Catching up with old friends

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Geo: 18.8, 98.98

Jai's turn for the breakfast run today so I get a lie in. Friend Tukta phones and we arrange to meet up about midday with them driving to Kong Court from their house just outside town.
I pack up the remaining 15 books that I brought with us and walk to the bookshop to make another exchange. 15 for 9 isnt too bad and from the 31 books I brought with us I will be going back with 21 new ones so am quite pleased. Back to the room in time to shower and change before heading down to reception to meet Cliff and Tukta.
Drive into town and go to Mad Dogs for lunch. Enjoy a nice fried breakfast whilst Jai opted for a spag bol. Tukta wins the day with a rather nice looking pork chop, veggies and gravy that looked really good. Cliff is looking good as well and has a hospital check up tomorrow to confirm his progress. We say our goodbyes probably for another year or so before we meet up again.
In the evening we go to Sugar Bar to eat again but as we leave Kong Court the rain starts and we have to take shelter for a good half hour. It is the middle of the Loy Krathong festival in Thailand - Yi Peng in Chiangmai - to celebrate the full moon of the second lunar month. Tonight and for the next few nights there is a big procession around the town and down to the river. We sit at the bar watching the floats form up. Lots of them have paper decorations and the storm of rain hasnt done them any good at all. After eating we join the crowds and walk down to Tha Phae Gate where there is an interesting display of illuminated inflatables of landmark buildings from around the world - Taj Mahal, Eiffel Tower, etc. From here we then follow the procession back towards Kong Court stopping at a couple of temples en-route.
Many temples have decorated their entrances with banana and cocnut leaves and hanging lanterns and they look good. We stop in Wat Mahawan where they are mixing up some large woks of toffee, the same as we did in Khamnadie last month, so I go and help out with a stir. Luckily the rain didnt dampen spirits too much and as we get back to Kong Court the sky is filled with lanterns and fireworks.

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