fountainhall
June 29th, 2014, 11:08
The day of the Parade itself is enveloped in a sort of madness. Many thousands jam into the village, all laughing, joking, oohing and aahing тАУ and having a great time. The village main street is closed off at both ends and so there is traffic chaos getting there if you leave it too late. Along with some others from the hotel (almost 2 kms away), we arrived around 9:00. By then the few bleachers along the route were all packed and lots of the participants were already in their places along the route. With little cloud cover and no rain overnight, it was very, very hot.
I felt really sorry for some of the kids in their ghost costumes at the very back. They had to sit or stand around for almost three hours before they could start to move. One villager set up a small stall outside his house to offer them refreshments. He beckoned me over, saying тАЬFree!тАЭ Much as I would have enjoyed it, I stayed back; the kids deserved it far more than I.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr27.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr27.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr28.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr28.jpg.html)
Thankfully there were also free cold water bottles being handed out. I must have drunk a good three litres it was so hot. The whole day is pretty noisy. A lot of the floats had their own boom-boxes blaring out traditional music. There were far more floats than the day before, some simple, some with much more decoration, some attended by very handsome guys!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr29.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr29.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr43.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr43.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr31.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr31.jpg.html)
One float even boasted a puppet skeleton band!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr32.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr32.jpg.html)
The advertised start-time of 10:00 came and went in rather typical Thai fashion. 30 minutes later all eyes were raised upwards as six skydivers floated down over the village, landing expertly on the tiny parade ground.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr33.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr33.jpg.html)
That was the signal to start тАУ or rather for the interminable speeches to start. Somewhere, several dignitaries had their say for all of twenty minutes with very few in the crowd taking any notice. Those taking part in the Parade took up their final positions and got ready to start. The volume then went up a few decibels. ItтАЩs not only the boom boxes on the floats; many of the тАШghostsтАЩ wear cowbells on their belts or trail tin cans behind them. I tried to stay in one spot but it was much more fun just to go with the flow. It was great for taking photos, although all had to be taken at ground level as there was nothing to clamber up on.
Although there were parade marshals to keep a kind of order, there was much more interaction between participants and spectators than I had expected. Groups of ghosts were interspersed with Thai traditional dancing and gangs of near naked-men beating bamboo poles on the ground, their bodies caked in mud to resemble their ancestors of old.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr34.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr34.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr39.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr39.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr44.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr44.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr37.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr37.jpg.html)
By mid-afternoon, most of the floats and marchers had reached the temple. There judging of the best in each costume and float category would take place. Nearby bamboo rockets were fired to encourage rain. Soon many of the guys were becoming the worse for wear after too many beers, but there was still a long evening of singing and celebrating ahead. For many, though, their participation was over and they walked back along the parade route carrying their headgear. It made me rather wish that more had been тАШheadlessтАЩ during the parade itself!!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr51.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr51.jpg.html)
I chatted with a couple of Americans from Miami who had been here 2 years ago. They'd loved it so much theyтАЩd come back for a second visit. ItтАЩs a fabulous week-end. The Festival is totally unique and a really fun day. I cannot understand why more expats and tourists donтАЩt visit. Besides, Loei Province has a lot more to offer with several major National Parks and even a winery named Chateau Loei (although there is no evidence of any chateau nor tasting in the vineyards)!
I felt really sorry for some of the kids in their ghost costumes at the very back. They had to sit or stand around for almost three hours before they could start to move. One villager set up a small stall outside his house to offer them refreshments. He beckoned me over, saying тАЬFree!тАЭ Much as I would have enjoyed it, I stayed back; the kids deserved it far more than I.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr27.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr27.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr28.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr28.jpg.html)
Thankfully there were also free cold water bottles being handed out. I must have drunk a good three litres it was so hot. The whole day is pretty noisy. A lot of the floats had their own boom-boxes blaring out traditional music. There were far more floats than the day before, some simple, some with much more decoration, some attended by very handsome guys!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr29.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr29.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr43.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr43.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr31.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr31.jpg.html)
One float even boasted a puppet skeleton band!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr32.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr32.jpg.html)
The advertised start-time of 10:00 came and went in rather typical Thai fashion. 30 minutes later all eyes were raised upwards as six skydivers floated down over the village, landing expertly on the tiny parade ground.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr33.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr33.jpg.html)
That was the signal to start тАУ or rather for the interminable speeches to start. Somewhere, several dignitaries had their say for all of twenty minutes with very few in the crowd taking any notice. Those taking part in the Parade took up their final positions and got ready to start. The volume then went up a few decibels. ItтАЩs not only the boom boxes on the floats; many of the тАШghostsтАЩ wear cowbells on their belts or trail tin cans behind them. I tried to stay in one spot but it was much more fun just to go with the flow. It was great for taking photos, although all had to be taken at ground level as there was nothing to clamber up on.
Although there were parade marshals to keep a kind of order, there was much more interaction between participants and spectators than I had expected. Groups of ghosts were interspersed with Thai traditional dancing and gangs of near naked-men beating bamboo poles on the ground, their bodies caked in mud to resemble their ancestors of old.
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr34.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr34.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr39.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr39.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr44.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr44.jpg.html)
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr37.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr37.jpg.html)
By mid-afternoon, most of the floats and marchers had reached the temple. There judging of the best in each costume and float category would take place. Nearby bamboo rockets were fired to encourage rain. Soon many of the guys were becoming the worse for wear after too many beers, but there was still a long evening of singing and celebrating ahead. For many, though, their participation was over and they walked back along the parade route carrying their headgear. It made me rather wish that more had been тАШheadlessтАЩ during the parade itself!!
http://i1125.photobucket.com/albums/l597/fountainhall/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr51.jpg (http://s1125.photobucket.com/user/fountainhall/media/Loei_Ghost_Fest_lr51.jpg.html)
I chatted with a couple of Americans from Miami who had been here 2 years ago. They'd loved it so much theyтАЩd come back for a second visit. ItтАЩs a fabulous week-end. The Festival is totally unique and a really fun day. I cannot understand why more expats and tourists donтАЩt visit. Besides, Loei Province has a lot more to offer with several major National Parks and even a winery named Chateau Loei (although there is no evidence of any chateau nor tasting in the vineyards)!