On these warm summer days one of my favorite activities is kite flying. I remember going to Seal Beach or Long Beach as a youth and flying my kite as I wondered what was on the other side of that ocean. (Later I found out the answer is China. Oh the irony as you will soon discover. Read on…)
Often I would make my own kite using a torn bed sheet destined for the land fill and some dowels and tape I would acquire from my dad’s work bench. I would grab some Magic Markers or a random Crayola crayon or two and make some colorful designs to suite my mood. Of course a long tail, sometimes with bows was to be attached to my kite creation followed by the large roll of string.
These days I am nowhere near a beach and can afford to buy a kite though I never seem to ‘find the time’ as so many adults do although recently I bought two ‘pocket kites’ for Brenna and myself. They are cute as they measure all of about 12″ when assembled. I look forward to trying them out with her.
Kites were invented in China. The kite has been claimed as the invention of the 5th-century BC Chinese philosophers Mozi (also Mo Di) and Lu Ban (also Gongshu Ban). In China materials ideal for kite building were readily available: silk fabric for sail material; fine, high-tensile-strength silk for flying line; and resilient bamboo for a strong, lightweight framework.
In 1750 Benjamin Franklin published a proposal for an experiment to prove that lightning was caused by electricity by flying a kite in a storm that appeared capable of becoming a lightning storm. It is not known whether Franklin ever performed his experiment.
Recently I found myself in San Francisco at SF Kites and Toys marveling at the different types of stunt kites and power kites. I also recently visited Flights of Fancy at the beautiful MonteLago Village near my home. The kites they have there are amazing.
I recently watched an episode of ‘No Reservations‘ starring Anthony Bourdain where he did a segment on the hillside slums of Rio, Brazil, where kite flying is a very popular leisure activity for children and teenagers, mostly boys, sometimes even adults. Kite fighting is a game whose goal is to maneuver their own kites to cut the other persons’ kite string during flight, and then proceed in a race through the streets to steal the free-drifting kites. This is often done with the aid of powdered glass or aluminium glued to the string creating a very sharp micro-serration.
Whatever the goal or reason for kite flying it always brings a smile to my face.
Do you like to go kite flying? What type of kites do you fly? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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I never thought that kites have any history. amazing post and so much things to learn. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Jess and Brandon recently posted…Bran Castle, Romania
The thing I am starting to realize is the Chinese invented a lot of stuff. Did you ever notice that?
Thanks for stopping by and for your comment. Much appreciated. Travel safe.
Troy S. recently posted…Basics to Build a Pond in Your Yard or Home
Thanks for sharging contents i am waiting next post.