Saturday, 9th February

Today is a Chinese New Years Eve. I thought there will be a huge party in Bangkoks China Town, so I went there by a tuk-tuk late in the evening. The guy was not happy with the price I have made, everything was crowded, so he throught me out actually at the very beginning of the China Town. I have visited only shortly 2 Temples filled with people, lightening candles, giving a gifts to the God, but beside this and... some people selling small beautiful birds in ridiculously small wooden cages, there was nothing going on.

This is unfortunately ridiculous

 Oh, yeah, one thing: I did'n know exactly where I am so I wen way some people were following (I saw maybe one tourist more only) and I have landed on never ending night street market, where you can buy everything, just everything, pardon, even every shitty and crappy thing you can imagine... The sell things also under quite dark conditions, if it would be Lima or Buenos Aires under this circumstances I wouldn't feel safe, here it was more less ok. Way back home by first tuk-tuk I have found...

Wanna buy it???

Way home from the sight of a tuk-tuk passanger...

 

Sunday, 10th February

If yesterday was the New Years Eve, so today is the first day of the Chinese New Year - the Year of the Snake.

I went to China Town this time by a boat (extremely overcrowded, actually I did not expect the boat to stop and pick some more people, but impossible is sometimes possible...). I was there circa 2 pm and the preparation for the Big Party were ongoing like crazy... Walking around, it was a great pleasure to see how much effort people do for that particular occasion. I have read something about huge fireworks, lion dances, dragons etc etc... So after walking around, having some delicious Thai street food (even if I wasn't really sure what I ma eating) I have found a pleasure Coffee with a terrace (actually the only one which was suitable for settling down with a Lonely Planet Guide and my diary). So I was waiting for the Big Event. Not alone,one, there were thousands of people slowly, step by step filling the streets. I have chatted with some nice guys, we were excited about the whole thing. One thing was funny: when I have asked, when the celebration is starting, they have told me (locals) at 4pm, another source of (dis)information: 6 pm, my neighbors have heard something about 5 pm or so??? So later it came out, something started around 20:30 maybe? This "something", well prepared, so that military was even chacking all windows and giving signals to close all courtins, took maybe 2 minutes - The Prinsess passed... in a kind of this shameful train which you find (unfortunately) all over the world... Tja, die beste Freude ist Vorfreude... Nevertheless, it was an amazing day...

Safety on the first place...

China Town is preparing for the Big Event!

The car's owners glasses were bright red, too

Series: before and after... (before and after holidays)

That was great, fried noodles with calamari, egg, lemon gras maybe and spices...

My new dress for the New Years Party ;). Most people were dressing red, some pink as well.

I have already wenn a bit into my knees, not to hurt her...

Here we have spent several hours waiting for Godot.