Cheers to the New Year! Part 1

Dear Reader, for you I girded my loins and went into battle, armed with only my camera and a smile, on this, the first day of the Water Wars.

Known as Songkran, or Thai New Year, it is an annual display of wet merriment and mayhem (tho this year the merriment may have been curtailed somewhat by the banning of alcohol). The water, however was freely flowing and almost everyone was armed.

Enjoy from the dry comfort of your home and try to imagine being soaking wet in 100 degree heat-it's not too bad actually, especially if you're properly prepared.

May the games begin!

In this battle size didn't matter,

especially if you had a backpack water tank...

Where's Tigger?

There's Tigger!

Hello Kitty! But of course...

...got a monkey on her back...

...and an elephant on his chest...


...or came as a Water Warrior




And for that 'je ne sais quoi', weird headgear seemed to be the must-have accessory this year...







For those just passing through and unarmed, it was necessary to have proper armor:
rain poncho, socks, and gloves(!)



...as nothing was sacred and nobody spared

But this is just the beginning. See Part 2 for the parade of Buddhas.

Cheers to the New Year! Part 3

Not only Buddhas got a thorough cleansing... everyone marching in the parade was fair game, including the Governor of Chiang Mai and his entourage.


Participants, one and all, were pretty well soaked at this early stage of the march. One could only wonder what would happen when they reached the moat enroute to Wat Phra Singh, even with special precautions:

...umbrellas were an attractive, tho not very effective, defense against the water...

Waterproof makeup should have been a priority for these Lady Boys.

And there's nothing like wearing a purple elephant head!

Interspersed with the Buddhas and wet dignitaries were small groups of traditional musicians keeping the beat going for their own mobile dance parties- veritable pied pipers:

A swan and dancer "flew" in all the way from Myanmar to join the fun.

And an 'naak' on prancing pony from the concurrent Poy Sang Long festivals even made an appearance.

During a lull in the procession Mr. Burger sneaked in, receiving ovations and hopefully some business.

And the local rickshaw drivers did their part by ferrying large offerings.

Finally the official parade ended and the parade of city life resumed, but the water never stopped.