I had been SO looking forward to the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. I had this idea in my head that it would be a way of experiencing Chinese culture again, for Eleanor to realize that she didn't have to choose between cultures, that both could be intertwined in a beautifully compatible way. Surely I would find Asian treasures in the shopping area that would remind me of Eleanor's hometown. Maybe I'd even find some silk or brocade to make some dresses and tablecloths and pillow covers. There would be Chinese cultural activities and performances and we'd be surrounded by Mandarin-speaking folks enjoying the dragon boat races. It would be Chinese heaven in good ol' Denver.

Um, it wasn't.

We parked for free at Invesco field and took the shuttle to Sloan's Lake, where we were greeted by tents sponsored by Qwest and State Farm and Sprint. There were a few vendors that actually had Asian products, but most of it was schlock. There were some sweet painted silk parasols, and each of the girls picked one for their rooms. Sarah still wished that we would have bought her a plastic samurai sword, but since the only thing that plastic samurai swords are good for is poking at one's little sisters, I decided to pass on that. Generally, it was an overpriced trap for the thousands of Denverites who milled about looking for some sesame chicken and a cheap Buddha figurine.

The dragon boat races themselves were fun, although the announcing was too loud, and the view was too crowded by everyone trying to get a look. We did get to watch Bohua Chinese School beat Great Wall Chinese School by a mile - GO Bohua! (Eleanor is going to Bohua this fall for Mandarin language and Chinese traditional dance lessons).

We wandered around looking for the Bohua booth, didn't find it, and ended up by the Brown Cow frozen yogurt stand with my two youngest daughters hugging Lily the Brown Cow and having a free polaroid taken with the famous bovine. And hey - we got a free magnet picture frame to remember the moment FOREVER on our refrigerator. Everyone should go to the Dragon Boat festival if only for THAT! Sigh.

I was feeling depressed by the total lack of anything reminiscent of the China I remembered visiting. It was so Americanized and crowded and fake feeling. There were Boulder hippie-types selling their versions of Asian lifestyles to promote healing and health (like, feel the Chi, man...), and the only Asian food available involved deep-fat frying and a lot of white rice. If it had been the dragon boat races, and only the dragon boat races, that were going on, I would have liked it much better.

So we left, found a Baskin Robbins, and let the kids color their free paper fans from the State Farm booth. I then remembered an Asian market I had heard of in Broomfield, and we decided to take a look on our way home.

And there, I DID find Chinese heaven in Colorado. All the aisles were marked in English and in Chinese characters, and the smell upon entering was CHINA. Even Sarah remarked on it - "Mom, THIS is what a Chinese market smells like!" Eleanor squealed, "CHINESE!" as we walked up and down the aisles, picking up frozen dumplings and dim sum and rice cookies and hawthorne candy and jasmine tea. They had live fish and fresh meat and strange produce and dried herbs. They had incense and porcelain and hardly a dairy product in sight. I saw very few non-Asian shoppers, as well, which I figured was a very good sign for the quality of what was being sold. I wanted more time to browse; perhaps just with Eleanor in tow, and not right before bedtime. Eleanor hugged me in the checkout line, flashed me the "I love you" ASL sign I had taught her, and smilingly said, "Thank you, Mommy!" Sarah and Gennie were equally thrilled with the rice cookies and hawthorne candies, and asked for a little bit before we even got to the car.

So, the day wasn't completely wasted, and I found my little piece of China, which I hope to visit again soon, even just for the smell. They didn't have silk, but I bet somebody there could tell me where to find some. Of course, I may not find the jackpot experience of posing with a giant cow again, but I guess that's how it goes.