New Years Eve Chiang Mai- Sawasdee Pi Mai!

Sawasdee Pi Mai!  Happy New Year!

Ringing in the New Year in Chiang Mai was certainly a special event.  Normally, I don't much care about New Years, I think it's a little overrated.  I enjoy being with friends and loved ones to ring it in, but beyond that, I don't really care much about it.

This year New Years Eve was most definitely a memorable night.  Andy and I walked the crowded streets surrounding the Tae Pae Gate (The central old town area) nibling on delicious foods, looking at trinkets and handicrafts laid out on various tables, and taking in all the colors and sounds.  Dance performances had been going on since the early evening, and as the midnight hour approached, everyone in the area seemed to squeeze closer and closer to the stage where the countdown was to take place.  We met up with my friend Donna who I'd met through my friend Sylvie, and she had a crew of new pals.  So, as we were counting down to midnight, we were also greeting and well-wishing new friends. 

One of the traditions for the new year is to light a lantern with friends or loved ones.  This of course brings you good luck.  As soon as the sky was dark, lanterns were floating up, up, and away.  They looked like jellyfish in the sky.  Just after midnight I lit a lantern with my friend Donna and our new friends while Andy got some pictures.  Then we lit off some fireworks- in the street with cars and motorbikes passing by- which of course is always fun.  After that we headed to a bar for some celebratory drinks.

I  can't remember what these lanterns are called, but I asked many of my students if it had a name and they told me a couple different things.  Each name however had the word 'krathong' in it which means float.

Our friends Julio and Donna

Sawasdee Pi Mai!  

Some Thai locals happy to set off their lantern

It was a very nice New Years.  Different, and no expectations really.  It was exciting to be surrounded by so many people, the lanterns, the fireworks, and just the overall vibe was really cool.  Not a huge crazy party like one would expect in the U.S. where people would be quite boisterous, loud, sometimes rude and under the influence...in Chiang Mai it was just a quality celebration.  I felt very content to be there, with Andy and with these new friends.