A More Traditional Songkran - 14 April 2553

On Wednesday, 14 April, we got a late start to return to Tahsang Village. I spent much of the early morning finishing up my Federal and State Income Tax returns. Even with not working and not much dividend income, the task of preparing the returns was no simple manner. My accountant in the USA had completed the returns and sent them to me as electronic files. I had to print them, sign them and mail them. The Federal Return was 26 pages long, the State Return was 7 pages long but required that a copy of the Federal return be included. We went out to have copies made and to mail the returns. We got copies made but found out that the Post Office was closed for three days for the Songkran Holiday. We will mail the documents tomorrow. This is a lot of documents for having not to pay any taxes. It must be part of a jobs creation program - complicated rules, and many forms.

We had missed the ritual of pouring water on the hands of the elders in Tahsang Village due to our morning efforts. The picture above was from two years ago. Even without the US tax tasks, we would have missed the ceremony in the village. We could not leave Udonthani prior to 10:00 A.M. because we had to go to the Chinese wholesale market to buy more beer and whiskey, and cigarettes for the family market in the village. With the hot weather, the holidays, and gambling, "Momma" is selling a great deal of those items along with ice. Two days ago the ice distributor in Kumphawapi ran out of ice. Fortunately he was restocked the next day.

Although we had missed the Villagers pouring water on the elderly people, showing respect for the elderly and getting the elderly people's blessing for the New Year, we were obligated to "take care" of the elder members of Duang's family. Songkran is a very important family reunion holiday in Isaan. Leading up to the start of the holiday, the roads are filled with Lao Loum workers returning to their homes in Isaan from the big cities were they work. Our first visit was to the next village to pay respects to Duang's uncle who is in failing health. He is a very important member of the family as well as in the local community. He is a Brahman and performs many of the pre-Buddhist Hindu and Animist rituals. He conducts marriages, and the bai sii rituals. He often leads the people in the merit making rituals involving the Monks.

Duang's son and his girl friend took a small insulated jug and filled it with some cool fresh water along with a bottle of scented soap. They drove over to the village with a bunch of the Tahsang Village relatives. We loaded up our truck with the rest of the relatives, or rather the relatives that broke away from the ongoing three day village dice/roulette game. It didn't matter to me because I had Peelawat, 14 months old, sitting up front with me although he kept trying to shift gears as I drove. We got splashed with water four times by people along the way between the villages.



Duang's Uncle and the other elderly relatives that live in the village were seated upon a raised wood and bamboo platform outside of his home. Everyone gathered around the platform. Donations of money, small yellow candles (birthday cake type), and some garlands were placed on a medium sized metal plate to offer to Duang's uncle. Duang's older sister, who was actually raised by him and his wife, knelt on the platform and offered up the gifts to the assembled elders while the other people, the three younger generations. knelt on the ground before the elders. The younger people all offered "wais", Thai gesture of respect that is very similar to a praying gesture, to the old people. Peelawat was not interested in participating although at 14 months old he has been taught and many times does give wais. Peelawat wanted me to hold him while I photographed the ritual. He also took advantage of me holding him to reach up to strip leaves off of a tree branch to analyze them before tossing them to the wind. I believe that more will be expected of him next year when he will be two years old. Children in Isaan participate at a very early age in the rituals as well as events that define the Lao Loum culture.



After some chanting by the young people and then by the elderly, the young people took turns pouring the scented cool water on the hands of the elderly people with the elderly people giving their blessing and best wishes to each person as they poured the water. Sometimes the young people gently and lovingly poured a little water down the back of the old person. After the elderly had been cared for, some of them poured water gently and lovingly on the backs of the younger people. It was very moving to see the sense of community, dignity, respect and affection being reinforced by all the generations in this ritual.

We returned to Tahsang Village where Peelawat and I stayed in the market while the others went across the main farm road to repeat the ritual with a different group of elderly Aunts and Uncles. The temperature was 41C (105F) with 35% humidity so Peelawat and I minimized our time under the sun. Sitting inside with a fan blowing on us, and sharing ice cubes suited us just fine.


With the Aunts and Uncles taken care, the family focused on Duang's mother and father. All their children and grandchildren and some of their great grandchildren participated in the water pouring ritual along with the money offerings. Duang's father made everyone laugh because he insisted on removing his shirt before the start of the ritual. At the end one of the neighbors, perhaps "mau mau" (drunk) ensured that everyone got splashed with some ice water. It was a good time for all.

I have been asked on more than one occasion about how do they define "poor" people in the Lao Loum culture. It is true that the people do not have many material possessions. They are subsistence farmers with the elderly cared for by their extended families and neighbors. But these people do not measure a person's wealth strictly on their material possessions. To the Lao Loum people being happy, doing "good" and having a "good heart" are important factors in determining a person's wealth. Perhaps it is that we believe we have only one chance to grab the brass ring or to grab all the gusto that we can in this life while they know that if they don't make it this time around there will be another opportunity in another go around. Being content and focusing on their spiritual wealth this time around increases their possibility of success sooner than later.

They may not have much. But they have each other - far more than many other "rich" people.

Songkran Continues - 13 April 2553

Today, Tuesday 13 April 2553, here in Thailand is the official start of Songkran. But this is not true here in Isaan, we started last week and are now in the full swing of the celebration.

As we drove out to Tahsang Village, we encountered roving gangs in pick-up trucks sort of reminiscent of the "Technicals" (improvised combat vehicles from civilian pick up trucks) in Somalia. Rather than having a 50 caliber machine gun or a recoiless gun mounted in the back of the pick-up truck, the vehicles that we saw here in Isaan all had some sort of container, typically a 55 gallon steel drum, large clay pot, or large blue plastic barrel filled with water. Just as in the movie "Blackhawk Down", the backs of the pick-up trucks were also filled with a motley rag tag band of irregular troops. We are in the midst of Songkran, Thai New Years, and young children and especially young people pile into the back of trucks to toss water on other vehicles, motorbikes, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians along the main highways and rural byways of the region.

It is quite common to drive down the main road at 90 kilometers per hour, approximately 55 mph, and see a running water battle between the occupants of two pick-up trucks traveling parallel or traveling opposite each other. The "troops" in these vehicles are soaking wet. They are mostly dressed in tee shirts and blue jeans. The younger men often remove their tee shirts and wrap them around their head to create a fashion statement and impress any young girls traveling with them or whom they may encounter along the way. Quite often the young people are drinking beer or whiskey much of the day. It is amazing to see young people 4 or 5 sitting on the top of each side wall of the truck as they speed along the road. The pick-ups roam around to engage in throwing water. Some of the people have developed an expertise of tossing buckets of water backhanded for no look tosses to catch people off guard.

My favorite combatants are the little children apparently on their first or second Songkran forays. They wear cotton tee shirts with colorful cartoon character images on them and cotton shorts. The little warriors are always drenched and look like little water rats. Some of them are carrying super soaker type water guns and in some cases "water cannons". In no time at all the little guys have overcome their initial anxiety and are tossing water just as enthusiastically as their older brothers, sisters, and cousins fighting next to them in the pick-up bed. There is one exception to their enthusiasm, most of the younger children are hesitant to toss water on a vehicle driven by a falang (foreigner). For me, I don't mind having water thrown on the truck. When I see a small child who is hesitant I will honk the horn at them and make faces at them. I enjoy seeing the shock on their face. Duang just laughs at them and me whiling telling me that I am crazy. Hell - it's Songkran and it only last 3, 4, 5 or is it 7 days once a year!

On the road from Kumphawapi out to Tahsang Village, we passed many areas where children had set up along the road to throw water. A motorbike was behind us as we drove along the country road. In one of the small villages I spotted a group prepared to throw water. I slowed down and pantomimed to the combatants not to throw water on our truck but to work with me to get the motorbike behind us. It worked perfectly. I drove slower and slower until when I got just passed the people I stopped forcing the motorbike had to stop. The motorbike received the full brunt of the water attack. Everyone, except the motorbike people, laughed like crazy.

When we got to Tahsang Village the streets were abandoned to the small children with their buckets, barrels, hoses, and water guns. The adults were all at Duang's aunt's house gambling in the front yard. Gambling? Have I not written that gambling is illegal in Thailand? Well gambling is illegal in Thailand but according to Duang "It is OK. It is Songkran. Police no pompain" The villagers were taking full advantage of the dispensation for the Songkran holiday. They were playing a dice-roulette type game that I had seen played outside of Duang's uncle's funeral (another occasion when gambling is tolerated). It is this dichotomy and contrast that for me makes living in Isaan so interesting as well as entertaining.

We had gone to Tahsang Village to deliver new supplies to the family market. There has been a heavy run on beer, and whiskey so we were replenishing the stock.. We also had several different types of snacks to sell. I helped to stock the snack rack and made sure that it was all squared away. Remembering my last experience when Kwan and Peelawat had rearranged all the bags, I remarked that we were fortunate not to have Peelawat around to "help" us.

Duang was taking care of the market as a sort of gift to her mother. Her mother was free to gamble and spend time with her relatives and neighbors. I wandered around the village taking photographs of the people that I encountered. Duang was concerned about the children tossing water on me and perhaps more importantly my camera. I had confidence and trust. I am well known in the village but as a foreigner the children are still a little leery of me after all I am a "falang" ("boogie man" perhaps to some). I had a great time and got some nice photos of children having water fight.

My favorite model for the day was a young girl dressed in black. She apparently did not recognize me - she was the passenger on the motorbike that got drenched when I played the joke on them by stopping. With the 105F (40C) heat and 35% humidity, she had dried out quickly. I had found her and her three little girlfriends playing with paper dolls at a home near Duang's parents. They children were playing on a raised bamboo pavilion with a thatched roof. A naked baby boy about 16 months old and his mother kept the girls company. I took some photos of the group and shared the photographs with the people using the monitor on the back of the camera. The people loved seeing themselves in the camera - including the little boy. These are simple pleasures that I enjoy being able to share with the villagers. I will get some prints made to give them in appreciation for them being themselves.

After awhile the girls decided to have a water fight. They were prepared to toss water on people passing by but with just about everyone at Duang's Aunt's, there was not much traffic on the village street. They tried to get a man on a motorbike but had gotten so distracted with our photo session that they were too late to get him. They decided to get cool by fighting each other. We all had a great time. After awhile even the baby boy, now clothed, tried to join in the fun. He watched the girls fill their buckets and he went over and grabbed one of the large containers. He didn't get any water into the container but seemed to enjoy putting the container over his head to every one's amusement.

I had gotten quite hot so I returned to the family market to grab an ice cold Coke. With all the Police road blocks I was not going to gamble with drinking beer. Writing of gambling - by now so many people were gambling, that the game had been moved to the flat ground across the street. There were so many gamblers that they were in danger of collapsing the raised bamboo and wood pavilion. After awhile Peelawat came over for a visit. In no time at all he had gone over to the nice and orderly snack rack and pulled four different snack bags and brought them to me. I thanked him for each one and placed them atop the desk that I was sitting at. Peelawat came over to the desk reached up and grabbed one small bag pf chocolate cereal snacks and gave it to me as if to reinforce his desire that I eat it.

It was a great day and we will return tomorrow for the formal ceremony when respect is paid to the village elders at the Wat.

Songkran Has Started

Songkran, Thai New Years, is officially April 13 to April 16.

But this is Thailand and things are not always what they appear to be or are supposed to be. So it is with Songkran. Songkran here in Isaan started on Friday 9 April.

Friday was a busy day for us. It started with me getting a haircut - relatively easy task of moving my chair from the computer desk to outside underneath our carport for Duang to cut my hair. After showers, we drove out to the village where Peelawat, our 14 month old grandson, lives. Duang and I were going out to a small village where her "sister" lives. A celebration complete with a Mahlam Lao Show was being held to "take care" of Buddha. Buddha in this sense of the word meant the Monks. "Take care" meant to give the Monks offerings. For me, the details and nuances really didn't matter. There was going to be a show and an opportunity to document another aspect of village life in Isaan.

Duang has one biological sister - an older sister. We were going to visit a younger "sister". Like I have written before and will undoubtedly write again things are not always what they appear to be. I had met this "sister" at our wedding but I had the impression that Duang and she were very good friends - like sisters. It is only recently that I understood that their relationship is closer than being very good friends. When the woman was born, her mother was unable and unwilling to care for her baby. Duang's mother was still nursing so she took in and fed the baby. In Isaan, this type of arrangement is not all that uncommon. Lao Loum people have a very strong sense of community and the ravages of poverty often dictates alternative life styles especially for the welfare of babies.

After picking up Peelawat and Duang's daughter we drove out to Nong Boydan(?) Village to have lunch with Duang's "sister". Lunch was very good and there was plenty of food. There was a surprise. For some reason Peelawat decided to take care of me. His mother gave him a small piece of hot dog, he took a bite and then offered it to me by putting it up to my mouth for me to take a bite. This behaviour continued all day long. Peelawat ensured that his grandfather had food and drink. He was given a small bottle of yogurt milk to drink through a small straw. After each sip, he gave to me to take my sip. We also shared a bottle of soy milk together. I was given a plate of mango as part of lunch. Peelawat enjoys sitting in my lap so he had access to the mango. He took the fork from the plate, stabbed a piece of mango and put the fork up to my mouth. He ended up feeding me the entire plate of mango. Later when it was time to go to the festival, Duang put powder on his face, arms, legs and neck. People in Isaan use powder to keep cooler and ward off prickly heat. You will always see babies and children with white powder spread all over their bodies. During Songkran the practice is expanded to many more adults, cars, trucks, and motorbikes. Besides splashing water on people to cool them during Songkran, people douse others with scented powder. After Peelawat was all powdered up to go out to the festival, he took the container of powder and put some powder on his hand. Gently he rubbed his hand on my cheek and neck to get me ready to go out into the sun. We all laughed and joked about Peelawat's caring for me and only me that day. There is a very strong tradition of caring for and respecting elders here in Isaan but at 14 months old, Peelawat's behavior was unexpected. His behavior was also wonderful entertainment.

We went to the local Wat were a festival was being held to raise money for the Wat. There were booths selling food and refreshments. People had set their sahts on the ground in the scattered areas of shade throughout the Wat grounds. In one of the buildings where people had hung talisman to be blessed, women with very small children and babies sat inside to avoid the glaring sun as well as some of the 100F (38C) heat. We sat there for awhile before checking out the mouse game of chance that I wrote about yesterday.



The Mahlam Lao Show was going on and we recognized the khene player and lead female performer from some of the shows that Duang's brother puts on. This appears to be the season for shows. The performers live pretty much in the same neighborhood in central Udonthani and act as independent contractors to the leaders of shows. The same is true for the dancers.


Duang and Peelawat went off to seek some shade as I wandered around photographing the festival. The people were all very friendly and thoroughly enjoying themselves. A couple of the Kathoeys (Ladyboys) were eager to have their picture taken which I obliged their requests. They were getting a little bit annoying, as drunks can often be, until Duang showed up with a glass of Coke for me. Having marked her territory, so to speak, the Ladyboys were no longer a problem for the remainder of the afternoon. After awhile I looked down and saw Peelawat at my side. He looked up into my eyes and raised both his arms - his signal to pick him up. According to Duang it was his third attempt to be with me in front of the stage. I was busy the previous two occasions and had not noticed him. I traded the camera for Peelawat and we watched the singing and dancing up close. He loved the show and excitement. He provided some entertainment of his own by showing off some of his dance moves. He also did a great job of handing money to the performers as tokens of appreciation for their work.

A big part of the Mahlam Lao Show ritual is for members of the audience to walk up to the edge of the stage. The performer will go to the edge of the elevated stage, squat down, give the Thai gesture of respect (wai), and accept the audience members offering of money, flowers, garlands, and sometimes paper chains similar to what we used to make in elementary school for Christmas decorations. Some members of the audience will offer glasses of beer or whiskey. Later as the show continues and more and more beer along with whiskey are consumed, the audience will go up to the stage to just hold the hand of the performer and increasingly as time goes on - the dancers. The performers graciously accept the offerings with out missing a beat - high drama, and great entertainment.


Even in this rural location there were plenty of Ladyboys in attendance at the festival. There are supposedly many ways to determine whether or not a person is a real woman or a Ladyboy. Many of these ways are familiar - look for an Adam's apple, size of the hands, size of the feet and so on. In Thailand there is also another way - the size of the breasts. If the breasts are large and full, you can be fairly certain that it is a Ladyboy. I believe that there is also another method - observe the dance moves. The more energetic and enthusiastic the dancing the greater probability the person is a Ladyboy. Ladyboys in Isaan are tolerated quite well and their presence at Mahlam Lao shows adds to the entertainment value of the event. Despite the oppressive heat on Friday, the Ladyboys and others put on impressive dance displays.

Duang became concerned about Peelawat and my safety at the front of the stage so she came forward to have us return with her to the shade of a tree away from the "mosh pit". The high concentration of dancers directly in front of the stage is where the fist fights frequently or more accurately ALWAYS break out. There were no fights Friday while we were there but after we left, there were several fistfights. We have only been to two Mahlam Lao shows were there has not been at least one fight.

Peelawat and I spent the remainder of our time at the show sitting in the relative shade eating shaved ice. After I had drank a glass of Coke, Peelawat grabbed ice out of the glass and ate it. He would then grab a handful for me and place it in my mouth much to every one's amusement. Around 3 P.M. we left for Tahsang Village.

It was on our drive to and from Tahsang Village that the start of Songkran became apparent. At several locations small groups of young children had set up along side of the narrow country road. The children were all wet from their efforts to splash water passing vehicles. They were having a great time smiling, laughing, and dancing around either filling a barrel with a small hose or flinging water from small plastic buckets. Such joy needs to be shared in my opinion. As I approached the groups I would feign panic about the possibility of our truck getting wet. This only encouraged the children's efforts to throw their water. For some groups, I would stop the truck about 50 feet from the children. This confused them and often they would throw their water at a vehicle passing in the opposite direction. As we passed the children standing with their empty buckets I honked the horn several times and waved. Duang would just laugh and tell me that I was crazy just like the children. I repeated this stunt and stopped 50 feet from a group of children. They were completely confused until finally a little girl about 4 years old sweetly motioned to me to pass by and indicated that they would not throw water. I could not help but smile. She had spoiled my fun but given me a very nice memory for the start of Songkran 2553 (2010).

Songkran

In Isaan and the rest of Thailand preparations are being made to celebrate the Songkran Festival. Songkran is celebrated from April 13 to April 15 each year - a lot more and much less.

The Holiday is officially three days but because this is Thailand it often is more like 7 days than three days. In fact some areas celebrate it on slightly different days. In Pattaya, Songkran is typically celebrated on the 18th and 19th of April.

This blog will deal with the celebration for the closing of Songkran last year in Tahsang Village on 20th of April.

Songkran is Thailand's New Year's, Easter, and Mardi Gras rolled up into one. Like Christmas the religious aspects of the holiday have been overwhelmed as well as somewhat subverted by secular interests along with overt commercialization.

Songkran originally marks the beginning of the solar New Year - the sun moving into the Aries zodiac. It is at this time, in the middle of Thailand's hot season which also coincides with the end of the dry season, that Thais and other Southeast Asian peoples traditionally travel to their homes to visit as well as to pay their respects to their elders. In Isaan, with its young people scattered and working all across the country, additional time is apparently required for the people to get back home by train, bus, or most likely in the bed of pickup trucks. This ends up being quite a migration. Unfortunately it results in mayhem as well as blood on the roads. During the Songkran holiday over 500 people are killed in highway accidents - the local newspapers keep a running score against the originally government forecasted death toll. The causes of the accidents are the same as those in the USA for New Years or Memorial Day - speed (literally and figuratively), fatigue, alcohol and stupidity. Additional Police roadblocks and checkpoints are set up during the week in attempts to reduce the number of accidents.

This year we will be celebrating Songkran here in Udonthani just as we did last year. It will be one year since I retired and relocated to Isaan. The spirit of renewal as well as change remains strong.





Last year we went out to Duang's home village, Tahsang, for a celebration on April 20th. It was the celebration for the end of Songkran. For almost a week prior to the 20th we ran the gamut of water throwers as we drove along the roads. Songkran is a water festival. Originally young people demonstrated their respect for older people or people of higher social status by gently pouring scented water over their hands with sometimes water being sprinkled on their necks or faces. This besides being a show of respect helped to cool the people from the heat that often ranges from 95 to 100 F during the middle of April. The use of water at this time is also associated with the need and wishes for the return of the rains at the start of the rainy season.

In urban areas subject to many foreign tourists, the sprinkling of water has evolved into all out water warfare. Pickup trucks roam or rather clog streets with 55 gallon drums of water in their bed. The barrels are manned by people of all ages with pots, pans, bowls, squirt guns, and scoops that they toss the water onto other vehicles, pedestrians and motorcyclists. Just about everyone is fair game for a "shower" - including police! It can be a great deal of fun. It can also be annoying - the difference is "who" and "how".

Often you will encounter a charming Thai child whose parents will ask your permission first. The child will overcome their initial fear of a foreigner give you a wai (respectful greeting gesture) and sprinkle your hands or squirt you in the stomach with a little water. Difficult to get upset about that. And then there are other occasions. Occasions where you are confronted by drunken Westerners who forcibly throw water directly in your face.

Sometimes the revelers will place perfumed talc on your face as part of the Songkran ritual. This also has some religious apects in that Monks use a paste made out of chalk to make incantations on the roofs of cars to protect them.

My favorite Songkran was in Maehongson two years ago. We were in a car driving along steep and narrow roads in Hill Tribe village areas. We would end up on lonely stretches of road before coming to a settlement of perhaps 5 to 10 houses. There would be a roadblock typically manned by 3 to 10 small children. As you stopped the car or if you were unfortunate motorbike, they would pour or toss some water on the car. They were getting such a kick out of it that it was entertaining for us. I kept wondering how long they had patiently waited for another vehicle - we didn't see too many others on the road. I also thought of how little these little rascals had available to them for entertainment. At other times of the year, we often saw them working in the fields.

Since Thai New Year, Songkran is the start of renewal and the marking of change, people go to the Wats and bathe the Buddha statues with water. This earns the people merit and also reinforces their desires for the return of the rains which are required for planting the crops.

Homes are also cleaned at the start of Songkran along with burning old clothes. Making merit is also associated with Songkran. Making merit involves getting dressed in your best clothes and marching to the local Wat to pray, listen to a lecture from the Monk, offer food and gifts to the Monks.


We arrived to Tahsang Village early in the morning. People were in a festive mood which only increased as the day went on from drinking beer and local moonshine. The woman were busy setting up and organizing their food trays for the Monks. The children were busy being children - some of them setting off firecrackers. Some of the men were occupied setting up a large farm truck to be a mobile sound system. Other men were busy collecting donations to place on chunks of banana stalks - I refer to them as the "Money Tree".




Banana plant stalks about four feet long are cut and long and slender pieces of bamboo slivers. People place paper money in the split bamboo slivers to create a money tree. Once the food, sound system, money trees, children, rockets, and after some drinks, the village set off in a grand parade to the Wat. Lao Loum (Isaan) music blared from the big sound truck as we all danced to the Wat. It was quite a sight to see and hear - but typical of so many celebrations here in Isaan.





Many of the Wat's statues had been placed outside underneath a temporary shelter at one of the Wat's ruins. People of all ages prayed and respectfully poured water over the statues. As part of their prayer offerings, they lighted a yellow candle and burned three incense (Joss) sticks.

The food offerings were brought inside the Wat and presented. After some chanting as well as a lecture by the Monk, the people went outside and the Monks retired to eat their meal.

Chairs had been placed outside on the Wat grounds by volunteers. The elderly members of the community sat down in a long row of the chairs. Younger people as well as some children came forward and reverently sprinkled water on the elderly hands. The elderly people then gave their blessings and best wishes to the young people. It was very touching and more in line with the original traditions of Songkran.


Women then went back into the Wat to retrieve any leftover food from what was donated to the Monks. Monks are not allowed to cook or to store food so whatever they do not take for their two meals, is given to the people or Wat dogs. We ended up with a big picnic on the Wat grounds.

After eating, some activity started off to the side. On the Wat grounds overlooking the flood plain, young men were building a wood trellis - which actually turned out to be a rocket launch pad. Underneath trees and underneath the patio of a building where the Monks slept, other men (older men but not very wise) were busy assembling and fueling the rockets.

The rockets that I had seen in our parade were now being fitted out. They were pieces of blue PVC cylinders strapped to long pieces of bamboo. The men were busy filling them with gunpowder. I surmise that they were calming their nerves by smoking cigarettes as they worked at tamping the gunpowder into the rocket tube. The Monk was busy watching over the action and apparently many Monks are the repository of technical information regarding rockets. There are competitions during the rainy season between Wats with each Wat having their own secret recipe for rocket fuel.

Everything went well and their were no mishaps. All rockets were launched successfully several times and all fingers, toes, and eyes were accounted for at the end of the day. Again the firing of the rockets had religious connotations in that they are offerings to make the rains reappear.



It was a very pleasant day. A day that we hopefuly will enjoy once again upon our return from Maehongson.