Tis the Season

It's beginning to sound a lot like . . . World War III! Everyone has been trying out their new cache of fireworks for the last couple of weeks, with the crescendo being Sunday night when the moon reached its fullest in this, the twelfth lunar month, and the peak of 'Loy Krathong'. Also known as 'Yi Peng', it is a celebration of the end of the rainy season, and a time to honor the goddess of water sources. We missed the festivities that night, but I was able to make it on Monday for the parade of large floats and the last night of merriment and mayhem. Ah, I love the smell of kordite in the evening! And there was plenty, along with a sky full of 'khom loy', or hot air lanterns that were being set aloft in any space large enough to accommodate them. Here a 'clutch' of schoolgirls ready theirs for liftoff--




The river was alight with the twinkle of candles on 'krathongs' (the little flower festooned floating offerings to the goddess of the waterways), as well as the reflections of lights and lanterns along its banks. (Here a veteran 'krathong'-maker is at work pinning folded leaves onto a base formed by the cross-section of a banana tree trunk.)




Families were out en masse and I noticed several new carnival-like venues- including one at a temple. As always, it's a magical time of year and for all ages. The parade did not disappoint either. We got to Tha Pae Road a little late, so missed some of it, but were still able to see over an hour's worth of dancing girls, magnificently glittering floats, occasional sword dancers with rolling gongs, contingents of traditionally-dressed ladies,

(Thanks to Deb Swingholm for the photo above and below)

and assorted beautifully decorated umbrellas, canopies, banners and vertical 'flags' called 'tung'.




The end was signalled by the 'Last Redshirt', an elderly fellow on his decorated, red bicycle/cart who was following a small army of red-shirted, flag-bearing followers of the former, now exiled, Prime Minister.