Songkran - FUN, FUN, FUN

The last two days have been fun for us and the nice part is I was just sprinkled with water once as we got out of the car at Chan San this morning. Being sprinkled with some water to bless you is a wonderful idea but having a pail of water thrown on you while you are going 30 miles an hour on a motorbike is terrorism.

Yesterday, we got up early and drove to the Mae Sai morning market. At 7:30 AM there were police directing traffic and we had to park about a kilometer from the main entrance to the market. It was crazy!

We did stop and have coffee and Pa Thong Ko by the south entrance to the market, by the pork sellers. That was a pretty busy place and I bought the last two Pa Thong Ko's. Our friends did look happy and they are closing the shop for two days to enjoy the holiday.

We took it pretty easy during the day, worked out a little on the way home and bought some food at the super market for the next two or three days.

Daeng did throw a little water during the afternoon and played ice cream girl. She bought us all ice cream. We even got a nap.

We went out at night at watched the kids on the rides across from the Chinese Temple. It is always great to see the kids having fun in a safe way.

This morning we decided to take Daeng's brother, Tun, and sister-in-law, "Hlong", and nephew, Fook" to Chan San on the Mekong River. It is all part of the "Golden Triangle" area that we live in. One of Tun's friends is working there and invited us.

Around 10:30 AM we hopped into the car and made the half hour drive. When we got there Tun made a call to see where we should turn off the road down to the river area where thousands of small tents and concession stands had been set up.

We made the third dirt turn off and parked close to the line of food concessions, walking to an area right on the bank of the ninth largest river in the world.

Tun's friend met us and escorted us to the #1 table right on the river's edge. The folks take bamboo and build these eating areas right on the river's edge so people can come and eat and watch the kids, older folks as well, swim in the mighty Mekong.

By the way, we are setting on the Thailand side, across the river is Laos and the mountain, way in the distance, is Myanmar (Burma).

We had a great lunch of barbecued chicken, large fish, som-tom salad, boiled egg salad, pork and shrimp fried rice, mango, pineapple and iced coffee. We ate to much as we watched the kids play in the river.

Fook, Hlong, Daeng and I went over to watch the snake charmer for a little while and then Daeng and Fook decided they wanted to go swimming. They just did in the clothes they were wearing. It was over a hundred degrees today so I know why.

Tun and I laughed as we watched them.

Around three o'clock we all decided it was time to go home. It was a fun day with the family.