Local Temple Fair is on and is rocking-out (plus Google Earth Pro is now free)

[orang37]

Visiting a local (smaller) Wat Fair is a really interesting adventure, and a good way to encounter some aspects of Thai culture that may not be in the Lonely Planet (for all I know). If part of the "genius," the uniqueness, of Thai culture is understanding "making work fun:" (where the word "fun," given its sub-textual burden of Calvinist apposition to "meaningful," is quite an inadequate term), equally, there's a great deal of hard work that goes into preparation for any religious event involving the community.

This is is the fourth night the neighborhood is being serenaded at high-volume with reprises of everything from Luk Thung, and Mowlam, to covers of Little Richard. If you go, you will want want to dress respectfully, and you should expect to see people who are "several sheets to the wind" dancing wildly near the second sound-stage set up outside the Wat.

Such an event is always a fund-raiser for the Wat, and its programs; if you wish you can pay your respects to one of the senior Monks, receive a small string around your wrist (sai sin) as a "blessing." No donation is actively solicited !

The Fair is still on tomorrow (Tuesday) night.

It's at Wat Muang Sat Luang, a lesser known Wat in the Nong Hoi area.

How to get there:

1. from town: cross the bridge across the Ping next to the Holiday Inn heading East:

2. turn right (South) on the Chiang Mai Lamphun Road and make the first left (East) onto Chiang Mai Lamphun Soi 9. Soi 9 is where you'll find the paper-lantern makers, down near the Wat.

3. go about 1.1 kilometers down the road bearing East until you come to the Wat.

cheers, ~o:37;

Those of you who enjoy messing around with on-line maps: Google Earth Pro is now free !

http://www.google.com/intl/en/earth/download/gep/agree.html

Note: I've tried to register twice now, and get "technical difficulty" messages from Google, so it may take a few days to get this going.

[WorkingTourist]

Is today (Tuesday) the last day? And at what time is the event (roughly)?

[orang37]

Is today (Tuesday) the last day? And at what time is the event (roughly)?

Sawasdee Khrup, Khun WorkingTourist,

I believe, but am not completely certain, that tonight's the last night.

Things will get going around 7pm, but I suggest you arrive between 8~9pm when "full swing" may be operant. If you are "into" Thai food of the soi hoi polloi variety there's plenty of what you usually see at any public gala on offer.

cheers, ~o:37;