- Title: RUSSIA: HUNDREDS FLOCK TO SEE TWO DAY HOT AIR BALLOON FESTIVAL
- Date: 21st July 2002
- Summary: (U5) SERGIEV-POSAD, RUSSIA (JULY 20, 2002) (REUTERS) 1. VIEW OF ST. TRINITY MONASTERY 2. MEN FILLING THE BALLOON WITH HOT AIR 3. MEN PREPARING BALLOON BASKET FOR THE FLIGHT 4. PEOPLE WATCHING 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MIKHAIL BAKANOV, ORGANISER OF THE FESTIVAL, SAYING "Traditionally, for a long time, balloon festivals were held in this beautiful town. Later the tradition was stopped, and balloons didn't fly here for a long time. But, one of the first balloon flights has actually took place in this town. I should also mention that the company which make these beautiful balloons is also located just outside the town. Our idea of a balloon festival was backed by the Patriarch's office. What we want to do is to show the town and its people how beautiful it is and how great it is to fly." 6. MEN FILLING THE BALLOON WITH HOT AIR 7. VARIOUS OF BALLOONS IN THE AIR 8. PEOPLE LOOKING AT THE BALLOONS 9. BALLOON SHAPED AS A KREMLIN TOWER 10. GIRL WATCHING THE BALLOONS 11. BALLOONS IN THE SKY ABOVE THE MONASTERY 12. CHILDREN LOOKING AT THE BALLOONS 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MIKHAIL, RESIDENT OF SERGIEV-POSAD, SAYING "It's very impressive and beautiful. I even want to fly myself." 14. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) LYUDMILA, MOSCOVITE, SAYING "It's very nice, and I've read in a newspaper that they are going to fly people in the balloons, and we want to do it. It's very exciting to experience something like this." 15. BALLOONS IN THE SKY ABOVE THE MONASTERY 2.58 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th August 2002 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: SERGIEV-POSAD, RUSSIA
- Country: Russia
- Reuters ID: LVA5JRS9LGFCXIJC643BCDA1RON0
- Story Text: Hot-air balloons of various shapes, ranging from the
Kremlin towers and church bells to beer cans, flew above an
old Russian monastery as a part of a two-day balloon festival.
Hundreds of hot-air balloon fans flocked the town's
central square on Saturday (July 20) to see the hot-air
balloon festival. It was held in the old Russian town of
Sergiev-Posad, 60 kilometres north of Moscow. The place is
known as a holy sight and home to one of the Russia's biggest
monasteries. But the event the people came to see was far from
religious.
"Traditionally, for a long time, balloon festivals were
held in this beautiful town. Later the tradition was stopped,
and balloons didn't fly here for a long time. But one of the
first balloon flights has actually took place in this town,"
said Mikhail Bakanov, the festival organiser.
"What we want to do here is to show the town and its
people how beautiful it is and how great it is to fly," he
added.
The crowd obviously enjoyed it. Many were saying they were
up for a flight themselves.
"It's very impressive and beautiful. I even want to fly
myself", said local resident Mikhail.
"It's very nice, and I've read in a newspaper that they
are going to fly people in the balloons, and we want to do it.
It's very exciting to experience something like this," said
Lyudmila, who came to the show all the way from Moscow with
her granddaughter.
The highlights of the festival were balloons of unusual
shape: the Kremlin tower, church bell, beer can and yellow
submarine.
Russian balloonists looked at the festival as a
preparation for the European events. Flying balloons is still
relatively new in Russia. There were about 30 balloons
altogether, and only 10 of them fit the international
standards.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
