Loy Kratong


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Asia » Thailand » North-West Thailand » Chiang Mai
November 6th 2014
Published: July 16th 2017
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Geo: 18.8, 98.98

It is Jai's turn to go out for breakfast this morning so I get a bit of a lie in.
It is still raining this morning as I walk to the Exchange office then take my Baht to the bank. Slightly better rate than two days ago but still less than in Bangkok at the beginning of September.
With the constant drizzle spend most of the morning in the room watching a film on TV.
Jai goes out about 11:30 to get us some lunch and things are still damp.
Early afternoon we brave the weather and walk to the municipal office by the river where the day's festivities are taking place. We watch a few of the bigger hot air balloons go up in front of the judging panel. Each balloon has a string of firecrackers attached to its tail along with a series of small planes that fly off at various times as it climbs. Actually heating up the balloons is quite a primitive affair and with so many people shoving around for a better view, somewhat dangerous.
There is also a kratong making competition in progress and watching the youngsters demonstrate skill and application it is difficult to believe that they are even from the same panet as the kids their age in Khamnadie ! We will come back to the river tonight to launch our kratong but for noe we return to the room to dry off and have our coffee and cake.
About 17:30 we walk back to the Ping River arriving just as darkness falls. We buy a small kratong and descend to the bamboo pontoons along the riverside then float our kratong out into the current. There are not many people here this year, maybe because of the weather or perhaps because we are a bit early. As we walk back towards town there are many people heading to towards the river so I guess we were just early.
We walk back to B&B for a couple of beers. Lots of people sending up lanterns tonight and we join them. Our lantern is soon indistinguishable from all of the others as it soars over the rooftops.
As we walk back to Kong Court we pass through the 'entertainment complex' to say a brief hello to a few people we still remember.


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