The biggest recent event was of course Song Kran, a wonderful festival held every year in the second week of April to celebrate the Thai New Year.
This year I was happy to enjoy both the madness of the free-for-all waterfight, that the festival has become in Chiang Mai, and a mildly less crazy version in a village in Lamphun.
Having already got many photos from 3 previous Song Kran Festivals I was not prepared to risk my camera in the city madness. But with the cafe closed Boon and I were free to go and join in the fun.
In Chiang Mai, untroubled by the protests down in Bangkok and other places, the waterplay around the moat kicked off proper on Sunday the 12th. With certain matters having got me a bit stressed out I was not in such a mood to join in but we did go down for a look see.
The next day, however, I woke up determined to put the stress to one side, (when you have a problem that has no immediate solution, whats the point stressing?), and just before midday we headed off to the moat for full participation.
It was a great atmosphere this year. Indeed I think that the slightly reduced crowd made it more enjoyable. Last year I spent very little time around the moat because of the massive numbers of people giving very little space to swing your water bucket.
This year was much better, still lots of players , but more space to move around freely.
Boon and I bought simple tube water guns with large backpack water tanks, which we wickedly added ice to every time we refilled.We had lots of fun walking round and round Thapae Gate and up and down Moonmuang, spraying unsuspecting soles with that icey water. By 5pm we’d had enough and returned home to dry off before the sun went down and the cold of our soaked clothes really set in.
The next day, setting off at around the same time we headed once again to our favourite spot at the left side of Thapae Gate(from Ratchadamnoen).
Thapae Gate was as usual set up with many snack food stalls, an area that acts not only as a refueling station for hungry travelers, but also as a minor safe haven from the surrounding battle.
Just settling in to more water jousting, we suddenly spotted Roz and some of the kids from the Childrens Home, on the quieter ‘Old City’ side of the moat. Roz explained that it had been a bit of a last minute descision to bring the kids in. We met Tyler, a young American Volunteer who was helping Roz out. So in the end we spent the rest of the day with them. It seemed that alot of the kids preferred to actually play in the moat and in the end I figure I was probably in that decidedly dodgy water for about 3 hours. Still, no after effects this year.
But the best day for me was the next one. We had been invited to join Roz, Glen and the children at Roz’s Mums’ village home. I ended up going alone as Boon really wanted to carry on with the city madness, having done numerous village Song Krans in his past.
I met everyone at the Childrens home first and joined them in their truck getting to the ‘party’ at around 2pm.
Here the waterplay was just as enthusiastic, but inevitably there would be long waits in between passing vehicles. But with food and music and the beer and Laokao flowing freely a great time was had by all.
It was the first time I’d really let go for many months and after accepting the first glass of laokao, after already starting on the beer, there really was no going back.
Its just a shame that Boon had stayed in town, as reserved as he can be, at the right time I know he enjoys a good party to and it would have been nice to enjoy it together. Nevermind, there will be other party’s I’m sure
Dividing my time between Roz’s Mums, water play in the street and several trips to the neighbours who were plying me with laokao, I steadily got happily drunk, on the atmosphere as well as the alcohol.
Luckily I managed to join in with the traditional walk around the village where everyone goes to the houses of the elder villages and gives food or money,( similar to what we used to do on Harvest Festival).
But lots of dancing in the street later after a couple of minor falls my Song Kran ended in an early laokao ‘coma’. Best time I’ve had in ages.
For more photos of this village Song Kran celebration visit our photobucket album here
Who knows, this New Year might just see me keeping this blog section more up to date. Thing is I’ve given myself so many new projects for the site that certain things in this one man show take time to catch up on. Good to report that the Guesthouse has been doing reasonably well considering the present world economics and local political turmoil that are affecting tourist numbers. Thanks to loyal regulars and some lovely newcomers we have been doing much better than expected.
Marching bands preceded a procession of hundreds of Monks and Novices and local school children carrying of a huge long orange robe, followed by a beautiful cart, also pulled by local schoolchildren.
The cart was carrying a special water bowl, brought all the way from Lamphun.
Following this, the long orange robe would be wrapped around the Pagoda at the end of this ceremony to ward of Bad Spirits in the coming year.
Don’t like to bang on but it amazes me when other countries go on about the ‘high risk’ of travelling to Thailand, and then I look around me at the thousands of fellow revellers, and I see no tensions, no drunken brawling, no heavy Police presence, ( they were there but keeping well out of the way and as relaxed and happy as the crowds).
