After breakfast we go to Chiang Mai. Along the way we are the target of several children celebrating an early Songkran. Songkran is the traditional Thai New Year from the time when Thailand was called Siam. Although Thailand celebrates New Year on January 1 since 1940, they keep celebrating Songkran as well. Modern Songkran is also called "the waterfestival" because everyone is throwing water at each other. Along the way families with buckets of water, garden hoses and water pistols are ready to throw water at anyone who dares to pass by. Also pick-ups join the party: driving around slowly, taking with them many people and a large water tank. Often the water tank is filled with ice.

Here is where They get the Ice Water

Everywhere you go you see performances, people dancing on the street and lots of music. Chiang Mai is known as the place to be for these festivities. Even the tourists can’t resist buying a water pistol to join ‘the war’. It’s really great to be here and we are happy we came.

There is also Culture in Chiang Mai

In between partying, we also have to do some chores. We go to Central Festival, a huge shopping centre in Chiang Mai. It’s really impressive and moreover cool inside.
Chiang Mai is really cheap for food, that’s the reason we learned so many new dishes here. We have come to love the Thai kitchen with all its curries and stir fried dishes.

Happy Songkran!

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