Chinese New Year

[briley]

Is anything happening around Chiang Mai this year?

Nothing down by the river, the normal venue.

[dave2]

briley

re ... Nothing down by the river,

the real action days are going to be on 4 and 5 of feb this year ( as per the poster ) but there are things going on in chinatown if you look coz i spent all of today looking around there

enjoy pics ... dave2

ps ... ive no idea what the offerings table with the duck and other things on it meant ... or the burning of the gold leaf boxes and sheets is about ... i asked a few people today ... why do you do this ? ... but they didnt understand me : ( .. does anybody know ... why ?

[Firelily]

"Gold leaves" are ghost money - meant to be sent to their ancestors so they don't go without, and to ghosts, spirits and gods as offering.

wikipedia: joss_paper gives a nice explanation if you would like to know more.

[dave2]

firelily.

re ... Gold leaves" are ghost money

wow thanks for that info ... that explains why the men in the back of a funeral truck were continually throwing out sheets of gold leaf a few weeks ago

coz that baffled me .... why ?

i live and learn : ) ... dave2

ps ... anyone on what the duck and the other offerings on the table mean / are for ?

[kevbap]

firelily.

re ... Gold leaves" are ghost money

wow thanks for that info ... that explains why the men in the back of a funeral truck were continually throwing out sheets of gold leaf a few weeks ago

coz that baffled me .... why ?

i live and learn : ) ... dave2

ps ... anyone on what the duck and the other offerings on the table mean / are for ?

for the ghosts with no money????

[dave2]

firelily.

i googled joss paper and learned a lot about chinese customs .. thanks for that

there are two stages for singers dancers shows contests etc and lots of food stalls

enjoy yesterdays pics ... dave2 .... off to the show : )

[dave2]

i walked down there this morning and there was nothing happening on the stages .

i went back at 5 ish and they were putting the chairs out so its obviously the first show tonight

with the beauty contests , singing and dancing etc possibly tomorrow.

on the way back to get my bike i found these floats at thapae gate i dont know if their for cny or the flower parade on saturday

but they looked good .

enjoy pics ... dave2

[uptheos]

firelily.

re ... Gold leaves" are ghost money

wow thanks for that info ... that explains why the men in the back of a funeral truck were continually throwing out sheets of gold leaf a few weeks ago

coz that baffled me .... why ?

i live and learn : ) ... dave2

ps ... anyone on what the duck and the other offerings on the table mean / are for ?

for the ghosts with no money????

I didn't realise that there are affluent levels of ghosts too.....I guess what gets carried over from this world.................

[naboo]

A few floats near the railway station this morning. I assume they're going to make their way to Thapae Gate. The road from the railway station is closed to Nawarat Bridge and probably to Thapae Gate, surrounding roads are chaos, especially Kaew Nawarat.