Allen's World, 2013 In Review

Now that just about everyone has gotten out their "Year In Review" or "2013 In Review", I thought that I would share some of my favorite photographs for the year that just concluded.  Staying here in Thailand gives me the opportunity to actually have two years in review, 2013 as well as the Buddhist Era year of 2556.

Life here in Isaan continued to be very interesting as well as fulfilling.  There were more than a year's share of festivals, family events, travels, and ordinary daily activities to keep me both satisfied and more importantly happy.

So let's see what the past year brought forth.

January - Udonthani
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/for-love-of-king-and-country.html

February - Ban Chiang
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/02/ban-chiang-weekend.html

March - Si That
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-rare-day.html

April - Maehongson
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/04/poi-sang-long-festival-wednesday-03.html

May - Ban That
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/05/ban-that-rocket-launches.html

June - Yellowstone National Park

July - Ban Nong Han
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/07/road-of-opportunity-plenty-of.html

August - Ban Tahsang
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/08/all-along-back-roads.html

September - Ban Nong Han

October - Sakon Nakhon
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/10/wax-castles-of-sakon-nakhon.html

November - Ban Tahsang
http://hale-worldphotography.blogspot.com/2013/11/another-rice-harvest.html

December - Luang Prabang

It had been quite a memorable year as every year is.  It was filled with joy, sadness, challenges like all the previous years.  It had been a year of many opportunities just as all previous years and as I know this new year, 2014, will be - for everyone.

Wax Castles of Sakon Nakhon

Wax Castle Float At Ming Muang Ground

The Nakon Sakhon Wax Castle Festival celebrates the end of Vassa, the 90 day long Buddhist Rain Retreat.  The end of Vassa is determined by the lunar cycle.  Vassa ends on the Full Moon of the 11th Lunar Month.  This year it was October 19.

Last year when we attended the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival we were able to witness the construction of three large wax castle floats at their Wats.  Unfortunately we were not able to witness any of the other events associated with the festival.

This year I was determined to see a little more of the festival.  I was unable to find a schedule of events for the festival but Duang called our hotel and learned that the evening procession for the wax castle floats was to occur on 18th October.  I surmised that there wold be some kind of show the night before the procession so we traveled to Sakon Nakhon on Thursday the 17th.

Upon arrival at the hotel we learned that there was no big show that night but many of the floats were going to be arriving to the staging area at Ming Muang Grounds.  The floats were scheduled to start arriving at the grounds at 6:00 P.M. and offered to take us there and to pick us up to return to the hotel when we were ready.  The grounds are not that far from the hotel but do to the congestion it took a while to arrive at the grounds.  The narrow streets were made even more so by double parked vehicles, 3 to 4 lanes of motorbikes in addition to the theoretical two lanes of traffic, as well as many vendor carts alongside the road. I enjoyed being able to relax in a nice cool vehicle with no worries about hitting someone or something.

Workers Re-Installing Spires On Wax Castle Float

We arrived at the field while there was still some light in the sky. Many of the floats had fluorescent lights incorporated into them powered by portable generators.  Once they floats were placed into their assigned location and position, the lights were turned on.  The combination of natural lighting and artificial lighting presented some interesting photography opportunities; interesting and quickly evolving opportunities. As the natural lighting diminished, more and more artificial lights came on.  High lighting towers surrounded the grounds and as time moved on were joined by more and more portable lights set up by the float builders.

Many of the floats had traveled along public roads to get from where they had been under construction for the past two to three months to the staging grounds. The stresses of the journey had caused some minor damage to the floats.  The float builders would spend the night and the next day repairing as well as refreshing their floats. The wax castles also have tall delicate wax spires that had been removed to protect them from damage and to provide clearance underneath utility wires along the route.

Detail of Large Float

Besides the confusion of large floats arriving and being backed into position, the grounds were filled with vendors selling foods, drinks, balloons, and souvenirs as well as thousands of people like Duang and me, all enjoying the sights.  Many of the people would pose and have their photograph taken in front, in back, and along the sides of the floats.  Sharks are known to have feeding frenzies.  That night, there was a photography frenzy!  Yes, I took photos of Duang in front, in back, and even on the side of the floats - the things a man will do to please his wife, not that she doesn't deserve it - besides it was her birthday!

Duang Celebrating Her 50th Birthday

I typically do not indulge in photographs of people posing in front of vistas, landmarks, or some other object.  I prefer to take "environmental portraits" - photographs of people in their natural environment usually doing some typical task that reflects their life or culture.  I have already admitted to making some exceptions to please my wife.  I also sometimes make an exception - to please myself.  I made an exception at the grounds to photograph some young girls who were posing for their family.  The little girls, especially the one in the middle, were just to adorable to not photograph - even with with their cheesy posing.

I am also amazed as to how photogenic the people are.  The children have a confidence, determination, and independence that I find most interesting.

I was taking photos of some of the women dressed in ethnic clothing when THEY decided that I should photograph all of them followed by their idea for me to photograph all of them with Duang.  It often is that way here in Isaan - interacting with the people, learning something about them, sharing a little bit of your story with them and getting better photographs.

This festival is a big deal and gets some patronage from the Royal Family.  Each year the King makes funds available for a float.

Float Sponsored by HRH Rama XI

This visit to the festival gave us an opportunity to view some other types of floats that we had not seen last year.  One section of the grounds was reserved for small cart type floats. The two wheeled ox carts or carts pulled by people are not related to the end of Vassa or any religious connotation.  The carts have a very strong cultural connection and symbolism.  The people of Northeast Thailand are descendants of immigrants. Their forefathers and foremothers, for the most part, originated in China.  From southern China starting in the eight century, the peoples immigrated to Laos and eventually to Northeast Thailand.

This migration story is a strong theme even today.  Every festival that we have attended these small carts have participated in the processions.  The show that we attended for the World Cultural Festival in Ban Chiang also dedicated a part of its pageant to the migrants coming to Isaan with their carts.

Ornate Carts for Wax Castle Festival

The carts for the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival were topped with ornate structures constructed of wax, banana stalks, fresh flowers, and natural fibers.

Close Up Detail of Cart

Although the sky was overcast, by being patient - very patient I was able to take some photographing the nearly full moon in the composition.

After we had become too tired and sweaty to continue any longer, we called the hotel to come get us.  The traffic and confusion in the street was even worse than earlier.  I was even more appreciative to be able to sit, relax, and enjoy a soft drink in the maddening traffic all the confusing way back to the hotel.  Our tip to the driver reflected our appreciation and gratitude.

Naga Fireballs

Wax Naga On Float for Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival

This year the Boong Fai Phaya Nak Festival was 18 - 19 October.  This festival celebrates the end of Vassa, the Buddhist Rain Retreat also sometimes referred to as Buddhist Lent, and is also the time of the year when there is a natural or perhaps supernatural phenomenon in Northeast Thailand along the Mekong River.

The Lao Loum people of Lao People's Democratic Republic and their cousins, the ethnic Lao of Isaan, revere a mythological creature, the Naga.  It is believed by many people that the Naga is a giant serpent that lives and rules in the water underworld.  The King of the Nagas had once fought on behalf of Buddha in a war with the King of the Sky.

The Naga was rewarded for his service to Buddha by being made guardians.  In Northeast Thailand and in Laos you will often find Nagas guarding the entrances to Buddhist temples.  The Naga are also often depicted as a seven headed King Cobra spread out over the head of a seated Buddha.  This recognizes the legend that once when the Buddha was meditating, a severe storm occurred.  The Naga rose up and fanned out over the meditating Buddha to protect and shelter him from the storm.

The Naga was devoted to Buddha and had the ability to shape shift - change its appearance.  In perhaps an early case of stalking, the Naga shifted into a human being so that he could follow Buddha and listen to his teachings.  At one point, the Naga, as a man, entered into the process to become a Bhikkhus (ordained Monk).  Unfortunately for him, one night while sleeping, he shape shifted back into a Naga.  Even more unfortunately another Monk witnessed the transformation and informed the Buddha.  The Buddha told the Naga that he could not be a Monk because he was not of this world (human). To prevent a recurrence of the problem, all men as part of their ordination ritual are asked if they are a human.

Even though he could not be a Monk, the Naga continued in his devotion to Buddha and his image is often used in local Wats of both Isaan and Laos.

Naga Fountain at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum
Sakon Nakhon, Thailand

Naga Statue At Wat Suwaneen Gindalam
Sakon Nakhon, Thailand

One time when Buddha was returning to this world at the end of Vassa after having been teaching in Buddhist Heaven, all creatures were happy and celebrated the Buddha's return.  The Nagas showed their happiness by releasing fire balls.

Near Nong Khai, more specifically Phon Phisai, the release of fireballs from the Mekong River and lesser bodies of water commemorates that long ago time when the Buddha returned at the end of Vassa.

This year I had every intention of attending the Boong Fai Phaya Nak Festival.  During our first visit to the festival we had not seen any fireballs.  I wanted to give it another shot.  However we did not have time to attend.  After our visit to the Sakhon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival we returned home on 18 October for Duang to attend her third (remember how significant "3" is in Buddhism) and last women's retreat at Wat Ban Mat.  After spending most of the night chanting, worshiping, and listening to sermons, Duang was too tired to battle the crowds or to stay up late another night.  That was no problem - there is always next year or even the year after that.

However I did see some Naga fireballs this year ... sort of.  On our first night in Sakon Nakhon we went down to Ming Muang Ground where many the wax castle floats were being staged.

One of the smaller carts had a Naga motif.  Photographing the wax castles was very difficult.  There were many tall spotlights illuminating the area.  Many portable lights were also set up by participants to illuminate their floats so that necessary repairs or adjustments could be made.  In addition to the light pollution, there were thousands of people milling  about often posing in front of the floats.

The conditions, while challenging, offered some opportunities ... some unique opportunities if you were patient and a bit creative.  I recognized such a situation with the Naga motif float.  By walking, squatting, and twisting in a proper combination, the background lights could be aligned to appear to be fireballs being emitted by the Naga.

The late 20th century philosopher and song writer, Mick Jagger, wrote and sang "You can't always get what you want. But if you just try sometime you find You get what you need".  This is sound advice for life as well as for photography.

Happiness and contentment are often given to you.  But if you are able to adapt and make use of what is available, you can often be happy and content.

Whining, complaining, and bemoaning your situation will often only make yourself and those about you miserable.

Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival

Completed Wax Castle at Wat Suwaneen Gindalam, Sakon Nakhon, Thailand

As I have written before, October this year has been a very busy month for us.  One of our planned activities for October was to attend the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival here in Isaan.

The festival was held from October 26 to October 30 in Sakon Nakhon, an agricultural center of approximately 60,000 people 160 Km east of our home in Udonthani.  The Wax Festival is held to commemorate and celebrate the end of Buddhist Lent also referred to as Buddhist Retreat.

Buddhist Lent commences the day after the full moon of the eighth lunar month (July) and ends 90 days later on the full moon of the eleventh lunar month (October).  I will be writing more about the end of the Buddhist Retreat in my next blog.  For now the important point is that during the period from Khao Phansa to Ok Phansa, the Monks are restricted to their home Wat to focus on meditation and scripture.

We had attended the Ubonratchathani Candle Festival in July 2010.  That festival which commemorated the start of Buddhist Lent included both a day and night procession of large wax sculptures of scenes from the Ramakian.  After viewing and inspecting the sculptures, I wanted to return the next year but at an earlier time to witness how the large sculptures were made.  As often happens in life, events prevented us from returning in either 2011 or 2012.  There is a saying that goes something along the lines of "When one door closes, another door opens".  We returned to Thailand in July of this year, too late to go to Ubonratchathani but, thanks to the Internet I learned of the Sakon Nakhon Wax Castle Festival in October.

Due to a commitment to attend and requests to photograph Ok Phansa celebration in Tahsang Village, we were not able to attend the procession in Sakon Nakhon.  However, we could attend the early days of the festival - specifically to witness the castles being constructed.  I figured that the first day, the 26th, was too early.  After researching and finding a hotel for $21.64 a night in downtown Sakon Nakhon, we decided to drive the 2 hours on Saturday, 27 October, spend the night and return home on Sunday the 28th.  We could have planned on doing it all in one day, but I like to have flexibility built into our travel arrangements.  For $21.64, including taxes, a night, there was not much additional cost to have a possible second day at the festival.

The drive out to Sakon Nakhon was great - Highway 22 all the way.  Not much traffic, very few slow vehicles, very few traffic lights, wide and smooth paved highway, hardly any motorbikes, and no police - such a great way to start a holiday.

Our hotel, The Dusit, was a pleasant surprise.  The staff was great - very friendly and extremely willing to help.  The hotel is located downtown very close to the central market.  The exterior is rather nondescript but I knew that from my research.  Inside the hotel was very clean and the lobby was pretty as well as comfortable. Since I had no idea where the castles were being constructed, or where the long boat races were being held, I decided to hire a car and driver for the day.  We spoke with the staff at the hotel, and shortly a man with a nice car arrived.  We agreed to pay him 2,000 Baht ($65 USD) to take care of us from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM.  With a car, I was able to bring some equipment such as a light stand, small octagon light modifier, and tripod to use in photographing the castles.

We have been fortunate in our travels relying upon local people to take us to the photographic opportunities.  Our trip to Sakon Nakhon was no exception.  Through my wife I explained what I was interested in. The driver understood and wrote down 6 places that we could go to.  Our first stop was Wat Suwaneen Gindalam on the outskirts of the city.

Wat Suwaneen Gindalam is located on a dirt road in a forested area.  The two wax castles were being constructed under an open sided shed.  The shed resembled a boat shed back in Connecticut with a corrugated metal roof and myriad plastic tarps to shelter the sculptures from the sun.  It has gotten cooler here in Isaan, but it is all relative.  The hot days of April when it can go up to 100 to 105F have cooled down to days of 85-90F - in the shade.  Care must be taken to protect the sculptures from melting in the sun.

The Wat grounds were filled with activity.  Besides people working in the shed, there were women outside of an auxiliary building preparing and cooking food.  Next to them some men setting up tables and chairs for a celebration the next day. Between the groups at the auxiliary building and the shed, a small group of teen aged boys were busy cutting banana stalks into fancy designs, making flower buds out of flower petals and decorating a small woven bamboo house to be used in conjunction with towing the wax castles.  As we entered the shed, we saw four young novice Monks busy cutting Styrofoam disks and  covering the disks with banana leaves.

Using A Speaker As A Table, Young Man Works on A Castle Component

Inside of the shed, beneath the metal roof and tarps, there were several workstations - tables to cast wax elements for the castle, equipment to melt wax, and tables to assemble wax components.  I guess they were short a table because a large speaker was being used as a table to assemble a house type component for the castle.

Worker Pours Wax to Create An Ornamental Casting

Wax Strips Are Prepared to be Melted

A combination of young men and young Monks were occupied in the shed constructing the wax castles.  The only female that we saw, a teen aged girl, was busy attaching a fabric skirt around the base of the smaller wax castle.  She was surrounded by two long unfurled rolls of fabric, pink and white, that she was creating a bunting over the yellow pleated fabric skirt of the float.

Bunting Being Applied to Base of Wax Castle

The people were very friendly and also very informative.  Our driver, who did not speak any English, kept telling Duang that all the people there were his friends,  Later we found out that he lived near the Wat.  I joked with him through Duang that I didn't care if they were his friends or not, I was getting some good pictures!  The Lao Loum people have great senses of humor and enjoy joking with each other or with a foreigner.  Duang and he went off to bring back some cold drinks for me - and the shed workers.

We spent two hours at this location.  It satisfied all my needs and exceeded my expectations.  In that first stop, our driver had earned his fee and I was happy.

Worker Uses Soldering Iron to Install Decorative Wax Casting

We learned a great deal talking with the workers and observing them.  First of all, the wax castles are not sculpted or carved from wax. The castles are first constructed of wood and 1/8" plywood - as in cabinet making.  Melted wax is poured into molds to create the decorative panels, statues, decorative elements that are attached to the wood base.  Soldering irons are used to fuse the various wax components together.  In some places, nail guns are employed to attach elements.

Cast Wax Panel Along Base of Float

Secondly, these exquisite works are not built during the three days leading up to the procession.  The construction of these castles actually starts with the beginning of Buddhist Lent/Buddhist  Retreat.  Hmmm ... that makes quite a bit of sense.  For the 90 day period of Lent, the Monks are supposed to stay at their home Wat.  Although they are supposed to concentrate on meditation and the scriptures, I suspect that working on the wax castles helps pass the time.

The castles at Wat Suwaneen Gindalam had been under construction for 2-1/2 months. The castles cost between 200,000 Baht to 250,000 Baht ( $6,666 to $8,333 USD) to build.  HRH The King provides funding to build the wax castles.  Some of the people are paid to work on the wax castles.  The man in the photograph above has worked on wax castles for 9 years.  Each year a new wax castle is built.  The Abbott of the Wat designs the wax castle.  The castles are mounted on a trailer which is towed by a tractor trailer truck that is completely decorated.  Florescent light tubes line the edge of the float to illuminate the castle at night during the procession through the downtown area.

Melting A Decoration Into Place

Young Man Works On Details Of Wax Statue

The wax castles are very detailed.  The architecture of the wax castles reminds me greatly of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.  Just as in the Grand Palace, mythological creatures such as the Garuda, and Yakshas from the Thai epic Ramakien (Ramakian) are used as structural and decorative elements.
When we left Wat Suwaneen Gindalam, the workers gave us a wax Garuda and a wax Lion statue as mementos of our visit.  The statues are now kept in our bedroom.

Novice Monk Making Flower Buds from Petals Spread Before Him

Binding Petals to Create A Flower Bud

 

The Smaller Wax Castle At Wat Suwaneen Gindalam

 

Our next stop was at Wat Sapansee which was even further outside of the city.  I was now in complete relaxed mode - the first stop had satisfied my needs so from then on it was "icing on the cake" for me.  I may have been more relaxed but I had not lost my focus.  There were the championship long boat races in town at 2:00 PM but we had seen them before in Kumphawapi and were planning on seeing them once gain on 3 and 4 November so we decided to forgo the races for more wax castle building.  Foreigners in Thailand often make light of a popular Thai expression "Same Same but different!"  Well our stop at Wat Sapansee was just like that expression - It was the same but it was different.

 

Tractor Trailer Truck Being Decorated At Wat Sapansee

Wat Sapansee was even busier than Wat Suwaneen Gindalam.  People were busy decorating the tractor that would pull the wax castle some 20 Km into Sakon Nakhon for the parade. Three boys were spraying the wax castle with water to keep it cooler as we arrived.  Many people were installing bumper pads made from rice stalks along the trailer frame where the wax castle would be mounted while others were attaching blocks of water soaked florist's arrangement media and chicken wire to the trailer frame. Monks were braiding strips of banana leaves into Nagas (mythological snakes) for decorations.  Some Monks and laymen were working on a special bamboo and wood castle off to the side.  Three women were working on making a long garland from string and plastic jasmine buds.  One of the old ladies with red stained lips from betelnut chewing started to flirt with me.  I told in Thai "Excuse me, I am sorry.  I have a Lao wife"  Without missing a heartbeat she replied "That's OK, I don't mind.  I can be your mistress"  We all had a big laugh.  I do appreciate and cherish the Lao Loum sense of humor.

 

Monk Braiding Banana Leaf Strips to Create "Nagas"

Off to the side there was another large group of women working on banana leaves and cutting Styrofoam for some kind of decoration.  Beyond them was yet another group of women preparing food - the ubiquitous "pauk pauk" - spicy papaya salad.

 

Making Wax Lotus Flower Decorations

The biggest group of people, a mixed group of all ages, was occupied making lotus flower decorations out of wax.  They dipped molds into orange melted wax to create an open flower cup.  A woman was slicing turmeric root which resembled a carrot to place in the center of the flower cup.  The slice of turmeric root was held in place with a simulated stem by using a splayed sliver of bamboo which another woman was creating by shaving bamboo with a knife.

 

Wax Lotus Flowers

We spent 1-1/4 hours at this location.  We bought ice-cream for everyone and I am still trying to figure out how 100 Baht ($3.33 USD) ended up feeding everyone, including me, a cup of ice cream from the motorbike ice-cream man.  There had to be more, much more than 20 people.  I guess it was just one of those mysteries of the universe or ... perhaps a modern day miracle?

 

It was very impressive to observe the sense of community and purpose exhibited by the people as they worked.  Monks, old women, young women, old men, young men, and children were all cooperating and having a great time as they worked on the wax castle. It was also reassuring to see the culturally unique arts and crafts being retained as well as passed along.  The fabric of Lao Loum life here in Isaan is a very rich tapestry.

 

A Hard Working Yai (Grandmother)

 

Making White Lotus Flowers

As we were preparing to leave the production of lotus flowers entered the final stages.  A young man arrived by motorbike and broke three good sized white candles into a pot over a charcoal fire (charcoal as in "homemade kind" and not a commercial hydrocarbon briquette product).  When the wax melted, some of the women dipped actual scored lotus bulbs into the wax and then into water to create a small diameter white lotus flower.  The previously assembled orange lotus flowers were then disassembled and reassembled to create the final lotus flower - orange outside, white inside, with a yellow turmeric slice in the center - gorgeous.

 

Four Completed Wax Lotus Flowers

Wat Sapansee Wax Castle

It was getting late in the afternoon and had become obvious that we would not get to all six Wats on our driver's list - not that it really mattered.  We had been to two excellent places and had become wet, thirsty and tired.

 

Our driver took us into town to Wat Phra That Choeng Chum which is a listed tourist attraction for Sakon Nakhon.  It is located at the edge of the lake where long boat racing was still going on at 4:00 PM.  It was noisy and very crowded so we did not take in the races.  Instead we went in another shed type structure to observe their wax castle.

 

Wat Phra That Choeng Chum Wax Castle

 

 

Wax Panel Detail - Scene from Ramakien

The Wat grounds were so inviting that decided to explore them first before returning to the car.  As so often is the case, a pause to relax was well rewarded.  The Wat structures, Chedi and Bot were beautiful.

 

 



Lao Style Chedi at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum

 

Lan Xang Era Bot at Wat Phra That Choeng Chum

 

Exterior Column Detail of Bot

Duang Prays At Wat Phra That Choeng Chum

We returned to our hotel at 5:00 PM; both of us exhausted and happy.  After a little rest and very nice dinner for less than $20 total, we were off to bed. It was a very quiet night's sleep.  We would definitely return to the Dusit Hotel.

 

The next morning on our way back to Udonthani we went back to Wat Suwaneen.  At the Wat we found out that the people had worked until 3:00 AM to complete the wax castles.  The castles were beautiful with fresh flowers and plastic jasmine blossom fringe arranged along the edges of the trailer.

 

Completed Wax Castle Float

 

Completed Portion That Was Under Construction The Day Before

 

An added bonus to our stop at the Wat was the people had completed installing the lights on the float and were checking them out.

 

Illuminated Wax Castle

 

 

Our return home was just as pleasant as our drive to Sakon Nakhon. We hope to return next year to witness the procession.  This short trip had been just as educational and enlightening as any of the other travels that we have made here in Southeast Asia and specifically in Isaan.