Songkran 2014, Part 2

Later on Sunday evening, after our daytime Songkran playing, we headed back out into the fray.  This time we grabbed a tuk tuk to the Silom area, one of the biggest Songkran waterfight areas in Bangkok.  

The scene at Silom is a bit hard to describe and my video doesn't really help elucidate much, but here's an attempt: pure craziness.  People, water, wet chalk: everywhere.  Absolutely everywhere.  Blocks and blocks of wet, soggy, chalky people spread across a 6 lane road, all having fun, dancing, cheering, smooshing wet chalk on each others faces, squirting each other with water guns, pouring cups/buckets/whathaveyou of water on each other (that water ranged from creepily warm to searingly ice cold).  So much fun!

Here's our arrival on one of Silom's side streets... a few sprays of water and chalky faces here and there at first, followed by the overwhelming sight of all those people on the main drag:

Here's what I mean about people smooshing chalk on each others faces... people bought little bags of chalk pellets along with a small bucket, mixed the pellets with water and then walked around (or stood still as others passed by) and gently touched the faces of the other people, usually saying "Happy New Year" or "Happy Songkran." I read somewhere that the chalk custom is derived from the chalk blessings that monks put on houses, shop windows, and the ceilings of taxis.

Anywho, here's the chalk application... we think a lot of dudes were targeting this girl in front of us because she was cute:

Here are some shots of Tim and Mr. Ben, all chalked up:

And a video selfie:

After all of that chalking, everything was covered in a slick wet paste of sorts... motorbikes, people, the ground...

More craziness, including firehoses, strange guys on motorcycles popping wheelies and getting cheers from the crowd...

There were some characters out that night, including big fat guy dressed up like a baby as well as a two person, baton-throwing parade making its way through the alleys:

And, finally, a stroll down Patpong alley, one of Bangkok's girly bar/red light districts.  It was pretty much just Songkran shenanigans, there, too, as opposed to the type of shenanigans that normal happen in that area.  Also: you can catch a glimpse of Mr. Ben filling up his water gun resevoir at a very sketchy barrel partially full of water of unknown origins.  Gross. 

Songkran 2014, Part 1

First off, a Songkran greeting: 

Second, Songkran selfies:

Thirdly, our experience during the day on Sunday at the designated waterfight area in front of one of Bangkok's big malls, Central World.  Craziness!

We had a lot of fun getting soaked and soaking others at this Songkran party (see below), but compared to the shenanigans later in the evening, this was quite tame.  No chalk, no booze... just water and fun!

We definitely had fun later in the evening, too, at one of the other major Songkran sites closer to home, Silom, but I am having trouble getting my video to upload.  Consider it coming soon(ish)!

Gearing Up for Songkran 2014!

We interrupt this regularly scheduled recap of our Cambodia trip to bring you a special report from Bangkok on Songkran 2014 preparations!

Songkran is Thailand biggest festival, celebrating the traditional Thai new year.  The holiday falls in April each year, which is the hottest time of the year in Thailand.  Many people celebrate Songkran by going to the temple, making offerings, cleaning their houses and shrines and making new years resolutions.  

The most fun part of Songkran, though, is that Thailand basically turns into a country-wide water fight for 3 days.  I mean, if you leave the house during the festival, it is guaranteed that you will be squirted, splashed, doused in a bucket full of water, and probably have your face smeared with talcum powder! It's all very good-natured and fun. 

Here's a pretty hilarious video of the folks as the U.S.Embassy in Bangkok, including the ambassador, wishing Thailand a happy Songkran:

Today, Saturday, is sort of the soft opening of Songkran, so when Tim and I walked to the grocery store to stock up on food as most restaurants and shops close, we went prepared to get wet, putting our wallets and cell phones in ziplocks.  However, other than the grocery store clerks wearing Hawaiian shirts (an inexplicable Songkran tradition), we didn't see much action.  But we did stock up:

Ben and Tim are taking the motorbike out to do some reconnaissance, though, checking out the Songkran hotspots.  They're going prepared, Ben in his aloha shirt and Tim riding in the back with the weaponry:

This report will be updated in the near future once the festival is in full swing!