Loy Krathong festival falls on the full moon night of the 12th lunar month and this year we were lucky enough to be here!! It falls just after the heavy work involved in planting the rice fields and provides time for families to spend together! This festival is about worshipping the "Goddess of water". It is a time that bad luck will be carried away out to sea and good fortune takes it's place:)
It is a tradition passed from one generation to the next as we walked along the ocean front where women were busy making the beautiful lights made out of banana leaves, flowers, incense,candles etc. It was generations of women doing it one family I talked to the girl my age was telling me her mom thinks she doesn't do it well enough yet:) This made me laugh. I loved watching grandma teach one of her granddaughters.
Kevin bought Simon and Mary their own beautiful Krathong's!
Next we went down to the ocean for dinner and when the sun set started participating in the festival! We were watching some of the Krathong go out into the water and then come back in so Kevin didn't want that to happens to the kids Krathongs so we rented a traditional longboat and went out in the pitch black in the middle of the bay:) It was our first longboat ride and the kids were very excited!!
We had a fun evening!! After 4 packs of fire crackers and all the other excitement home to bed:) Yes we let the kids through fire crackers and also saved a pack for Mae:)
Loykrathong's lyrics
November full moon shines,
Loi Krathong, Loi Krathong,
and the water's high
in the river and local klong,
Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Krathong is here and everybody's full of cheer,
We're together at the klong,
We're together at the klong,
Each one with this krathong,
As we push away we pray,
We can see a better day.
November full moon shines,
Loi Krathong, Loi Krathong,
and the water's high
in the river and local klong,
Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Loi Krathong,
Loi Krathong is here and everybody's full of cheer,
We're together at the klong,
We're together at the klong,
Each one with this krathong,
As we push away we pray,
We can see a better day.
Love you all!
Christine!
P.S. Elephant Trek coming soon!!
Hi Simon and Mary!!!! We hope you are both enjoying your holiday, the pictures are amazing!!! Emma, Megan, and Breanna miss you both and are looking forward to seeing you at Christmas! Emma wants to know if the fish tickle your feet when you swin in the ocean? Megan wants to know if it is as hot there as it was in Mexico? And Breanna wants to know if you can bring her home a frog for a pet? LOL Love you all lots!!!! Uncle Steve, Auntie Ang and the girls!!!
ReplyDeleteTell Emma that fish don't tickle his feet because they're all scared of him. Mary and Simon did rescue a stranded triggerfish when the tide went out because they were afraid that he was like Nemo. Tell Megan that it's hotter and more humid here. Simon calls it "super hot". Simon doesn't think they can bring a frog all the way home for Breanna, but wishes he could. Love Cousin Simon, Cousin Mary, Auntie Christine, Uncle Kevin
ReplyDeleteLove the Krathongs.
ReplyDeleteThe picture of Simon and Mary is my sceen saver now. So cute, so brown
ReplyDelete