Loy Krathong

There is something in the air here, this wet air that makes my skin so soft, I just walk around rubbing my arm or stroking my cheek, and it also gives my hair a wicked wave.

Thailand loves me.

The Loy Krathong festival was tonight.
Our entire hostel loaded up in 5 different taxi/truck things, and we headed north out of Chiang Mai into the amazing smelling jungle, the entire car was so excited and laughing. As we got closer we could see some of the lanterns being lit and slowly going up into the twilight air.

Andie and I had bought our own lanterns and when we got there there was this field where everyone was lighting off the lanterns, so Andie and I giggling the entire time let our lanterns off into the sky while a paparazzi of Asians took our picture (I think they are confusing me for Britney spears)

We took pictures and watched others for a while but then it was onto the food! TONS of amazing food for cheap SO cheap. We walked along eating and we came to the river, where we both bought floating bamboo/flower/boat/candle things and then were escorted down this old rickety bamboo staircase where an entire audience was watching on the other shore as we set our boat along with our own hair and fingernail clippings down the river. We almost had to lay down on this bamboo platform that felt like it was going to collapse to be able to drop it in the water. . . so great.

Then we just walked around, enjoying the sights as the sky was dancing with a little trail of lanterns coming from the field we had left.

Then we soon noticed that we were part of a crowd of Asians going in one direction.
Andie asked me "were are we going?"
"I have no idea"
But we followed everyone as we walked farther and farther away from our taxi and the food shops. .
Walking and walking through a path lined with huge bamboo shoots on either side. . . and then when the Bamboo cleared we saw it.

An massive crowed of people all sitting down facing a stage filled with maybe 100 monks, shaved head orange robe monks. . and as we shuffled our way in we noticed everyone was holding unlit paper lanterns.

Andie and I couldn't stop making jokes and giggling we were so excited, we had yet to see the amazing sky lantern launch!

The head monk talked for quite a while, and then we would get bits of it in English, he lead us all through meditation. We sat up tall and imagined the full moon in our abdomen shining out bringing peace to the world.

Then the monks all lit a candle and left the stage to chant and circle the entire audience 3 times chanting, it went on for what seamed like forever.

Then we got the signal to light the candles in front of us to prepare to light the lanterns.

A little smiley Asian lady was yelling at Andie and I to come help her, she was with about 4 other laddies all dressed in the authentic Asain ropes, they were so beautiful, and the only thing she could say to us as she pointed to the women around her was "family" so Andie and I said the same pointing to each other and we were instant friends, these ladies loved us.

Then we were told to light our lanterns and all make a wish for world peace.

Then we all let go. And everyone cheered and the lanterns all went up together.

It was the most amazing sight my eyes have ever seen, for 5 minuets I didn't feel like I was part of this earth anymore, it was the closest to magic I have ever seen.
I don't even feel like I can describe it, it is something you must see for yourself, the dumb youtube videos don't do it justice, And I didn't bother to take too many pictures, it just was nice to stand and take it all in.

And people kept lighting lanterns all night, it was a never ending thing, even as our taxi was driving us home we could still see them trailing off into the heavens.

I love Thailand.