A DAY ON MY OWN IN SONGRAN

Thailand - as I see it.

A DAY ON MY OWN DURING SONGRAN

I had a ball today.  Ahn dropped me off at Dukes for lunch at 11am.  I had a bowl of chili, really tasty and I went to the massage parlor.  Ah Me gave me an excellent 2 hour foot massage, back, neck, shoulder, arm and hand massage as well as a facial.  Wow.  My back feels great, I cant believe it.  All that was half the price of a massage at home.  In fact, a 2 hour massage lasts at least a full 2 hours if not more.

Then the lady from the massage called a tuk tuk for me and I went to Central Festival Market which just opened in January.  What a great mall.  Everything an elegant mall would have in Bangkok, Hong Kong or Singapore.  The tuk tuk driver waited for me there while I shopped for half an hour and then he took me to the local flower and handicraft market BUT I didn't stay as we had been soaked with buckets of water many times, and I told him he could just take me back home.  It was such fun.  The tuk tuk driver Is going to take me to the local market and the milk roti stand next time.  Many times he put out his hand so people wouldn't throw buckets at us and they just threw handfulls.   It was such fun.  I really got a taste of Songkran and next time, I am going to do the throwing as well.  When I got home I was dripping wet, everything including my underware.  It was so cool.  Ahn just came home and I showed her my soaking wet clothes and she said "good job" and gave me a high 5.  I got home at 5, a fast 6 hours.   It was such fun, oh my I guess I said that a few times but it sure was fun spending a day being splashed.

Thailand - as I see it.

SONGRAN WATER FESTIVAL. Up close and personal with thousands of other partyers.

We filled the pick up truck with a large garbage can of water, really large garbage can.  Then we piled  ten people into the back of the pickup with large and larger water guns and buckets.  There were six of us inside the pickup (dry and cool).  The ones in the back were wet, wet, wet.  Every time we went by people throwing water, the driver, Ahn's brother, slowed down so that his passengers could throw water and so that the people on the street could throw water as well.  Every couple of minutes, huge amounts of water splashed on the windows and the people in back.

We drove through hundreds and hundreds of people walking, driving motorcycles, riding bikes and just getting their splash experience.  People had all sizes and shapes of water pistols, from tiny ones with umbrellas to large ones longer than your arm.  Some had containers on their backs with extra water.

The day was divided into two distinct parts.  The first part was at a large lake with a couple of thousand Thai people and me. We were all sitting, swimming, eating, shooting water guns and enjoying the holiday.  We sat on platforms made of bamboo with mats and small tables.  This was a SONGRAN Holiday celebration for The Thai people.  It was a treat to see everyone having such fun, shooting water at each other with smiles and laughter.  This is a time that young and old can let off steam in a fun and happy safe environment.  There was native food of all types including some fish and other meat I didn't recognize.  There were pots of soup and fruits and vegetables, drinks and desserts.

The second part of the day was a celebration as well but there were many many thousands of "farang" foreigners as well as Thai celebraters.  People were piled into pick ups and driving all over to splash and shoot water as well as be splashed.  There were groups of bare chested men with tattoos, couples, children and old people.  Everyone was orderly and having a ball shooting and throwing water.  Everywhere we went there were water guns and buckets of water.  We had to stop two times to refill our huge garbage can.  We went by people with hoses spraying everyone as well as some people who just put a hole in the top of a water bottle and sprayed.

I was enthralled to see so many crowds of people who were all peacefully and happily having fun shooting water at each other.  This is party everyone should experience once in a lifetime.

Thailand - as I see it.
The SONGRAN Festival.   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yE469WYaYK0

Here is a video of the fun.  Enjoy

A SPECIAL THAI HOLIDAY - SONGRAN - A WATER FESTIVAL

Thailand - as I see it.

A SPECIAL HOLIDAY - THAI STYLE - SONGRAN - A WATER FESTIVAL

Everywhere you go, water is being thrown at motorcycles, pedestrians, cars and anything that moves. Tonight we were driving home from the delicious Italian Restaurant, on the other side of Chiangmai and everywhere you looked people had big and bigger water pistols and waterguns.  Whenever someone passed by, streams of water came from all directions.  Plastic guns of all shapes, colors and sizes were being carried by Thai and "farang" foreigners.   There were parades of people in old carriages who were walking alongside playing handmade drums of every shape and size.  Every 40 feet or so was another wagon with men in costumes playing drums.  They were singing and playing loud music. This is a special time for only a few days in April when the weather is the hottest and everyone gets cooled off.   There were huge bandstands erected by the moat and lights strung everywhere which made it even more festive.  Everywhere you look there were groups of people having fun and squirting water.  There were fountains in the moat and people had hoses that they used anytime someone went by on foot or motorbike. We have visited Chiangmai many times, but we always left right before SONGRAN so this is quite an adventure.   (I didn't have my camera iPad with me but I will get some pictures and add them as soon as possible.)