Songkran Festival in Chiang Mai!

Trip Start Jun 05, 2007
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52
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Trip End Ongoing


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Where I stayed
huan pingpu guest house

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Saturday, April 9, 2011

Well back to one of my most favorite cities in Thailand. Soon will start the Songkran Festival or The Thai New Year. Thailand's most celebrated festival is the Songkran Festival. It starts April 13 and lasts between 3 and 10 days, depending on where you are in Thailand. The word Songkran is from the Sanskrit meaning the beginning of a new Solar Year, but nowadays Thailand celebrates the New Year on 31 December. But this day is the new year according to Thai history.

The Thai people celebrate this festival with water. Everyone gets soaking wet and since it is the hottest season of the year, the custom is quite refreshing but I must be honest for me very uncomfortable. Everyone in the city walks around with water guns and buckets with a license to spray you with water, and you can't really do a damn thing about it but run!  If they tried that in the USA there would be some fights started but not here, everyone is peaceful and laughs it off. A different world huh. Like I said before these are beautiful and non confrontational people.

There's also lots of performances and all sorts of activities around the city. Unfortunately because of the water assaults I was acting like a scared little 'punk' with no balls and stayed in the guest house for 2 days. So what!!!!!!!! But I stayed dry.Always the tight a*s American...... But at night it was safe to venture out so I got to see some festivities.

 I will be here for one week and then back down south for some debauchery!!!

C ya when I c ya.............


Comments

Lionel on

I see you were back in my favorite city. The water thing reminds me of a holiday in Ecuador where anyone can throw water balloons on you. I think it is doing carnival.

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