Luang Prabang - Pii Mai

First of all, (with a bit delay) we wish you a happy New Year!!

It's already the 3rd time this year, that we could celebrate it (The Chinese one mid February and now the Thai/Lao).

Normally Luang Prabang, the old Lao capital on the Mekong, is famous for the temples and the monks who live inside. But it has also a great New Years party and everything/body gets wet, very wet!! Officially the festival lasts 1 week, but it can also be more, the whole country goes on holiday.

Everybody gets wet, no chance to escape, on the first day it was just water, but afterwards they use also flour (only or togehter with water it gives a nice mix) and grease. The water they also mix with colours, so that the clothes and body has a different look afterwards. Tourists and local people are working together to splash everyone, it's like a water battle with pistols, buckets, bottles and everything you can put water inside.
The whole party is very funny and we stayed there 4 days. Fredi was afraid of the rude attitude, he didn't want to leave the hotel, it was too wet for him.

Some temples in Luang Prabang, there would be many more, even 4 days weren't enough to see them all. At least in the temple areas was a quiet place to keep dry.

The festival is not only a water battle, there are different activities during the week. Here the "Miss Lao New Year ceremony". The people standing along the street splashed the monks and all participants of the procession.

And here Miss Lao New Year on a horse and 2 girls in a traditional dress.

On the first day, people from Luang Prabang take a boat to the other side of the Mekong river and build a sand Stupa (which they cover afterwards with flour and other things). That's the harmless part, aside the water battle continues and there are a lot of places to drink, eat and having fun. Also the Mekong is close for a bath.

The water battle is mainly on the streets of Luang Prabang. Cars, Pick-ups and other vehicles are driving through the city and splash people, all the poeple on the street shoot water on the cars. No chance for anybody to escape (especially for tourists)!!