New Year 🪣SONGKRAN🪣 Luang Prabang, 🇱🇦 2023
Happy Lao and Thai New Year everybody. If you don't know about Songkran, it's a giant three-day water party where everyone celebrates the traditional farming new year. I tried my best to capture the moment with pictures, but my YouTube video did a much better job of capturing the festive vibe.
Sometimes all of the water guns, splashing, and ice and beer everywhere can be a danger to your phone or camera so you'll need a waterproof bag or a place to hide like this small but lovely ancient temple.
Rapper has been a good friend, son, guard dog, and fitness buddy for almost two years now. I'm glad I can take him swimming now. I've never had a dog I could convince to get in the water until he came along. I took him on walks to the river and swam across the river and back inviting him to come along. He would just look at me like I was crazy for about a year, but he finally swam across the little river without help or encouragement. The 35-degree temperature was the main motivator though.
There used to be a bamboo bridge, but they had to tear it down for some reason so you can pay about fifty cents to use this boat service. I swam across and back with no problem because I've always been a strong swimmer, but Rapper was out of gas after swimming across so the boat guy was kind enough to let him get on the boat and cross back to Dad with some tourists.
Swimming was the best way to cool off. All dogs can swim. Most just refuse to get in the water.
I saw every generation and many nationalities all getting in on the fun. Even though Luang Prabang is small, it has that New York feeling where you can walk down the street and hear several languages being spoken.
This was honestly the first Songkran celebration I've seen without any accidents. I'm sure there were many, I just didn't see any.
Check out my YouTube video of the fun. I was walking around and riding my bike through the crowds. It's a miracle my phone didn't get wet.
It's so hot that getting soaked or snuck up on and having ice water getting poured on us feels great. The Thai 🇹🇠and Lao 🇱🇦 communities 🇺🇸 celebrate this new year twice. April 13th, 14th, and 15th, then again the next week in the States.
Thanks for reading and watching. Have a great Songkran!
