water water…and a bit more water.
by anni
from:http://anni.whereareyou.net/index.php?intMessageId=35865
SPLASH! and lost of giggles. you just got hit by watergun…or even better, a bucket full of COLD water.
happy happy songkram that is. thai/lao/khmer/buddhist/whatever new year. also known as water festival. year 2549 starts also in pai with celebrations all over the town. tommorrow, hopefully, the last day when everybody goes to the temple in the morning and lits a candle for good luck. and well after that i guess more throwing water.
before ten on my way to yoga class everything is peaceful, but when we get out…by 12….thisit how it looks: people standing in front of their houses at least every second family is on the steet - and as home and shop/restaurant/business is the same house you can work and celebrate same time) , with large bucket of water, smaller ones (or cool waterguns) in their hands. and when ever motobike, car or anyone by foot walks by…they throw water. cars and motos even stop and wait for the water. and well…pick up cars have ten people on the back with the water and they throw it also. many times little girl got cold shower from car without noticing in advance. you walk all day long soaked, until around 6pm it is safe to change for dry clothes and stay dry till next morning.
but i kinda like it. walk with water bottle in my hand and whensomeone throws water i can defend myself (or well…as if it was possible). everybody is walking paint in their face and clothes wet and everybody is smiling and laughing. families and friends are gathering. from the babies to the grannies everybody is with. and all the falangs among them.
well not all. michel, titus, simon and rest of the guys at the guest house tend to stay there till 6, for not to get wet. and well that is also kinda wise. they drive motobikes, and it is not always easy to control the bike when someone throws large bucket water in your face. my new israeli friend yuval (or something) already got to hospital, 2 days before this all carnival thing was supposed to happen. people started slowly slowly but he got hit by loads of water an fell from bike on the way back from waterfalls. now it is 5 days and he still has to go to hospital everyday to change bandages etc. and what i heard 2000 people have been injured already and 200 died or so, all over thailand during these celebrations. hell of a new year this is.
but pai….ohpai ohpai. it is still the haven i remebered. this time at poms guest house. listening to all the dreams he has. having my daily morning coffee in the kitchen, and shake after yoga. and mam is the same crazy yoga lady. and my home hippies monika and alex are coming back…and michel and his wireless internet….and lots of new people.and i got bamboo tattoo….and done some necklaces and took some photographes….and so many things
still… am a bit tired to move around all the time, so i decided i stay here longer. i still dont feel like going finland but my dream about nepal seems like it is not going to happen. the situation there has gone bad bad bad….and am crying for that, and for myself too. but trying to figure out what to do next. maybe india….i’ll find after songkram.
now time for the nightly wonder as it is safe to go around the streets…..
sabai sabai, shanti shanti. my friends
