For those of you who know me well, this may come as a shock.
So prepare your hearts….
I have found a holiday that rivals CHRISTMAS in the joy it brings to my life…
SONGKRAN
It. Is. Incredible.
Essentially it’s a multi-day water fight.
Picture this:
Hundreds, maybe thousands, of people lining the streets of Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Trashcans, barrels, any kind of container full of water in front of every restaurant, hostel, business. Ready to be used as free refill stations.
Many businesses/families/whoever buy ice to make their water FREEZING COLD and have a hose continually refilling their water supply to the public outside.
Trucks beds are filled with people and their water weapons/ammo.
The people on the ground are armed with everything from mickey-mouse guns to water bazookas, rockets, buckets, and bottles.
As trucks pass, war ensues. The people in the trucks douse the people on the street and vise versa. Really when anyone passes anyone, anywhere, war ensues!
The people walking around town are continually pummeled with water no matter where they go.
People pass by on motos, scooters, bikes, and they are not spared.
Occasionally people bless you with baby powder paint to the face.
Young and old, tourists and locals alike are participants, victims, attackers.
It continues…
all day,
every day,
for at least three days.
And people embrace it! If you don’t want to get wet, you don’t go outside.
If you get smacked square in the face with an entire bucket of ice water you smile, say thank you and happy new year. You get attacked by 5 people with buckets of dirty moat water and you swallow half of it, you have the same reaction.
And people reciprocate that same joyful, easy going, celebratory spirit when you attack them.
It was incredible and if there was one festival/holiday/experience I would actually return to a country to partake in again it would be this one! So if anyone wants to plan a trip for any upcoming year for the rest of ever..
I AM SO DOWN!
The offer stands, and will continue to stand because I LOVE SONGKRAN.
I hope my passion, love and excitement over this holiday had been accurately portrayed because, wow. I wish every day could be Songkran (:
1000/100 would recommend- and that extra zero is no accident!
Dad, Songkran 2019?
Sidenote: Songkran is a celebration of the Thai new year and the water represents newness and the washing away of sins/bad luck! It can also be pretty dangerous so Songkran responsibly 😉
