DC Dragonboat Festival

Let’s start off by just acknowledging that I am a blubbery mess. Yes, I go to the gym (occasionally), but as I believe that Competative Eating is a legit sport, you can imagine the shock on my nearest and dearest when I signed my husband and I with the AquaNinja (sponsored by Asia Bank) Dragonboat.
That’s right. Not only is my blubbery butt going to exercise… but it’s going to do it COMPETATIVELY.
The DC Dragonboat festival has been going on for about 10+ years now. It’s held every May and it’s a Chinese festival held in honor of a Qu Yuan; a Chinese general that was much beloved by the people, but managed to piss off the Emperor. As the Emperor’s guards chased Qu Yuan, he ran into the Mei Lo River. The townsfolk (who, I would point out, didn’t lift a finger to hide him from the Emperor’s men) took to the river in their boats to try to rescue him. He drowned. But every year, they have the Dragonboat Festival to honor him.
So what makes this festival so great (besides the fact that I decided to do it)? Well, to start with, it doesn’t clog up Pennsylvania Ave when you’re trying to get somewhere in a rush. It’s held at the Thompson Boat House, but most of the teams will have tents up by the Watergate.
The competition itself is awesome! And I’m not just saying it because we won the Corporate Cup (woohoo Asia Bank!) nor the fact that we GOT THE GOLD for the 1000M. No, it’s awesome, because it’s not just a bunch of crazy Chinese kids trying to recreate a Chinese festival here in the US… the teams are filled with a whole mix of people — most of whom don’t know the history of Dragonboat and the ill-​fated General Qu Yuan, but love the crazy pagentry of it all. There is even a team that is all blind. That’s right! They paddle by listening to the drum beats! CRAZY!!!
Anyways, it’s awesome. And if you see me paddling, you better be cheering for my team! Heh!