Happy New Year!!!

Today is the beginning of the Thai celebration of the New Year, Songkran. It is traditionally celebrated with water--spraying people with water pistols, buckets, hoses, water barrels in the back of half tons with people dipping and throwing the water as the truck goes down the street. Also, putting white flour paste on faces mostly, but clothes, hair, shoes, vehicles, etc. All is done with much laughter and smiling and FUN.

We did all kinds of Jim Thompson silk today. (he basically restarted the Thai silk industry after WWII) Started with the factory outlet--got 15 meters of awesome Thai silk fabric--warm up those sewing machines, people! Then, after a refuel at Starbucks, we went to the main Jim Thompson store, where they have scarves, clothing, accessories, etc. BeAuTiFuL. Then, we went to Jim Thompson's restaurant and had Thai food--some of our choices were *really* spicy--think breaking into sweat, turning beet red and needing water. Good food, though, and a very nice surrounding. (Tomorrow, we might go to his house, which has been turned into a museum)

An afternoon nap, which turned into a sleep, then we went out with Arthur and Hui, friends of Brian. Drinks at their beautiful apartment and then we walked to their favorite seafood restaurant for very interesting, and delicious, food. A good time was had by all. Arthur is Scottish and his party piece is the Address to the Haggis, which he does in Hong Kong for Robbie Burns Day.

Just a word for those who are worried about our safety--don't! The Red Shirts are basically confined to one area of the city and we aren't going near there. The only delays we have experienced are associated with water throwing parties. All is good.