Loi Krathong

The other evening was the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month here in Thailand. Which is also called "Loi Krathong". In Thai "Loi" means "to float" and "Krathong" is a raft. People usually make little banana-leaf boats to float onto the river. They are decorated with elaborately-folded banana leaves, flowers, candles, and incense sticks. They are intended to float away ill fortune as well as to express apologies to the River Goddess. One Tuesday the university had a Loi Krathong celebration and on Wednesday three of us went into the city to view the festivities.
I was so lucky that some of my students were performing at the celebration and I was able to take some pictures with them before they performed. Afterwards I headed to our little pond to view some of the students Krathongs.

On Wednesday night I bought a Krathong to float in the Chao Phraya River. I can use all the help I can get of letting go of some things in my life. If a little candle raft is going to help me get rid of some anger and grudges, so that I can start afresh and on a better foot then so be it!

At one point we were walking along a main street trying to find a way to the river and found a little alleyway that had a sign with a picture of a boat and a pier so we decided to walk down it. Good thing we did. We got to the pier right as the fireworks were starting and we had a front row view. It was beautiful. On our way back to the main road we stopped in this little restaurant for a drink and to stare at this weird looking fish (yes it's a real fish).


P.S. I have been in Southeast Asia a month now! Can you believe it?