Fun and games in Chiang Mai, Thailand

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I’m not usually in the habit of watching CNN or following the news much while I’m away from home, but between the state of emergency in Bangkok and the capture of an Underhill ship captain by Somali pirates, it’s made for interesting watching.

When we came through Bangkok on Sunday, never leaving the airport, we saw no sign of anything out of the ordinary. I hear on CNN that many countries have advised their citizens to cancel plans to visit Bangkok, or to stay inside their hotels or return home as soon as possible. Some Brits staying here at the Seven Suns have received text messages on their cell phones from the British embassy warning them of current events. Our plans at this point include two nights in Bangkok before we come home, but we may change that plan based on events of the coming week. I find in general that the news and the State Department tend to over-dramatize the danger - we’re not in Iraq, after all - but I promise we’ll pay attention to what’s happening and plan accordingly.

I hear that Underhill has been a bit of media circus while this pirate/hostage issue was in the news. It’s been a bit surreal to watch CNN and see first the Bangkok story followed immediately by a CNN reporter in Underhill reporting on the captain’s release. I can only imagine how surreal it’s been for his family. I’m glad to see that the captain has been safely rescued.

As for us, at the moment, we are enjoying Songkran in Chiang Mai. Those who read last year’s blog will remember my descriptions of this most wonderful holiday that consists of three days of water fights in the streets. We had such amazing memories of the fun we had last time that I worried that it couldn’t possibly live up to our expectations, but we have not been disappointed.

I don’t think I can add much to last year’s descriptions - if you want to read those, click here. Some of the same characters are here again. Ad, our “best waitress ever!,” is still here, whipping everyone into a frenzy as she pours the drinks, dances in the street to stop traffic, and douses everyone with ice water. She still calls out, “Everybody! I love you!” and generally keeps the mood high-spirited. The streets are still lined with people with SuperSoakers and barrels of water, people still drive around in tuktuks and pick-up trucks to soak and be soaked. The general mood and degree of revelry is something like Mardi Gras combined with New Year’s Eve in Times Square, all to the beat of Thai pop music and Brittney Spears. Adults are in the act as much as kids - in fact, when Jaz and I were out for a walk to the market today, foolishly trying not to get soaked, we were hit from above by a security guard with water gun two floors up on a parking garage.

Pictures illustrate the holiday far better than any description I could offer, so I suggest you take a look: here and here.

No thoughtful observations to offer about Thailand. We have remarked that we feel far more invisible here - no one stares, or pursues us in the market to make a sale (though we can browse, which is a luxury!), and we have a shower curtain. People are friendly, the city is clean, and everything is clearly far more modern and developed than any part of Cambodia. On the one hand, it’s kind of nice, and probably a good transition to the sterile and anonymous place we call home. On the other hand, i kind of miss the dust and dirt and attention...not to mention the people we were so privileged to spend time with.

And oh yeah, the sweeping. I miss the sweeping.

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Comments

[Miriam]

Water Boarding
I had been looking forward to seeing if you enjoyed Songren this year as much as last year. Obviously, it is a great holiday and one that Jaz must celebrate annually. I admit that I have been a bit worried as I see news about what is going on in Bangkok. You might not want to come home if you saw it snowing on CNN while they tried to interview the captain's family in Underhill...... Come Home Soon!