hese striking images of balloons weren't taken at your kid's 5th birthday party in a cushy cul-de-sac somewhere in middle America. These photos were shot passing by the Ravi river in Lahore, or on a dirt road in Kabul. In many parts of the world, balloon sellers roam the streets, struggling to make a living as they sell wonderfully colorful tokens to passersby. But while doing so, they manage to bring a sense of fun and playfulness to what otherwise might be a rather grim landscape. Take a look at these delightful photos from around the globe: 

(REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton) 
Patra, Greece: March 25, 2012 

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(AP Photo/Anjum Naveed) 
Islamabad, Pakistan: July 15, 2012 

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(REUTERS/Mohammad Ismail)
Kabul, Afghanistan: December 29, 2011

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(REUTERS/Damir Sagolj)
Myanmar: January 28, 2012

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(REUTERS/Mohsin Raza)
Lahore, Pakistan: November 14, 2011 

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(AP Photo/Ahmad Maosud)
Kabul, Afghanistan: August 29, 2008 

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(REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas)
Granada, Nicaragua: August 14, 2011 

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(REUTERS/Mohsin Raza)
Lahore, Pakistan: March 12, 2012 

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(REUTERS/Omar Sobhani)
Kabul, Afghanistan: August 14, 2012 

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(REUTERS/Omar Sobhani)
Kabul, Afghanistan: December 30, 2012

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(REUTERS/Beawiharta)
Jakarta, Indonesia: October 26, 2011 

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(AP Photo/Manish Swarup)
New Delhi, India: January 2, 2012