The wet and wonderful Thai New Year

'Happy, happy, happy New Year!' shouts an excited teenage boy as he scoops a handful of white clay from the small, red plastic pot he is carrying and smears it over my face as I'm walking along the road. I laugh and ru away from a group of other boys who try toget me wet with their guns.

Nearby, techno music blasts from inside a bar while a crowd has formed around a dancing man clad in snakeskin trousers. Egged on by his audience, he runs his hand across his chest and thighs, unbuttons his shirt and gyrates his pelvis. He's soon interrupted by five ladyboys, who push their way through the crowd and add a few moves of their own.

Around the corner, several open-topped 4x4s, each crammed with whole families and a huge drum of iced water, are soaking each other and anyone else in their firing range. A bus drives past and several passengers throw water from the windows. Far from berating his passengers, the driver opens the door and squirts a couple of clay-covered children with his water pistol.

The three-day Thai New Year celebration, Songkran, makes the rest of the year look like a quiet night in an English country pub.

I've noticed very little, only some fires, of the anti-government protesters although the whole thing took place quite close to where I"m staying.

Tomorrow I'm leaving Bangkok to travel to Phinsanulouk and start to be silent _______

PS.next news from my in 10 or more days :)

Arriving in Bangkok

After a quite pleasant flight, thanks to Antonio and not Lufthansa, I arrived in Bangkok. Very nice new airport with Palm trees and a camera taking a picture while you enter the country. gosh no finger print, though.
Bangkok is celebrating NEW YEAR for 3 days. So, while all the Christians around the world are celebrating Jesus Christs resurrection and looking for Eastern eggs, the Thai celebrate new year by shooting with water at each other. It's a huge big pool party with plenty of wet t-shirt contests. Besides being drowned in water, I got a nice face wash with white chalk (or something like this) and all the best wishes for new year. I like this party very much, especially because its the first time I get best wishes for new year with 30 degree around me and already being the middle of April ....
Because of the holiday seasons the streets are almost empty, also very pleasant. So, you can actually walk around in Bangkok without risking a pulmonic toxication. Nice. Also I noticed new PINK taxi, very pleasant to the eye and easy yo spot...