Pre-New Year's Eve Party in Chiang Mai

Things are heating up here in Chiang Mai at the Tha Phae Gate - the big plaza area very near our hotel. Originally it was one of the 5 gates that opened into the walled & moated city of Chiang Mai & is now a large area used for all kinds of things - like the New Year's week long festival. There's a large food stall area at one end, big stage in the center & craft vendors at the other.

Here's part of the stage with a kid's game in progress.

And here's part of the audience & milling crowd with the food area in the background.

This area has been a steady week long party! Several days this week we were treated to loud music & announcements from 6-9am! The vendors are there from about noon to midnight, & the entertainment goes on all evening, it's always loud, and sometimes it gets LOUDER! Also, just to make things even jollier, the boxing stadium on the far side of the hotel was in full swing a few nights this week. So, between the boxing announcer, all the shouting & whistling of the audience, AND all the noise from the Gate festival, and of course, the usual traffic noise & a policeman whistling his head off, the level of sound was just freaking unbelievable!!!

Last month at the crescent moon & 2 planets lined up making the sky appear to smile down on Asia, this month only one planet remains in alignment, so - a Big Wink for the New Year! 

Sada is eating one of our new favorite fast foods! We call them Rice Sticks - a hollow length of bamboo is stuffed with sweet sticky rice cooked with coconut milk & beans, & the end is plugged with a bit of coconut husk. To eat, you pull the plug & peal it like a banana!

Earlier in the day we noticed this sign-maker finishing this New Year banner. It says: 'Wishing you all happy physically and mentally all new year long 2009'.

Here's the food court area, the food stalls continue up the center aisle. It's usually jammed with people looking, choosing, paying & eating - fun!

Here are some things on offer:  dim sum,

Huge pans of noodles,

and Ancient Ice-Cream! this night we tried Panadus flavor! (an asian plant with many uses)

Here is a short video I took with my little camera - click the little arrow & it will take a few seconds to load.  The pancake maker is fascinating to watch! I'll try to do more of these.

It's 8pm as I'm finishing up this blog & it's absolutely hopping out there! A loud band is playing & firecrackers big & small are popping constantly. We'll go out to the Gate again in a while, (with earplugs!) & then when we are tired of the swirl of humanity & noise, we'll go up to the roof of the hotel to watch fireworks & continue to enjoy the party from a short distance away!

So, from us to you, the best of everything in the New Year!

Where ever you are & whatever you're doing: ENJOY!

XXXXX,

jill & sada