The Revelry Continues

Songkran in Bangkok, Day 2. 

Having gotten our feet (and everything else) wet the first day of Songkran, yesterday we decided to go where the real action was.  We took the subway down to Silom, a district in downtown Bangkok.  We made sure to wear clothes that could survive the water and talc, and we made sure all of our valuables were safely ensconced in a dry bag.

We started out on an overhead walkway, staying dry and getting the birds eye view. 

A table of talc - only 10 baht.

As you can see, you could get talc anywhere.

Weapons of Mass Soakation.

There is a point at which we asked ourselves, are we going to stand here on the sidelines and watch, or are we going to take the plunge.  We took the plunge.

It's hard to see where the water is coming from in the video, so I will explain that there were firemen with hoses, spraying the crowds.  We stayed on the far side of the street.  It's not like we needed help getting wet.

Here I am after we walked the street, soaked to the bone.  Notice the talc on the escalator.

Nothing was spared from water and talc, with the notable exception of the food vendors.  Somehow, the food seemed to be spared.  I consider that almost miraculous.

I think this wall was outside of a bank.

Even though the street was cordoned off, there were a few cars that slowly made their way through the crowds.  I don't know who was in them (wimps!).  Dignitaries?  But you can see that the cars were prime targets for talc and water. 

It was an atypical pleasant and non-humid day yesterday, so the buckets of ice water (and yes, ice) that were thrown were quite chilling.  We forgot to take photos of it, but the entrance to the subway was blocked by a gate, and women standing next to buckets of water. Everyone was handed a wet towel.  You had to pass inspection before entering. 

A big thanks to M for not only letting me use his camera, but also for providing many of the photos and videos on this post today.   I may get brave today and take the big camera down to the heart of the city.  But maybe not. 

Bangkok during Songkran

Songkran is the Thai New Year Celebration.  It is also known as the water festival, happening every year from April 13th through the 15th.  Being on the streets of Bangkok for the next few days means you are at a serious risk of having water sprayed at you from squirt guns, garden hoses, or even poured over you from a bucket.  Although plenty of local Thai people get wet, as a foreigner, one seems to be at much greater risk of coming home soaked.  Some Thai people will also be holding small containers of a scented, talc-like paste, which they will ever-so-gently smear on you, as a way to mark blessings.  Songkran traditionally is a religious holiday, and many Thais leave the city of Bangkok to visit family.  It is a time of cleansing and renewal, and a thorough house-cleaning is often part of the celebration.  A visit to a Wat, or Buddhist temple, is also part of the festivities.  The use of water was originally for washing the Buddha images of dust.  The water poured over the Buddha images was then collected and poured again over the hands of monks or the elderly as a sign of respect. In modern times, Songkran has turned into the world's largest water fight, and in certain parts of Bangkok and Chiang Mai, all-out mayhem with water ensues.

Not even taxis are immune from the smattering of talc and water.

Having known about this festival prior to leaving M's condo yesterday, we decided to avoid the areas where we had read the water throwing was most abundant.  Nevertheless, we did not manage to return from our walk dry.  Many local shops and restaurants are closed for this holiday, and the lack of cars on the usually-bustling streets is noteworthy.  Some resourceful street vendors were selling plastic bags, camera-sized, to put valuables in.  I did not dare take my expensive, beloved camera out, so all of the photos on this post were taken with M's tiny pocket camera.  I was glad for the blue plastic bag we bought.  It didn't take long before smiling Thais were happily squirting us with a garden hose.  Some of those sneaky little sprites were using ICE water, and even though April is typically the hottest month of the year, ice water always produces a shock when landing on warm skin. 

Talc everywhere.

The only safe form of transportation during these festivities seems to be the subway, since I saw taxis and open-air buses being drenched from the sidewalks and overhead walkways.  There are signs all over the entrance to the trains, reminding people that no water-spraying was allowed.  Indoor malls are also safe, but we were wet before ever making it to the safety of the mall.

A shrine covered with flowers and surrounded by burning incense and worshipers.

One of the many flower-vendors, as seen from an overhead walkway.

I had started the day with a shower and styled hair...

We were almost dry by the time our excursion had ended, but we were accosted at the last moment by a smiling man with a collection of water-filled buckets.  Without batting an eye, he carefully poured water from a bucket over our backs.  Near the entrance to M's building, one sweet little Thai woman apologized while smearing paste on our faces, and when she saw how wet our backs were, she laughed.  She was dry and very clean.

Today, we may brave the more populated areas, but this time I am going to wear goggles and a swim suit.