Festival
I had a nice outing to LA's Thai Town last weekend, where there was a street festival for Songkran, the Thai lunar new year. The last time I celebrated Songkran was in Chiang Mai, a historic city in Thailand near its border with Myanmar. I particularly enjoyed seeing the cultural expressions from different regions in Thailand—something that I didn't get to witness while celebrating in Thailand. Here are a few photos from the morning!
Read MoreThe Songrkan tradition of spraying water originated in the act of pouring water on someone as a sign of respect thought to wash away sins and bad luck. Over the years, that practice has transmogrified into the four-day country-wide water gun fight to mark the Lunar New Year
I had a blast celebrating Songkran, the Thai New Year, in Chiang Mai, a historic town and traveller-nexus in Northern Thailand. The water-festival, marking the Lunar New Year, has origins in the act of pouring water on someone as a sign of respect. Officially, Songkran, which lasts 3 days, doesn’t start until April 13th; however, celebrations were well underway the day before, with (mostly) young people taking to the streets in colorful clothing to spray one another with water guns. The country-wide water fight persevered for the next 3 days as Thais celebrated the transition from Pisces to Aries...
Read MoreI got to celebrate Diwali with the Herr family in Bir -- a small town in the foothills of the Indian Himalaya. From left to right: Miri Herr, (myself), Lovely Herr, and a family friend of the Herr's. Rangoli are aesthetic patters created on the floor for the purpose of attracting good fortune.
The Diwali festival is a one of India’s most widely known and celebrated events. The festival is an auspicious observance, celebrating new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil represented as light over darkness...
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