Balloons in flight
The annual Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark, Pampanga
I was wide eyed when I woke up about 2:45 in Sunday morning. Pulling myself out of bed was effort enough but I have to get up if we were to catch the annual Hot Air Ballon Fiesta in Clark, Pampanga in time. It was the first time for me to attend this spectacle of an event and with free complimentary tickets to boot. It was an event not to miss, lest I have to wait again another year.
Fire it up! Propane burners fill the balloons with hot air to fly.
We arrived in Clark by 5:45am after our meet up in Makati around 4am. The propane burners were lit up in the twilight sky and signaled the start of the event. Gradually the deflated balloons started filling up and the myriad gargantuan colors of these balloons started rising up from slumber and ready to take flight.
Ready for take off! It’s true, Dogs do go to heaven.
By break of light, the balloons started to fly one by one. It was so fast, the sky was filled with Hot Air Ballons. It was a spectacular sight with the rising sun greeting those giant airships in the sky going east of the skylights.
Who said only dogs can fly? This cat will touch the sky.
Looking at them in the sky it seems so easy to just fly off in a balloon. Little did I know that Ballooning was a skill that had to be learned and mastered. Balloonist had to be an amateur meteorologist who can read both topographical and road maps and predict the change of wind patterns. These wind riders control their balloons by either putting more hot air to raise altitude or releasing them or cooling their balloons to lower altitude. They change speed and directions by riding on different air currents at varying altitudes.
Their flight was too close for comfort. I thought this balloon was gonna hit us.
It was a great start of the festival. And the start of a long and exciting day ahead.
Tags: Clark, Event, Festivals, Hot Air Balloon, Pampanga
Posted on
Tuesday, February 14th, 2006 at 1:14 pm 
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February 14th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
ei bro! we went on saturday kasi we know it will be mayhem come sunday. di bale, next time, hanapin kita. thanks for the kind comment. i concentrated on the seldom-seen shots like the inside of the balloon or the propane burners kasi without a decent camera, it’s hard to capture distant objects. btw, hanep yung aklan feature mo. more than the boracay post, i found that much more interesting. see ya around!
February 14th, 2006 at 5:26 pm
very true! you still feel sleepy at the start of the activity but you’ll be so amazed when they start firing up the balloons. we went last year, i remember there was this couple who were kissing non-stop while they were firing up one of the balloons and everybody was staring at them
the balloons this year seem to be more interesting, with the flying cats and dogs hehehe! thanks for sharing the pictures. i hope there are more
February 14th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
ay nagpunta ka rin dyan? nabalitaan ko yan, dami kong ka blog na nakapunta din… kaso may lakad ako.. tsk tsk..
ang gaganda ng kulay ng balloons pati na composition mo…
February 15th, 2006 at 12:13 am
great event…i never been to the balloon festival…kinda fun and excited to be on the balloon….colors and shapes of the ballon r fantastic:-) great capture
February 15th, 2006 at 7:09 am
sayang may pasok ako non….
pwede rin palang paliparin ang ibang shape? galing nong sa Dog balloon…
February 15th, 2006 at 12:13 pm
Definitely too early ! I had to wake up at 2am :-(((
But I agree it was well worth the effort! An exciting & colorful event. I even saw a plane crashing in front of me (no joke !)
February 15th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
wooow. di pa ako nakakakita niyan in person. hehe. aliiw. ang gaganda.
February 15th, 2006 at 2:49 pm
the balloons are so nice
wow!
February 15th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
uyy, someday sana i can witness that event
February 15th, 2006 at 8:26 pm
galeng naman! ang gaganda ng balloons… sumakay ka din?
February 16th, 2006 at 11:14 am
i’ll link u up. hope its ok
February 16th, 2006 at 12:06 pm
hmm. inadd kita sa links ko.
February 16th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
heya! ano ba sinabi ng template ng blog ko sa mga template at photos nya. … in other words… literally ang ganda ng blog!
February 16th, 2006 at 2:54 pm
wooow ang sarap lumipad
March 6th, 2006 at 9:47 am
[...] Kids are always fun to watch, especially when they are at play. They are so absorbed at what they are doing, the seem to be living in another world. Saw this kid playing at the Hot Air Balloon Festival. [...]
February 14th, 2007 at 1:28 am
[...] event is now on its 11th year. I really had plans on going back here once again since I enjoyed last year’s spectacle. At first I wasn’t sure if I could make this trip since a friend of mine who originally [...]
October 5th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
they were so artistic! i like the dog-shaped hot air balloon!!! and it will be more exciting to rideon it! whew!!! =)
April 10th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
i stumbled into your site today and i’m so happy that i did. you document all the beauty of our country for people like me who never knew places like these existed! thank you!
btw, do you know when the next balloon fiesta is?