Hey, there's a lot of tragic, depressing news out there. Want to see something uplifting? As in, literally uplifting? Well then! I have just the thing for you: Video of 408 hot air balloons rising simultaneously. This was an attempt to win a world record for most hot air balloons lifting off at the same time, and it happened at the Lorraine Mondial International hot air balloon festival in France. Before that, the record was set at 343 balloons lifting off together -- just last week.
This time lapse video shows the balloons getting filled -- and then taking off. The sky is filled with hot air balloons. It's nothing short of magical. You can see photos of the record-setting balloon event on Daily Mail. And here's an Instagram set from the Lorraine Mondial hot air balloon festival.
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
And here's another video that gives you more of a panoramic view of the balloon festival. It kind of makes me want to go to a hot air balloon festival, but I suspect the sight is more spectacular from a distance than in person, from the ground. Actually in person would be its own strange experience -- have you ever heard how noisy hot air balloons can be when they're lifting off?
That's even better than "99 Luftballoons." Does anyone remember that song from the '80s? (How many of you were even alive in the '80s?) Oh, '80s music videos. They just don't make them like that anymore. Wait, I've got a brilliant idea -- a mashup with the song and one of these 408 balloons videos! Could someone get on that now, please? Thanks.
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
Have you ever been to a hot air balloon festival?
Image via Stephane Tauziede/YouTube