my posts 🙂
What motivated me to write this series was that I was always going out for coffee on my online dates. It got kind of tedious and there’s so much you can say to each other over a cup of tea or coffee.
There had to be a more interesting way to know each other and I found by doing activities or exploring the city we could get to know each other better and that spaces of silence weren’t awkward as they tended to be in a coffee shop.
If you go to my introduction to Ten Great First Dates you’ll find a more elaborate explanation.
A pleasure to meet you on my site. Carol
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Carol – A great post on the magic of the night. I’ve been enjoying your Dates series, but I confess the ones I find the most interesting are those that have a real date in the story!
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Yes…but, alas. I couldn’t always have a date. I really had fun doing this series. It made me see my city through a different lens. When you carry a camera you tend to be more mindful of your surroundings.
I truly appreciate your reading my posts and thanks for commenting. 🙂
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p.s. Great photos too. And this was my favorite passage : “Feel the night. The night that evening for me felt serene, romantic, peaceful, stunning, and hopeful. All qualities of a great first date. Or second or third date. Or any date.” Also, love that dangerously attracted to …. 🙂
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Thanks. 🙂
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This looks and sounds fantastic, Carol! I usually did first dates in broad daylight and not such exotic places. I love that you were dangerously attracted to him, too!
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Delightful post, Carol. I really like the You Tube video and song of the Chinese woman who saved the red-crowned crane. Great photos, I espec. liked the light show. And congrats on having the courage to go to this beautiful place with your camera and moving forward on the dating efforts.
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❤
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