tripping: November 2004

Friday, November 26, 2004

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And with this offering to the water goddess, our trip has come to an end. An episode at the Bangkok Airport ensued, where we got stuck for three days trying to get on a flight back to Amsterdam. Then a month after we left Thailand, the region was devistated by the tsunami. Railay and Koh Lanta were both affected and our thoughts are with all the wonderfull people we met while we were there and hope they and their loved ones are allright. So much for a pair of hedonistic queens making an offering to somebody else's gods...

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Because our sins are plentiful, we better send them off as well..

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And off it goes..

Thailand 2004 - BKK

A little boy's flotilla, what sins could he have commited?

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Loy Kratong honors the gods of the water. People send off a little flotilla made of flowers with some incense and a canle down the river and with it all their sins of the past year as to be able to start off with a clean slate.

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And one more

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And another one

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Another boat

Thailand 2004 - BKK

The procession of boats in honor of Loy Kratong

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And it's the evening of the festival; the hotel lobby is also in full swing with these traditional dancers and musicians

Thailand 2004 - BKK

More extravagant example

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Working hard making flotilla's

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Flotilla's for sale

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Everyone is busy preparing little flotilla's for the festival

Thailand 2004 - BKK

And more orchids

Thailand 2004 - BKK

The 12th full moon of the year marks the beginning of the Loy Kratong Festival. Here are orchids on sale for the flotilla's to be used on the night of the full moon.

Thursday, November 25, 2004

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Little food shop floating by

Thailand 2004 - BKK

Because of the violence in Thailand's Southern provinces, the King had instructed his subjects to fold these paper cranes, to be dumped from planes over the troubled provinces on his birthday.