The festival – part 2 … And where David gets soaking wet

Day 8.5 : BLES – first day of Loy Krathong in the small village of Ban Rai

We finished the evening at the local celebration of Loy Krathong – the festival where you make an offering to the water goddess for the past year and to offer an apology for the abuses made as well.  Last week in Sukhothai we celebrated it in the largest national party ever and tonight we have gone to the smallest party in the local village of Bon Rai – which I don’t believe is even on the map.  The closest thing is probably an annual church festival in which there are different groups selling food, fundraising for the school and another group, there is a band playing and older women and men dancing in tye dye shirts, kids running around with treats, a dunk tank, and even a Muay Tai on Water – think of log rolling over a river, but with boxing gloves.

Everyone knows everyone, we even notice our driver from this morning’s sunrise hike.  There are smiles, laughter, and lots of selfies.

We watch as a few participants out on their lifejackets and boxing gloves and walk carefully into the bamboo stick painted red and white to show where one needs to start.  The game does not take long – one quickly loses your balance and hangs upside down as the other tries to shove you off.  At the end – everyone gets wet.

After watching a few rounds, seeing Katherine’s 8 and 10-year olds participate, and being coaxed a lot, we decide to join in.  Joe – a 21 year old from the UK and I put on our lifejackets and gloves and head to the ring – or the water on bamboo trees.

The announcer and the local paparazzi (three girls with their phones) were very excited to see the spectacle.

See below for the step by step…if you want to do this at home.

And in case you wanted to see the video – here that is too.

We get a good laugh at it all … And then have to do it again since it is two out of three, of course.  The next round is pretty much the same.

I guess we were quite the hit of the evening.  Everyone enjoyed sharing their videos of the event … Over and over, to anyone around.  We are expecting it to go viral.

Another wonderful event to end a full day of activities and elephants.