Its April, its the hottest time of the year, its the end of the dry season and its new year!
This in Thailand is an excuse to throw water at everyone.
Traditionally its a family time, to visit your elders and bless the monks with scented water.
The traditional New Year is Lunar based and was at this time of year, but in 1940 Thailand decided to join the western world and start the year on 1 Jan. The traditional Thai year is 543 years older than the western world. It started when Buddha died.
So its year 2555 now and this is used in everyday life.
After leaving the somber memorials we looked for a place to eat lunch and got our first taste of Songkran.
We took our water guns with us and shot the restaurant staff. They then painted our faces with white liquid (we think it was cornflour and water).
Our waitress took our gun to shoot everyone herself and so we gave her (lady in the apron) a little gun when we left. She was thrilled.
We booked into our tree house rooms at Khao Sok and the next day drove to the lake.
Well, we then got to see what Songkran is all about. There were pickups stocked with a big drum of water, the family and buckets. Then on the side of the road where families set up with a big drum of water, buckets, a hose pipe and water guns.
Basically every car or bike was doused in water. (often coloured with die or full of corn flower) The wonderful thing to watch was a sheer joy of it, everyone was laughing. The bakkies all slowed to alow time for the water fight.
This is a road side set up waiting for the car to pass so they can shoot each other. Note the white powder on the 'bakkie' (pickup)
This bakkie has 2 drums of water.
All age groups together having fun.
What you do when your drum is empty? The local water authority was filling drums from their water truck.
!
This chap has a water gun fed from a tank on his back!
Hiding, didn't help, she still got shot.
As we got closer to the dam the cars built up. They were all going there to picnic.
Here you can see the spray from Joe's gun hitting a little girl in the back. They always got a fright when we shot from the car as it was so unexpected. Our windows were closed most of the time.
As the bakkies passed it was a free for all.
We had a wonderful time interacting and shot everyone we could. Even the store keepers, they said thankyou, as its a blessing, nothing to get cross about.
Mercia with her 'weapon'
No comments:
Post a Comment