Day 19
SUNDAY 21st and as Keith had had a good night’s sleep thanks to Vick and the other medication we were ready to venture out and see the mornings activities. Hot air balloons and a handicraft competition using natural products for young children were taking place at the Municipality Offices by the Ping River.
At breakfast we caught up with Sue and Phil who apologised for not finding the taxi and told us of their adventure getting home. Meeting a Canadian they managed to get a ride supposedly into Chiang Mai but he stopped about 5 km short of the city. They then got into a song tao who made it as far as one of the gateways into the old part of the city where again traffic was at a standstill and so had to walk the rest of the way home. That was when Opas rang our driver.
We walked to the bridge and then down to the riverside to get a great view of the numerous balloons in all shapes and sizes that were being sent up with the aid of several polystyrene planes that eventually released confetti, or small parachutes, and had colourful smoke trails in red, blue and yellow. As the planes came to earth the children would run to collect them as trophies. Those that landed in the water were also retrieved where ever possible. One or two heavy weight children got stuck in the mud but managing to get themselves out without any help, not leaving until they pulled their flip flops out as well! We moved back over the bridge to the grounds of the Municipality Offices to watch the children at work – the competition lasting from 9am to 5pm. Sitting in groups, some with young lads helping, they were creating a krathong using a slice of banana tree, covering it with banana leaf and then decorating it with plaited plant material and flowers, just like we saw the other afternoon by the super highway. The ballooning was supposed to run from 9am to midday but went on much longer. Some brilliant designs such as Mickey Mouse and a panda, whilst one or two were more traditional shapes. One balloon didn’t make it and landed on the electric cables running along the front of the Offices as the head exploded before it had reach any height. We had now gone to sit on chairs under a shade but as Keith leaned back to take some video of one rising balloon the back gave way and he fell on the floor backwards scraping his elbow. A lady came along with a plaster but I had already produced one, along with a wet wipe, so he was soon sorted. That bit of video was quite good as he was still filming as he fell! He has decided he doesn’t like being 65 as he’s having too many minor accidents.
We walked further into the old part of the city and being close to ‘Thai Thai’ went for a light snack. A Dutch couple were having a cooking class making a spicy mackerel salad containing finely sliced lemongrass, shallot, mint, coriander, fresh lime juice, vinegar, soya sauce and sugar. We have been invited to cook our own meal but declined as we are running out of time and there is still so much we want to do.
By now it was very hot so headed back home so Keith could have a siesta ready for tonight and I could catch up on the diary.
We had table 39 reserved at the Brasserie for the evening. At 7pm people were queuing for tables but knowing where our table was we walked by and down to the area by the river. Noy, our waiter saw us and pointed down to the lower level. We looked slightly confused and so he escorted us down the steps leading to the bamboo platform that we have watched being constructed. On this part of the landing 4 tables and benches had been set out. We knew we were going to be by the river we did not know we were going to be on it! Brilliant – we had a fantastic view of the night’s activities which was more lanterns, fireworks and a vast assortment of krathongs. We had been asked if we had one so Keith went out onto the street and purchased one for us to light. A small area large enough to set off lanterns and float the offerings had been extended at the end of the platform. Lots of people just came down to take photos. It was non stop with the cruise boats doing a roaring trade all night long. Small boats also went up and down and eventually the boat that is normally tied up to the restaurant’s waterfront returned. This caused a problem with the floating krathongs as they began to collect down the side of the boat. The boatman had seen this problem and returned to put a large stem of bamboo through the ropework securing the boat and the platform. We had taken time ordering our food at different stages as we knew it was going to be a long night. After eating a smart Thai looking lady asked if she may sit with us and we spent time talking to her about many things. She was part Chinese her father and his older brother being sent by boat from China to Thailand when he was 5 and 7 respectively. He will not talk about life in China but at 5 we all thought he would not remember much. She was married to a Dutch doctor and was visiting her parents for a few days. At midnight we said goodbye to her and went upstairs to listen to the music but it was so loud as it competed with the music from an open area next door so we finished our drinks in the front garden and returned home.
At breakfast we caught up with Sue and Phil who apologised for not finding the taxi and told us of their adventure getting home. Meeting a Canadian they managed to get a ride supposedly into Chiang Mai but he stopped about 5 km short of the city. They then got into a song tao who made it as far as one of the gateways into the old part of the city where again traffic was at a standstill and so had to walk the rest of the way home. That was when Opas rang our driver.
We walked to the bridge and then down to the riverside to get a great view of the numerous balloons in all shapes and sizes that were being sent up with the aid of several polystyrene planes that eventually released confetti, or small parachutes, and had colourful smoke trails in red, blue and yellow. As the planes came to earth the children would run to collect them as trophies. Those that landed in the water were also retrieved where ever possible. One or two heavy weight children got stuck in the mud but managing to get themselves out without any help, not leaving until they pulled their flip flops out as well! We moved back over the bridge to the grounds of the Municipality Offices to watch the children at work – the competition lasting from 9am to 5pm. Sitting in groups, some with young lads helping, they were creating a krathong using a slice of banana tree, covering it with banana leaf and then decorating it with plaited plant material and flowers, just like we saw the other afternoon by the super highway. The ballooning was supposed to run from 9am to midday but went on much longer. Some brilliant designs such as Mickey Mouse and a panda, whilst one or two were more traditional shapes. One balloon didn’t make it and landed on the electric cables running along the front of the Offices as the head exploded before it had reach any height. We had now gone to sit on chairs under a shade but as Keith leaned back to take some video of one rising balloon the back gave way and he fell on the floor backwards scraping his elbow. A lady came along with a plaster but I had already produced one, along with a wet wipe, so he was soon sorted. That bit of video was quite good as he was still filming as he fell! He has decided he doesn’t like being 65 as he’s having too many minor accidents.
We walked further into the old part of the city and being close to ‘Thai Thai’ went for a light snack. A Dutch couple were having a cooking class making a spicy mackerel salad containing finely sliced lemongrass, shallot, mint, coriander, fresh lime juice, vinegar, soya sauce and sugar. We have been invited to cook our own meal but declined as we are running out of time and there is still so much we want to do.
By now it was very hot so headed back home so Keith could have a siesta ready for tonight and I could catch up on the diary.
We had table 39 reserved at the Brasserie for the evening. At 7pm people were queuing for tables but knowing where our table was we walked by and down to the area by the river. Noy, our waiter saw us and pointed down to the lower level. We looked slightly confused and so he escorted us down the steps leading to the bamboo platform that we have watched being constructed. On this part of the landing 4 tables and benches had been set out. We knew we were going to be by the river we did not know we were going to be on it! Brilliant – we had a fantastic view of the night’s activities which was more lanterns, fireworks and a vast assortment of krathongs. We had been asked if we had one so Keith went out onto the street and purchased one for us to light. A small area large enough to set off lanterns and float the offerings had been extended at the end of the platform. Lots of people just came down to take photos. It was non stop with the cruise boats doing a roaring trade all night long. Small boats also went up and down and eventually the boat that is normally tied up to the restaurant’s waterfront returned. This caused a problem with the floating krathongs as they began to collect down the side of the boat. The boatman had seen this problem and returned to put a large stem of bamboo through the ropework securing the boat and the platform. We had taken time ordering our food at different stages as we knew it was going to be a long night. After eating a smart Thai looking lady asked if she may sit with us and we spent time talking to her about many things. She was part Chinese her father and his older brother being sent by boat from China to Thailand when he was 5 and 7 respectively. He will not talk about life in China but at 5 we all thought he would not remember much. She was married to a Dutch doctor and was visiting her parents for a few days. At midnight we said goodbye to her and went upstairs to listen to the music but it was so loud as it competed with the music from an open area next door so we finished our drinks in the front garden and returned home.
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03:29
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