Sawadee Bpee Mai Chin!

Happy Chinese New Year! Tis the Year of the Pig and the Warowat Market area, here in Chiang Mai, was awash in red. The local Chinese temple had multiple fans going to move all the smoke from the incense, and a singer was in an adjacent room serenading a small audience. Shop fronts were decorated, and many were even open for business. The one shown here below was for a rather prominently located jewelry store. Note the King's picture top center, and two pandas at the upper right (our zoo got two pandas last year and they're very popular).

Special food vendors filled the streets which were blocked to most vehicular traffic, and tables and chairs accommodated those stopping to eat. The selection of foods was more varied than most local festivals with the expected dumplings plentiful, but also to be found was squid (huge) from New Zealand, shwarmas(!), roasted chestnuts, and pizza, plus the largest vat of frying fishcakes that we've ever seen.

To get into the spirit of this most special of times, we will be adding a new collection of Chinese ethnic minority textiles to the website: beautiful silk embroideries, baby carriers and costumes, and even a waxed (but undyed) batik panel. Look for them in Textiles/SE Asia/China.