These are the days of My Life - Songkran, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Thailand

When you are ready for a 3-5 day water fight for your life and yes I did say fight for your life...Chiang Mai, Thailand is definitely the place to be. With a few stops on the way the ultimate destination to Chiang Mai was happily achieved.  All I am aware of is that we will be in the back of a pickup truck with a 50 gallon barrel of water, several small kiddie sized buckets (those used to make sand castles), a few super soaker squirt guns (we have about 5), several water cannons, 2-3 plastic backpack water carriers in the fun designs of mickey mouse and dumbo the elephant, my own personal mickey squirt gun with the most inadequate umbrella on the end in an attempt to shield me from water basically being shot at me from a fire hose...literally.  It is the most fun being drenched...drowned..., attacked while laughing so hard still gasping for air from the previous attack and finally just getting out of the truck and walking along side in order to at least not be a sitting duck for the next attack.  Three full days from about 11:00am till dusk and beyond there are no dry attendees for that matter dry residents of the city and surrounding countryside. The festival is celebrated nationwide but most exuberantly in and around Chiang Mai. Songkran marks the start of the Buddhist New Year.  This festival has evolved from a purely religious event, in which Buddha images are bathed with water to purify them, into a much greater celebration of water in the hot season.  Does this sound a little or alot like your religious holidays from meaningful to an almost riot of boisterous play or commercialized shopping.  Is this really progress....who knows...but it is alot of fun.  Nowadays, buckets of water are thrown over everyone in the streets (unsuspecting tourists make the best targets).  Some of Songkran's original customs, such as younger Thais paying respect to their elders and monks by sprinkling their hands with perfumed water are also maintained.  I will elaborate on the Songkran honor that I participated in at the most traditional Songkran custom of paying respects to the elders. 

Ready for Songkran battle, heading out to the streets of Chiang Mai.  My Mickey squirt gun umbrella will protect me...NOT! 

My first attacker...she has the Minnie Mouse squirt gun.  Fierce competition.

Waterproof cameras are a must have for Songkran festivities in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

I have upgraded to my Mickey Mouse water tank. No one is safe pedestrians, scooter riders beware, street vendors and of course tuk tuk passengers are sitting ducks for a drenching.

My Songkran revelers ready for a drenching from the bridge above.  There is no where to hide.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....yes we had a huge block of ice in our 50 gallon drum of water too.  The better to drench you with freezing water.  However, you will receive what you give so get ready it is C O L D!.  Another tidbit of information for the unknowing; there is a river (polluted) running along the middle of the main water festival thoroughfare.  So one side of the road is reloading from a hose from a business and the retaliatory along the other of course have an endless supply of river water.  there is occasionally the mad dash of a pedestrian, scooter or tuck tuck that dare traverse along the road innocently attempting to get to some destination but seem to before the target of all warriors to ensure they are blessed (drenched) for their ultimate arrival. 

The requisite stop at the ice shack for the water tank fill up.  Where do you think ice comes from....the ice maker in your fridge....think again. 

Watch out for the littel ones.  they sneak up on you and scurry away quickly in the crowd.

Reveler equipped for all occasions...A new fashion statement...Maybe?

The reason for the season...is not lost.  The monks take part in the water festival. 

ATTACK

The littlest warriors also take part.  Did I mention that the waterproof camera is a must.  The water drops sometimes enhance the way the pictures come out.

A city gone wild!  Chiang Mai, Thailand If the world would stop for 3 days for a water gun fight i feel the world would be a much safer and by all means a happier world to live in.